← Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories
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- [00:01]
Tom
Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and Premium members. If you'd like to listen ad free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out Premium free for seven days by following the link in the episode notes. Now a quick word from our sponsors. Thanks to Shopify for sponsoring tonight's episode. When you think about companies with healthy sales like Chubby's Gymshark or Magic Spoon, sure you think about a great product, an attractive brand and marketing that lifts a heavy load. But an often overlooked secret is actually the businesses behind the business making selling simple for millions of businesses. That is Shopify, home of the number one checkout on the planet. Shopify is the commerce platform you need to grow your business and ensure you're ready to sell wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. Upgrade your business and get the same checkout the likes of Gymshark and Chubby's use. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com get sleepy all lowercase go to shopify.com getsleepy to upgrade your selling today. S-H-O-P-Ify.com getsleepy hey it's Tom. I'm excited to share with you the newest show from Slumber Studios. It's called Sleepy History and it's exactly what it sounds like. Intriguing stories, people, mysteries and events from history delivered in a supremely calming atmosphere. Explore the legend of El Dorado. See what life was like for the Roman gladiators. Uncover the myths and mysteries of Stonehenge. You'll find interesting but relaxing episodes like these on Sleepy History and the same great production quality you've come to know and love from Get Sleepy. So check it out and perhaps you'll have another new way to get a good night's rest. Just search Sleepy History in your preferred podcast player. Hey friends, welcome to Get Sleepy where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Tom and I'm your host. Chloe will be reading to us this evening and our story was written by Frankie. What is it about castles that awaken the imagination and spark a sense of magic within us? Tonight we'll explore a castle whose very stones are imbued with magic. It is an edifice that can only be found in our dreams. Before that though, if you would love even more Get Sleepy content in your life and amazing perks like ad free episodes, discount on merchandise, and early access to news stories, check out our Get Sleepy Premium membership You can find the link in the description of this episode which has all the info on our membership. One of the favourite perks for our existing members is that every single Thursday we release a brand new Premium exclusive episode. Tomorrow Arif will be reading us a story about a spot of sunset kayaking on a beautiful lake. So why not give Premium a try? To find out more about all the perks of Get Sleepy Premium, just visit the link in the description. Thank you all so much. Now my friends, let's begin the preparations for our castle arrival in tonight's story by achieving total relaxation in our bodies. First, close your eyes, then mentally take a quick scan of your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. If you find a spot of tension or tightness, imagine that area is covered in a swirling blue mist. Allow the mist to flow out of your body and dissipate in the air around you. With the receding of the mist, your body lets go of the stored energy from the day and you can continue this process all the way through your body. As you find areas of blue mist and gently release it, your body will surrender into a state of peace, feel the softness of your bed supporting you, and enjoy the comfort that only this place can bring you. And now I'll make way for Chloe as it's time to journey into the world of dreams, your mind's eye flutters open and takes in a sky filled with stars like you've never seen before. This is where our story begins.
- [07:29]
Chloe
Silvery stars twinkle above you. Your sleepy mind is filled with a dreamy awareness and you notice how the stars stand out like diamonds against the deep purple velvet of the unfamiliar sky. It slowly dawns on you that you don't know these stars. Where are the Big Dipper and Orion with his glittering belt? Instead, the stars create strange new patterns and creatures that watch you as curiously as you watch them. A crescent moon so thin and sharp it looks like it could be brought into the fields to cut wheat like a scythe shines brightly. That too is strange. This crescent hangs like a silvery smile grinning above you as you sit up. You are resting on soft grass. Without the light of the sun, the normal green grass seems icy blue. Around you stand bushy, dense hedges much taller than the average person. They create a circular courtyard of sorts where you sit. Not far away, a white stone fountain stands gurgling happily. The flow of water erupts joyfully from the tips of a stone fairy's wings. She is posed as if just about to land with one graceful leg Delicately extended to meet the water of the fountain. She is so expertly carved that she seems to be on the verge of breathing and moving. You get the impression that if you were to blink, she might fly away. The crystal clear water from her wings arcs gracefully into the bowl of the fountain, which is shaped like a flower in full bloom. The petals stretch out from the center, creating a space for the water to gather, rippling gently. The entire scene is so peaceful that you are immediately overcome