There is a barrier island that waits for you.
It is your sanctuary.
It pulls at your heart like an anchor tied to a sailboat.
And with it you feel a heavy longing.
It protects you from the winds of distraction and anxiety.
So they may drift on by as you stay calm and at ease.
Content and relaxed in a safe surrender.
This barrier island activates the enchanting and healing components of your imagination.
As children,
We may have soared the highest of heights with ease and grace.
On the wings of our own creativity,
Letting the imaginative spirit fill our hearts and minds with hope and merriment.
And right now,
You may find the respite and lighthearted fun that you have earned as you allow yourself to cherish you.
Welcome to Michelle's Sanctuary.
You are listening to The Barrier Island,
A hypnotic sleep story and guided meditation that will take you down,
Down,
Down into a deep and healing reverie.
So get cozy and safe as it is time to voyage to places unlocked by the power of your mind and mental wanderlust that exists just for you.
Let this be your time.
And as you are listening,
You may imagine my voice to be the voice of your dearest of allies.
Working solely to help you reconnect with the parts of yourself that you most enjoy.
Perhaps you have not been able to do so in your waking life,
But right now,
You may embrace all that is uniquely you.
Experiencing life in your body and in a way that only you fully understand.
And because you understand yourself most,
You may use whatever flourishes and brushstrokes on your mental canvas that feel right and personalize to the experience and mental vacation you may embark on before falling into a blissful sleep where you may contentedly dream away.
You feel your body getting heavy,
As heavy as wet sand beneath the rolling ivory-crested waves of an incoming tide.
And you may close your eyes and inhale,
Focusing on the words I AM and exhaling with a focus on the words LETTING GO.
Inhaling the words I CHOOSE and exhaling the words DEEP STILLNESS.
Letting go and finding stillness as you inhale one last time.
And exhale aloud,
Even letting that sigh turn into a great beginning.
As you let your body know,
It's okay to embrace this feeling of being so very tired and so very relaxed,
Ready to embark on this seaside adventure.
You find yourself digging your toes into the damp,
Blonde sand of an isolated beach,
Left vacant by vacationers who have returned to the flow of their daily lives while your own escape has just begun.
You have sought respite here on the cusp of a new season where the slightest nip in the breeze gives a warning that summer's end is near.
You feel the crystals of salt that have formed on your bare legs from the spraying surf that has dried on your skin.
The sun is approaching its golden hour as waves of amber reflections are interwoven with the deep sapphire blue hues of the ocean.
A few seagulls take flight,
Feasting one last time before nightfall as you watch them swoop down,
Submerging their beaks below the dark waters.
A crab runs across the glistening sand,
Scuttling in a fast pace that contrasts the otherwise tranquil gentle flow of the waves.
You are adorned in light linen attire that blends with the soft neutral tones of the beige sand and taupe seagrass that borders the beach.
You feel aligned with this tone of neutrality and softness.
You continue to walk towards the east,
Feeling the setting sun on your back.
This orange magenta orb is warming you and softening the shades of tidal pools so they look like reflective molten metal.
In the solitude you feel a connection with your inner voice,
Offering unfiltered insights into the purest of your desires,
Offering guidance.
And if you just close your eyes right now and inhale the briny humid air,
You may taste the salt on your lips.
You feel the salinity in your nose and throat,
Cleansing and healing you as you exhale.
Listening to the gently flowing ocean waves crashing upon the shore.
Feeling the gentle breeze as your soft linen clothing brushes against your skin and the tiny granules of loose sand low against your legs with a gentle exfoliation.
And you think to yourself this quieting mantra,
Be here now.
And you are so present,
So connected to every sound and scent and sensation,
So connected to yourself.
Simply feeling your body vibrating at the frequency of the soothing incoming tide.
And as you open your eyes,
You notice how the sun has sunken beyond the horizon and the small droplets of the sea's mist accumulate on your lashes,
Creating prisms through which you see the world around you.
Breathing deeply,
You exhale and find yourself spinning your arms freely,
Enjoying the simple bliss that comes with this sensation.
As your arms float like wings on the sea breeze,
You continue down the beach towards your home.
Upon the momentum of the soft winds.
And as the sky darkens into amethyst and ruby and burnt orange,
You are able to feel the energy of the island,
This island that protected the mainland and provided refuge for centuries of seamen who came to its shores.
You look out onto the sea and watch the white crests forming further out where a sandbar has formed.
And the waves gently cascade into shallow waters.
Sweet summers end with all of its sunshine dialing down and hot temperatures are also winding down and tepid once dusk begins to set in.
The cicadas come to life with their song and you make your way past a row of vacant white washed beach homes that have been cleared out for the week.
You seem to be the only inhabitant on the barrier island for this quiet evening.
You note how peaceful and wonderful it feels to have this time just for you.
To have this refuge to yourself.
You approach the faded wooden stairs that lead to your glorious home which stands proudly upon stilts that protect it from the incoming tide.
Before ascending,
You rinse your legs and hands with an outdoor hose before washing off your face and tasting the cool fresh water that cleanses you of salt and sand.
Once clean,
You carefully walk each stair as you feel the soft weathered wood beneath the soles of your feet until you reach the main deck of this three story home and approach an outdoor bar that overlooks the shoreline.
You prepare your favorite relaxing beverage and grab a snack before making your way to a turquoise wooden rocking chair where you may sit and rock back and forth and just continue to flow back and forth and back and forth.
