Bar Harbor | Guided Bedtime Story

Unwind and relax with this captivating sleep story for grown-ups set in picturesque Bar Harbor. Explore the beauty of nature found in the Cadillac Mountains and along the rocky coastline. Let go of the stress and anxieties of the day as you immerse yourself in the calming imagery of this serene location from sunrise to sunset. Come nightfall you take it easy at a historic bed and breakfast. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Enjoy a guided sleep story for grown-ups to help you fall asleep fast.

You are listening to Bar Harbor,

A bedtime story set along the rocky coastline of Maine.

After enjoying a sunrise over the ocean,

You explore the evergreen forest and pristine beauty of Cadillac Mountain.

Spring is in bloom and the island comes to life as it embraces the warmth that brings the last thaw.

At night you return to a historic bed and breakfast and fall asleep by the fire.

It's time to dream away.

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

I am Michelle and I am here to lead you on a sleepy adventure so you may claim this time for pleasure and peace.

Think of my voice as that of a long-time friend who always advocates for your best interests.

Dial down any chatter in your mind and residual stress from the day to focus entirely on this imaginative journey.

Experience each word of this practice with a mind that has been cleared and cleaned to make space for bliss and deep contentment.

Let's use this time to take care of you.

Open your mouth and yawn.

Stretch and claim the space around you as you optimize the comforts in the sanctuary of your room.

Let out a sigh.

Make a sound.

Every part of your body holding tension can release with this breath.

Every breath to come will make you more and more relaxed.

What you tell yourself is often perceived as truth and manifests in the body.

So right now,

Tell yourself,

I am letting go.

When you are ready,

Inhale slowly.

Pretend the air in your room is cool and smells of spring.

Streams and lakes have thawed,

And their mineral perfume marries the smell of the Atlantic Ocean and the crisp,

Minty fragrance of pine.

As you inhale,

The air purifies your lungs and clears your mind.

Open your mouth and take another yawn.

This yawn signals to your body that you are sleepy.

Your brainwaves slow and your nerve cells settle.

As you sigh,

Your nervous system luxuriates in the reassurance that you are safe and it is able to stand down.

Enjoy this pattern two more times.

You may find it becomes impossible to stop yawning once you begin,

But feel free to enjoy each one.

As you inhale,

Yawn,

And sigh,

You may return your breath to normal when you are ready.

Open to the possibility of deeper serenity to come.

It's time for the story to begin.

Our harbor has been a refuge for centuries,

A place where people flocked from Canada and the urban centers of New England to enjoy summer escapes.

Cadillac Mountain offers the highest altitude nearest the eastern seaboard,

Steps away from the picturesque scenes on Main Street.

By the mid-19th century,

The Gilded Age brought tourists by train and ferry to the dozens of hotels that popped up on the island.

The name Bar Harbor was inspired by the sand and gravel bar that formed come low tide,

Revealing the outer edge of the harbor.

Every year,

The population slowly blooms with the flowers of spring as people trickle back to waterfront homes where lush lawns meet the rocky shoreline.

You explore Bar Harbor on an unseasonably warm day that thaws the last of icicle sheaths on granite cliffs.

Hundreds of tulips add pops of color to the quaint streets of the village,

Overflowing out of flower boxes and planted in gardens.

A day like this causes all the harshness of below-zero days and arctic winds of winter to be forgotten.

Most seasons in Maine are not for the faint of heart,

But on this perfect sunny morning,

But on this perfect spring morning,

You experience Bar Harbor as a New England paradise.

This part of the coastline is often referred to as Down East Maine,

Going back centuries,

When large schooners stocked with goods setting off to England would first sail downwind to the east to cities like Boston and New York.

The trims and facades of harbor-side restaurants and shops are as vibrantly hued as saltwater taffy.

You rose early to catch the rising sun when the first gilded light creeped out from behind the ocean pour over the village.

Your one quest on this trip to Bar Harbor is to experience the sunrise and sunset in the most beloved spots.

Most fishing and lobster boats left the docks before sunrise,

But you watch as a young boy and his father walk towards the town pier.

It is a child's first fishing expedition with his dad.

Anticipation has built over the past couple years and preceding winter,

And at long last,

His childhood dream is coming true.

The boy skips along the path,

His delighted conversation and peals of laughter carry over the sounds of waves lapping against the shore.

You walk along the harbor and come upon the Shore Path,

An iconic walkway built in the late 1800s to give everyone access to views of the ocean.

On summer nights,

Music plays from festive gatherings in waterfront homes and local inns and trails down the grassy lawns to reverberate across the water.

You feel part of a community,

Even as a visitor,

Every time you interact with someone in Bar Harbor.

