Bali Bliss | Bedtime Story For Relaxing

Visit a spa on the coast of Bali and connect with nature. You deserve to be pampered before bedtime. Enjoy a massage in a beachside cabana at sunset and then a facial in a plumeria bath overlooking the ocean. At nightfall, you explore the lush grounds and walk across the floating stones of a koi pond. You retreat to your luxurious suite and fall asleep, soothed by the smells and energy of the island. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Serene,

Relaxing sleep awaits in this bedtime story for grownups.

You are listening to Bali Bliss,

A calm sleep story to help you enjoy a mental vacation before you fall asleep.

Travel to a resort along the coast of Bali where monkeys swing from trees in the lush jungle and turquoise waves lap against the shore.

At sunset,

You enjoy a massage in a beachside cabana followed by a Plumeria bath in the open air spa overlooking the sea.

Deeply relaxed,

You explore the sacred gardens in Koi pond beneath an endless starry sky.

You retreat to a luxurious suite and fall asleep.

It's time to dream away.

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

I am Michelle and as you listen,

Think of my voice as that of a soothing friend who will take you on an exotic and serene escape.

This time before bed is special and yours to pamper yourself with self-care and relaxation.

Everything else can wait for another time.

Your imagination heightens every detail of this experience when you use it to increase pleasure rather than amplify worry.

You owe it to yourself to explore the beautiful capabilities of your creative self.

You deserve to feel good right now.

You may enjoy a brief meditation or fast forward to the story.

The choice is yours.

You know what you need.

Settle into the sanctuary of your room,

Your body,

And your mind.

You are safe.

You are free of criticism and judgment.

This liberation lightens your load and you feel yourself becoming lighter as you inhale and let out a big sigh.

Make a sound as you let everything go.

Then inhale through your nose slowly,

Feel the deepest parts of your abdomen.

Your diaphragm and chest follow as the air is filtered and warmed through your nose to be perfectly prepared for your body.

Open your mouth in a delicious yawn.

As carefree as a young monkey cradled in the loving arms of its mother.

Sigh again.

Release.

Relax.

Sink into your bed.

Take in another breath through your nose and go deeper.

Expand.

Each molecule of oxygen travels to the regions of your body to prepare you for a spite in paradise.

Open your mouth and yawn to let your body know that you are standing down and sigh and exhale.

Your muscles are soft like jelly.

Your joints and bones are relaxed and your mind is at ease.

It's time for the story to begin.

The winds of Bali are like no other.

Their softness laced with tropical humidity brushes against your skin like soft kisses.

The bright sun pours over the lush gardens of Bali Bliss,

A sanctuary retreat along the coast.

Bali is a deeply spiritual island and the soulful Balinese Hindus believe in the souls of all things in nature.

You feel connected to nature as you walk down a sandy path beneath the shade of palm fronds that rustle in the late afternoon breeze.

The laughter of children playing in the street carries over the sounds of distant scooters and the songs of birds.

On your walk to the beach,

You come upon offerings to the gods in small palm leaf baskets that overflow with tropical flowers in use of raspberry pink,

Marigold orange,

And magenta.

Tiny smoke trails from burning incense aromatize the air.

Your elephant gray squiggles are ethereal and hypnotic.

In Bali,

Each step brings a reminder to be grateful and appreciate the endless beauty in nature.

The air is warm,

But the breeze and shade offer a reprieve.

The dress and breathable hand-sewn garments you purchased at a local market,

Where row upon row of vendors displayed vibrant fabrics and patterns,

Stone and bronze sculptures made by Balinese artists,

And tropical fruits.

The lightweight fabric gently billows and brushes against your skin like peacock feathers.

Everything about your afternoon is soothing.

Your heart rate and breath rate have slowed in this leisurely escape.

Your nervous system is regulated and your intuition is on point.

Gently in tune with feelings of peace,

Stillness,

And comfort,

You know what you want and desire,

Away from the routine of modern life.

Your inner voice becomes the only voice that guides your day.

The sun-kissed waves appear in a clearing of the tropical foliage.

You walk beneath a threshold,

Layered with bright pink bougainvillea,

That pours down the trellis like luscious floral curls.

The Bali Bliss Spa overlooks the sea and golden beach.

A row of wooden cabanas spreads down the beach.

