The Serenity Bath: A Sleep Story In Four Seasons

Relax and unwind in the perfect sleep ritual before a night of deep healing sleep.

You are listening to the Serenity Bath.

In this sleep story and guided meditation,

You will pamper yourself in a dreamy bath experience.

Each time you close your eyes and refill the soothing water of the tub,

You will be transported to a different season and landscape.

From a setting of apple orchards in fall,

To a mountain retreat in winter,

To the lavender fields of Provence,

To an oceanside escape in summer.

Each magical scene exemplifies the beauty and coziness to be found.

It's time to dream away.

I would like to welcome you to Michelle's Sanctuary.

I am Michelle and as you are listening,

Think of my voice as that of a trusted friend and guide to serenity.

I am here to remind you that you deserve to take time for yourself at the end of the day before crossing over the bridge to your sleeping life.

Maybe you are used to answering agendas that are not yours.

Or perhaps it is easy to do things to please other people.

But it's not always easy to do that for yourself.

But right now,

This experience is all about you.

Every night before bed is a sacred time for you to self-soothe and feel inspired.

You've earned this respite by making it through another day.

Feel free to let go of my voice at any point if sleep calls to you.

Gravitate towards the details that most appeal to you.

And let the wings of your imagination guide you towards thoughts that feel good.

Get cozy in a safe place to fall asleep.

And in the sanctuary of your room and the sanctuary of your mind,

Take in a deep breath and let your body fill to its utmost capacity.

So full you could float across a starry night sky.

And then exhale,

Make an audible sigh if you like.

Again take in a deep breath,

Inhaling to the top of your lungs until your mouth opens in a delicious yawn.

Run away with pride and free of guilt,

Sigh out your breath and feel yourself sink deeper into the downy embrace of your bed.

Your eyes may close and act like shutters that block out the rest of the world.

So you may begin to imagine.

You visualize clear,

Steaming water flowing out of a cast iron spigot into a copper slipper tub.

You grasp the curved handle and turn off the water that cascades into the deep soaking tub.

You run your hands along the wide lip of the tub and then position yourself comfortably.

The shimmering copper curves with the delicate grace and arcs of Cinderella's glass slippers.

A fire burns brightly in the darkness of the evening with amber and honey flames that aspire to kiss the sky.

The fire heats a tank of fresh water gathered from a local stream that feeds into the tub.

The system is rustic yet sophisticated and lends an air of old timey romance.

The elements of fire and water are brought together in a hypnotic visual.

You feel inspired when you look to the pipes that connect the soaking tub to the flame licked tank like an artery to a heart.

You inhale the crisp,

Fragrant night air perfumed by the sweet decay of autumn leaves and the tart scent of apples.

The outdoor copper tub rests on a deck made of reclaimed wood,

Knotty and weathered over time.

Secluded beneath a canopy of jewel toned leaves on the changing trees,

You overlook rows of manicured apple trees.

The vibrant red fruit stands out in the darkness,

Peppering the lush green branches and scattering across the blanket of grass.

The full tangerine moon crests over the purple-black silhouette of mountain peaks that surround the valley.

A patch of plump pumpkins grows from the earth in a web of gnarly green vines and looks like a cluster of shrunken orange moons.

You rest your back against the curve of the tub and it perfectly supports your shoulders and neck.

You look to the starry sky on this clear night and the stars shine brighter than you recall seeing in a long time above the dark canvas of farms and forests.

You listen to the gentle rustle of colorful leaves overhead.

Fallen leaves surround the tub and form a jewel toned mosaic rug of burgundy and vibrant red and golden yellow in chartreuse.

You listen to the leaves land and watch a magenta red leaf slowly float on the breeze before it lands in the copper tub.

You float along with this leaf in nature's opulence and listen to the crackling fire.

The golden sparks scurry towards the silver stars,

Moving fast enough to form streaks against the midnight blue sky.

You love the feeling of the steam rising from the copper tub,

Encoding your face in a soft mist.

The tiny droplets make the air feel cooler on your face.

It refreshes you while the rest of your body is made toasty by the healing water.

You surrender to the feelings that come with fall.

The desire to hunker down and relish the cool night air.

The surface of the water glows and reflects all the vibrant hues of the peachy moonlight,

The amber fire and the saturated leaves.

A small artisan made wooden table rests on the deck within reaching distance of the tub.

You grab an oversized mug that rests on it.

The warm mug is decorated with tiny painted leaves that trail around the burgundy façade of the cup like an autumn wreath.

It contains hot cider made fragrant by baking spices and cinnamon sticks that float atop it.

You bring the edge of the mug to your lips and softly sip the taste of fall.

Fall is a time for slowing down and you feel your breath slowing down.

You feel your mind and body slowing to the magical tempo of a perfect fall night beneath the stars and among the orchards.

You grip the cast iron faucet handle with your big toe and the toe next to it,

Enjoying the sensation as it wedges between them.

You turn the water on to replenish the tub with hot water and sit back and close your eyes.

For a moment you feel like the water coming from the spout is helping you cascade through time and space.