with a feeling of contentment and safety. You watch the fountain for a while, losing yourself in its simple beauty. But then your eye is caught by an opening on the other side of the clearing. A break in the hedges that you had not noticed before beckons to you. You cannot see what lies beyond the cool darkness of the gap. Unable to resist the call, you get to your feet. The grass is cool and soft beneath you. As you walk confidently towards the opening in the hedges, you turn back and take one last look at the courtyard. You are simultaneously surprised and yet not to see that the Stone Fairy is gone. Leaving a still fountain behind, you, turn towards the path through the hedges and head deeper into what you now suspect is a maze. Your suspicions are confirmed when you get to the first break in the path. You can either go left or right, though both directions seem identical. You gaze down one path and then the other, while the moon continues to grin in the sky. Following some indescribable urge, you turn left. The maze goes on for an indeterminate amount of time, but you never feel tired or concerned. It is the unknowable effect of dream logic when time is folded back upon itself and also stretched out. When you reach the end of the maze, you cannot say for sure how long you were wandering its leafy corridors, nor how you completed the puzzle. If pressed, you would only be able to say that something or someone was leading you and all you had to do was was follow. The entrance to the maze is canopied by a wooden trellis bearing bright pink flowers unlike any you have ever seen before. Even in the darkness of the still night, you can see the vibrancy of their col. They have five petals, like a vine full of stars. At their center, each flower has a golden glow. It looks as though some tiny being sits at the heart of each flower and tends a warm fire. Before your very eyes, there appear minuscule sparks of gold that float out of each. The path below your feet transforms from grass to smooth stones filled with velvety moss. The stones, even at night, still feel warm under your feet. The Winding path leads away from the maze and into the most luscious flower garden you can imagine. You take a moment to notice that flowers rarely bloom so fully at night, and yet this entire garden appears to be fully in bloom. The garden stretches out before you for a long way, but it is merely a precursor to the building that rises from the earth behind it. The flowers lay like a multicolored carpet at the feet of what you realize is a castle. The stones of the castle gleam under the moon, bathing it in a lavender light. Its many turrets and towers seem to be chasing one another toward the sky. Here and there, the light of the moon glints off one of the many windows, and you can see they are all made of stained glass. Drawn by the magic of the garden, and under the watchful eye of the castle, you make your way down the path. As you walk by each new bush or shrub bearing flowers, you are caught up in a new wave of sensory experience. Each one has a smell and aroma as enticing as the last. The heavenly smells are only second to the blooms themselves. Flowers droop heavily on overloaded branches in every colour you have ever seen. Some petals seem to be handcrafted, for how beautifully they blend one shade into another. Each variety of flower, none of which you could confidently identify, seems to have an otherworldly quality. They seem to glow from some inner light that cannot be easily explained. You could even swear that as you walk by the flowers themselves, their heads incline towards you, enticing you to lean your head down to theirs and inhale deeply. You do not often resist this temptation, but rather make your way through the garden with many pauses, tangents and moseyings. Unlike a royal garden in the land of the waking, this garden shows no signs of manicuring or careful tending. The bushes, vines and shrubs are given free reign to flourish. They grow around one another, with each colorful bloom bumping up against others. It is not until the flowers come to an end that you take your attention away from them. The unruly garden gives way to a wide set of stone steps. They lead up to the castle itself, which stands above you as if waiting for your next move. The white paving stones of the courtyard are smooth beneath your feet, as if worn away by innumerable steps over uncountable years. The greenery is not to be left behind so easily, however. Here and there, moss grows between stones, and vines of delicate little flowers creep up the walls. At the top of the stairs is a large courtyard. Bushes as vibrantly in bloom as the rest of the garden dot the open space in ornate carved planters. Stone benches are tucked away near the planters, creating a range of secluded spots perfect for whispering sweet nothings in the ear of a lover. You are only certain that the benches and planters are stone because they are the same color as the courtyard and the castle. They are decorated with decorations, delicate designs of leaves and vines. You cross this paved courtyard, your bare feet making no noise on the stones. Ahead of you is what appears to be an entire wall of clear glass. Two large, ornate glass doors are set into the wall, only differentiated by their golden frames. You gingerly place your fingers on the cool handle of one and find that it opens easily despite being at least 12ft tall. You slip inside the building as softly as a summer breeze flutters through an open window. Once inside, you turn back around for another look at the