The wooden frames glisten like copper in the sunlight,

And elegant ivory curtains dance around them.

A spa attendant named Anissa greets you with kind eyes and a maternal smile.

She leads you to a changing room,

Where you change into a linen robe embroidered with the spa's name.

When you are ready,

Anissa leads you to your cabana.

She offers a tray of massage oils,

And you smell each one until you decide on the oil labeled Bali Dreams.

A quick sniff from the eye dropper of oil carries notes of coconut and lemongrass that evoke pleasant images of tropical settings.

She helps you onto the massage table,

And you look out on the vista as the sun lowers towards the sea.

Anissa adjusts the headrest.

You lower your face onto a soft terry cloth towel that covers the cushion.

You close your eyes,

And your face muscles relax as you get more comfortable.

You surrender to the moment,

And your body is perfectly aligned on the massage table.

The susceration of the surf,

And the soft sound of Anissa rubbing her hands together with massage oil create a peaceful symphony.

The sweetly balanced fragrance of the oil travels to your nose as her hands begin to work around your neck and shoulders.

She adjusts the pressure to your liking,

And you feel her thumbs dig into places of tension at the base of your skull and around the lymph nodes in your neck.

Your head becomes heavier,

And your jaw releases when her fingers massage around your ears.

As she caresses your neck,

You feel it become longer as your muscles relax.

Each time her mending hands move across your neck and shoulders,

Your muscles and nerves become softer.

You take in a deep breath,

Once again met with the smells of toasted coconut and lemongrass.

The salty air purifies your nasal passageways,

And you breathe with the ease of a sleeping child.

The massage continues as the attendant runs her fists down your back and around your ribs.

Her thumbs individually massage each vertebra,

As if her motions seek to ease a pearl out of an oyster.

Delicate and kind.

You feel more space in your spine,

Now as open as the cabana through which the sea breeze wafts.

She presses the base of her palms into your lower back,

And relieves tension from the many steps you have taken on your journey.

Your skin feels warm and vibrant as the circulation increases.

You drift in and out of consciousness,

As if experiencing a lucid dream.

You imagine drifting along the Bali coast in a teal and orange fisherman's boat.

You visualize yourself swimming in the lapping waves and then floating on your back,

Looking up at the blue sky.

Sunlight shines through the sheer cabana curtains and pours over you like a warm blanket.

Your legs become putty as each one of her fingers tends to them in circular motions.

And then your feet become the focus.

And Anisa presses her thumbs into your arches.

You feel a deep release that travels up the backs of your legs and spine until pleasurable goosebumps cover your skin.

She pays special attention to every nerve and tendon.

You feel increased flexibility as her hands travel up and down and around your ankles.

She interlaces her fingers between your toes and they spread out to claim all the space denied when enclosed in shoes.

Your Achilles tendons release and your legs become as soft as the powdery sand on the Bali coast.

Your body surrenders to a state of softness.

And if someone were to lift your arm or leg,

It would happily and carelessly flop back down onto the table.

Anisa moves towards the top of the massage table and runs her fingers across your scalp.

Her tender motions are like whispers that evoke a pleasant tingling sensation that travels down your spine.

Your fingers increase the pressure they apply as she presses into your scalp,

Running them from your forehead to the base of your skull and then back.

She goes back and forth in the tempo of the incoming and outgoing waves of the ocean behind her.

This moment captures the harmonious connection to nature and a sense that everything right now moves in the same peaceful rhythm in a delicate dance.

Her thumbs go behind your ears to trace circles that widen with each round.

Her other eight fingers create a basket around the crown of your head and increase circulation in your scalp.

She guides you to turn over onto your back and pats her fists softly down your shoulders and arms,

Down the sides of your legs,

On the soles of your feet.

Anisa then rubs your hands together between hers until they become warm.

She threads her fingers between yours in a maternal and assuring gesture.

She releases them and squeezes your palms with encouragement and then places your hands atop one another on your heart.

You inhale deeply and sigh.

Gentle meditation music begins to play and Anisa leaves you in the cabana to savor and take in the experience.

You listen to the soothing waves crashing against the shore and feel the gentle drop in temperature as the sun lowers towards the horizon.

Your eyes flutter open and you stretch your fingers and toes,

Your arms and legs,

And then rise.

