Flying with the Birds | Guided Hypnosis for Better Sleep
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Okay, tonight, flying with the birds. I recently spent a week in Canada, and one of the first sights I saw when I arrived in cottage country was a big flock of Canada geese. And yes, they're called Canada geese, not Canadian geese. Don't ask me why, but every Canadian will correct you on it, so you should know that. This fortuitous event came in

Almost exactly at the time that a listener named Christy suggested an episode based on how she helps herself get to sleep sometimes by imagining that she's a butterfly or a bird, some sort of flying creature looking down over the landscape. So this is for you, Christy, and all the other sleepers out there. And yes, tonight you're going to imagine that you're a goose.

So when someone at work tomorrow asks you what you did last night, you're welcome. So get yourself into a safe and comfortable position and let's begin. Allow your eyes to close easily and gently. Bring your awareness now to your breath. You don't need to do anything fancy with your breath, although if you want to take a couple nice deep breaths, go ahead. But the point of bringing your awareness to your breath is that by bringing it to a specific focused place,

you're taking it away from everywhere else. Your mind can only focus on one thing at a time, so by focusing on your breath, as you are doing right now, everything becomes simple and everything begins to relax. Everything slows down. Good.

But the awareness likes to move around, so let's move your awareness up into your eyelids now. As you imagine your eyelids are feeling heavy and sleepy and relaxed. As you allow your eyelids to get heavier and heavier. In a moment I'm going to ask you to imagine that your eyelids are so relaxed they will not open. And as much as some listeners every once in a while

aren't great eyebrow wigglers. Many of you tell me that you love wiggling your eyebrows. So let's test your eyes right now to make sure they won't open by wiggling your eyebrows. Give them a tug. Beautiful. Good. Now this lovely relaxation you feel around your eyes, this warm, heavy relaxation, this is the same quality of relaxation that you will soon have

throughout your entire body. So let's imagine this relaxation around your eyes moving down into your face. Let's imagine that heavy warm energy moving down into your cheeks, around your nose, into your lips, your jaw, your chin. Beautiful. Let's imagine this warm relaxation moving up into your forehead,

and dripping back down your scalp. And now let's imagine this warm feeling moving inside, like a warm lovely sort of gooey chocolate pudding of relaxation inside your brain, taking over every single cell of your brain. And now we can allow the chocolate pudding to be more like a soft mist. That's nicer.

As your head becomes nice and heavy on the pillow, and the muscles of your face have completely relaxed, and all mental tension has disappeared. And now you imagine this mist moving down, down, down into your throat, softening the muscles of your neck, moving deep into your shoulders. And as your shoulders are feeling heavy and warm and relaxed,

All of the responsibilities you carry on those shoulders have fallen to the floor. Responsibilities you feel to your family and friends and work. Responsibilities you feel to the world, to the future. And even responsibilities you're still carrying toward the past. They've all fallen to the floor and you can pick any or all of them up tomorrow morning. For right now, this is your time for you. When you connect,

with yourself and give yourself what you need. As you relax, going deeper and deeper, you nourish yourself and you're designed to do that. So allow it. Good. As the mist of relaxation moves down your arms and your arms are feeling nice and heavy, like they're made of marble. And the relaxation moves down into your hands and your fingers, all feeling heavy.

on the bed. And you may be aware of sounds going on around you tonight, but that's okay because no sound that you hear will bother or disturb you in any way. In fact, from this moment on, any sound that you hear will actually take you deeper and deeper into relaxation. So bring your awareness now to any sound going on around you and let them take you deeper. Good.

The only sound you're paying any attention to is the sound of my voice. And the sound of my voice is also taking you deeper and deeper. As you allow this relaxation to move down into your torso. This warm mist of relaxation moving deep down into your heart, your chest, muscles of your back, letting go. Moving down deep into your belly now. As your pelvis feels heavy,

on the bed. And as your body is relaxing, your mind is relaxing. And as your mind is relaxing, your body is relaxing. And as your body is relaxing, your mind is relaxing. As that warm mist of relaxation is moving down your legs now, moving all the way down your legs, and your legs are feeling heavy now,

heavy, like they're made of marble, as the relaxation moves all the way down into your feet and your toes. And now it's time to imagine. And just for tonight, you're imagining that you are a bird, a goose to be precise, and you're floating on a lake in northern Canada. It's an early morning in October, and the first rays of dawn break over the horizon.

A mist is rising gently from the surface of the water, and the air is crisp with the chill of approaching winter. You are surrounded by your flock, around three dozen other geese, all floating together on the clear, calm surface of the water. Over the last few weeks, you've registered that the light is fading. The whole flock knows

from the photoreceptors in your brains that it's time to move south for more light and more warmth. Food has become scarce lately, so you're all feeling as a collective that it's time. You watch as another goose stretches out her neck, aligning it with her lengthening body. She's preparing for takeoff,

Her feet begin to paddle strenuously under the water. This causes you to stretch your own neck out. And you begin to paddle, pushing against the water to create forward momentum. And as you paddle, you get your body just slightly above the water. And as your legs push harder, you extend your wings and begin to flap.

Deep, strong beats of your wings help your whole body to lift even higher above the water. And as your legs keep kicking and your wings keep flapping, it feels as though you're running on the surface of the water for a moment. And now lift. Your wings flapping so hard and fast that they overcome the weight of your body. You push forward.

the surface of the lake, and you're propelling yourself forward and forward, and you are aloft, suddenly flying several feet above the water. You are free from the bonds of the earth, quickly moving forward on your way south.

As you fly away from the lake, flapping your wings strongly and rhythmically, gathering speed, the flock moves into formation. A large V. You have traveled this way your entire life, each member of the flock taking on its own aerodynamic role, slightly above the goose in front of you. Your friend who started the liftoff is the goose in front.

