Fall into a deep sleep in this calm sleep story and guided meditation for relaxation and peace.
Find yourself on a ferry to the small island of Corchilla where a magical exploration of the rolling hills and a vineyard by the Adriatic Sea will bring you respite before you settle into a charming cottage for the night.
It's time to dream away.
I'd like to welcome you to Michelle's Sanctuary.
My name is Michelle and as you are listening you may think of my voice as that of a trusted friend,
An imaginative guide who is here to help you ride the self-soothing visions your mind may conjure before bedtime.
I will do my best to reconnect you with the sensory powers of your own imagination,
Tempering all concerns before you drift across the bridge between your waking and sleeping life.
So settle into your cozy bed.
Let yourself melt into the mattress as you surrender to the serene invitations of the night to fall asleep.
Take in a deep breath and as you do,
I want you to imagine that you are inhaling the salty air of the Adriatic Sea as a summer's wind blows off the cobalt blue waters and meets your face with a cool sea mist.
As you exhale,
You feel total peace letting go.
You are aboard a sleek white ferry boat that slices through the waves,
Bumping ever so slightly as you hold on to the balcony's railing.
The midday sun hits you in brilliant golden rays,
Quickly drying the sea spray that has landed upon your exposed face and arms.
You are wearing the most comfortable of attire that is lightweight and billows in the breeze.
You feel light and carefree.
You are accompanied by a close friend who has forever been the best partner for new adventures,
For the most intimate of secrets,
And for the most raucous moments of laughter.
Together you are able to be the fullest expressions of yourselves without fear of judgement.
And perhaps this is a friend you have yet to meet and simply hope to someday have.
But this friend is waiting for you in your future.
Whether a friend imagined or a friend you know well,
You meet each other's eyes and smile on this perfect day on your way to Corchila.
Corchila is a Croatian island that lies off the Dalmatian coast.
With centuries of Venetian influence,
The island is abundant with olive groves and vineyards and is the sixth largest island of Croatia,
Home to the old town.
As the ferry comes closer to the island,
You see the walls and towers of old town.
Designed with stones in the 14th century,
There is a medieval feel as it looks like a fortress from afar.
The center of town is designed like a fishbone as the streets fan out to limit exposure to the powerful Adriatic winds in stormy weather.
The red-tiled roofs of the cityscape are boldly saturated in the summer sun,
Like flowing ceramic waves over white walled buildings.
The contrast of the tiles to the white facades offers a feeling of clean purity.
Other passengers begin to amass by the exit as the ferry pulls into the dock and travelers standing in the port wave and welcome the arriving vessel.
There are small cafe tables that line a side street where people enjoy their Mediterranean lunches and glasses of local wine.
The church bell begins to ring,
Marking the 2 o'clock hour as the ferry's horn echoes through the harbor as the boat docks.
You regain your balance and put your arm around your friend,
Feeling a mutual excitement for the exploration of Cortula that awaits.
Allowing all the other travelers to disembark first,
You then walk down the metal stairs with your luggage in tow and exit the vessel.
As you walk towards Old Town,
You pass docked yachts and small white catamarans.
Missing a few fishermen along the shoreline until you come to the bustling center of town.
The sun is bright above and the happy sounds of fellow travelers chatter is like a melody that sings above the gentle sound of the sea breeze that causes your hair to flow gently.
Palm trees line the walk and rustle,
Creating shadows like tendrils of seagrass that dance upon the sidewalk.
The stone buildings are quaint and with a historic charm that feels warm and inviting and trustworthy.
You walk towards the cobblestone street to find a parked sea blue convertible with a local driver holding a piece of paper that reads your name.
You approach the car as the driver greets you and takes your luggage,
Putting it in the trunk,
Welcoming you to the island.
You and your friend climb into the back of the car,
Feeling the warm,
Cream colored seat beneath you.
The driver returns to his seat and starts the car,
Taking off on the cobbled stone streets that are so narrow and full of tourists,
You are surprised he is able to pass by.
You are relieved to not be driving,
As the tiny narrow streets appear more like sidewalks than roads meant for driving upon.
But the beauty of a perfect retreat is that you can leave all the heavy lifting to someone else and just go with the flow.
On the radio,
You faintly hear an announcer speaking in Croatian and it is a gentle reminder that you are on an island far away from your homeland.
And yet you feel so comfortable winding around the charming buildings before the car comes upon a highway,
Blind with a forest of pine trees.
And you take in the scent of these evergreens,
Inhaling and exhaling.