You wrap yourself in the linen robe and cinch the belt around your waist.

The silky water is ablaze in the fiery light of the setting sun.

The sky is the hue of molten lava with wide ribbons of pink,

Sunflower yellow,

And amethyst.

You remember how the island of Bali was created by volcanoes and it's as if the blazing sky is there to remind the people on the island.

Fogs are lit in the center of wicker globes that hang from palm trees and lampposts.

Anisa meets you and guides you up a set of spiral wooden stairs to a private terrace at the spa.

A deep round tub made of charcoal gray volcanic rock is filled with warm water and bath salts.

White and pink plumeria float across the surface of the healing bath.

Candles line the perimeter of the tub and are scattered across the floor in glass and metal lanterns.

The attendant leaves the room and you remove your robe and step into the luxurious bath.

You carefully glide your body into the tub and lean back against the solid edge.

Three Balinese hand-carved wood panels line the edge of the terrace.

The artistic designs depict lotus flowers in the heart of each panel,

With elegant scrolls and diamond-shaped leaves etched into the red-brown wood.

The sky darkens as twilight sets in.

Anisa returns to the terrace with a wooden tray that holds some bowls,

A brush,

And hot wet towels for your facial treatment.

She places a bath pillow behind your neck and you close your eyes and relax.

She puts a terry cloth headband around your forehead and then pushes it up against your scalp.

Your body is light and floats and the water cleanses you of the massage oil.

She cleans your face with a wet washcloth.

The brush spreads a honey and plumeria scented mask onto your face.

It feels cool and slightly sticky as it cleanses and moisturizes your skin.

The air loses the warmth of the day now that the sun has set and causes you to relish the bath water all the more.

Anisa removes the honey mask with a plush wet washcloth soaked in rose water.

She then applies a clay mask that opens your pores and removes impurities from your skin.

Your pores feel as if they are twinkling like the stars in a bali night sky.

As she clears the dried mud mask with a rose water washcloth,

She moisturizes your skin with a slippery lotion and glides a jade roller over your forehead and softly over your eyelids.

It rolls under your eyes and over your cheekbones.

The jade cylinder runs down towards your jawline and then over your neck.

Your skin feels soft,

Clean,

And glowing.

Anisa gathers her tools on the tray and the soft clanking sounds create an ambient soundtrack joined by the lapping waves and melodies of night birds and crickets.

You linger in the bath a bit longer before slowly exiting and wrapping yourself in a towel folded in the shape of a flower,

You walk barefoot on the sapphire blue floor tiles towards an outdoor shower surrounded by bamboo walls.

Beneath a rain shower head,

You rinse away the bath salts and wash your skin in handmade soap.

As you cleanse yourself,

You feel quite tired and more relaxed than you have felt in years.

A crescent moon rises in the marine blue sky freckled with silver stars.

You look up at the Big Dipper.

A shower water cascades down your scalp and a smile forms on your lips.

Nature is at the center stage in Bali always.

You turn off the shower and dry yourself and change into your clothes that Anisa neatly folded and left in a basket made from palms.

You feel renewed.

You feel like someone you remember from long ago.

All the nourishment and nurturing have brought you back to yourself.

Gratitude overwhelms you as you check out of the spa and thank Anisa kindly and charge the experience to your room.

Nightfall turns the sanctuary into a different world.

You walk beneath magical hanging lanterns on a stone path that leads to a koi pond.

You float through the night air as if in a dream and playfully decide to walk on stepping stones that create a weaving walkway through the pond.

The stones are made from lava rock with impressions of lotus flowers.

There are gaps between each stone where plum koi swim and breach the water.

Your bodies are dappled with orange,

Opal,

And black patches that glow in the moonlight.

You take your time and balance on each stone in the heart of the gardens.

Stone statues that honor Hindu gods rise out of the water.

As you walk,

You feel as though you are gliding across a ballroom floor in the company of the deities.

The moment is all at once foreign and inspiring and your perceptions expand in a way that only travel allows.

You step from the final floating stone on the pond into a patch of velvety grass.

You walk through a lush garden of tropical purple and hot pink flowers towards a rectangular gazebo with a tiki style roof.

The white cat's leaps curled in a ball on a carved stone bench in the center of the dwelling.

