Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original bedtime stories and sleep meditations for kids, designed to make bedtime a dream. Coco and I made a discovery this week that we're a bit embarrassed about. We made our hearts leap a little in our chests. We were in Snaffles' little shopper treasures, and hiding in an old book was a list of listener names to shout out. Coco thinks he may have dropped it on his way to school, but Snaffles had no idea how the list got in there. Anyway, I am so sorry, so listen up closely because your names may be on this lost list. I am saying hello and welcome to Elliot and Dad James, to Oli from Melbourne, to Gussie from Toronto, Canada, to Zora and Samira from Washington, plus a very belated birthday shout out for Ella from Western Australia. And finally, hi, Sister Sophia and Hope in Auckland. Thank you all for supporting us. Thank you for your patience too. And also for just constantly telling us how much you love the stories. We always share your comments with our writers, which makes them smile loads, and I think it helps them to come up with yet more excellent stories to keep the compliments coming. Speaking of which, do you remember me telling you about the new Koala Shine series with Kelly, the one featuring Hector and Sonny in the Topsy Turvy Underworld of the Koala Kingdom? It's all quite edgy. If you haven't already, make sure you give Koala Shine a pod of follow. Before we begin, a quick message for the grownups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy at Free Listening, unlock four bonus stories per month, and much, much more, you can join Coco Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes. But now he's a quick word from our sponsors. The grownups, just a quick note before we begin tonight's bedtime story. Sleep Awareness Week is coming to an end, and so is the chance to claim our 30-day free trial of Coco Club. If smoother bed times have been on your mind, this is your last chance to try the very best of Koala Moon, free for a whole month. Inside Coco Club, you'll unlock over 500 episodes, or totally out-free, including the entire Capi and Tito series, exclusive to Premium subscribers. And without Free Listening, that means uninterrupted, calm, steady storytelling from start to finish. If you choose the Koala Kids bundle, you'll also have full access to Koala Shine, Koala Tots, and Koala Sleep Sounds. Everything designed to help your evenings and afternoons feel more settled and consistent. 30 Days gives you plenty of time to explore. Find the stories your little ones ask for again and again, and see just how peaceful bedtime can feel. And if you choose to join as a yearly member, you can request a personal shout out from me in an upcoming episode. A small thank you from me to you. The free trial offer ends on March 16th, so if you'd like to join us, simply tap Try Free in Apple podcasts. We'll use the link in our show notes before it disappears. See you there! Meanwhile, tonight, it's time for our very cozy, very not-suspenseful, very calming, sleep meditation, as we join Chill Bill at the Hot Spring Spa, unwinding after a busy, magical day. Surrounded by soothing bubbles, glowing lanterns, and the northern lights above, this relaxing adventure will help you stretch, breathe, and drift into a calm, peaceful sleep. So, as long as you're in bed, there's nothing else for you to do, other than just listen to my voice. As I begin, Chill Bill and the Hot Spring Spa, by Oliver James Jenkins. Snuggle down into your covers. Let your pillow hold your head. Give your shoulders a soft little wiggle, and let them be still. Let your cheeks relax, and let a smile spread all the way across your face. You might want to rub your hands gently on your body, and start to feel the warmth in your hands. Let your tummy rise and fall, easy and gentle. Take a slow breath in through your nose, and let it sigh out through your mouth. Again, breathing in, and slowly out. With each breath, you feel your body becoming quieter and cozier. Like your bed is a friendly cloud, floating in the nighttime sky, that knows just how to make you feel comfy and safe. Now, imagine a beautiful mountain range at the end of the day. The sky is turning peach and lavender. A tiny breeze tipped us through the leaves. Chill Bill sits outside his cabin nestled amongst the peaks. A cup of tea is steaming away on the table beside him, as he reclines in a wooden porch chair that rocks with a soft back and forth, resting his paws on the armrests and watching the evening arrive. Today was full. He taught Tai Chi to his friends down in sleepy forest. They learned how to move like water and breathe like the wind. Chill Bill feels happy in his heart, and his body feels like it's