garden and find that the wall of clear glass is now one of stained glass. The light of the smiling moon shines through the multicolored facets and highlights the most beautiful scene. As if made of shimmering jewels, the stained glass window portrays what appears to be the creation of the castle itself. Everywhere, fairies stand or hover, their hands outstretched, towards a green clearing in the middle of a lush forest. They are even more lifelike than the stone fairy in the fountain, and their wings glitter in the moonlight. In the clearing, the earth seems to be rippling like water as the shimmering outline of a castle can be seen. When you move your head slightly, you stare at the beautiful piece of art for another few moments, taking in all the details. You marvel at the way each stained glass leaf seems to move with the breeze. Even as you watch, you have the urge to reach your hand out and touch the glass to make sure the image that you are seeing is indeed a picture and not real life. After a few moments of wonder, you turn your attention to the room around you. It seems you have entered the ballroom. The floor is a swirling mix of pastel colored marbles that bleed into and out of one another. The stained glass wall is slightly curved, and the entire room is a huge circle. The walls are carved stone, dotted with delicate golden flower like lanterns. You take a few steps into the room, peering up to get a look at the ceiling. As you do, the lanterns on the walls begin to glow, tossing a golden light around the space. The ceiling curves up impossibly high, meeting in a beautiful mosaic of the sun. The warm lantern light causes each tiny jewel of the mosaic to burn with an inner light. To one end of the room is a large raised dais, an assortment of instruments rests there, some familiar and some strange. You see a harp, a lute, and a few hand drums. Other instruments look like strange bagpipes or ones made of reeds. They rest on wooden stands or cushioned stools, as if the musicians have just left them for a moment and we'll be back to once again take up the tune. It is not a stretch of your imagination to picture this place filled with dancing couples, each resplendent in fine outfits and gliding gracefully across the floor. You make your way across the room to a set of carved wooden doors. They bear the design of musical notes hanging off the branches of a tree like fruit. The doors open silently and lead out to the entrance hall of the castle again. As you walk into the room, lanterns along the walls start to glow of their own accord and illuminate the space. The doors you have just entered from are to one side of a grand staircase. Another set of carved wooden doors is on the other side of the room from you. Across from the staircase are huge doors that must be the main entrance. They are larger than anything you have yet seen and are made from oak inlaid with jewels to create the scene of a great rainbow across a perfect sky. You take a moment to decide which direction to choose. While the stairs are enticing, you cannot leave this floor without exploring every nook and cranny. You cross the entry hall and approach the doors opposite. They are carved with the design of fresh fruits and vegetables spilling out from a cornucopia. Inside is the dining hall. Three long tables stretch the length of the room, with benches on either side. One wall is taken up almost entirely by a huge fireplace. It looks large enough to fit a cart and horse comfortably. A huge bonfire crackles away. The dancing flames bathe the rest of the room in a comforting glow. Upon the tables are at least 200 place settings. The golden plates, goblets and cutlery shine in the firelight. Moonlight, cool and bright, shines in from large rippled cloud glass windows on the wall opposite the fireplace. The mixture of cool and warm light creates an otherworldly atmosphere in the empty dining hall. Along the walls hang beautifully woven tapestries, each one depicting fresh food, harvest scenes. Though the fire is comforting and entices you to stay curled up in front of its warm glow, your curiosity turns you away and back towards the door. As you turn, you hear a light tinkling like cutlery against tableware. You turn around, but nothing seems out of place. Unable to stop yourself, you walk down the aisles between the tables, looking for a sign of whatever made the sound. Halfway down the room, the tingling comes again. You spin around and catch a glimpse of something. It is the glimmer of a golden goblet, wobbling slightly as you approach. It stills, seemingly unremarkable. Once again. You peer inside and find nothing but the bottom of the cup. Whatever made the noise seems to have gone. You leave the room, wondering if you will meet the castle's inhabitants. Back out in the entry hall, you turn your attention to the staircase. It is truly marvellous. It stretches up at least two storeys before splitting and crossing back on itself to lead to the next floor. It is made of the same swirling multicolored marble as all the other floors. The oranges, pinks, purples and blues meld perfectly, creating new shades between them. Down the center of the staircase runs a carpet of pearlescent white. It looks so soft that you can hardly wait to feel it underfoot. The banister is pure gold with a relief of climbing roses. The perfect gold roses are caught in that sweet moment between bloom and closed innocence. You place your foot upon the carpet and are delighted to find it as soft as it looks. The feeling is a mixture of feather down velvet and kitten