Fall into a deep sleep tonight as you listen to this bedtime story and guided meditation for adults.
Journey to the Cotswolds in England where time has cast its beauty upon the golden limestone walls for centuries.
And you may find a sense of calm and well-being upon the backdrop of a damp winter's night as a storm begins to brew before you find shelter in a charming bed and breakfast.
And I would like to take this time to welcome you to Michelle's Sanctuary.
I am Michelle and as you are listening,
You may think of my voice as that of a dear friend and guide who is here to make you feel relaxed and comfortable and truly valued.
As you have earned this time for yourself every day and to take this moment to honor you and all that you have overcome and all you may set aside to set yourself up for a night of restorative,
Fulfilling sleep.
And this time to rest will allow you to wipe away the slate of yesterday.
And should you be holding on to even more than one yesterday,
You may work towards wiping away all that no longer serves you from the chain of yesterdays that fall behind you.
Being present to right now and understanding that this precious night of sleep will guide you to a new beginning tomorrow where you may seize the day and if only a little bit at a time,
Become adaptable and open to the greatest of possibilities.
So get cozy and cuddle up beneath your bedding,
Tucking it closely underneath your chin if that feels nice.
Letting your body release and align every nook and cranny,
Every joint and curve of your physical body with the softness of your bed as you let go,
As you feel heavy,
As you relax,
Taking in a huge sip of nights air before you exhale in a big audible sigh if that feels good to you.
Then again just inhale deeply to the deepest cavern of your lower abdomen,
Letting your belly and chest rise before again you force it all out in a sigh,
Letting it go,
Feeling free one last time.
You inhale deeply as your chest rises and you sigh it all out.
Before you allow yourself to be transported in this calm bedtime story,
Know that you may drift away from my voice at any point in this narrative and just fall asleep.
This is for your own personal experience and whatever feels right for you as the story progresses on.
Whatever you do not experience in your waking life may melt like a vibrant water color into your dreaming life.
And with your eyelids heavily cast upon your very tired eyes,
They feel like sandbags while acting as a movie screen upon which you may visualize you are walking upon a narrow winding street that glistens with the reflections of quaint limestone cottages that surround it.
While the sky above is a steely gray with plum black edged storm clouds that are slowly moving upon the village,
The stone homes reflect back in a cinematic golden hue.
You have such a sense of place and history with a deeply rooted feeling in your feet as they step upon the damp pavement.
You feel this connection that grounds you in a way that you conjure an idea of what it must be to feel like a centuries old tree that has the deepest of roots.
When you do not understand or feel the need to question why you feel so sure that you are in the right place right now,
You just accept it and surrender to the beauty that is around you.
It feels so good to just go with the flow on this cozy adventure.
Your feet are adorned in soft,
Buttery boots that have a grip with each step and make your feet feel warm and dry,
And you are wearing a trench coat that feels like it has a special power.
A connection to a person or a memory or a deep sense of confidence when you wear it.
The belt is cinched tightly,
Like a hug around your waist,
And it is in your favorite color and fabric and makes you feel distinguished and comfortable at the same time,
As if it is an extension of your body,
Made only for you and you alone.
The village is quite sleepy at this time before twilight,
But as you walk by a series of small shops and a bookstore,
You notice a few proprietors that give you a smile and friendly way.
You feel so welcomed.
You take in the tendrils of ivy plants that grow upon a quaint limestone home,
So vibrantly green against the deep amber stone that is weather worn and has been imprinted with fossils of sea urchins and coral.
You carefully run your hand across the stone,
Feeling flashes of beauty throughout history that come to you with a warm feeling of appreciation.
The stone has endured on,
And so too have you over time.
And you carry the fossils formed by experiences and disappointments and beautiful surprises within you,
And know that you have prevailed.
And while these moments have shaped you,
And possibly not always been to your hopes or expectations,
You have become you through all of this.
And you may take this time to appreciate the you that is now,
Just as you appreciate the quaint historic cottages that are only as they are now because of the weathering of experiences and time.
And these imprints are what make the energy of the Cotswolds so charming and warm and inviting.
The road begins to narrow,
And you can smell burning wood,
Seeing as chimneys emit plumes of smoke from the row of cottages set aglow from within.
And as you walk,
You glimpse into the windows of one of these storybook homes and see a cat nestled within the sill of a window.
Her tail wrapped around,
With her body curled up so she may use the tip of her tail as a fluffy pillow beneath her chin.
She seems so relaxed and content,
And it gives you a sense of warmth against the cool,
Damp winter's night air.