done a lot. His shoulders say, we stood tall. His paws say, we moved. His feet say, it is time to rest. Luckily, Chill Bill is a master of relaxation and knows exactly what the moment calls for. He knows how to breathe into different parts of his body, making them feel safe and calm. And what makes Chill Bill truly different is that he knows that the best way to do this is with a smile. He's settling down now to work his magic. The lush colours of the sky, making him feel welcome. And the chorus of insects of the trees at night time begins to help him tune in and relax. Close your eyes like Chill Bill is doing for a moment. Let's do a little body scan together from toes to nose. And don't forget to smile. Maybe think of something from your day to day or your weak that really made your heart feel warm. Start at your toes, breathe in, and let your toes soften. Every time we get to a new body part, take a little breath and you feel that smile getting fuller and fuller. Your ankles soften. Your knees soften. Your thighs soften all the way to your hips. Your belly is easy. Your chest is gentle. Your shoulders melt. Your arms rest. Your hands loosen. Your neck softens. Your cheeks relax. Your forehead feels smooth and calm. The whole of you soft and peaceful. When Chill Bill slowly opens his eyes, he notices something new on the little table beside his teacup. It's an envelope sealed with a leaf sticker. He smiles because leaf stickers mean messages from his friends in sleepy forest. He opens it and reads a note written in curly letters. Dear Chill Bill, thank you for all the tai chi you've shared with us today. We all feel so much calmer and oddly stronger. We've arranged a special treat just for you at the hot spring spa, just a short hike away. Follow the lantern path at dusk and be led by the fireflies. PS, your favourite robins fromring trunks are ready. Love your sleepy forest friends. Chill Bill's chuckles. On a peg by the door hangs a soft white robe. Fluffy as a little cloud. On a shelf is a neatly folded pair of white drawer string swimming trunks with tiny blue stars. He puts on his trunks and ties the robe around his waist, tucks a towel under his arm and pads outside into the evening. Along the path, gentle lanterns glow like floating fireflies and actual fireflies begin to bob and blink alongside them, as if to say, this way friend. Chill Bill breathes in the cool scent of pine as he passes snow-capped evergreens and trunches through the fresh snow. His paws make a hush, hush sound on the snow-covered path. He walks slowly the way he teaches, with soft knees and quiet steps, feeling the ground under each paw. His feet spread out like the roots of the great trees of the forest. Chill Bill can feel his heart overflow. How wonderful it is for his friends to think of him in this way. He's so skillful with feelings that as he walks along the path, he decides to make that warm feeling even bigger. Let's do it together now. First, feel that warm, cozy, easy smile spread across your face. Then breathe in with Chill Bill for four, like this. One, two, three, four, and out for four. One, two, three, four, again in, one, two, three, four, and out. One, two, three, four. As the path gently climbs, the trees thin and the top of the mountains appear. Pillar-wee peaks look like a quilt of snow and moonlight with round friendly shapes that make the sky look extra big. The colours of the northern lights above dance across the sky, purples, turquoise, emerald greens, and gentle pinks all melt into one like a painting. Not much further ahead a wooden archway stands and beyond it steam curls in silver ribbons into the night. A wooden sign reads, welcome to the hot spring spa. Tell your worries to a worry stone before you enter. Beside the sign a shallow bowl holds smooth pebbles in many colours, speckled, moon white, river brown, tiger orange with tiny dots. Chill Bill chooses a pebble the colour of warm orange clay. He holds it to his chest and whispers his soft thoughts. Now, if you were there with Chill Bill, what thoughts would you tell the stone? Do you have any worries today? He places the stone in a little basin of warm water. He makes a tiny blink and rings of light ripple outward fading into the night. Chill Bill breathes out. He already feels lighter. A friendly voice hums from the doorway. Good evening, Chill Bill. It's prickles the hedgehog wrapped in a towel. He looks like a snugly little dumpling who'll be at one with spikes. Chill Bill smiles and steps into the changing room. He hangs his robe on a peg and changes into his white trunks with blue stars. The drawstring ties in a neat bow. He feels cozy and ready. The spa is a wonderland of gentle sounds and kind warmth. There are twinkling light, shaped