fur. It is far and away the softest thing you have ever felt. You run your hand delicately along the gold banister as you walk up the stairs. Though the staircase is long, you do not feel tired as you climb. It is several minutes before you reach the split in the stairwell and several more before you arrive on the next floor. This area seems to be much more comfortable and home like in comparison to the grandeur of the bottom floor. You arrive in a dark paneled landing. The gleaming panels are inlaid with scenes of fairies tending to gardens and communing with animals of the forest. A long runner rug leads down either end of the landing. It is the same colour and texture as moss, and once you set your foot upon it, you seriously wonder if it is you. Turn left, drawn to a long gallery with frames hanging on the walls and a large circular window at the end. The window is stained glass depicting the phases of the moon. The silvery light of the real moon through the glass makes the window look like a piece of painted water. Along the walls of the gallery are dozens of framed paintings. They are some of the most beautiful things you have ever seen. A number of them show majestic landscapes and scenes. A tall ship rides the churning waves of the open ocean, while most of the sky is darkened by a storm. A beam of sunlight highlights the path forward to a safe haven. Another painting is of a forest. The Perspective is as though the viewer is lying on their back under the trees. Huge trees reach up from all sides of the painting, outlined by a perfect blue sky. Moss climbs up the trunks and branches, which seem to sway gently in the breeze before your eyes. The next painting is of June in a desert. The sand glitters like gold as it forms the peaks and valleys of the sparse landscape. You have never seen a place so bare and brutally beautiful. Moorland, coastline, pastures and so much more are represented in the collection of paintings. You go from frame to frame, mentally stepping in and out of each like someone dipping their toes in a crystal clear pool. For a brief moment, you. You are transported to these landscapes. You can feel the wind of the moorland, smell the scent of the sea, and hear the bleating of sheep in the pastures. On the other wall of the gallery is a collection of portraits. Yet they are faces unlike any you have ever seen before. They seem to be images of fairies. Some of them have hair like fluffy moss or blades of grass. Others have eyes in vibrant hues you only ever see in flower petals. They have skin, skin in every colour of the rainbow. And their wings are more lovely than those of any butterfly. If you didn't know any better, you would think that this side of the hallway bore a dozen little windows rather than portraits, for how realistic these paintings are. And surely the fairy you thought you saw blinking at you was a trick of the light. At the end of the hallway, just to the side of the huge circular window, is a small, unassuming door. You could easily have missed it if you are not paying attention. You open the door and find a staircase leading up. Something inside you urges you to explore, and before you know it, you are starting to climb. You aren't sure how much time passes. It is as though you are in a trance. Your mind is only curious about what you might find at the end of your journey. Finally, you arrive at a small landing with another tiny door. You go through and find yourself at the top of of the tallest tower you can see for miles around. You look down on the grounds, admiring the way the flowers in the garden wave gently in the night breeze. You see the hedge maze behind the garden. Even now, you cannot trace the journey from the entrance to the center. You wonder how it was that you managed to find your way out. Beyond the grounds of the castle is a seemingly unending forest. Trees carpet the landscape for miles around, leading eventually to huge purple mountains with glittering snow caps. You turn to face the front of the castle and look down upon a long, dark drive that leads from the front steps into the dark forest. A river cuts through the forest on this side, and you can see it sparkling in the moonlight. Here and there through the trees. Far in the distance, you are certain you can see the dark mass of the sea. This place is the land of fairy. You can feel it in your bones. It is a place of magic and beings only heard about in stories. It rests between worlds, only accessible in your dreams, as you are doing now. Before you even finish the thought of wondering where the mysterious inhabitants of this land might be. They appear. They look like the sparks of a firework, shooting up from the grounds, the castle and the forest into the sky. They glow with every color of the rainbow, darting this way and that in the cool night air. After a moment or two, they begin to fly together. Yet it is not the perfect synchronicity of a marching band. This is free moving, constantly shifting and changing. Back in the land of the waking, we see birds do this. They fly together in flocks, but dance through the air in patterns that only they know. The bright fairies do this now, putting on a show for you at the top of their castle. Perhaps it has a deeper meaning, for the sky in the east bursts into fire and light. Suddenly, as if drawn by the dark dance of the fairies, you close your eyes against the brightness for a few moments. The light recedes slowly, and you gently blink your eyes open once again to find yourself back in your bed at home. All that you have seen, no more than a dream.