Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Sleepy Journey to Lesotho’s Waterfalls

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Starting point is 00:02:22 Just go to slumber.fm slash get sleepy to get instant access to all of the content in slumber, free for one month. That's slumber.fm slash get sleepy. Welcome to get sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and I'm your host. Thanks so much for joining us. Tonight I have the pleasure of reading to you. Our sleepy adventure takes place in Lesotho, a small landlocked country in southern Africa.

Starting point is 00:03:14 In just a moment, you'll begin your exploration a long leisurely hike through magnificent landscapes, which are home to hidden waterfalls. Along the way, you'll take some time to rest by the water. Simply being in the presence of flowing water can help us to find a sense of calm and well-being. A big thank you to Dominique for writing this one. Before we start our story, let's warm ourselves up for a good night's rest. We all have our own processes when it comes to settling the body and mind once we come to bed. But I'm sure that there are several aspects, conscious or subconscious, that we all commonly

Starting point is 00:04:18 share. For instance, around about now, or perhaps when you first started, to this episode, you and many others may have switched off the light in your bedroom. Creating a calm, dark environment to fall asleep in, ensuring our bodies feel comfortable and well supported is another example of a commonality we tend to share. After all, it's pretty tricky to enjoy a truly nourishing night's sleep, no matter how tired we're we are if our comfort isn't where we'd like it to be. So feel free to adjust anything you need right now. Plump your pillows, move onto your side, or stretch out any aches or tensions

Starting point is 00:05:25 in the limbs. Close your eyes if you're yet to do so and sense that everything is gradually slowing down, your breathing, your heart rate, your mind and any lingering energy held in the body. Encourage it all to match the natural slower pace of the night, knowing you are safe, supported and free of your daily responsibilities. Soon, you'll follow the tale of a beautiful land with free-flowing waterfalls, an abundance of wildlife, and a pace of existence far detached from the typical busyness that comes with jobs, house chores, and all the usual responsibilities. So, assure yourself that right here, right now, you too can detach from any sense of urgency

Starting point is 00:07:01 and simply listen along until you drift off effortlessly into a nourishing night's sleep. Let's make our way to southern Africa for a serene and scenic journey. This is where our story begins. It's not often that you can fix your gaze on what will fill the next 12 hours of your life, but here, with your hand poised to open a nobly wooden gate, you can drink in the entire path that your hike in the mountains will follow. Or in Lesotho, a small country surrounded on all sides by South Africa. This high-altitude natural wonderland is known for its pristine rivers and waterfalls,

Starting point is 00:08:41 set against mighty mountain ranges, taking a deep, calming breath of the crisp air. You feel grateful that this whole beautiful landscape is yours to enjoy. Over the last few days, you've been staying in a homely cabin, immersed in nature. Now, as you look beyond the weather-worn fence that curves around the cabin, you see a wide ridge covered with wildflowers, which tips into a valley. From this distance, the lush green bushes and the grass coating the curve of the valley look like nothing more than moss, only the brim of the cracks encircling the gorge just touched by dawn remains a stubborn brown. The dusty trail that is destined to carry you down into the valley is a stark yellow

Starting point is 00:10:08 against the green. It unspools back on itself over and over again. Creating a safe, winding path down the steep mountain side. You unfasten the gate with barely a nudge. It falls open on its rusty hinges, creaking loudly. Your journey is spread out before you. The path you'll take over rocks through forests and alongside waterfalls, you'll traverse the mountains under a sunny sky, letting long grasses trail through your fingers, enjoying the special feeling of being the only person around for dozens of kilometers. you'll feast on the sight of nature in its full summery glory, and take a dip in an icy pool frothed by a waterfall, if you can find one. As you stand watching the trail blaze to life in the thick, heady light of an African daybreak,

Starting point is 00:11:50 The anticipation gnaws at you until you can no longer resist. With just one step, you are off and on your way. Your backpack is not too heavy, despite carrying everything you'll need to take regular, comfortable brakes. Its cushioned surface and straps fit snugly against it. your back, shoulders and chest. The gentle, constant pressure of its weight reassures you, like a long, cozy hug with a loved one. You are making your way along the edge of the ridge on which you start it. A gradual slope pulls you from the rocky lip and into the valley.

Starting point is 00:13:04 You stop briefly every so often to marvel at the open sky, untouched by clouds in all directions. It boils a deep blue off to the west, but seeps into a powdery baby blue in the east, dissolving into a soft white on the horizon. As you walk and watch, the gradient melts and the colours melt. The further you travel, the looser your body begins to feel. Any stiffness thaws in the warmth and light drenching this stretch of land. The valley catches the sunlight streaming in from above. It's as if you've tumbled into a large bowl, filled to the brim with a golden glow. And now you're swimming in the shine, about midway down the curling footpath. You spot a ribbon of fresh spring water, spilling over the valley's wall.

