Mindfulness Bedtime Story: Delightful Escape

Drift off to sleep with a mindfulness based bedtime story. Written and read by certified meditation instructor Lori Westbury. During this story join in on a peaceful adventure, allow your mind to let go of the days stress and become part of a gentle adventure. These storeis are made without any high plot points so you can let go and drift to sleep.

Transcript

Mindful Bedtime Stories Written and narrated by Laurie Westbury Welcome to our mindful bedtime story.

Before we begin,

Take a moment to make sure you are nice and comfortable.

Dim the lights,

Adjust your pillow,

And curl up in your blankets just how you like them.

While you are enjoying this story,

Know it's okay to peacefully drift off to sleep.

Wishing you a very restful night,

Sweet dreams.

Delightful Escape I feel the need to try something new today.

Something a little adventurous,

And maybe even a little spontaneous.

As I sip on my favorite cup of loose leaf tea,

I go online to check a list of events happening in my area.

To my surprise,

It looks like I have a lot to choose from.

I quickly notice an event for a new meditation class in my area.

The ad reads,

Come Exactly As You Are.

No Experience Necessary.

Join our class and allow yourself to de-stress,

Connect,

And have some time just for you.

This sounded like the perfect way to spend my time today.

I decided to call the number on the event page and ask a few questions before making my final decision.

I spoke with a lovely woman who gave me all the information I needed.

She let me know the studio had everything I needed to have a relaxing class,

So I could just show up wearing something comfortable.

I felt like I needed to stretch and move my body,

Just a little in preparation for the class.

I went into my sun room,

Rolled out my yellow yoga mat,

And did a few light stretches.

I let myself lie flat on my back and took in some warm sun rays from the window.

I grabbed my silk eye pillow filled with lavender and placed it over my eyes.

I breathed in the relaxing scent and let it completely relax my body.

I realized this new class would be the perfect opportunity to try out my new glass water bottle,

So I filled it with distilled water and added it to my yoga bag.

Knowing I needed to be comfortable,

I headed into my bedroom to pick out what I would like to wear.

I chose soft fleece pants,

A cotton tank top,

And a warm sweater.

As I headed downstairs,

I remembered my two new tomato plants would need some water before I left for my class.

I always liked to plant indoors first,

Giving them lots of love and attention as they first started to grow.

I filled up my spray bottle and gave them just enough water so they could enjoy some time in the sun without drying out too much.

They seemed to enjoy the company of my fresh herbs,

So I placed them next to each other.

I checked and realized it was just about the perfect time to head to my class.

My new studio in my area was located on a beautiful property not too far from my home.

Before it was built,

I would walk past daydreaming about what it could be used for.

A wellness studio really fits so perfectly.

The owners seemed to understand,

Just as I did,

That this piece of land was really special.

It had an energy that almost anyone could feel.

It was so uplifting and peaceful.

As I entered the studio,

The first thing I noticed was how serene everything was.

The front door led into a beautiful lobby that was pure white.

A white desk,

White walls,

And even one simple white vase housing a group of white lilies.

The space was so open and uncluttered,

I felt like I could really breathe in there.

I allowed myself to take a deep breath in.

I could already feel myself begin to relax.

I was directed into the main room,

Where I was greeted by a few guests getting ready to take the same class.

They all introduced themselves,

And I felt a sense of warm welcome.

The main room had a soft vinyl flooring and a stunning homemade shelf that housed dozens of yoga mats,

Cushions,

And blocks.

On the left wall was the most beautiful painting of a waterfall I had ever seen.

I could feel the energy of transformation in the room.

Suddenly our meditation teacher joined in.

She gently moved around the room,

Greeting everyone.

She had a lovely calming energy,

Light shoulder-length blonde hair,

In her mid-fifties I suppose.

Her skin was clear and vibrant.

She wore white cotton pants and a matching top.

As she moved around the room,

She lit a few candles and turned the lights down to a gentle dim.

Her voice was smooth and slightly deep.

She took a few moments for chatting,

And then it was time to meditate.

She allowed us to sit any way we liked.

The studio had floor chairs with back support that could be reclined.

Oh yes,

This was going to be very relaxing.

We also had pillows and blankets we could use at any time.

Today we would be connecting and releasing stress by doing a simple body scan meditation.

I closed my eyes and just followed her voice.

She began with,

Today I want to give you a gift.

This gift is time that is just for you.

You all do such a wonderful job taking care of others.

So let me take care of you during this class.

Know this space is peaceful and safe,

Where you can really let go and open.

So let's take a moment to feel the space around you,

Just gently noticing.

Taking a deep breath in,

Let's let go of all of our responsibilities,

Knowing this moment in time is just for you.

And as you breathe out,

Let those tensions leave your body as if a weight is being lifted from your shoulders.

She then reminded the class that we would just let our minds be soft,

To try not to control anything.

Today we were just softly experiencing,

Becoming a witness.

If we became lost in thought,

Just very gently we would bring our attention back,

Without any judgments.

I found myself really letting go,

And she continued.

So now together let's tune in.

This is a few moments where you go within and just experience wherever you are today.

Noticing the body,

Noticing our emotions,

So just spending some time with ourselves.

I felt myself really settling in.

My breath became slow and deep,

And I just placed my attention on myself.

I realized in this moment I needed to be doing this more often,

But then I gently let that go and just returned to my breath.

She then shared,

We are going to start with a few simple relaxation techniques,

Allowing your body and your mind to soften.

Allow your attention to be on the natural state of your breathing,

And just stay here for a few moments.

There is no need to rush,

No need to be anywhere else at all.

