The Hot Springs Of Costa Rica

Deep sleep awaits in this calm sleep story for grown-ups that will take you to the tropical landscape of Arenal, Costa Rica. Journeying through the surrounding forest and local waterfall, you come upon exotic flowers and animals before finding the celebrated hot springs. Fed by the inactive volcano, these hot springs have healing properties and you experience three of them beneath the sunset and night's sky before finding refuge in your cabana beneath the stars. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Fall into a deep sleep as you relax and unwind in a bedtime story that will take you to the hot springs.

As you find yourself in Arenal,

Costa Rica,

You may surrender and reconnect with nature and with yourself on an exploration of the tropical landscape before uncovering healing hot springs that will take away any stress and solve any problems currently ailing you.

As your muscles and body find the ultimate bliss and comfort,

You may retreat to a modest bungalow and at one with nature,

Fall asleep.

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

I am Michelle and as you are listening,

Let my voice be that of a trusted guide who is here to simply remind you of the special powers that reside within your own imagination.

You cannot control everything,

But you can control your thoughts and allow them to take you to uncharted places that give you sensations of deep peace and stillness.

And right now you are free to let go of any thoughts that do not serve you and reject anything that doesn't feel good as you welcome every thought that creates a warm and healing sensation.

And you are also free to let go of my voice at any point if you would prefer to cross over that bridge to sleep.

Get comfy in your bed,

Feeling heavy as you sink down and you can wiggle out any lasting impressions of your day.

Close your eyes and let your eyelids feel like cool heavy sandbags on your tired eyes.

And you may take in the deepest breath of the day and then blow out the air through your lips as if blowing through a straw.

Let it all go.

And then inhale again,

Letting your belly and chest rise to their ultimate capacity before you blow it all out.

And as you exhale,

You visualize your feet are adorned in tightly laced hiking boots that are well worn and have traveled many miles.

You watch as they land upon a fallen broad wide banana leaf that is brightly green against the rich brown earth of the trail.

The air is hot and humid,

But there is a gentle mist and breeze that makes it comfortable.

In the distance you see the majestic Arenal volcano that has been dormant for some time and its verdant landscape contrasts against the cornflower blue sky overhead.

White puffy clouds like tufts of cotton appear almost shimmery through the mist and block the volcano's peak in a way that almost simulates its activation.

But you are safe,

Feeling this sense of wonder in the valley that is covered with thick tropical fauna and trees.

Birds sing out in songs you have not heard before,

Exotic and cheery,

As if welcoming you to this beautiful day.

The smells remind you of sweet tobacco and honey and they combine with exotic flowers that perfume the air.

It is a fragrance you have not come upon before and will forever mark this journey.

You feel as the heavy padded straps of your backpack dig into the tops of your shoulders and while not uncomfortable,

They remind you of your own strength and ability to be self-sufficient.

You have all that you need right now.

Through the gentle mist and otherwise fertile greenery of the lush landscape,

You see a cluster of vibrant purple petals that flow like feathers in the tropical breeze.

They are hypnotic and catch your attention as they appear to be dancing and upon further inspection you realize they are the guarilla morada flowers that are the national orchid of Costa Rica.

The beauty is so breathtaking.

The delicate nature of each petal is so captivating that you understand why an artist is inspired to paint,

Noting their yellow centers are like snouts reaching for the sun.

You take a mental picture,

Imagining what it might be like to be as delicate as their petals,

Letting go to the gentle wind and floating upon it.

Yet in the current moment,

You feel quite heavy as you hike onwards.

You look up towards the volcano and as you do,

The orange striped lime green beak of a toucan catches your attention as he rests upon a branch of a tree.

The beak so large and dramatic,

It doesn't seem real,

Even up close.

As you look how disproportionate it appears next to the sleek black and yellow body of the bird,

You catch his gaze and there is something playful and fun with this species,

As if he has a secret joke he's not willing to share.

You are both interrupted as a duo of capuchin monkeys swing from vines and land on the same tree.

They are oblivious to you both as they wrestle and play and groom one another.

You are caught up in their show for some time,

Thinking of memories gone by of times when you were playful.

Perhaps playing with neighborhood kids or siblings or cousins.

And for a moment,

You feel the allure of fun being rekindled.

It causes you to smile as you continue on the hike.

In the distance,

You hear the sound of crashing water that grows louder the further you walk.

You realize you are coming upon a waterfall,

Which is a marker on the hike that indicates you are getting close to the hot springs.

You continue to walk along the path,

Taking in a deep breath and sighing it out as you feel very present to the heat of the late day and the sounds of the foliage and the breeze and the birds and capuchin monkeys.

Your feet feel firmly grounded as you balance upon the rugged terrain and the winding path that turns towards a slender waterfall that cascades from a sharp cliff above.

The mist that forms refracts light and rainbow prisms as colorful as the landscape that surrounds them.

The air is suddenly cooler as you come upon the mist and are able to walk behind the waterfall in what appears to be a small cave.