Starting point is 00:14:41 The water trickles into a shallow depression at your feet. before slowly draining away through the porous rock. You decide to shed your backpack and shoes and take a mini shower in the cascade. The air is so deliciously warm that your clothes will dry off in mere moments. So you step under the downpour, fully clothed, as you raise your arms above you. You can feel the cool water seep over your body. Your shirt becomes wet and heavy. The sound of the tiny waterfall rushes in your ears.

Starting point is 00:15:45 It's quiet gushing, filling your mind, feeling refreshed. You stretch out on a flat rock nearby to roll on your socks and tie the laces of your sturdy hiking boots. In as long as it takes to knot your laces, your sopping shirt and trousers have transformed into pleasurably damp material. It coats your body in a welcome coolness. With your natural air conditioning running, you set off once again. You're steadily heading deeper into the greenery glazed depths of the valley, very tufts of well-watered grass sprout from the wall of the gorge. They ripple in the wind that streams over you from time to time, looking like underwater grasses pulled by the tides, the sheer size, depth and beauty of the valley, stir something

Starting point is 00:17:17 inside you, something that feels like stroking your pet or taking the first bite of your favorite dessert. Grey-white rock peeks out along the valley's green walls in errant stripes and spots. The rocks look like snowdrifts sprawled out on ledges. Slowly, your winding path comes level. with the canopy of trees at the bottom of the ravine. The trees are so dense that their branches intertwine to form a single unbroken sheet. It almost feels as if you're in flight, hovering over the tree tops. You stand for a moment to soak up the view.

Starting point is 00:18:28 And you can imagine reaching out to brush your hand along the bushy blanket. it that they collectively create, the canopy would be soft and fuzzy. It would tickle your palm as you glided your hand over the deep green leaves. You imagine growing and growing until you're big enough to crawl onto the bed of tree tops. You would lie down, tuck your hands behind your head, and while away the day, watching the sky changing above you. With one last look at the ocean of leaves and branches, stained gold by the morning light, you head down the trail and into the forest's cool, airy cover. Birds sing sweetly overhead. The canopy looked so thick when you were high, up on the path. But now, shafts of sunlight burst through the lattice of bowels above you.

Starting point is 00:20:05 The rays flow into puddles of light that illuminate the undergrowth. You notice large, silvery boulders scattered across the forest floor. A fine dusting of moss covers them in places, leaves crunch underfoot as you drift deeper into the forest. A breeze plays through the branches and bracken, adding to the symphony that the birds are conducting. Your path traces the edge of a babbling brook, and you wonder if it's fed by the tiny waterfall you bathed in earlier. The hushed-wush of the flowing flowing water, muffles every other sound. It drowns out all of your busy thoughts, gently pulling them away to float downstream, one by one, leaving you with a clean, still mind.

Starting point is 00:21:34 You continue to follow the curve of the brook as it weaves its way between trees and boulders. reassuringly, every dozen meters or so, your dirt trail reappears. It leads you to the edge of a sheer rock face, and you trace the wall, grey but for the moss, until you come to a wide crack in the cliff. A few vines fall in front of it, forming a natural curtain. You peer around instinctively, but there is nothing but forest around you. Stretching out a hand, you part the trailing vines. You can see daylight at the end of a short, spacious tunnel, feeling daring.

Starting point is 00:22:49 You step off the path and slip into the passage. Your footsteps echo in the chamber, reaching out. You can just about touch the sides. As you approach the end of the tunnel, a low roar grows steadily louder. It hums in your ears, as if you were in a field filled with wildflowers and buzzing bees. The tunnel amplifies it, throwing the sound back at you from multiple angles. Blinking slightly, you head out of the tunnel in search of the sound as your eyes adjust. You notice taller, older trees. They are lush and strong. swaying in the breeze, you think that the rushing sound must be coming from their branches as they bend and reel in the wind until you take a few more steps forward out of the tree line

Starting point is 00:24:26 and find the true source, a waterfall plummeting from so very high up that the sun nearing its peak in the sky obscures its origin. The deluge of water pours itself into a pebble-lined pool. At the back of the pool, the waterfall bubbles and fizzes, frothing the water into a white mass. Away from the falls, the water flows, clean and clear. It gently laps the pebbled bank. where a few wind-torn leaves float placidly, cliffs rise up on all sides of you, making this place its very own private valley. The falls kick up a mist that catches the light as it flies into the air, setting this magical grotto ablaze with a million glittering rainbows.