We started to move to various parts of our bodies,

Being instructed to just allow them to soften and relax,

Letting go of tension as best we could.

I could already feel myself being so comfortable.

I was really looking forward to this.

She continued,

Taking a slow breath in,

Gently place your attention down at the bottom of your feet,

And in your own time,

Just allow your feet to soften,

Feeling them becoming heavy as you let all of those muscles go.

Next,

Moving up to the legs,

Right to the tops of the hips,

Feeling the lower half of your body really letting go,

Letting the legs become heavy,

Letting them have a nice break,

Moving up to the pelvis and hips,

And letting yourself really sink in,

Letting any tension go.

As we move up to the belly,

I realize I have been holding in the muscles here.

I just let them go,

No holding them in.

I begin to feel a slight rise and fall with my breath.

I haven't been this relaxed in such a long time.

As we got up to the chest and the tops of the shoulders,

We were asked to let go of any emotions that were no longer serving us in this moment.

I almost let out a sigh of relief.

I felt my shoulders drop,

Not realizing I had them straight up towards my ears.

They now felt so much lighter.

Okay,

Everyone,

Let's move right down to the arms.

Beginning at the top,

Down to the elbow,

And into the hands and fingers,

Feeling your arms becoming heavy,

Really letting them go,

And feel yourself becoming lighter as this tension completely leaves your body.

Gently shifting now to the back,

So starting at the top of the back,

Running down the spine and right into the lower back,

And just doing the best that you can here,

Feeling the back become soft,

And feeling the movement of the back as we breathe in deeply.

We ended the body scan as we moved up to our head and face.

It was quite amazing the amount of tension I was holding in my face.

I didn't realize my jaw was so stiff.

We were asked to soften all the muscles of our face.

I felt completely connected.

For the next five minutes,

We were asked to just follow our breath.

The room was so quiet and so still that all of my senses seemed to really come alive.

The slightest noise that I would usually turn out became so vibrant.

The time seemed to slow down completely,

And I think I was able to fully experience the present moment.

When the teacher began to speak again,

I knew it was time to start bringing my awareness back,

But I wanted to stay in this blissful space for even just a few minutes more.

I took a deep breath in and just allowed myself to stay connected and centered.

Soon I allowed myself to have a big stretch,

Just bringing some awareness back to my body.

As I opened my eyes,

I was delighted to notice how still everything was.

I realized when I entered the studio,

My mind was much busier.

I now felt clear and calm.

Everyone in the class moved at a snail's pace.

No one was rushing around trying to leave quickly.

Feeling so relaxed,

I wandered into another room.

I noticed a large section devoted to fresh fruit and juicing machines.

Above the counter,

A decorative chalkboard displayed dozens of juice combinations.

I knew nourishing my body after the wonderful meditation class would make my day complete.

I chose pineapple,

Orange,

Carrot,

Celery,

And blueberries.

They allowed me to choose a special reusable cup with the studio's logo.

I could keep it in my bag for next time,

And my drink was delicious.

I decided to tour the rest of the building to see what other surprises were offered.

I soon came to a large room completely made of windows.

This room was on the far back of the building,

And the view was incredible.

Just next to the door was a few bookcases filled with uplifting and spiritual books.

In the center of the room,

Perfectly placed wicker and bamboo chairs lovingly invited you in.

A note read,

This is our quiet space.

Feel free to spend as much time here as you like.

Enjoy one of our books,

The view,

Or even a nap.

Oh,

I had to take them up on that offer.

As I picked my chair,

I sank into the large round cushion.

I was next to a window,

And as I looked out,

I noticed a large birch tree.

This tree must have been well over a hundred years old.

As I took a closer look,

I noticed it looked as if two trees decided to grow together,

Their trunks twisting around and then forming one tree closer to the top.

The wind was blowing very strong,

Which made me notice the chair had a warm blanket folded next to it.

How perfect.

I grabbed the blanket and draped it over me.

Taking a deep breath in,

I knew I found my new favorite place.

Before long,

My eyes became heavy.

I was just so comfortable.

I let myself let go of trying to force staying awake and decided this was the perfect time to have a nap.

I tucked my feet around and moved the cushion just slightly so it made a cool pillow under my head.

I allowed my eyes to close and drifted off peacefully to sleep.

Sweet dreams.

Reviews

Lovely! Thank you. I’m enjoying your stories.

Enjoyed this.

Very relaxing and soothing, a delightful tale to listen to as I drifted off to sleep.
Thank you . 🦋🌷
Glenda
NSW Australia

This was wonderful, your voice is so soothing and calm. Thank you ❤️

Delightful! I listened first for the story now I can hardly wait for bedtime. Nicely done! Thank you.

Your voice is very calming Lori. Loved this one too. 🤗🙏🌻

So nourishing and sweet. Thank you. 💗

I really loved it! It made me so sleepy. You are the best at telling stories.

Thank you Lori, very relaxing. Love and blessings 💜x

Sleeping is good but I can’t sleep with you

So calming. Namaste ❤️

Asleep within minutes. I still want to know what happens next.

Love all of Lori’s stories! This one is so relaxing always put me right to sleep 😴

I love these short stories. Thank you 🙏🏻

Very nice. Ending cuts out. I love your bedtime tales, please do more. Justin

Very helpful yet it cut out unexpectedly

I’m really enjoying your stories, yet this is my favorite!
✨🙏🏽🌸💜☯️✨

Sweet story which put me clearly in all the places she went. Xx Loved it. X

Thank you! So soothing and calming. I felt I was being taken care of. Thank you.

Very peaceful and relaxing while drifting off to 😴.