The chair moves like a wave with its rhythmic flow that causes a gentle easing in your body and as you listen to the waves rolling on the sand before your beloved home,
You may hear whispers of guidance that are nurturing and timeless.
This barrier island has weathered so many storms and remained intact as centuries have passed and this endurance has brought a wisdom.
As if the sea whispers to you things you have been longing to hear,
Things that are permanent and still within you no matter how much time passes or erodes.
Even as the shores of sand on this barrier island have eroded throughout time,
The energy of safety and peace has always been restored and remained intact on the other side of the storm.
Like the island,
You too have weathered so many storms that it almost seems like too many to quantify.
You respect these shores,
Which have been met by ships and souls that have traveled from afar,
Deeply understanding the relief felt by these fellow travelers upon finding land and finding a sanctuary on this barrier island.
And you feel protected by the misty,
Briny air wrapping around you like a tender embrace as you continue to rock in your chair to and fro and back and forth,
Inhaling and exhaling.
The whispers of the sea are calling to you.
You hear the words,
You are well.
And feel the wellness that brims from your heart center,
From your beating heart and lungs that now fill with a cleansing breath,
Expanding to their greatest capacity.
You are doing all you need to do.
And so too you recognize from this whisper,
All you need to do right now.
All you need to do is care for yourself.
Just to focus on this inner stillness and peace as the gentle rhythm of the crashing waves guides you.
And the stars begin to ignite the velvety ebony blue skies above.
The golden moon is nearly full and reflects upon the dark,
Silver crested waters below.
And you find yourself feeling so content and so tired,
So ready to find a place to lie down and sleep for the night.
And so you rise and you enter the sliding doors of your home as your feet land upon the cool ceramic tiles that are hand painted in nautical designs in your favorite colors.
These colors and images are healing and through your bleary tired eyes,
It is almost as if they become like animated watercolors as you watch your bare feet walk upon each tile,
Guiding you to a spiral staircase that winds its way up to the second floor.
Continuing and counting each step as you go.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And you take in the high ceilings that open into skylights and allow you to see the stars above from the comforts of your home as you ascend further.
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight,
Nine,
Ten,
Eleven,
Twelve.
Going your way across the wooden floors of the hallway to the master bedroom.
And inside this room you find a canopy bed surrounded by sheer ivory curtains that dance in a soft ocean breeze that enters the room from open French doors.
And you walk to the doors,
Stepping out onto a Juliet balcony to take in the majesty of the sea just one last time.
Feeling almost as if you are at the helm of a ship where you may drink in each sip of salty night air and encapsulate this peaceful moment so it may be easy to access at any point you desire in your waking life.
At any point when you need to reconnect and quell any anxiety or daily stress.
You re-enter the room,
Feeling heavy and tired as the ceiling fan spins overhead,
Whirling and making the room cool and comfortable in a way that makes you wish to bury yourself beneath the crisp white cotton sheets and fall asleep.
As though you remove your clothing and change into buttery soft bedclothes that are folded on the bed,
Smelling like fresh,
Clean laundry.
Leaving the doors open for the night,
You peel back the crisp sheets and get beneath them,
Tucking yourself in,
Letting your head fall heavy as it sinks into the downy pillows that wrap around the curve of your neck and skull,
Encapsulated like a pea in a pod.
And you are so very relaxed,
Feeling heavy and dreamy,
The sheer bed curtains below around you,
Hypnotic in making you feel sleepy,
As if they are gossamer wings about to take flight and allow you to glide into a healing sleep,
Where dreams may color your world with unlimited potential.
But for now,
You look out the French doors and watch as the sea continues to shine upon the glittering sea,
And you feel gratitude,
You feel yourself going with the natural rhythm of night and day,
As if your own internal compass knows it is time to now guide you to sleep.
Inhaling and exhaling as you let your heavy eyelids fall upon your tired eyes,
Feeling so at ease,
Feeling the centering sensation that comes with being at home,
Like an old time brass skeleton key as it clicks into a lock,
Making a perfect match.
So too are you now safe in your sanctuary,
As you have found your perfect match.
And with your eyes closed,
You feel the gentle briny breeze coming across your face,
And listen as the ocean waves continue to crash.
They come in and go back out in a gentle and soothing pattern,
Dictated by the full luminescent moon above.
You find yourself crossing the silver bridge between your waking and sleeping life,
Where you may even lucid dream.
And in this special place,
You may tune my voice out at any time you so desire,
Imagining as if you're able to enter the inner curve of an incoming wave and just safely find comfort in the salt water tunnel that forms around you,
Imagining what it would be like to just stay in this waves center.
As the deep sapphire blue of its interior becomes opalescent,
The moonlight causes the droplets of water that make up this wave to refract and form a vibrant rainbow that wraps around you.
The rich colors continuously swirl as you stay deep within the sweet spot of this powerful wave,
And you find balance as you uncover a portal that ushers you to the other side.
And this other side offers you inner peace and stillness.
It offers you respite,
Where you may begin to dream,
Where you may let go.
Let it all go,
Right now.
You are untethered and free,
Light and carefree.
You are in the purest celebration of you,
Allowed to be all that you are as you float along and gently drift towards sleep.
And I am going to count you down as you go deeper and deeper with each count,
Floating and drifting towards the best slumber and deepest sleep that you may have experienced in a long time.
10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Finding relaxation,
Finding stillness,
Finding protection,
Finding you,
Finding peace,
Finding sleep.
It's time to dream away.
Good night.