Starting point is 00:25:54 leaving your pack, socks and shoes in the shade of the trees. You wander over the slick pebbles, feeling the wash of the pool, tickle your toes. You're about 15 meters away from the actual falls, but its spray still coats you. It feels refreshing. You wade into the pool until the pool until the sprays. the water laps at your knees, and you close your eyes, the heavy sound of the waterfall feels like a massage. It's white noise draining away the aches, in both body and mind, you can feel a soft, soothing current pulling at you.

Starting point is 00:27:10 You wiggle your toes gently against the smooth pebble. underfoot, rays of sunlight, rake over your eyelids, casting that special reddish-brown colour across your vision. Peace. You feel peace, sensing yourself relaxing more than you have in a long time. You eventually cross the sunlit waters back to the pebbled bank. stopping every so often, to take in the way the afternoon sun lights up the waterfall, or the colour of the moss-covered bark on an ancient tree.

Starting point is 00:28:11 You set about gathering some kindling for a fire. Your search for dry wood carries you across the length and breadth of the small stretch of woodland nestled in this secret alcove. as you rummage around the forest floor. You can't help but daydream about building a tiny cottage in this clearing. Jasmine and honeysuckle would climb up the walls, filling your very own private valley with their sweet scent. You imagine waking up and peeking out of your window at the thundering falls.

Starting point is 00:29:07 every morning. And nodding off to its soothing thrum every night with enough wood to start a cozy campfire, you find a flat, clear space in the forest. Then you set about creating a campsite under the cover of the trees, but still within view of the falls. Patiently, You coax flames out of the bracken you've collected, until a cheerful fire spits and sputters to life. From the depths of your backpack, you pull out a large blanket, which you spread over the ground. You potter around happily, warming up a meal over the flames and boiling a saucepan of water. when you've made your sweet milky mug of tea to your satisfaction and your food is ready for eating. You settle down on the blanket with your back resting against a tree.

Starting point is 00:30:45 You enjoy your meal all the while. You lazily watch the waterfall, running and rushing. After dusting off your hands, you slowly sip your perfect mug of tea. It is delicious, and it wards off the chill in this damp, shaded area. You spend a while longer leaning against the tree, watching the changing afternoon light draw deeper colors and darker shadows over the pool. At last, you get to your feet and move closer to the falls once again. While you rest it, you notice the various brilliant shades of the pebbles.

Starting point is 00:31:59 Some glint a pale white, while others shine a wet black. Round stones of every hue litter the bank, grey and silver. and dusty cream. Underwater, the ones layering the floor of the crystal clear pool appear dark, but still a monochrome rainbow swims just below the surface. You step into the shallows and pick up a few choice pebbles, cradling them in your stretched shirt, the rounded stone's, and the rounded stones, clink against each other pleasantly as you fill up the hollow in your dripping shirt with five, six, seven pebbles. You scour the bank until you're certain you've picked up the roundest and prettiest pebbles. Then you clamber up a large pile of boulders that stretch into the pool,

Starting point is 00:33:28 until you're quite close to the falls and overlooking the water. Taking your time, you pick out an inky stone from your collection. It's almost dry and its weight feels good in your palm. Your fingers close and stroke its polished surface. You imagine that this rock represents the worries. that have been weighing you down, you raise out your hand over the rolling waters, and gradually relax your fingers. The pebble slips through your grasp, and drops down into the foamy pool, turned white by the waterfalls churning. Now, you choose another pebble. This one represents the

Starting point is 00:34:47 fears that have been holding onto you, pulling you down. You hold this stone out too, over the clean, bubbling waters, letting it fall out of your loosening grip. You do this again and again, dropping the pebbles that are your stress, your concerns, and your pain, until finally, there are no pebbles left, there is nothing to carry. There is no weight. You are light and free. Cleanced in the mist of the waterfall, you smile. watching the raging waters just out of reach before you turn and make your way back to your

Starting point is 00:36:07 makeshift camp. After packing up, you wind your way through the tall trees, their tops still bowing in the breeze. You look back at the waterfall only once, with its waters turning white in the heavy afternoon sunshine. It seems to be fading away, a mirage that never quite existed. It survives in your memory though, as it always will. The washing sound of the waterfall gradually merges into the rustling of the trees. The sound seems to gently lead you back through the tunnel, and out to the main forest beyond. Like a polite host, you comb the vines back into their natural curtain, wanting to preserve the beautiful spot that hides just out of sight.

