Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Puzzling Portrait in the Peacock House (Peacock House #5)

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Starting point is 00:02:17 Thank you so much for the lovely feedback you've given us on that series. And don't forget, you can enjoy the entire thing, all stitched into one long-length compilation, which came out this past weekend on the series. the get sleepy feed. Now, tonight, we return to another of Alex's most wonderful creative works, a completely original series that she so perfectly crafts for a good night's sleep. It is, of course, the Peacock House. With its many rooms and mysteries, it feels like a place you could explore endlessly, and yet you never feel like you're lost. This time, you'll venture upstairs

Starting point is 00:03:10 and explore the bedrooms at leisure. In another room, you'll find a rather puzzling portrait, a painting that seems to be a clue. Before we continue our exploration, let's take a moment to get ready, make yourself comfortable, then close your eyes, slowly bring your awareness to your body, your head, neck, and shoulders,

Starting point is 00:04:00 and all the way down to your feet, become present in your body as you take slow deep breaths in and out with each breath fill yourself sinking deeper and deeper into relaxation there is no rush you'll fall asleep when you're ready but for now you can stay here in this calm, restful state. And with that, let's return to the entrance hall of the Peacock House. This is where our story begins. Once more, you find yourself in the familiar hall.

Starting point is 00:05:41 Everything is just as you remember it. The soft lamplight. the glittering mosaics and the small sunken fountain in the middle of the floor. The trickle of water is the only sound. At the back of the room past the stairs are four arched doorways. Each one is marked by a symbol. You've been through them all now. The moon, the shell.

Starting point is 00:06:23 the flame and the peacock. You have the most beautiful memories of your past adventures, wandering through the labyrinth of rooms beyond the doors. But this time, you feel drawn towards the staircase. Although you've visited the upper floors on previous visits, you've never gone up this grand staircase. You slowly move towards the wall. it, your footsteps echoing on the tiles. As you get closer, you realize that the staircase is steeper than you expect it. Going up the steps is a slow conscious effort. A bit like moving underwater.

Starting point is 00:07:35 Your hand glides over the cool stone of the banister. You have no idea what to expect at the top of the stairs, but you feel a slight thrill of anticipation. The stairs seem to go on forever, but at last you find yourself at the top. You're on a landing of geometric tiles, lined by a white marble balustrade. Ahead of you, there's a set of double doors. There's no mosaic symbol this time, but the doorway is framed by pedestals, which display identical stone sculptures.

Starting point is 00:08:35 They look like pine cones. Moving closer, you run your fingers over the carved ridges of one of the sculptures, noticing the symmetrical pattern. You remember reading something once about the symbolism of pine cones. In some cultures, they're associated with spiritual enlightenment and the third eye. The gland in the brain, which produces melatonin and regulate sleep cycles, is named the pineal gland because of its resemblance to a pine cone. You smile as you reflect on these connections.

Starting point is 00:09:36 The Peacock House seems to be full of symbols. But you're never quite sure what to make of them. While many doors in this house are locked, you feel instinctively that the one in front of you will open, pressing down on the handle. You hear a satisfying click. And the door swings open, revealing a long white hallway. You've been here before.

Starting point is 00:10:20 Or have you? The light is different, softer with a golden tinge. But yes, the hall is the one you discovered last time. You remember going through one of the doors and finding a building up. peculiar linen closet with an impossibly high ceiling. Which door was it? You can't quite remember, and there are so many to choose from. Slowly, you walk down the hallway, wondering where to begin your exploration. The doors all look the same. Dark, glossy wood and spherical bronze handles, midway down the hall.

Starting point is 00:11:32 You try one of the handles at random. The door opens, and you step into a spacious bedroom, decorated in shades of cream and lavender. Sunlight streams through the translucent curtains, which billow in the breeze of the open window. What a beautiful room, you think. It is light and airy, and every piece of furniture feels perfectly chosen. You look around, admiring the dressing table, the wardrobe, and the bed itself, an inviting four poster bed immaculately made. There isn't much in the way of decoration.