You love the feeling of flowing and surrendering.

You do not realize how much time passes when you open your eyes and find yourself in a new landscape.

A winter storm has moved in and you are in a master suite of a mountain retreat.

You float in a marble bathtub that overlooks the snowy peaks of the mountain.

The glistening white snow pats against the 270 degrees of windows that surround the luxurious tub.

Bubbles form around you,

Bountiful like the surf of crashing waves.

Some of them float around the candlelit room like magical orbs that contain dancing flames within.

You extend your index finger and pop one of the bubbles to watch the pearly surface suspend through the air in droplets that fall on the tiled floor.

The candles impart the room with a fragrant aroma of balsam,

Fir and cedar in a wintry blend that conjures warm and fuzzy memories of holiday celebrations and feeling connected.

The tub is center stage in this bathroom of your dreams.

The color scheme soothes you and feels warm and grounding in contrast to the dreamy white landscape outside the windows.

You watch as two white bunnies dash across the snow towards the barren trees of a forest.

The tree branches are slender and dark and they look like they have been artistically cut to contrast the pristine white landscape.

The snow begins to accumulate on them.

Icicles dangle from the roof's edge above the bathroom.

Long and magical,

They seem to grow before your eyes.

They conjure visions of a curious child,

Holding one in their mittened hands and tasting the cool metallic droplets as the icicles melt on their tongue.

It reminds you of the curious child that is still alive within you.

You see the swirling black smoke from nearby cabins that snakes its way towards the blanket of white that falls from the lavender grey clouds that cover the valley.

You take in a deep breath and can smell the burning wood and clean mountain air while safe within the suite.

More than ever you appreciate the warmth of the bath and the gentle jets that massage the tension out of your tired muscles.

For in winter,

The body withdraws into itself,

Huddling against the cold,

The warmth of the bath and persistent water pressure soften your muscles and relieve tension.

Your head rests on a velvety bath pillow that contours around your neck.

You follow the trail of relaxation from the crown of your head and down your neck.

Your face and jaw soften and you lean back deeper into the pillow.

You feel your spine tingle and your shoulders and arms relax.

Your ribs rise and fall with every gentle breath in and out.

Your belly is soft and your hips and pelvis relax.

Your tailbone hovers over the sleek marble bathtub,

Gently undulating and tapping against it with the delicate grace of a butterfly's fluttering wing.

Everything about this moment is soft.

Everything is as gentle and cozy as a well-worn cashmere sweater that you bury your face into when it is warm and fresh out of the dryer.

You look out the windows and see a family of deer walking across the snow,

Leaving a trail as they venture towards the safety of their den in the woods.

At this moment,

It seems that all of life and nature is hunkering down for the storm.

You turn on the brass handle of the faucet and warm water replenishes the tub and creates new mounds of soapy bubbles.

You close your eyes and listen to the stream of water.

You lower your head and ears beneath the surface of bath water and surrender to the dampened sounds of the outside world.

Then you are floating,

Drifting through time and space,

Letting yourself go with the flow and becoming familiar with this sensation so it may come back to you as a reminder.

You may find the ease in life,

Even during the stickiest of times,

If you only remember that it's best to surrender and flow.

You open your eyes and find yourself transported to a claw-foot bathtub set among the lavender fields of Provence.

The farmhouse bath is outdoors and its exterior has been made from hand-crafted galvanized silver metal.

The metal reflects the light of the crescent moon and its luminous texture feels like running your fingers across a bowl of marbles.

The air smells of life renewed,

With the aroma of lavender wafting over the smell of the lush green grass.

Roses grow on the three walls of a trellis that surrounds the tub and the blooming flowers offer a curtain of privacy.

Even without them,

Privacy is easy to be found in the bucolic landscape of purple hills.

Rose petals and lavender sprigs float atop the bath water and fragrant the air as well.

You take in a deep breath and smell the soporific lavender that wafts on the spring breeze and mingles with the smell of rich earth.

The stars twinkle and the beauty that now surrounds you once inspired Van Gogh to paint his version of a starry night.

You listen to the crickets in the fields,

Coming back to life after a winter of silence.

Tonight their sounds are as lush as an orchestra as they chirp in full glory.

This renewal of life is a reason again to sing.

Next to the farmhouse tub is a white wicker stool.

On it rests a glass vial that contains lavender oil and an antique teacup and saucer.

Tiny hand painted flowers and butterflies mark the delicate gold rimmed china.

You first take the eye dropper from the bottle and dab a few drops of lavender oil onto your fingers.

You return the dropper and then massage your temples with your index and middle fingers in a circular motion.

With each stroke you feel your thoughts lighten and drift away.

You find stillness and simply feel good.

You pick up the teacup and the smells of lavender tea and fresh local honey ride to your nose in a trail of steam.

You bring the glass to your lips and sip the healing tea.

Feeling the warm flow of soothing liquid cascade down your throat.

And it is lovely to simultaneously experience a silky warm flow of soothing liquid inside your throat at the same time your body is embraced by the warm bath water.

In this tender moment you remember that most of your body is comprised of water.

