The Swiss Cottage | Bedtime Story To Ease Insomnia

Journey to Switzerland. Accompanied by your dog, you explore a waterfall and find deep peace among the pastel carpet of wildflowers and fresh grass. Whimsical Swiss cottages that remind you of cuckoo clocks dapple the rolling hills and plateaus. At twilight, you gather around a fire with new friends and then retreat to a cozy cottage with your dog. The mountain air is crisp and perfect for falling into a deep sleep. Get cozy and cuddle up. It's time to dream away.

Transcript

Drift fast asleep with this calm bedtime story for adults,

You are listening to The Swiss Cottage.

In this relaxing sleep story,

You travel to the Jura Mountains in late spring to experience the time-honored tradition of transhumance.

In a jubilant procession,

Animals ascend the mountain so they may graze on summer pastures above the tree lines.

Accompanied by your dog,

You follow the parade and take in the glorious pastel carpet of daisies,

Indigo,

And pink bellflowers surrounded by vibrant green pastures and snow-capped mountain peaks.

You arrive at a quaint Swiss cottage,

And the crisp mountain air creates the perfect conditions for a night of deep sleep.

So cuddle up and prepare for a Swiss adventure steeped in tradition.

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 fellow traveler and guide.

This time before bed is sacred.

Feel empowered to cultivate your experience however you wish to foster the journey across the bridge to your sleeping and dreaming life.

I encourage you to use your imagination to self-soothe and welcome thoughts that make you feel warm and cozy all over.

All other concerns can wait for another time.

You deserve to feel good right now.

You may enjoy the following brief meditation or skip ahead to the story.

Your choice is yours.

You are the expert on yourself,

So trust what your body and mind desire as we proceed.

Settle into the sanctuary of your room,

Tucked away from the outside world.

This is your world.

You are the artist and architect of every thought and visualization.

Feel your eyelids become heavy on your tired eyes,

Closed like the colorful shutters on a Swiss chalet.

You are safe.

You are well.

Open your mouth and let out a sigh.

And if it feels good,

Let that sigh come with a sound of release.

Then inhale through your nose deeply.

Imagine you are savoring the alpine air of Switzerland.

Cool,

Crisp,

Clean air that is warmed by your nose and then travels through your body and purifies you.

The oxygen molecules travel like scrubbing bubbles,

Cleaning away all the things in your body that aren't serving your peace and wellness.

Open your mouth and yawn.

Pretend if you need to and soon you find a real yawn will follow.

Exhale and sigh again as you inform your nerves and muscles that it is time to stand down.

Take in another breath through your nose and imagine you can smell the pure and recently thawed streams and waterfalls that cascade down silver grey limestone cliffs.

This mineral aroma is met with the smell of flowers in full bloom and wet grass.

Open your mouth and yawn.

Then sigh,

Release and sink into the comfort of your bed.

Take one more round of conscious breaths at your own pace and preferred rhythm.

This time imagine you are sipping in the mountain air at nightfall.

It is damp,

Clean and cool.

It causes your mind to drift into a sleepy haze as you long for rest.

As you exhale get as comfortable as you can and find stillness as the story begins.

In a land of neutrality it is easy to find peace,

Even more so when the climate is favorable as it is on the perfect late spring day that you find yourself in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland.

The geologic folds of the rock formations form bands of fossils that serve as a map of time that spreads along the French and Swiss border.

The limestone cliffs and dense evergreen forests stimulate your imagination with their storybook allure.

Small silky emerald blades of grass rustle in the soft breeze.

Magenta florets of milk thistle and bellflowers in shades of indigo,

Soft pink and an array of purples flutter like butterfly wings as the gentle winds travel over the hills and valley like a wave.

Many people dream of spending summer months above the tree lines in the lush mountain pastures or alpages just beneath the clouds.

Travelers from all walks of life come to Switzerland to tend to cows and to learn how to make cheese in mountain huts.

You find yourself one of the lucky ones to enjoy this annual journey.

The trek to higher elevations is as much a trek through time as it is through space.

The centuries old tradition conjures the spirit of all those who have come before you in tune with the bucolic splendor of the valleys and peaks,

The fauna and the rustic charm of chalets and huts that dapple the landscape.

The hairpin turns of the mountain paths demand all who climb to stay in alignment with the present moment.

There is nothing but the now.

Sparkling white gold sunshine beams brightly and reflects off the snow capped mountains.

The low toned melodies of cowbells chime throughout the hike and the most beloved of cows often wear the largest,

Grandest bells.