light little moons. There are wooden walkways that feel warm underfoot. A soft bell chimes somewhere. The air smells citrus bright in one place and like vanilla spice in another. And outside the sky is deepening from indigo to velvet with the first stars waking up. And the northern lights look even brighter now, shimmering like they're alive. A carved sign says, let your feet guide you. Smell, see, listen. The pool that's perfect for you will call your name. Chill Bill places a paw on his chest and takes a slow breath in and out. He lets the pads of his feet decide. They tingle and turn toward a turquoise glowing pool that sounds like the seaside. This pool is bright and swirly like sea glass. The air smells of lime and a little mint like a seaside morning. When chill Bill hangs up his robe and steps in, bubbles rise around him and sway him gently side to side as if the ocean were giving him a lullaby hug. Far away a girl calls out. Near the edge tiny shells chime quietly when the tide of bubbles notches them. Breathe with the waves in and out. Imagine your breath is the tide washing in calm, washing out any tightness. Chill Bill lets the bubbly water loosen his shoulders and paws. He closes his eyes and feels how the water holds him up. In his mind he practices a tiny, tight, she-move. He floats his paws forward and back, up and down, like seaweed moving with the current. He listens to the rhythm slow and smooth. When his body says thank you, he steps out warm and refreshed, popping his robe back on. He pads along the walkway, the mountains are closer now. The northern lights begin to really put on a show their colours deepen, green and violet, slow and dreamy like the sky is breathing too. Chill Bill's paws guide him onward until the path leads to a pool surrounded by soft glowing mist. He's arrived at the Rainforest Lagoon. The water here shimmers in shades of pink and sparkling red, like sunlight through guava juice. The air is thick with the sense of passion fruit and coconut, warm and sweet like summer. He can hear the hum of tree frogs ribbiting their slow songs and parrots chirping bright happy sounds. This pool is truly tropical. Chill Bill hangs up his robe once more and steps in. The bubbles greet him with a steady but surprisingly powerful rhythm, flowing and swirling around him just like the great rivers of the Amazon. The current moves with purpose, strong yet kind, reminding him of the balance he feels when he practices Tai Chi, the harmony and dance between power, energy and ease. He closes his eyes and lets the rain for a sound's wrap around him. The bubbling water massages his pores and shoulders, loosening every tired muscle. He feels alive, connected to nature and deeply calm, all at once. When his body sighs, thank you, he steps out, guided again by his quiet paws, walking along the smooth wooden walkway, wrapped in his white warm robe. Along the path he's brought to a stop. A little wooden sign points to a tea garden and something called the cabin of calm. The letters are carved neatly. Cabin of calm, restorative massage and quiet stretching, tea garden, orange blossom, camomile, apple mint. Chill Bill's paws chose the cabin of calm. He feels that is what he needs right now. Inside the cabin there's a wood burner with a sleepy steady flame and two arm chairs with a rich deep brown lining that looks like it might be made of the fluffiest silkyest material Chill Bill has ever seen. On a table, small bowls hold oils that smell like lavender, coconut and warm vanilla. A large towering, yet friendly looking creature with kind eyes and soft paws greets him in a whisper. Welcome, Chill Bill says the Yeti with a smile. You've worked hard today. Let's help those paws relax. Chill Bill settles into one of the arm chairs. The Yeti smiles kindly and asks, would you like a relaxing hand massage? Chill Bill nods and says, yes please. The Yeti brings over a warm tower and wraps it gently around Chill Bill's paws. Then, with calm, careful movements, he begins to give Chill Bill a hand massage. The Yeti's paws press softly, making little circles, then smooth, long strokes from Chill Bill's wrists. This is to his fingertips. It feels like raindrops pattering on leaves, calm, rhythmic and warm. The oil smells like lavender and coconut, melting perfectly together. It smells like bedtime. Within softness, the Yeti says quietly, Chill Bill breathes in through his nose, and breath out any tightness. Chill Bill sighs out, shoulders loosening, paws completely relaxed. With every breath, the Yeti says, your paws will feel lighter and your heart a little warmer. Chill Bill can feel the truth of it, each gentle squeeze, sending calm all through his arms. Let's do a little bit of massage mindfulness