You inhale and exhale as your breath condenses and forms a cloud before you.
You remember the first time you ever saw your own breath,
And take this moment to play around and to laugh to yourself,
Smiling as you exhale and watch your own life force hit the cool evening air.
The sky is getting darker,
And a breeze begins to whip around the narrow streets as you continue to walk.
You give yourself a gentle hug,
Rubbing your hands against the arms of your trench coat for warmth.
The road begins to incline over a rolling hill as you see a strike of lightning in the distance.
The rain begins to fall,
Coming down heavier as large drops splat against the surrounding cottages and pavement ahead.
They fall upon your face and hair as well,
And while cold,
They are invigorating in a way that reminds you of your own aliveness.
And it feels good to feel alive,
To be present.
A few more drops fall upon your lips,
And you lick them,
And they taste like briny water on a metal spoon.
And when you smell the damp air,
The minerality of wet stones,
And the fragrance of nearby woodlands wafts on the breeze of the damp air that hits your face.
And just ahead,
You see the bed and breakfast where you are staying.
There is a long,
Narrow driveway,
And the incline feels good,
But alerts you of your own tiredness that begins to take over.
Your body feeling heavy,
While you also feel the contentment that follows from a day full of exertion and adventures.
You come upon the top of the driveway,
Which widens beneath an awning and entryway to this grand mansion.
You stop for a moment to take in the beauty,
As lightning shoots across the sky above,
And illuminates the outline of the peaked roofs and deep purple black storm clouds.
You have arrived just in time.
You enter the main door to be instantly greeted by the friendly innkeeper,
Whose family has maintained this charming inn for generations.
Her welcome is as warm as the wave of air that hits the cool outside air as the door opens and then closes behind you.
She takes your trench coat and hangs it upon a mahogany coat rack in the entryway.
She gestures to an antique marble table,
Upon which a pot of tea is waiting with some biscuits and a small place card that has your name and treats.
We are delighted you chose to stay with us.
Always make yourself at home.
You smile and pour yourself a cup and fix it to your preferences.
And then take one of the biscuits,
As she asks if you are in need of anything for the night.
You inform her that you are just fine and ready to rest.
And so you continue towards the grand mahogany staircase that is covered with a luxurious sapphire and ivory patterned rug.
And as you walk upon it,
Ascending one step at a time,
You feel as if you are floating upon the crests of waves of the sea.
Your leary arms and tired body feel heavier with each step as you ascend,
One step at a time.
Counting as you go.
.
.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Nine,
Ten,
Eleven,
Twelve.
And you come upon the landing and turn towards your room,
Walking down the long hallway as the sound of the rain intensifies,
As it pounds upon the roof and the windows that lined the wall.
You come upon the heavy wooden door of your room and insert the skeleton key that dangles from a tasseled key chain into the lock,
Listening as it clicks,
And the door opens upon your cozy room.
A fire glows in the fireplace as the wood crackles and pops.
You walk towards an antique end table and armchair,
Finishing your biscuit and taking a few last sips of your tea before placing it down.
A bathrobe is resting upon a bench that stands near the end of a canopy bed made of hand-carved wood.
The wood has delicate swirls that invite you to come over and gracefully run your hand against the glossy smooth coolness.
You remove your clothing and put on the plush bathrobe,
Tying the belt around you before getting comfortable beneath the covers.
You walk to the church-style windows that peek beneath the ceiling and nearly end at the wooden floor.
You look out to watch the raindrops cascading down the colorful stained glass panes like tears of joy.
The golden warm light of the fire reflects on the windows and refracts the raindrops into prisms that hypnotize you momentarily.
Thunder rolls in the distance.
The pelts of rain have a gentle rhythm that lulls you into a trance state.
So heavy and tired,
You peel yourself away from the window and approach the high canopy bed,
Going underneath the hand-sewn quilt made with patches of soft and colorful cotton.
The sky continues to light up in flashes of silver and white,
And the thunder rolls through the grassy hills that roll around the estate like soft waves of dark green.
Your eyelids close heavily upon your eyes as you sink deeper and deeper down,
Ready to drift off to sleep,
Inhaling and sighing it out,
Going deeper and deeper within,
Letting go of my voice,
Floating away like the streams of rain upon the stained glass windows,
Drifting and letting go,
Ready for sleep,
Ready to cross over into your sleeping and dreaming light,
And with each count,
Going further and further away from my voice.
Ten,
Nine,
Eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Finding contentment,
Finding ease,
Finding your voice,
Finding all that you seek and all that you desire.
Sleeping sleep,
It's time to dream away.
Good night.