Starting point is 00:12:41 But a painting on the wall captures your attention, a mysterious green landscape beneath the violet sky. Looking closer, you can just about make out buildings in the distance with just a few careful brushstrokes. It's as though the artist has hinted at another world beyond the painting. The surface is starting to crack. The painting must be very old, you think. You trace the thin cracks across the landscape and up into the sky, noticing how they spread

Starting point is 00:13:39 into the purple underbellies of the clouds. On this floor of the Peacock House, it seems like all the rooms are bedrooms. The doors are unlocked, allowing you to explore freely. You roam between bedrooms, opening wardrobes and drawers. They are mostly empty, but every now and then you find something, a feather, an empty notebook, and in a bedside table a little pouch of lavender. some of the rooms seem almost ordinary at first glance. But on closer inspection, there's always something a little unusual.

Starting point is 00:14:49 Something that sparks your imagination. In one room, a dusty crystal ball sits on a dressing table, the kind of fortune teller might use. You wonder what it's doing there. In another bedroom, you find a walk-in wardrobe. And unlike the other wardrobes, this one is filled with clothes. As you step inside, you breathe in the musty scent of old clothing. There are coats, jackets, shirts and dresses, and shoes too, neatly lined up on the floor. Moving deeper into the wardrobe, you brush your hands along the clothes,

Starting point is 00:15:56 feeling the softness of silk and the slight roughness of tweed. They're old-fashioned clothes, things you might find in a vintage shop, browsing the wreck to your right, you find a strange silk shirt. It is white and baggy, with a kind of rough attached to the collar and large black buttons down the centre, like pom-poms. You pull out the shirt to get a better look, and realize that it must be part of a fancy dress costume. An image comes to mind. A clown from old plays and pantomimes, known as Piero. Again, you can't help but wonder what the costume is doing here. Then you recall the ballroom downstairs, which you visited on another occasion. You imagine a masked ball, and someone dressed in this costume waltzing across the room. But then again again,

Starting point is 00:17:32 Again, maybe this costume was never meant to be worn. It's simply part of the house. Maybe a clue or maybe not. Your mind wanders as you go further and further into the wardrobe. The rows of clothing just keep on going. Surely you must be near the back. But you can't see a wall. wall, the clothes are so thick that at one point you have to push through some fur coats,

Starting point is 00:18:23 and when you do, you finally find yourself on the other side. You're now in another bedroom, a large, high-ceilinged room with dark red wallpaper and a four-poster bed. This room is grander than the others. It might belong to a palace, a royal bedroom. Behind you are the open doors of the wardrobe and the rows of coats. You would never have guessed that the wardrobe was actually a passageway. Looking around the room, you notice something.

Starting point is 00:19:22 The light has changed. It feels as though it's later in the day, as though hours went by while you were in the wardrobe. But there must be another explanation. Maybe it has something to do with the orientation of the house. This room might face in a different direction, which explains why it seems so much darker, While the gauzy curtains let in some daylight, you decide to turn on a lamp on the desk. It emits a warm, golden glow, but does little to illuminate the room.

Starting point is 00:20:20 Sitting at the foot of the bed is a magnificent wooden chest. inch of the surface is carved in breathtaking detail. Flowers, vines, and ships, it reminds you of the magical chapel you discovered last time. With all its intricate carvings, you're sure that the chest will be locked. Or if not, it will hold some kind of clue, but But when you side your finger beneath the latch, it clicks open. And when you lift the heavy wooden lid using both hands, you discover that the chest is completely empty. Sometimes it almost feels as though this house is teasing you.

Starting point is 00:21:33 Just when you're sure you've found a clue, it's a dead egg. end. But then again, the chest is exquisite, a reward in itself. Not everything has to lead somewhere. Looking around the room, you notice another intriguing detail. The scarlet wallpaper is decorated with a golden pattern. It's a complex, intricate design. which repeats across the walls. Part of the pattern is a small glittering shape, which reminds you of something, moving closer to the wall. You discover that you're right, they are little golden pine cones.

Starting point is 00:22:41 And there must be thousands of them. Your gaze drifts over the walls, tracing the pattern. There's something mesmerizing about it. If the lighting was a bit brighter, you might try to count the pine cones. All of a sudden, you become aware of just how sleepy you are. Maybe it's the thought of counting pine cones, like counting sheep to drift off. Maybe it's the dim, soporific lighting. Or perhaps you're simply tired after exploring so many bedrooms, slipping off your shoes.