Your body is meant to flow and surrender at times just as the tide surrenders to the pull of the moon.

You look up to the sliver of a moon and realize you are capable of letting go,

Of just being.

You finish the tea and then you simply float.

Your skin is now silky and soft and smells of fresh lavender.

It glistens in pearly silver moonlight and you feel otherworldly.

The fireflies make their first appearances of the season.

The lavender fields are illuminated by the pulsing neon yellow light of their bodies.

Some of them take flight above the bathtub while you sink deeper into the water.

You immerse your face and once again relish the silence of the world that comes beneath the surface.

You open your eyes and the fireflies ascend so high that you may no longer differentiate them from the stars.

You imagine being like a firefly,

Cosmic and full of light.

The same magic within the stars,

Within the fireflies,

Within the rolling hills of lavender that come to bloom each year,

Is also within you.

It may be felt in the soft beat of your heart,

In your relaxed breath,

In the magical and involuntary mechanisms of your body that give you this life.

You are magic.

Your eyes above the water and feel the mild spring breeze cool your wet face.

Your lashes release droplets on your cheeks.

You reach for the silver faucet to refill the tub with warm water and the clear stream takes on a metallic hue.

You close your eyes and carry with you the impressions of silver and lavender and the beauty of Provence.

You are drifting again and feel as your body surrenders to the flowing water.

This time the pool is stronger and feels familiar,

Like the soft undertow of the ocean on a summer's day.

You are flowing down,

Down,

Down.

Before you open your eyes,

You smell the humid salty air of your favorite island in summer.

You are transported to a soaking tub made of oak planks.

The smell of the wet wood planks mingles with the briny air.

And you open your eyes to look out from the deck of a beach house.

The only other house to be seen is a black and white striped lighthouse at the tip of the island.

The deck is surrounded by feathery pompous grass and beech grass in soft tones of honey and mint green.

They intertwine to form spontaneous braids led by the gentle motion brought on by the ocean breeze.

You look to the edge of the horizon where the stars and ocean meet.

Indigo meets navy.

Silver stars meet silver reflections on the water.

And together they blend like the soft gradients of oil pastels on paper.

The full moon rises out of the ocean like a silver saucer.

It's close to the earth on this magical night and appears larger than you have ever seen it.

You watch the metallic white crests of the crashing waves that slam into the reflective sand.

If you focus closely enough,

You can see a white crab scurry across the beach.

Your sun kissed and salt crusted skin carries the warmth from the day and a layer of salt from the sea.

There is a bar of coconut soap that you use to lather onto an oversized sponge.

You inhale the tropical fragrance and it causes you to feel carefree.

Like a beach towel blowing in the breeze before it settles in the sand.

Like a soft linen fabric that billows during a walk on the beach.

You are filled with these thoughts and sensations of being carried by the wind.

The rich lather of soap makes your skin soft and you rinse it away with the tepid bathwater.

The night is warm and the water is the perfect temperature.

You listen to the rustle of the grass,

The crashing of the waves,

And you sigh.

This deep release causes your body to sink to the depths of the soaking tub.

Like an anchor thrown overboard,

Carefully sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Your lungs and body have the feeling that comes after a day of swimming in the ocean and using them to their utmost capacity.

Tired yet content.

Strong yet restful.

You look to the reflective sand and a sea turtle emerges from the water.

His wide flippers press into the sand and travel to the edge of the incoming tide.

The lace-like sea foam gathers around him and he settles in the light of the moon.

And for this moment,

This creature of the sea has come to land.

While you,

A creature of land,

Has joined a body of water beneath the mystical full moon.

You smile softly and think to yourself,

The world is a wonderful place.

There is beauty to be found in every season,

In every landscape.

There is peace to be found in the world outside of you and the world within.

You inhale the salty air before dipping beneath the surface of the water.

Your hair floats like tendrils of sea grass and you take your hands and slick it back as you break out of the water like a dolphin breaching the waves.

You feel the breeze on your face and it tingles.

You look to the beach and notice the turtle has returned to his home.

And now it is time to return to yours.

This time,

Rather than replenish the water,

You pull the plug and listen to the tub gurgle as it begins to drain.

You close your eyes and feel the suction as the water empties.

You feel your body led by a gravitational pull.

It's the kind of tug that brings you out of a dream.

The kind of tug that you feel when connected with someone you love.

The longing you feel for home when you have had a long day.

You float down,

Down,

Down.

Once again giving in to the powers that are stronger than you and yet also part of you.

And you land on the softness of your bed,

Safely returned to the sanctuary of your room.

You surrender to the sleep and the dreamy sensation that takes over and will usher you into a night of deep and healing sleep.

You feel love,

The kind of love that comes from self care and your ability to self soothe.

And as you come to the bridge that connects to your sleeping life,

You drift back to memories of your favorite serenity bath on this night.

You let it be the last thought to help you flow into slumber.

You may find yourself letting go of my voice as I count you down.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Three.

Two.

One.

Finding peace.

Finding surrender.

Finding healing.

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Night.

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Thank you.