The forest in your mind

Imagine a forest. Any forest. How does it look? Are there broad-leafed trees, with the sun shining through and birds chirping happily? Or do you stand in the midst of dark, high spruce trees, with mist crawling out of the mud and an eery silence creeping you out?

Is your forest friendly, peaceful, a place to visit to relax your weary soul? Or is it a hostile place, full of mysterious hidden creatures, easy to get lost in, igniting nothing than primal fear?

Are you, my reader, are you afraid of the forest you created in your mind? If so, fear no more. It's just in your mind. Take a deep breath and say it, it's just in my mind. It can't come out. It won't hurt me. Relax and breathe, take a seat in your most comfortable chair, make yourself a cup of tea if you like and assure yourself of the reality you live in.

Are you calm now, my reader? Then read on. If not, take as much time as you need. There's no escaping the truth I'm about to tell you. But at least I can make sure that you have one last peaceful minute before it will all change.

Ok, here it comes: The forest in your head is real. Not the peaceful, sunny green forest with friendly, chirping birds. Don't kid yourself, nobody imagines that one. No, the one that all humans have an undefined, primal fear of. The dark, misty, hostile forest that swallows you whole. The one your parents warned you not to enter because "you'll definitely get lost in there". When I tell you to imagine a forest, any forest, it will be this one. And when you imagine it, the fear of it will most certainly be real. You can feel it trickling down your spine. You tell yourself, it's bullshit, there's no forest, not for real. It's only in your head, right? After all, it was me who just told you that. Well, I lied. Go back a few sentences, read it again. The forest in you head is real.

Now, of course I'm prepared that nobody will believe me this. After all, it sounds absurd. Why should this image, out of all your inner nightmares, be real? How should that even be possible?

Well, I tell you something really important, something about myself: I. Don't. Care. I don't care if you don't believe me. And I don't care if you freak out and run around in circles. I don't mind, not really. What I care about is my little girl, Ella. She's lost. She's as lost as any human can be. She's lost in the forest in your mind.

"Why in my mind?", you might ask. "Why not in any other mind? There's over 7 billion people on this earth, why me?"

I don't blame you for thinking it quite impossible that you, for once, are "the chosen one". I don't believe in destiny either. But I know it's your forest. I know because I can hear her. I can hear my little Ella screaming in your head. I can feel her tiny hands reaching out for help. And I can see her hot tears of desparation running down her cheeks. It's maddening. It's maddening to see her this close, to think I could just reach out with my hand and caress her head to soothe her. But I can't. She's as far away from me as she possibly could. She's in your head, in your imagination, in your forest. I cannot save her. But you can.

I would explain to you how she got into your head. And how I am able to see that so clearly. I would explain to you how this forest can be in you head at all. I would explain to you how it was created, ages ago, in every single human mind on this planet. How it's actually not your forest per se, but our forest. How it's a different reality, living side by side with ours and not a drop less real than the one you're currently looking at with your physical eyes.

I would explain to you all that... if I had the time. But of course I have not a minute more to spare. I've wasted enough time already. Ella, she's there and she's in terrible, terrible danger.

Do you know what things hide in the darkness between the trees? Do you know what comes crawling out of the mist if you look away for only one secound? Do you know what happens when it slowly gets darker and darker and night falls? You don't? Well, good for you, my dear reader, good for you. But Ella, my little Ella, she will soon find out. If you don't help her now, that is.

I'm sorry, this is about to get really terrifying but you have to trust me. If you trust me, if you follow what I tell you exactly, then nothing will happen to you, I promise. And my girl will be safe again. It's nothing too hard, really. And it will all be over in the blink of an eye. Just, trust me. And now, let's begin.

Go back to your forest. That's right, the deep, scary forest that you probably don't ever want to visit again but I need you to imagine it. Imagine the high spruce trees, the mist, the silence. And now imagine a little girl. She's sitting there, in the middle of a small clearing, on a patch of moss. Her face is buried in her hands and her dirty blond hair falls all over her upper body. She wears a red dress which reminds you of the fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood. Next to her is a basket full with mushrooms. She likes collecting mushrooms, little Ella. Ok, no time for further chitchat. You see her, with your mind? See that little, helpless girl? Good. Now the next step.

I want you to remember, and this is important, that it's your forest. And if you concentrate very, very hard, you can change this reality. Now, you see little Ella, right? She's scared, very scared, just as you probably are too. But you need to fight your fear. You need to be strong, you understand?

I want you to imagine yourself, in this forest, sitting right next to her. Do you feel the soft moss underneath your body? That's right. Good, now I want you to imagine that you take her little hand, it feels very warm and wet from all the tears, and you say to her: "Don't worry. It's all going to be ok." And please believe it, too. It's all going to be ok. Believe it yourself.

And then you two stand up together and you take your first step. You know, which direction to go. It's your forest. You know exactly where the exit lays. And holding little Ella's hand, you move towards it. And you imagine the sun. Imagine the sun shining down on you, clearing away the mist. It's friendly, the sun. It warms you. And it also shows you the way. Go towards the sun, my dear reader. Just walk. Step by step by step. Hold her hand, hold her close. You can do it. Keep calm. It's all going to be ok.

You should be able to already see the exit know. There's a wide meadow in front of you, full with blooming flowers in all imaginable colours. You hear birds chirping again and bees buzzing, busily flying from bloom to bloom. It's a peaceful scene in front of you and you feel the relief that comes with it. Let it flood you, this relief. You deserve it.

And now to Ella. She looks happier now, right? Now there's only one step missing. You have to bring her home.

This is going to be easier than it sounds. I need you to get back to the physical plane. This is something you both can do on your own. Tell Ella to imagine her home. Tell her to picture every detail she can remember. Suddenly, the warm little hand in your hand will be gone. You don't see Ella standing next to you anymore. You've done it. I always will be thankful to you, my dear reader. Always.

And now it's your turn. Feel, how you're still sitting in your chair, your most comfortable chair. You're sitting in your room. The forest's gone. There's your cup of tea in front of you. Drink a sip. Welcome back.

May the sun shine on your face. May peace fill your mind. May flowers grow wherever you go. And may you forget the forest in your mind. May it stay a dreadful image, a bad dream. May you never have to visit it again.

Imagine instead the peaceful forest, the other one. The one with green broad-leafed trees and happily chirping birds. Imagine the sun shining through the branches and the wind whispering songs of peace and wisdom. And if you see a little girl running around in your peaceful, beautiful forest, then tell her my best greetings and to come home again soon. And tell her that I love her, my Ella, I love her so very much.

Till then, goodbye my reader. Thank you for staying. Thank you for reading. Thank you for imaging. Take care of yourself. Stay healthy, stay hopeful, stay calm. Goodbye.