The convertible is the only car on the road,
And it feels as if the island is solely yours for exploration.
The road inclines upon hilltops,
Granting a far stretching vista of rolling hills and the sapphire sea in the distance.
The sky above is a powdery blue,
As wisps of clouds streak the sky like the wisps of your hair that take flight upon the breeze as the convertible accelerates.
You feel vibrant and alive,
And an overwhelming urge to extend your arms above you and stretch,
Opening your palms as your fingers try to touch the sky and the breeze hits you in splendor.
Your friend does the same,
And you burst out into devilish laughter as it conjures memories of being brazen and bold together in the past.
You are very much present,
And yet carrying the mood elevating memories of other vacations in your lifetime that left you happy to feel alive.
The driver catches your eyes in the rearview mirror with a sparkle of amusement.
He turns onto a side road that cuts through residential streets and homes surrounded by bone-hued stone walls that show their age.
The idyllic setting is captured by school children running home in their uniforms.
This village,
Set away from tourists,
Is a quiet slice of Coachella life.
Trees of sapphire blue and aquamarine appear like swirling patches of a watercolor painting,
Courtesy of the Adriatic that may be seen from the road.
And further down the coastline,
You can see the body of water is bordered by pine forests,
Rolling hills and low grey mountains may be seen on tinier,
Distant islands.
And again you smell the salinity of the air,
Marrying with a distinctly sweet,
Yet sour smell of the vineyards you are driving towards.
Homes become more sparse and the land is now occupied by grapevines,
Neatly aligned in rows.
Buildings are a uniform white with red-brown roofs that create a harmonious and consistent visual.
The driver turns on a narrow road that seems barely paved,
As you and your friend are bounced around in the back of the convertible in a gentle way.
You hear the hum of the engine as the driver shifts down in gears and drives slowly on the road towards the winery.
As he parks before the main house,
The winery's dog comes running full speed to the car,
Barking playfully with a wagging tail.
The driver exits to grab your luggage,
And you and your companion exit the vehicle and welcome the loving energy of the pup.
The sun has lowered,
Now a deeper shade of honey that creates a golden aura over the rows of grapes.
The owner of the winery greets you as he follows his dog with an energy that is larger than life.
He is heavyset with rosy cheeks,
His arms widely extending as if embracing life itself.
And though there are language barriers,
He is so easily able to communicate regardless with the twinkle in his eyes and his expressive face.
You grab your luggage and say goodbye to the driver who waves to the owner as if they are long time friends.
You feel as if you are being passed off from one loving caretaker to another.
You follow the winery owner up the stairs of a white building as he leads you to an outdoor veranda,
Gesturing for you to leave your luggage in a nook by the stairs.
There is a long antique wooden table that could seat as many as twenty guests,
And he invites you to take a seat near two placemats upon which menus are placed.
It feels good to be in the shade of the awning above as you sit and look out upon the pristine landscape.
In the distance,
The alabaster steeple of a church juts out against the late afternoon sky and the Adriatic Sea that can be seen in the distance.
You and your friend take a seat as the owner brings you both a glass of chilled water and a plate of fresh bread drizzled in local olive oil still warm from the oven.
It is so quiet and still.
It feels as if you are the only people on the island.
You cannot remember the last time you felt the sense of peace.
You also feel connected to the past,
Imagining the simple life on this land decades ago.
Living in the fields and crafting wines that took generations to perfect and share with others,
To be enjoyed at the most celebratory occasions in their life.
It began with a generation of dreamers.
And you take in the dreamy landscape of emerald green lush rose and the rusty brown dirt of the earth.
The wisps of clouds still floating across the sky are like the white caps of the sea.
The sky is becoming deeper shades of blue like the sea below as you and your friend relax.
You trust the recommended tastings from the owner and he brings you a selection of local favorites that meet your sensibilities.
He is a man who lives a life of joy and it radiates through his person and his pride for all that he has cared for in this life.
And it is aspirational to see someone so perfectly well suited to his life and so passionate about everything.
And you know that you too may pursue a life of passion with a path that is suited for you.
It takes but a dream and the inner fortitude to carry it through.
The sun is beginning its gradual descent.
Not far away from disappearing beyond the sea is a caramel glaze of light coats the green rose of vines and the ivory stones of the homes and the church of the village.
The winery dog is asleep beneath the table and you imagine what a wonderful life it must be to roam free every day on this beautiful land.
You take this moment with your friend to savor every sensation from the taste of salty delicacies on your palate that match the hint of salinity in the air to the sensation of the gentle breeze on your skin.