When they settle in their summer landscape,

The bells are hung from the eaves of wooden huts to be worn again during the annual procession to the valley at the end of summer.

Vibrant floral wreaths dangle around the cows' necks.

Their heads are adorned in floral crowns and their caretakers are dressed in traditional Swiss attire.

The women wear long skirts with dirndls,

Close fitting bodices,

A top flouncy blouses.

The men wear trousers and vests with alpine caps that angle down from the crowns of their heads like mountain slopes.

Their clothes are as vibrant and colorful as the fields and sky in shades of blue,

Red,

Green and gold.

Their hats and vests are adorned with embroidery with silver and gold threads that glisten in the sun like angel hair.

These time-honored parades create bookends for the summer season.

And when everyone returns to the valley,

The villagers will know the clock will soon strike autumn.

But now the promise of summer and new life is found in every drop of morning dew.

This promise shines in every silvery blue stream and waterfall that recently thawed into liquid hope.

You trail behind the procession,

Close enough to feel the energy of joy and resilience from the cows and herders and travelers from afar,

But distanced enough to take moments for yourself.

Your beloved dog is at your side and relishes being free from a leash yet shadows closely behind you.

Your bond is strong and you often look at your pet and wonder if they are enjoying the mountainside as much as you.

Their panting smile,

Curious sniffs and wagging tail are indicators that they are.

You are dressed in a way that suits your mood for this journey,

Whatever way that may be,

And you carry a rucksack full of essentials.

Your feet step on the dirt trail and loose stones,

And you feel connected to the mountains,

Grounded and strong,

Even as you feel close enough to touch the heavenly blue sky.

The air offers a delicate balance of warmth and coolness.

The sun feels like a toasty heated blanket on your body.

But just before it becomes too warm,

A spring breeze offers a reprieve.

You savor the liberation felt from being far and away from technology and any residue of the modern world.

The volume of simple pleasures amplifies without the hum and noise of the modern era.

Flowers have never looked more vibrant and awe-inspiring before.

For once you have the time and desire to pay attention to the most subtle details.

The mountains offer a sense of endurance and permanence that makes you feel safe as you ascend.

You experience deep belonging connected to the land,

To something so much bigger than you.

The enormity of the beauty,

The endless vista of greens and blues,

Makes all your concerns seem small.

A wave of gratitude constantly pours over you from head to toe and your skin tingles in the mountain air.

You are sensitive to every sound,

Smell and visual.

The mountain air kisses your skin and grazes the back of your neck like soft fingers.

The hooves of the cows land on the earth as they march upwards and create a persistent reverberation on the path beneath your feet.

Yet the path,

The mountain,

Remains strong as if to say,

I've got this,

I can carry your weight.

The trail winds around a sharp bend and you see a tall,

Narrow waterfall that trickles into a small,

Sparkling,

Metallic pool beyond the path.

Your pup looks to you for permission and you smile and wave them to go enjoy the crisp,

Snow-fed water.

They run ahead and you follow behind.

Plates of grass and a lush blanket of wildflowers brush against your legs in a gentle massage.

Your pup waits on a rocky edge beneath the waterfall and looks at you with loving eyes,

Imploring you to catch up.

You walk on the rocks and join your pup,

Patting them lovingly on the back as the soft spray of the cascading water lands on your face.

You lead your dog behind the waterfall and reach your hands through the rushing water.

It is cold in a pleasant way that makes you feel renewed and alive.

You splash the cool water on your face and take a sip.

Your pup dares to follow,

Cautiously extending their tongue to lick a thin stream of sparkling water.

The water tastes like a clean spoon.

The fresh minerality carries a hint of sweetness.

Like each breath,

Each sip of the water imparts the flavors of Switzerland.

It is no wonder why the cows are marched atop these fragrant hills to enjoy the splendor of nature.

The fields they graze will pass flavors into their milk used to create alpine cheeses.

These big semi-firm cheese wheels,

Full of gold paste and luscious crystals that mark their age,

Will travel the world to share a taste of the beauty before you.

You sit on the rocky edge of the pool with your pup and soak in the sun.

The sound of the rushing water is a song and takes your mind to dreamy places.

You lie back and look at the sky as puffy,

Iridescent white clouds float across the bluest sky you may have ever witnessed.

Your chest feels light and even while the air is thinner at a higher elevation,

The weight of the modern world is gone and you feel lighter.

This journey reminds you of the unlimited beauty in this world available for exploration.

And wherever you go,

It becomes a piece in the mosaic of your life.

You imagine what the mosaic piece of the Swiss Alps would look like and feel all the places in your body that resonate with peace and bliss when you see it in your mind's eye.