You come upon a young woman who wears sandals at the first hint of warm weather.

She walks along the water's edge as her yellow lab explores the pebbled beach and waves a friendly hello.

It is still in the shoulder season when more locals occupy the island,

Making it an ideal time to visit.

Just as the crocuses bloom,

The sleepy town comes back to life as restaurants and inns begin to reopen.

You settle on a bench to watch a sailboat glide across the gentle sapphire waters.

The captain waves at you,

With his teeth gleaming in the early day sun.

This warm day is but a hint and promise of all the days of outdoor activities to come.

You count your great fortune with the timing and weather as you come to a parked convertible and get in.

The car is well-stocked with a blanket and picnic essentials.

You have no precise plan in mind.

Today is open for you to follow every whim and chance for new discoveries.

You settle into the driver's seat that contours around your body perfectly.

The cushions retain the warmth of the morning sun,

And you revel in the sensation against your back and legs.

As you start the car and head to Acadia,

The thaw and sunshine have brought out the brightest hues of green grass along the way.

Morning dew remains,

The droplets refracting iridescent light like magical balls.

Tiny quaint streets of Bar Harbor lead you to Summit Road,

A highway that weaves through the mountain like a broad pewter ribbon.

For nearly half of the year,

The summit above Cadillac Mountain offers the first place to view the sunrise in the United States.

Glittering sunlight lands on your face and arms as you are met with a cool breeze carrying the perfume of evergreens and the rich aroma of spring.

You feel a sense of freedom and a rush of vitality as the road curves to reveal the first of many lookouts.

The mountains formed long ago by shifting tectonic plates.

The glaciers came later to carve the land and reshape the mountains,

Lobbing off their tops.

Yet the mountain gives a sense of resilience and strength,

Evolving over time,

Still bearing the marks and scars of glaciers.

Natural flora grows in the gaps between the gouged granite,

Protective stone walls surround the highway at various points.

Your journey on the summit path brings a sense of ease.

You share the highway with a couple of bicyclists who pedal up the incline with strong muscles developed over many jaunts around the weaving roads.

You enjoy the contrast of the sun pouring through the feathery branches of evergreens and the cool mountain air.

Bar Harbor is a balance of contrasts,

Where silky waves meet a jagged coast and pebbled beaches.

Everywhere you look there is evidence of softness meeting rigidity.

They seem to complement each other well.

You arrive at the parking lot where you leave the car beneath a canopy of trees.

Come the peak of summer,

Every spot will be taken.

But today,

The only other souls you see are a group of hikers in sweatshirts that bear the names of New England colleges and cities.

They stand in the distance stretching their arms and legs in the warm sun.

Proud of being a dog-friendly place,

You watch as two dogs walk with their owners.

Across the summit,

Acadia National Park is one of the few national parks that allows owners to come with their dogs.

You gather your blanket and bag,

Close up the convertible,

And move about curiously without a map or desire for directions.

A few puffy clouds dapple the cornflower blue sky.

You arrive at the summit,

A bed of smooth rocks with a panoramic vista of a lake and the ocean,

Of forests,

And a cluster of evergreen capped islands.

You settle on the other side of a boulder where thick,

Pillowy grass breaks through the granite to offer a cushion.

You lay out the picnic blanket and arrange your things,

Reveling in the endless beauty of the vista.

A French-Canadian tour group arrives and takes photos of the summit.

They politely greet you with Bonjour and move along,

Leaving you in the quietude of nature.

As the clouds clear the sky,

Thoughts clear your mind,

And you begin to slow down completely You surrender to the rhythm of nature,

Free from the frenetic energy of modern life.

Your body is rooted to the earth,

And the solidity of the granite reminds you of your inner fortitude.

And all these ideas come to you,

Not in thoughts,

But in waves of feeling and knowing.

Every new feeling is welcome,

So different from the routine of life.

Sometimes there is a journal or book that catches your attention for some time.

As you go back and forth between losing yourself in the mesmerizing view and the words on a page,

You think of the young boy in the harbor,

Creating memories on his father's fishing boat that will last a lifetime.

And so too,

Your memories of the glorious landscape of Bar Harbor imprint their beauty on you.

Many trails close during this time of year,

The falcons are nesting near their need for peace.

Some believe spotting the Peregrine Falcon is a symbol of triumph and freedom,

Speaking to the spiritual power within.

The mythical bird is a reminder to stay focused on your dreams as it soars above the clouds and bridges together the spiritual and natural world.

For you,

Watching the bird inspires a warmth in your heart,

Invoking the same freedom you felt as the wind brushed your face and you drove your convertible on the weaving road to the summit.