You savor the sounds and the energy of the place.
You pay attention to the terroir and how it has shaped all you are able to experience.
Savoring helps you to slow down,
To be present and to enjoy being alive.
The sun now setting as the sky explodes in broad brush strokes of raspberry and amethyst.
The owner returns and offers to take you to your cottage for the night.
He grabs your luggage,
Guiding you and your friend down the steps of the veranda to a dirt path that winds around the main home to a secluded cottage on the property.
You feel your feet connect with the earth as you feel so grounded beneath the twilight sky.
Your friend looks to you and smiles,
Invoking a warm sensation in your heart center.
And when you breathe in,
You feel light.
All tension in your body is gone.
The cottage is centuries old,
Like the other buildings on the island.
Built of white grey stone with a rusty roof with a rusty red tiled roof.
The owner leaves your luggage and wishes you both a wonderful night.
You decide to explore the vineyard before settling into the cottage as it will feel lovely to walk off a meal and all the travel of the day.
You stretch your arms overhead and your legs feel good to be moving as you venture towards the rows of grape vines.
A gentle breeze runs through the fields as you and your friend walk in contentment and in silence.
The night sky above feels like a velvet midnight blue blanket covered in sparkling stars that has been draped around the earth in a warm embrace.
And being among the loose dirt and the resilient vines of the property gives you a sense of inclusion.
Grape vines retain memories of past growing seasons affected by the weather and challenges that arise.
And similarly,
You reflect the seasons of your own life.
But just as you are given the freedom like tonight to immerse yourself in nature and something that is greater than you,
You also have the ability to handle the seasons of your life,
Choosing to connect with the most calm and beautiful adventures that this journey may offer.
You hear the faintest sound of the sea crashing against the shoreline.
A shoreline that has seen centuries of souls arrive to Corchilla.
You look to the stars and the silvery crescent moon that hangs over the sea.
It feels magical and mystical as you continue to walk,
Feeling the cooler night's air against your face.
Fireflies glide on the breeze.
Your vibrant neon yellow pops of color appear throughout the silhouette of grape vines.
Smelling the earth below you and the aroma of grapes that have fallen to the ground.
You pick one up and feel it between your fingers.
Thinking of the wondrous evolution it can take in a lifetime.
From seed to vines to grape to wine.
It has a full arc to its life story,
Just as there is a full arc to your own life's story.
You stand in stillness and look out towards the illuminated ivory steeple and the other golden lights that illuminate the scattered stone homes of the town.
As everyone is getting ready to bed down for the night.
And you look to the seemingly endless stars and you make one wish for yourself.
You think of something you most want to add to your life story and imagine that the stars above may grant you that wish.
As you close your eyes and just feel what it is like to be here.
Right now.
Standing strong in the night on a perfect and magical day that was dedicated to exploration and to finding bliss and to sharing joyous experiences with others.
You and your friends start to feel quite tired and so you return back to the charming cottage.
You come upon the heavy wooden door and open it,
Welcoming the coolness of the stone room.
A small lantern is a glow on a bed stand between the rustic antique wood framed beds.
Closing the doors behind you.
You and your friend take turns preparing for a night of sleep.
You wash your face and brush your teeth in the simple bathroom.
Enjoying the cool fresh water that comes from a well on the property.
You change into a set of cotton pajamas and go to your bed,
Pulling back the soft blanket and sheets that have been freshly laundered and dried in the sun.
And you can feel the energy of the bedding.
As if the act of drying in the sun on the island of Corchilla has brought this feeling of simplicity and good health.
And you relish how the simplest of things bring such pleasure and comfort.
Your friend also goes to bed and you wish one another good night.
Equally thankful to have a companion for this trip and for this life.
Your lids fall heavily upon your tired eyes as you let go and surrender.
Going down,
Down,
Down to a night of healing dreams after a day that has been warmed by the sun and the beauty of Corchilla.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you surrender to sleep.
Letting go.
Drifting away.
Lower and deeper down.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Two.
One.
Finding bliss.
Finding refuge.
Finding peace.
Finding sleep.
It's time to dream away.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you let go and surrender.
Going down,
Down,
Down to a night of healing dreams after a day that has been warmed by the sun and the beauty of Corchilla.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you let go and surrender.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you let go and surrender.
Going down,
Down,
Down to a night of healing dreams after a day that has been warmed by the sun and the beauty of Corchilla.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you let go and surrender.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you let go and surrender.
You are free to let your imagination create a canvas of peace and harmony as you let.
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