All the beauty around you also resonates within you.

As the afternoon wanes on,

You are ready to resume the trek of the mountain.

The procession of cows continues as they slowly and carefully climb.

Step by step,

You feel more and more like yourself.

Like the conscious childlike version of you,

You are curious and mystified by the little things that often go unnoticed.

You feel your strong heartbeat and feel gratitude for every pump of life that gives you the fortitude to climb this path.

You thank your lungs,

You honor your legs,

And you are grateful for all the millions of things that it takes for you to be in this moment,

Part of this march towards the peak.

Time passes,

But like in a dream,

Your calm mind flows through perceptions and decisions with grace.

When to stop and stretch,

When to slow your pace and pause at summits to take in the beauty of rolling hills.

The valley villages are in the distance,

Dappled with brown cottages that look like tiny cuckoo clocks in a fairy tale setting.

It's not hard to imagine the village centuries ago,

Thriving in the summer months and quiet and sleepy come winter.

As the sun lowers towards the mountain peaks,

You come upon the first huts used for milking cows and making cheese in the months to come.

As the animals feast on flowers and fresh grass during the brief season,

Their rich milk will be cooked down in copper cauldrons with a kiss of wood smoke and caramelized milk sugars to make large wheels of cheese.

The caretakers tend to their animals and settle into their cottages while you help a few group members form a campfire atop a grassy knoll.

Your dog stays by your side and you feel the warm invitation of these new friends with their kind smiles and joyous energy.

You are invited to sit on a hand carved stool often used for milking the cows and crafted by a farmer generations ago.

The sun showers the landscape with honeyed light that flows over the valley and a luminous glacial lake with gradients of turquoise,

Green and sapphire blue.

The saturated hues are as vibrant as the earliest Technicolor films and the vivid beauty feels like a waking dream.

You inhale the smells of the burning logs and the fresh hint of evergreen from the thick forests that pepper the region.

Your hosts speak in French.

Your dialect is unique to the region and as crisp as the air.

Occasionally they address you in English and share their love of the land with stories about the long hard days of farming and cheese making,

Followed by nights that bring the soundest sleep,

The natural rhythm of summer in the mountains fosters a healthy circadian rhythm that you can feel.

At sunset the sky becomes a melting pot of swirling peach,

Cotton candy pink and lavender swirls.

The moment the sun dips behind the silhouette of mountain peaks,

Everyone takes a collective sigh carried by feelings of gratitude and a call for rest.

You enjoy Swiss delicacies offered to you by the group of shepherds,

Cheesemakers,

Farmers and visitors.

Some of these visitors are doctors,

Lawyers and students who have traveled in search of peace and with a longing to experience the simpler world that their ancestors thrived in.

You feed your dog fireside and crumble some Gruyere atop their food.

You pour water into a portable dog bowl taken from your rucksack.

In the golden glow of the flames,

You feel a wave of euphoria and this opportunity to provide this memorable experience for yourself and your dear furry companion.

A whisper rises in the silence of your peaceful mind.

This is more than enough.

And it is.

It surprises you to find these feelings.

The sense of community and security surpasses all the lists and expectations of what you thought would be enough to meet your needs.

Those to-do lists and ideas become irrelevant.

Your needs are met.

This night among kind souls gathered by a fire in the pure landscape of Switzerland is enough.

It's not just enough.

It's everything.

The sky turns a silky shade of blue and the stars begin to twinkle.

Their lustre increasing as the fire softens into glowing embers.

A silvery mist slithers through the mountain and the cool tiny droplets land on your skin in a gauzy veil.

One by one,

Your new friends disappear to their chalets and rustic huts.

Walter,

The leader of this venture,

Is a fifth generation cheesemaker and farmer.

He points to a cottage over a small knoll and indicates that is where you will stay.

You thank him and tiredness comes over you as quickly as the darkness came over the mountain.

You linger for a few minutes to enjoy the magenta glow of the embers as you look to the sky and make a wish.

You imagine ways to conjure this feeling again in your daily life.

You think of all the dreamers who sat in the spot before you and pondered the wonders of the universe.

You feel humbled and grateful for every step that brought you here.

The journey was worth every single one.

Your dog nuzzles their warm head against your leg and you look into their eyes,

Illuminated in warm light from the dwindling fire.

You feel your love for them and their love for you as you rise from the stool and walk towards your dark brown cottage.

The mist hovers over the damp grass and your pup races ahead intuitively towards your cozy home for the night.

You take in a deep breath and the smell of spruce becomes stronger in the damp air of the night.