Starting point is 00:23:43 You climb onto the four-poster bed. It's enormous and unbelievably comfortable. The mattress is solid and supportive, but at the same time, so soft and luxurious and the Pillows are perfect just as they are. There's no need to adjust anything or to shift position. Lying here, you can already fill yourself drifting off, just a short nap you tell yourself. And then you'll keep exploring. You awake after a deep, dreamless sleep.

Starting point is 00:24:50 You're not sure how much time has passed, but it's still daytime. A pale white light filters through the curtains, just like before. You feel refreshed after your nap, but you're in no hurry to get up. This bed is so comfortable that you could stay here forever. At last, your curiosity motivates you to sit up and to take another look around. The doors of the walk-in wardrobe remain wide open. You're almost tempted to go back inside and see if it leads anywhere else. But there's also the closed door of the bedroom, which you haven't tried yet.

Starting point is 00:26:00 suspect it leads to the long white hallway. But you could be wrong. Your nap and your journey through the wardrobe have left you feeling a little disorientated. You shuffle over to the edge of the bed, stretch your arms, and put your shoes back on. You switch off the lamp on the desk, so the room is just as you. found it, when you turn the handle. The door opens with a slight creak, and you step into another room. It's not the hallway you expect it, but a wood-panelled stairwell. A small window lets in the sunlight, which casts elongated shadows across the staircase. You look up, then down

Starting point is 00:27:17 down, unsure where to go next. But then you notice an open doorway opposite. The door is ajar. And for a moment, you think it's another bedroom. But when you move closer, you realize that there's a mirror in the room, reflecting the bedroom behind you. You're curious to see what's inside this new room, deciding to explore the stairs later. You enter. You're not sure what this room is supposed to be. There's no bed and nowhere to sit, apart from a couple of wooden chairs by the wall. For some reason, it makes you think of a waiting room, a very elegant waiting room. or maybe a room in an art gallery. There are a few paintings on the white walls, displayed in baroque gilt frames.

Starting point is 00:28:52 The room is windowless. The lamps on the walls provide dim, orange-hued light. But it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust, as your gaze drifts from the wall. to the floor. You notice the carpet in the middle of the room. Or rather, you notice what's on the carpet. The peacock, the bird is sitting in the middle of the carpet. Perfectly still, it doesn't seem to be aware of your presence. Then, as you tiptoe closer, you realize that the bird's eyes are closed. It's peacefully asleep. You take a few quiet steps back, not wanting to wake the peacock. Still, you're happy to have found it. As you've learned from

Starting point is 00:30:16 previous visits, encountering the peacock means you're in the right place. So, there must be something significant about this room. Even though it has no windows and apparently no other doors, there must be more to it than meets the eye. Slowly, you pace up and down the room, inspecting the mirror and their nearby paintings. They are all portraits, you notice. One shows a a woman with braided hair, curled up on her head like an elaborate tower. She wears a dress of heavy brocade, and perched in the crook of her arm is a small green bird. Another portrait is of a couple. Husband and wife, perhaps. It's hard to make out the details in the dim light. But behind them, you can see a harbour and a waiting galleon. Maybe they're about to set off

Starting point is 00:31:50 on a journey. You take your time looking at the portraits, slowly working your way around the room. Finally, you turn your attention to the painting next to the door. This portrait is upside down, turning your head, you can make out the figures. At the centre is a child, dressed in voluminous silk clothes. There are some adults on either side, but their faces are lost in shadow, on the floor, which looks like the ceiling. It's something round and curled up, a bit like. like a pastry, but then you notice that it has eyes and a tail.

Starting point is 00:33:04 It must be a cat or maybe a dog. The light in the painting comes from an open door at the back of the room, a radiant rectangle, which seems to float into the middle of the wall. You step back from the painting, trying to take it all in. What a strange portrait. Why is it upside down? It can't be a mistake. And if it's intentional, maybe it's a clue.