Starting point is 00:37:35 The original trail continues along past sheer rock face, rejuvenate it after your rest. You follow the point. path as it slopes up, taking you out of the valley. Bit by bit, the forest and undergrowth fall away, content to slumber in the shaded gorge below. You clamber over rocks and past a few clumps of wildflowers. The sun shines at your back, but the wayward breeze that brushes. past you from time to time, keeps you from overheating. Eventually, your path leads you up the foothills of a mountain, and then onto its rounded top. As you make the journey, you watch

Starting point is 00:38:55 wisps of cloud draw themselves across the sky, in streaks and spots. They gather and bunch into fluffy snow-white puffs that lays about in their blue home, bothering the sun every now and again, like pesky flies. When you reach the top of the jagged hill, you pause for a moment, you watch the dappled shadows of the dancing clouds and rays as they move across the landscape. From this wind-swept far, vantage point. You can just make out the other side of the valley from which you started. You continue on down the other side of the crack, humming something pleasant and familiar.

Starting point is 00:40:11 Smaller, more knotted cliffs and valleys, huddle together on this side of the mountain. You decide to wander through a few of the ravines. before turning back and making for home, leaving the thin trail. You stride between two smaller hillocks. Lichen and moss grow on the rough walls. Light green grass carpets the floor. Flowing along the wide gorge, like a river, a few smaller canyons carve their way off from the main ravine, and disdeme.

Starting point is 00:41:06 disappear out of sight. You choose one of them at random and stroll down its narrowing length. The slowly sinking sun paints the topmost crusts of the ravine's walls, golden. But you walk on in the cool shadow of the wall. The terrain grows rockier and rockier, until you're twisting and turning between boulders, moving steadily upwards out of the ravine, and onto its bordering cliff, as you loop around a particularly large boulder, you notice the sound of fresh running water. You peer around the stone, blocking your view to find a shallow, slender river gushing over its rocky bed, barely ankle-deep. The waters throb forward at a leisurely pace, as if they've got nowhere in particular to go. You pick your way across the flowing river

Starting point is 00:42:38 to the other side of its pebbly banks, and follow it for a few more moments, until you find a broader, flatter area that is still protected by soaring walls. Staying on the dry edges skirting the river, you continue to follow the stream. Then you discover that the thin jet of water, no more than a few meters across, shoots off the edge of the cliff that you're on. You stand near the lip of the mountain, taking in the spree, tumbling down into the valley below. Watching a waterfall form and then fall is as mesmerizing as watching it thunder down from below. You sit on the dry, sandy ground on the side of the creek, a safe distance from the edge.

Starting point is 00:44:00 But close enough to appreciate the basin of greenery, seeping out across the horizon below you, as the stream tips over the cliff's edge, drops of water scatter into the air around you, forming a soft, billowing mist that glints and flashes in the light. the way the waters drain and drift endlessly, effortlessly, calms you even further. There is no fighting, no trying to stop. The river simply rushes over the edge, willing to become something new, something different. The waters seem to accept that they must plunge out into the waiting pool below. low, hidden though it is in the ferns and forest, when the waves of afternoon light die down to a gentle glow.

Starting point is 00:45:30 You make your way back along the stream and out through the ravines, while you walk up the long, bendy path that curls its way to your snug cabin. Your thoughts are filled with a sleepy collage of waterfalls, flowers, and sunshine. The path stretches out along the flat rim of the cliffs, encircling the gorge. As you walk, you pull and pluck long, juicy strands of swaying grass, from the tufts that scatter the ground. On this plateau, you can see the surrounding area for kilometers around, so high up. It's as if you are walking in the sky. The sun has dropped down, its orange blaze skimming the horizon,

Starting point is 00:46:50 and the sky is flushing a delicate pink, the puffs of cloud still braving the dying day, blush a deep roads. You watch as the sun cracks against the horizon and spills out its last purples, yellows and oranges over Lesotho. The colors stream out into the heavens, dying the air around you for just a few moments. With that, the sun slips away to sleep just as the world around you turns dark. You spot your cabin, not too far away, its lit bedroom window promises rest, happy but tired, after your long day.

Starting point is 00:48:12 You pass through the wooden gate with thoughts of your soft, fluffy bed dancing in your head. You turn the knob and enter the cabin. Outside, the crickets sing. The bright stars swathe the cabin in a silver glow. And off in the distance, a waterfall or two rushes, bibles, and murmurs itself. Just sleep.

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Sleepy Journey to Lesotho’s Waterfalls

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