While the air is cooler atop the mountain,

The sunlight is intense and more than makes up for it with a blanket of warmth.

You bask in the sun and close your eyes for some time,

Drifting in and out.

You lucid dream,

Well aware of the sounds of nature and the occasional voices of visitors as they come and go.

You tune into the energy of spring.

The vibrant beauty that radiates around you and the gentleness you feel in your body.

You slowly open your eyes,

Unaware of how much time has passed.

More importantly,

Unconcerned.

You satiate your rising hunger with your favorite foods bought from a family-owned deli in the village.

Every detail of this picnic on Cadillac Mountain will be carefully stored in your memory banks,

For everything somehow tastes and feels better.

On the summit,

Your internal dial for positive sensations is turned up and you focus on each and every pleasant one,

And how valuable it is for you to collect these moments as they are the rafts that will carry you through stormy days and seasons in nature.

And in your mind,

Satiated and content,

You stretch your arms and legs as the sun begins to lower.

You rise and return the blanket and picnic items to the car so you may explore one of the open trails.

Your feet land on the soft,

Damp earth,

Blanketed in rust-hued pine needles.

You take a path that weaves around a stream of silvery,

Recently thawed water,

Curious to feel its crispness.

You walk close to the stream's edge and run your fingers through the gentle current.

You watch as the water flows over them and it somehow captivates you in a way that it would a small child.

As you stand to rise,

You peer across the stream to see a pine marten.

You meet the beady eyes of this creature,

Which reminds you of a small cat with a bushy tail.

The pine marten seems indifferent to your presence,

But it lifts its nose to sniff the air and take you in.

You imagine what the experience is like from his perspective and how you are perceived.

The marten seems to trust you enough to stay until he's done with his business.

He takes off into the thick pine forest and you return to your car to drive down to Blue Hill Overlook to enjoy the sunset back at the convertible.

You layer in a downy,

Soft,

Well-worn hoodie and start the drive.

You drive slowly down the mountain.

The breeze is cooler and smells sweeter this time of day.

You wind around the bend and come to a parking spot.

You leave the car and scout the ideal place to enjoy the sunset.

You are not alone in this quest and discover camping chairs and tripods scattered across the rocky summit as photographers vow to capture the glory of golden hour.

The glassy lake below reflects the sky and perimeter of pine trees.

The rolling hills take on the hue of blueberries as they form a silhouette when the sun slips behind them.

You close your eyes to feel the last rays of fiery orange light on your face.

Tonight,

Nature's paintbrush seems to follow your wishes as the sky erupts in swirls of the sunset colors you most enjoy.

You feel a sense of accomplishment in keeping this promise to yourself to enjoy both the sunrise and sunset.

A young photographer,

With long flowing hair as fiery as the setting sun,

Approaches you.

A professional camera dangles around her neck,

But she carries an old Polaroid automatic camera in her hand.

She says you look so serene and asks permission to take your photo.

Maybe this isn't something you would always agree to,

But it feels right and you trust her.

She snaps a candid shot and as the camera ejects the photo,

She hands it over to you.

Everyone needs something to remember the first warm day of the year.

She then takes off down the summit,

Her hair flowing on the breeze.

The image slowly develops and you smile when it comes to full being.

You recognize a version of yourself captured in this photo.

It's the version you wish to be more often.

Carefree,

In tune with your surroundings,

Vibrant.

You place the photo in your pocket and return to the car.

You turn on the warming feature for the driver's seat.

Too in awe of the twilight sky to put up the top even as the temperature drops.

You leisurely drive down the mountain and take a scenic route around the rocky coastline.

It humbles you to experience so much diverse,

Natural beauty on such a tiny,

Remote island.

Weirdness creeps over you as you turn down a quaint street to arrive at your bed and breakfast.

The two-door style mansion is surrounded by an emerald green lawn.

It's a hidden gem steps away from the bustling parts of town.

With views of the harbor,

You sit in the car for a moment and imagine when horse-drawn carriages roamed the tree-lined cottage way.

A blue-black sky freckled with an endless sea of silver stars stretches over the bed and breakfast in glistening dark water of the harbor.

A laxing gibbous moon rises from the north.

Tired,

You gather your things and return to the inn.

You pass by a garden and a three-tiered marble fountain surrounded by stone benches.

The fountain comes on for the first night of the year.

Winters frost,

Now a thing of the past.

The moon illuminates the fountain in a magical way and the gently trickling water hypnotizes you with its graceful dance in the ocean breeze.

You inhale the salt water air and slowly make your way to the entrance of the sprawling three-story home.