together. Imagine the warm, kind paws of the Yeti, smoothing from your wrists to your fingertips. With every stroke, breathe in softness, and breathe out any tightness. In soft, out loose, in soft, out loose. When the massage is done, the Yeti gives Chill Bill a friendly grin. Now, my friend, before you go, we are going to help you feel as bendy and loose as a piece of freshly cooked spaghetti. The Yeti helps Chill Bill do tiny stretches with his body, bending and guiding him, slow and careful, just like the Tai Chi Chill Bill teaches. Pour across the body, pour reaching a little forward, neck turning gently side to side. Yeti quietly says, breathe where you feel the stretch. Chill Bill breathes and the stretch becomes comfortable and easy. He can feel his body lengthening and loosening, like his own sleepy tiger paws after a long nap. Chill Bill now feels warm and floaty, like he's sitting on a cloud made of marshmallows. The Yeti pours a cup of camomile and orange blossom tea for him. I wouldn't want you to miss out on the tea experience, he says kindly, especially after such a relaxing evening. Chill Bill smiles taking a sip. Gosh, thank you, he whispers, I really do feel so light and calm. Chill Bill steps outside, the night has deepened, the mountains are silver tipped with moonlight and the northern lights are weaving green patterns across a backdrop of twinkling stars. A puff of music drifts from the teagarden, the soft home of a flute making the air feel even gentler. There is time for one last soak before bed. This pool sits outdoors right on the edge of the mountain terrace. From here you can see the whole valley and the sky looks so close. You could rest your cheek on it. Steam rises in little puffs that look like tiny comets floating away. He hangs up his robe one last time. Chill Bill steps in and feels warm thug his legs, then his belly, then his chest. The water is slow and still with just a few friendly bubbles that appear and disappear like blinking stars. He leans back against a smooth rock seat and looks up. The northern lights seem to breathe with him and dance with his breath, rising and falling in time with their swathes. Let's breathe like the sky with Chill Bill. In through your nose, two, three, four, out through your mouth, two, three, four. Again, in and out. Longer and longer, slower and slower. Chill Bill closes his eyes. Inside his mind, his swirls a tiny, tai chi circle with his paws, round and round, small and soft. He thinks of his friends in the meadow, their smiles. The way they learn to move like water and listen to the wind like the great trees of the forest. He thinks of Coco and Prickles and the worry stone now resting in the warm basin by the door. Its ripples like all of the aches in his body faded into calm. The stars blink their slow blinks. The mountain air feels like a cold blanket on his cheeks, rustling his whiskers and swirling around his relaxed ears. And the warm pool like a cozy blanket on his body. There is nothing to do, nowhere to go. Just this breath, just this rest. Chill Bill whispers. Thank you to the pool and hears it echo out across pillowy peaks. He steps out to the pool, dries his paws and ties his soft white robe once more. He turns around to take one last glimpse at the dancing colorful lights above him. In his mind he thanks the Yeti for the massage. He thanks the pools for their warm loving hugs. He thanks the mountains for their quiet. But most of all, he thanks his wonderful friends for thinking of him and treating him to such a relaxing and nourishing time. When it's time to go, the lantern path leads Chill Bill back towards his cabin all the way to the edge of his porch. He opens the doors and enters. He yorns peacefully as he steps inside. He hangs up his robe, places his starry trunks on the shelf and slides under his blanket. The rocking chair outside makes one last hush hush sound in the breeze, a lullaby just for him. Let's finish the way Chill Bill finishes his day. Snuggle down a little deeper. Let your cheeks relax. Let your jaw relax. Let your tummy rise in full, gentle and easy. Breathe in for four, two, three, four, out for six, two, three, four, five, six, again in, in, hand out, slower, softer, sleepier. Your toes are warm, your legs are heavy and relaxed. Your tummy is soft. Your shoulders are loose, your hands are peaceful. Your cheeks and forehead are smooth. Your whole body is resting like a tiger in a cozy den. The mountains are quiet in the distant, the colours of the lights in the sky flicker calmly in Chill Bill's sleepy mind. It feels like the forest all around him is ready to fall into a deep cozy slumber. Good night little one. Good night sleepy forest. Good night pillowy peaks. Good night Chill Bill. Sleep well.