Starting point is 00:33:56 Your first instinct is to circle around the room once more, looking for anything else. that's upside down or out of place. But everything seems to be normal. Then you take another careful look at the portrait. Your eye is drawn to the top part of the canvas. The floor, where the figures are standing, maybe that's the clue, you think. The floor corresponds with the ceiling. You walk around, inspecting the ceiling.

Starting point is 00:34:52 Nothing out of the ordinary. Then you come up with another theory. The painting being upside down isn't significant in itself. It's just a way to draw your attention. Perhaps the clue lies in the details. You move closer to the canvas. studying the figures, it makes you feel a little dizzy, looking at them upside down. And in the dim lighting, it's difficult to make out the details.

Starting point is 00:35:45 You can't even tell what the animal is supposed to be, or whether the child is a boy or a girl. At one point, you turn towards the peacock. that it might give you a clue, or at least some inspiration. But the bird is still fast asleep. It seems you'll have to work it out on your own. With a sigh, you decide to take a break. The wooden chairs on the other side of the room don't look particularly comfortable, But you feel like sitting down, even if it's just for a moment. So you sit on one of the chairs and place your arms on the armrests.

Starting point is 00:36:57 While it can't compare to the bed you knapped in, it's comfier than you expect it. The chair gives you a different perspective of the room. From here, you can see both the upside-down portrait and the door you came through. The door is open, and in the relative darkness of the room, it looks like a glowing rectangle of light. Like the door in the painting, in that moment, something clicks into place. You're not sure what it is yet, but you feel you're on the verge of getting it. You stand up and go back towards the portrait.

Starting point is 00:38:05 This time you focus on the door on the back wall. Because the painting is upside down, the door is in a strange position. Instead of being at floor level, it looks like it's floating in the middle of the wall. Could that mean something? Once again, you turn around and look at the walls. Most of the space is taken up by paintings, lamps or mirrors. But one patch of wall, one white panel, is empty. You step closer. It doesn't look like a door, and there's nothing that resembles a handle, but then you remember your last visit to the house, and the sliding panel on the wall that revealed a drinking fountain. Maybe there's something here. You touch the wall, running both hands over the smooth surface. Then you try tapping. It sounds hollow, moving your right hand towards the edge of the panel.

Starting point is 00:39:51 You push, the panel moves inward slightly, then swings back out towards you. It is a door, you let out a gasp of delight, and pull the panel so the door is completely open. It doesn't lead to a room, but to a narrow carpeted. staircase, but before you can climb the stairs, you'll have to climb through the doorway, which sits in the middle of the wall. For a moment, you hesitate. You hope it's not too dark and narrow in there, but when you peer up the staircase, you can see light coming from somewhere. It looks like sunlight, and the angle of the ceiling suggests that the space gets larger, further ahead. Feeling confident, you place your hands on the bottom step and clamber through the door.

Starting point is 00:41:30 After crawling up the first few steps, you realize that the ceiling is higher than you thought, enough for you to stand. So you get to your feet and slowly climb the stairs. Up and up. The staircase gets lighter the higher you go. Then you turn a corner and find the source of the light. Halfway up the staircase is a small room, a kind of nook. There's an oval wind window, which takes up most of the wall, covered by a lace curtain. Right below is a cushioned window cell. The space feels secluded, yet cozy and welcoming, as though it's been specially designed just for you.

Starting point is 00:42:54 Or as if it's somewhere that only you could find, you remember the secret chapel. from last time. This room has a similar atmosphere. Right away, you feel at peace here, taking off your shoes. You make yourself comfortable on the window seat. The cushioned surface is a shade of dusty pink and there are a couple of matching cushions on the side so you can lean back. It's like a cross between a window sill, a sofa and a bed. And it's so comfy, you let out a contented sigh as you sink back into the cushions. It really does feel as though it were made for you. Once you're comfortably settled, you pull back the lace curtain so you can get a better

Starting point is 00:44:20 look at the view. You're higher up than you thought. You're pleasantly surprised to see an expanse of tree tops. Their leaves blowing in the breeze. It's like a great green ocean. Waves rippling beneath the sky. You let the lace curtain fall back. But the view is still just about visible. A glimpse of green and blue. The same colors as the peacock. You think to yourself with a smile. And then you close your eyes and let yourself rest.

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Puzzling Portrait in the Peacock House (Peacock House #5)

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