Tiki torches illuminate the path through the tropical fauna.

Their flames dance and cast shadows on the wide,

Waxy leaves of banana trees.

The breeze kisses your clean skin as it whispers across the island of Bali.

You follow a pathway that leads to a fountain outside your private villa.

The trickling water creates a delicate melody,

Met by the sounds of crickets and palm fronds swaying in the night air.

Rattan sphere lights,

Vibrantly painted in shades of pink,

Teal,

Green,

And blue,

Hang around the wood patio that leads to your suite.

They provide a warm,

Inviting,

And colorful glow.

You pause and look out at the gardens,

The koi pond,

And the starry sky to capture each detail for your memory bank.

Your eyelids close as you take in a deep breath and feel loved,

Pampered,

And connected to the spirit of Bali.

And while energy moves throughout your body,

Enlivened by your spa experiences,

You feel even more connected to your spirit and things beyond the physical world.

You don't think about it or quantify it.

You simply look to the sky with a full heart and tap into the infinite majesty of the universe.

Tiredness washes over you like a gentle wave as you walk into the open air villa.

Bamboo ceiling fans circulate the air that smells like a medley of cinnamon,

Nutmeg,

Vanilla,

And coconut.

The cathedral ceiling rises above a canopy bed with gauzy ivory mosquito netting that is tied neatly around the posters.

You release the fabric from the bows and gather it around the bed like a cocoon.

You change into complimentary pajamas made of silk left to you by the resort and run your finger across the embroidered words,

Bali Bliss.

You peel back a soft blue-green duvet and the sateen topsheet and climb into the bed.

The soothing hues remind you of the sea.

Your head sinks into the plush pillows and you close your eyes,

Feeling as if you are drifting and floating in between your waking life and a dream.

You feel content and grateful to have experienced the sacred island.

You send Bali love for giving you all that you needed.

You are brimming with peace,

Bliss,

And fulfillment.

Everything about this moment is soft and gentle.

The cool sheaths against your silky,

Nurtured skin and body.

The lavish mattress as it contours to your body's curves and spaces.

The light fragrance of your clean skin and the air fresheners of the villa suite will forever remind you of Bali.

You relish the circulating air and your relaxed muscles,

Your lips,

Your face.

All soft,

Calm,

And ready to let go.

This feeling of ecstasy and bliss carries you gently towards the open gates to sleep.

The ornate doors have the craftsmanship of a Balinese artist and are very inviting.

You float rather than walk and hover above the ground as you enter through them.

You inhale and exhale as you cross to the other side where sleep and beautiful dreams are waiting,

Drifting deeper and deeper down,

Getting closer and closer to sleep.

Grateful for the feet that carried you across the island,

One step at a time,

To right now,

To a moment where everything makes sense.

Where you are easily guided towards sleep and the restorative powers of the night.

And where bliss ushers you to the sweetest of dreams and brightest of tomorrows.

And I am going to count you down as you let go of my voice and fall asleep.

Ten,

Nine,

Eight,

Seven,

Six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Finding grace,

Finding contentment,

Finding ease,

Finding rest,

Finding healing,

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Reviews

This sleep story was the reason I went to Bali last June!

Terrific piece of work. Listened two nights in a row. Feel asleep faster the second night with your soothing smooth voice.

Thank you Michelle!

One of my all time favorites of yours! 🙏🧘🏻‍♀️🪷🦋💞💓

Never heard the end of it Namaste

Loved this! It was so peaceful! It kept me up though reminiscing about my first and only time out of the country and first solo trip which happened to be Bali.
🌴🐒🦎🐘💚

Next best thing than going to Bali .Splendid ,beautiful,relaxing ,blissfull .❤️❤️❤️❤️

Thank you so much, Michelle. I love the idea that this meditation is taking place on Bali. I will have to take your word for it, as each time I seem to be falling asleep very quickly. Yay! 🙏🏻😴🙏🏻👍🙏🏻😴🙏🏻

I felt like I was actually at the spa getting a massage. Thank you, Michelle.

An imagined massage, what an amazing idea! I fell asleep soon after that. Thanks again for your brilliant sleep stories.😍❤️🙏

This was one of your best. Really enjoyed it. Thank you.

Beautiful 🙏

💙💤💙💤💙