But when she gets tired, someone else will take over, and then someone else. Holding one another in this V pattern allows you all to experience this long flight with as little resistance as possible. As you fly, you feel the cool air beneath your wings. Your wings extend gracefully.

and your light bones are held within a complex array of feathers and muscles, constantly adjusting to the air currents. Your wings are your arms, with finger-like feathers at the tips, and with the slightest move you can steer and glide with total precision. You are one with the air, synchronizing with the subtle shifts

As your muscles move almost imperceptibly, your neck is extended forward like the bow of a ship slicing through the air. You look down and see other flocks of geese gathered on nearby lakes preparing for their own journeys. Everyone is going on this annual adventure. Some flocks will cover 1500 miles today.

flying at the speed of a car. You are looking forward and can see ahead of you, but you also have a peripheral sense of your flockmates. You are one big extended family, and you watch each other, sense each other, honking to one another to give encouragement. And as you fly together, now rising to 500 feet, you can also see the landscape below.

You're floating over dark, evergreen trees, rising proudly around the little lakes below. Reflections of the early morning sky ripple on the water's surface. Between the conifers are deciduous trees, some still clinging to the last of their autumn leaves, showing off their deep reds and golds with pops of brilliant yellow.

here and there. And as you fly, rising to a thousand feet, your perspective changes and you see more territory. The earth below becoming a mosaic of pine trees, firs and birches, interspersed with ponds and lakes. The air is cold and you are gliding now. Rivers and streams meander through the landscape.

Their banks lined with reeds and willows. You are moving fast now. Doing what your body is designed for. Following your instinct. And as you relax, you are free. Totally free. Floating and gliding above it all. The landscape is changing. You see farms stretching out in a patchwork of brown.

and golden stubble. You see country roads dotted with barns and silos. You spot a farmer working his field, his tractor moving slowly and methodically. Beyond the farms, there is a small town, just a cluster of houses where two roads cross, surrounded by trees and gardens.

The lead goose is honking. She's tired. And the goose in front of you moves forward as the leader moves back into one of the wings of the V, where she'll get to rest a bit. The transition is smooth as everyone relaxes, finding their balance again as you go deeper and deeper. It feels so nice to soar. As you fly forward, you also are continuing to ascend.

Going higher and higher, released from the cares of the world. Free. The air has warmed up a bit, and your body is relaxing as you take long, leisurely flaps of your wings and soar on the gusts of air. Being in this formation makes you feel connected, part of something bigger than yourself, guided by instinct.

and nature. With your new leader, you're moving up to 1500 feet. And you begin to navigate along a major river. You have migrated along this path of this river every year of your life. It's getting close to noon and the midday sun sparkles off the flowing water. This river is the lifeline of the landscape.

winding and looping with barges and boats moving steadily along its waters. And on its banks, you see little towns and patches of forest. In some places, the river widens into larger ponds or lakes lined with dock and speedboats. It feels so good to fly.

You reach a city, its roads and railways reaching out, tentacle. You fly above enormous building, so different from the trees you saw this morning. From above the city is a hive of activity, with cars driving along highway and people bustling out in their daily routines.

You notice little parks and green spaces tucked into the city landscape as you feel the heat from the city rising, and you go up even higher. You move beyond the city as afternoon approaches and begin to glide over rolling hills and valleys. You see little farms again, tiny towns,

and patches of forest, winding country roads and cows, just little specks grazing in the pasture. This world is tranquil and orderly, and something within you relaxes again. As you fly together, reaching your greatest height, the world beneath you flattens out into vast plain.

The land stretching as far as you can see. It is amazing to soar over these prairies. The world is quiet and the fields are gold and dark brown with their fertile soil being readied for next year. You reach a large body of water. It's a late afternoon and the water stretches to the horizon dotted with boats

Bordered by evergreens, the lake's surface reflects the setting sun, creating a dazzling display of color. You notice other birds along the shores of the lake enjoying the afternoon. The lead goose begins honking, and it's your turn to lead the flock.

And as that goose slips back into the V, you flap your wings harder than normal, giving an urgent push to get yourself into lead position. The air is cooling, and your flock needs your skill to finish today's journey. As the light begins to fade, you start your search for a resting spot. You're looking for a quiet or pond

or a protected field away from predators and human activity. The landscape below is bathed in the soft golden light of dusk, with long shadows stretching across the ground. The air is getting cold now, and the world below is starting to settle into the stillness of evening. You spot a small secluded lake,

You notice other birds already gathered there for the night. You honk to alert the flock that you are ready to descend. And everyone honks back in agreement. Yes, we are tired. Yes, this is a good spot. Yes, let's settle in for the night. You begin your descent, adjusting your wings to slow your speed. The V breaks into mini-flock.

for easier landing. And now you are descending with three of your friends. You stop flapping your wings and let them extend fully as you glide the tiny muscles in your wings managing your descent.

And as you get close to the surface of the lake, you begin to flap and flap and flap. And now your webbed feet are sliding along the water like water skis skidding forward until now they drop into the water. And your feathered body plops down onto the surface. You bring your wings in and start to paddle. As the flock follows you and everyone comes down. Down.

descending in their little groups, landing on the calm, cool waters of the lake, and everyone honks in delight. You notice the last rays of the sun disappearing over the horizon as the sky turns pink and purple and a lovely deep blue. You paddle to the shore and hop up onto the land as everyone follows you

and you all find a grassy path under a tree as you settle in for the night. You lie down on the grass and tuck your head beneath your wing. Others lie down too, while a few sleep on one foot, standing guard. You close your eyes. You are safe with your flock as you go deeper and deeper. The night creatures of the lake begin to chirp and croak.

The gentle waves of the lake lap against the shore as you drift and float and dream.