There is a large black rock and it's a perfect seat for viewing the waterfall from the inside looking out.

You go to this rock and take a rest.

Feeling quite hungry and thirsty,

You remove your canteen and a sandwich from your bag.

The rock beneath you is damp and cool,

Just as the air around you feels naturally air conditioned.

Making you more aware of the heat of your body,

You can taste the mist of the waterfall as barely visible droplets of water fall on your face and lips like morning stew.

You take a drink of a citrusy beverage that refreshes you as you satiate your pangs of hunger with a sandwich made locally.

You welcome the solitude and experience that will conjure many mental revisits in the years to come.

You feel accomplished to have made it on this journey and the evidence of your own independence gives you inspiration for what more you are able to do in this life.

It makes you feel strong and vibrant and alive.

And as you finish eating,

You stand and go to the waterfall,

Using your hands to cup the forceful stream as you collect the icy water and wash your face and hands.

The water soothes you like aloe applied to a mild sunburn.

It takes away all the heat of the day and causes a shiver up your spine.

It smells fresh and clean and allows your entire body to tingle in aliveness.

You look as rays of sunlight cut through the foliage of the rainforest and land upon the crystal flowing streams from the waterfall overhead.

You tilt your head back,

Allowing the strong pressure to flow through your hair and massage your scalp.

The water is so cold,

It causes a numbing sensation that you greatly enjoy.

You take your palms and run them through your wet hair,

Feeling suddenly cool all over.

You grab your backpack and begin the trek onward.

As you continue on the trail,

You come upon a wooden footbridge,

Entering the property that is maintained locally,

And offers an array of hot springs.

Below the footbridge,

The first series of waterfalls feeds a lower hot spring.

Lush palms and vibrant red tropical flowers drape over the landscape like oversized umbrellas,

And you walk down a series of stone steps to the spring.

You remove your shoes and clothing to swimwear underneath,

And you wade into the spring.

It is the coolest of the hundreds of springs to follow,

But feels warm enough to your body that has already been chilled by the waterfall.

The late afternoon sky is a deeper shade of blue,

As more puffy clouds create shade across the valley.

You inhale the minerals of the spring.

The smell is salty and unique.

And each hot spring along the property comes with a theme.

And the theme for this spring is Ease and Surrender.

As you feel yourself beginning to surrender,

As you float in the gentle flow of the cascading stream that comes down the black stones that are like steps above you.

Feeling light,

You take in a deep breath and sigh it out,

Sinking ever so slightly into the water.

Your attention drifts to a brilliant green tree frog that has landed upon one of the silvery black stones.

It has bright red eyes and blue and yellow stripes upon its bent legs.

And you for a moment wonder about nature's beautiful and diverse design.

About how uniqueness is made apparent.

And for a moment you reflect on your own uniqueness.

That it is okay to be a little different and celebrate all that is you.

A tropical breeze blows at your face as you close your eyes for a moment and feel total release and total surrender.

You feel ready to explore further and say goodbye to the tree frog as if you have become acquaintances and then pull yourself out of the water.

You remove a set of flip flops and a towel from your bag and put them on before you place your clothing inside and tie your boots around the straps for carrying.

Your body feels relaxed as you glide across the path and continue on to the next hot spring.

The sun is now beginning to set and the forest becomes less dense as you come into a hot spring that is much warmer.

You remove your flip flops and dip a toe in and it is so warm it takes a moment before you can ease yourself into the water.

And the theme of this hot spring is healing.

And right away you can feel as the waters begin to heal your tight muscles and sore joints,

Cascading around you delicately.

Like melting wax,

But softer and lighter,

The water flows and is a chalky aquamarine color.

It begins to take on a pink tint from the flaming sky above and the sun begins to set.

The sky becomes like an oil painting with brush strokes of lavender and magenta and rose and eggplant hues.

The Arenal volcano is a dark grey.

A triangle against a rainbow of warm hues it stands proud and enduring.

There is a mysticism to the surrounding environment.

Every color is fully saturated as if in a children's book illustrated by pastels.

The hypnotic swirls in the sky are like a painting by Van Gogh.

You are content and at ease in a way you have not felt before.

The healing you feel starts with the parts of your body that need release most,

But then travels deeper and below the surface.

As often a pain that manifests itself physically goes deeper to something emotional and you are releasing all of those feelings right now.

As if they are coming out of your pores and being absorbed by the healing powers of the naturally medicinal hot spring.

The sky begins to darken into twilight and you rise,

Making your way on the path that is now illuminated by solar lamps that come to life.

Like most things in Costa Rica where the motto is Pura Vida,

They are environmentally sound.

And you continue to one last hot spring for the day.

It is a deep shade of blue green with ripples and colors that remind you of a mermaid's tail.

You ease into the water and it is the hottest of all and conveniently this hot tub is known to have natural sedative properties.

And as you sink down,

Your body feels a heaviness in this spring.