How lucky you feel to have access to this once private residence.

Staying here gives you a chance to try on what life may have been like for the lucky owners centuries ago.

You climb the steps to the porch and open the wide wooden door to the foyer.

Although your stay here is temporary,

It feels like you are returning home as you are met by the innkeeper.

She asks about your day and offers something warm to drink as if reading your mind.

You thank her as she walks through the main room to the kitchen.

Every detail in the mansion took craftsmanship and time with the intention of creating beauty in every corner.

Air roars in the fireplace,

Casting the room in mahogany wooden accents in amber light.

Hand-blown glass vases in a rich array of jewel tones are arranged in a bow window overlooking the bay.

Sun catchers hang from the top of the window and will fill the room with tiny rainbows come morning as they are the first to receive the sunlight.

The innkeeper returns with a hand-painted porcelain saucer and a delicate cup containing a steaming beverage.

You thank her,

Feeling so tired you wish her goodnight and take it to your suite.

You wander up the burgundy carpeted stairs,

Past a cozy reading nook on the landing set inside a stained glass bow window.

An antique chandelier hangs above the stairs.

You continue to ascend and arrive at the second floor and enter your suite.

Exposed dark walnut wooden beams span the room beneath the vaulted ceiling.

The space is lofty and decorated in warm,

Soothing tones.

A wall of windows look out onto the moonlit harbor.

You flip a switch to turn on the fireplace across from a four-poster bed.

You flip a switch on the updated fireplace located across from a four-poster bed.

You remove the polaroid picture from your pocket and place it on the bed stand,

Leaning it against an antique blue glass hurricane lamp.

You bring your beverage into the bathroom and set it on a marble side table by the clawfoot tub.

You strike a match taken from the table to light pillared candles arranged in a bow window sill.

You then turn on the faucets.

Steamy water streams into the tub with a sound as soothing as a symphony.

You fill the bath with lavender bubble bath and undress as the bubbles and water fill the tub.

The glow from the fire in the other room and the dancing light of the flickering candles create the perfect ambiance to unwind.

You step into the tub,

Every part of your body taking on the softness of warm candle wax as it becomes submerged in the welcome heat.

Your head rests on the back of the tub as you sip your sweet,

Warm elixir.

Moonlight pours through the window and the iridescent soap bubbles remind you of sea foam.

You inhale and exhale,

Feeling accomplished and relaxed.

At the same time,

So many days go by unnoticed,

So many sunrises and sunsets unseen.

During your special trip to Bar Harbor,

Not a moment was wasted or lost.

Your mind drifts between worlds.

As you soak in the tub,

You rub the bubbles across your arms and legs and inhale their soporific aroma.

You long to bathe in this tub for hours,

But as tiredness takes hold,

You are ready for bed.

And so you rise and dry off with a freshly laundered towel.

You slip into your favorite bedclothes.

You brush your teeth and the pleasant taste of mint lingers.

You feel clean and light as you return to the bedroom and pull back a heavy cotton duvet.

The mattress is the perfect balance of firm and soft,

As if custom-designed to fit the needs of your body.

In this moment,

You climb atop the fresh cotton sheets and sink your head into the pillows.

And before you drift into a night of dreams,

You recognize how much you wish to feel this complete during more of your days.

How you long to connect with nature,

Focus on the rich,

Simple pleasures that make life worthwhile.

Because when you do,

The end of the day feels this good,

And sleep comes as easily as the incoming tide.

Your head is heavy and your arms and legs sink into the comforting mattress.

Your attention goes to the candid shot of you captured by the unknown photographer,

A keepsake that will color your dreams and invoke the best memories.

You close your eyes and surrender to the tug of sleep,

Letting go as if floating on the waves of the Atlantic.

Finding bliss,

Finding peace,

Finding rest,

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream.

Reviews

Nice and relaxing went over fairly quick. Thank you

💜✨🕊️

My fave one - so far 💫💫I grew up near Boston so the memories flooded beautifully 🙏🏻💫

Only 10 minutes in and I was asleep! I would love to go to Bar harbour!

Easter morning, and I finally heard the full story, amazed that night after night, I only heard not even the start of the story, then the music at the end, over and over. It has awakened in me the desire to connect with nature today, and to experience simple pleasures that leave behind an ocean of contentment. A totally unexpected, reversed effect of this story. It is time to start my day. Thank you, Michelle🙏🏻🌟🦋🌟🙏🏻

Thank you, Michelle, for another wonderful, relaxing story that sent me to sleep before the end.

Excellent! Fell asleep quickly and didn’t wake up until 5:30am! Going to listen again! Thank you kindly for this lovely bedtime story! 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