Each inhalation is like a soporific tonic and makes you feel more and more tired.

Away from it all,

You are free of stress and concerns and your body relishes this moment to unwind.

You imagine sleeping long into the morning,

Uninterrupted in the glorious Shara Mountains.

You move slowly as if floating through a glacial turquoise lake.

Your muscles become more and more tired from a day spent hiking.

Everything is nice,

Full of accomplishment and it brings a lightness in your chest.

You walk towards the chocolate brown cottage with a roof as whimsical as those depicted in cuckoo clocks.

As you ascend the creaky steps into the cottage,

You hear an owl's hoot echo through the plateau.

The sound is a beckoning for sleep as nocturnal animals roam the night and humans and their pets settle for sleep.

The smooth logs of the cottage glisten in the moonlight,

Shiny like gingerbread made with extra molasses.

You open the door into the cottage and find it decorated with vases of vibrant wildflowers that aromatize the simple,

Open room.

There is a bed tucked away in the corner of the cottage,

A simple kitchenette and a dining table and chairs.

The air is the perfect temperature for sleep and carries the slightest sweet smell of wood from the historic beams.

The bathroom is modest and you wash your face with the cool water fed by a well in the tiny porcelain sink.

You return to the bed to discover your dog is already asleep at the end of it.

They've made themselves home in the Swiss cottage.

You change into warm pajamas taken from your rucksack and feel back the heavy quilt and crisp white cotton sheets.

The bed is firm yet comfortable and your spine aligns perfectly as you settle.

Your head sinks into the soft pillows.

It feels as if you have been here before,

Perhaps in a dream,

Or perhaps through fairy tales told over and over again to you as a child.

Deep in your subconscious mind,

The familiarity brings you peace and comfort and ushers in sleep with ease.

Your pet sighs,

A soothing sound that causes you to sigh.

Your furry body keeps your feet warm.

Come morning you will awaken to a brilliant new day full of possibilities.

You fantasize about falling into the rhythm of the Swiss countryside in tune with the sun and moon.

You welcome balance,

Comfort,

And bliss.

Finding beauty in simple pleasures such as the fresh mountain air,

The promise of the new season,

A sense of belonging,

The deep peace that comes from nature,

The security that comes from having a community and experiencing the magnanimous beauty of this mountain retreat.

The cozy cottage is like a safety blanket,

A sanctuary for deep,

Healing sleep.

The soft glow of the moon pours through white crocheted curtains that delicately dance on the night breeze.

You inhale the fresh air through your nose,

Feeling it warm before it travels down your throat.

You savor this experience of inhaling cool air while your body is toasty beneath the freshly laundered bedding,

And you allow yourself to drift,

To float,

To journey towards dreams that await.

You imagine the shutters of the cottage opening as your mind drifts through the windows to float across the bridge to the mystical dreams that await you in your sleep.

And with that,

You let go of my voice,

Drifting down,

Down,

Down towards sleep,

Towards respite,

Towards bliss,

Towards restoration,

And towards all that you need right now.

Letting go,

Finding serenity,

Finding peace,

Finding rest.

Drifting deeper and deeper down,

Getting closer and closer to sleep,

Grateful for the feet that carried you 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,

Where bliss gifts you the sweetest of dreams and brightest of tomorrows.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Reviews

What I heard was lovely! Mountain Wildflowers will stay with me today. Thank you as always Michelle and many blessings.💜🕊️🌸

Wonderful, as always. I have bookmarked this to return to, as I do with most sleep meditations from Michelle’s Sanctuary, since I didn’t get too far into the adventure before
dreaming away. 🥰💖✨ Thank you 🙏🏼

Excellent as always! Love listening 💕 to you tell your stories. Fell asleep for 5 hours and going to repeat! Thank you kindly for this practice! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

Incredible experience in preparation and drifting off to sleep

Lovely♾️☯️⚛️⚘️☄️🌟
Thank you kindly⚛️
Namaste 🙏🏼✨️🖤🕯

Lovely story & beautiful, calming voice
Was asleep before it ended!

Another awesome guided meditation! Thank you Michelle! I’ve been seeking & needing sleep so badly and finally got it the last two nights thanks to you!! I love anything where animals are included so really appreciated having my dog by my side :) so grateful to you Michelle <3 I really appreciate you!!
=^._.^= Ing

Thank you 🙏💜

I have always wanted to go to Switzerland & felt like I was actually there. I loved being with my dog and playing in the waterfall. Thank you, Michelle, for another wonderful story.

Thanks, Michelle🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Slept well, no clue of the cntent yet🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