It is as if weights have been tied to you.

As you sink to the depths of the shallow waters and land upon a smooth rock that serves as a shelf for sitting,

The sky above is blazing with stars.

It is so vast and the blue black velvet of the sparkling sky is filtered through the silhouette of palms that surround the hot spring.

And the night sounds of Costa Rica are tuning up.

From insects chirping to tree frogs singing out their melodies.

And while enjoying the solitude,

You do not feel alone.

You feel at one with all that is around you.

The crescent of the moon above,

Silvery and bright,

Makes you wonder what it might be like to swing from the stars,

As if swinging from vines of the rainforest to land upon the seat of the moon.

It is such a lovely idea to think of being so free and without the constraints of gravity.

You realize that your dreams can take you there.

That you have felt things that defy the human experience.

That go beyond the constraints of physical form and allow you to fly and to float and to embrace surrealism and find an escape and to find answers.

And that dreamy experience calls to you.

You relish your last moment in this dark spring,

Feeling so warm.

You look forward to climbing out of it and being met with the gentle night's breeze.

And in the dark the hot spring looks as if it's filled with glitter,

Twinkling like bioluminescence.

And it leaves a tingling sensation on your feet that remain in the water.

And the air smells of rain as a light mist begins to fall from a few straight clouds in the sky.

You stand and wrap yourself in the towel,

Put on your flip flops and your bag and continue on the path.

In the distance you see the orange glow of tiki torches that are lit outside of the accommodations you have booked for the night.

The path is lit by lanterns that hang between palm trees and are in a colorful array of reds and yellows and blues and greens.

The gentle rustle of palms in the breeze is soothing to the soul.

Tonight's air is cooler and comfortable as you come into a series of bungalows and arrive at yours.

An envelope with your name on it is tacked to the front door and you open it to find a key and a card that welcomes you to the secret bungalows of Tabakon.

You take the key and open the wooden door that is set aglow magically by a tiki torch that burns outside the bungalow.

You enter the accommodations and they are like a luxurious version of a jungle hut.

With bamboo roofing and wooden floors,

The ceiling angles upwards towards the sky.

There is a king sized four poster bed surrounded by a white mosquito net.

You remove your damp towel and hang it over a chair.

There are French doors that open out onto a private garden.

You open them and take in the smell of the earth and tropical flowers that are sweet and tangy and intoxicating.

You close a screen door so you may listen to the night's orchestra and welcome the breeze that flows through the cozy bungalow.

You change out of your damp swimwear,

Finding a pair of soft cotton pajamas left as a courtesy and folded neatly upon a bed stand.

There is also a sleep kit that includes a silk eye mask and smells of lavender.

You change into the pajamas and they feel soft upon your skin as soft as the tropical night's breeze.

You take the sleep mask and pull back the mosquito net,

Feeling so exhausted and fulfilled from your day's hike.

Parts of your body still feel as if they are being massaged by the natural motion of the hot springs.

And you are at ease and at peace.

You climb into the high bed,

Closing the net around you and feeling as if you are hibernating in your own cocoon.

The crisp sheets are cool against your skin and smell of fresh laundry dried in the tropical sun.

Your head lands upon the plush pillows and you allow yourself to sink down,

Down,

Down.

Pulling the sleep mask upon your eyes,

Taking in the soporific aroma of lavender as you feel the magic of the night.

The species of the rainforest that are slumbering as well come to mind,

While the nocturnal animals serenade you towards rest.

And it feels good to be here right now.

You let yourself be lulled to sleep,

Letting go,

Surrendering,

Feeling safe and cozy,

Feeling alive and well.

Being grateful for all you have experienced,

Knowing you are always able to tune into these beautiful connections with nature whenever you so desire.

It's the same,

You are free to float across the bridge to your sleeping life.

What may seem unimaginable in your waking life is now completely possible in the unlimited imagination of your subconscious mind while sleeping.

And you are in charge of all that unfolds tonight with the rest and restoration that you have earned and deserve.

I am going to count you down to the restorative and beautiful dream-filled sleep that is rightfully yours and that you deserve.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Three.

Two.

One.

Finding release.

Finding peace.

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Reviews

Amazing as always .
I dropped off in no time .
Trouble is never hear the full mediatation
Namesta

I love all your bedtime stories. Very relaxing 😋

I can always count on Michelle to help me fall asleep/go back to sleeep. Thank you 🙏🏼

One of my favorites because I have always wanted to go to Costa Rica. Still haven’t heard the end though.

Thank you, Michelle 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻After having used this for about a week, several times a night, I heard most of the story, and like it🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Absolutely beautiful. I’ve never been anywhere tropical, so this meditation gets me slightly closer!

What can I say Michelle, yet another excellent Medi-story
Stunning
Namaste
🙏🏻

I’ve had a migraine for 2 days and have found it difficult to sleep. I don’t even remember anything past the into! I’m for sure listening again.