Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Ariel's Island

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey friends, for the best Get Sleepy experience, be sure to check out our supporters feed Get Sleepy Premium for our free listening weekly bonus episodes and access to our entire catalogue. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make the free version of this show possible. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thank you for tuning in. I hope you're well, my friends. Tonight's story was written by Alexander. We'll be taking a trip to a special island,

Starting point is 00:00:49 the setting of Shakespeare's play, The Tempest. As you may know, The Tempest follows a group of characters on a remote island in the aftermath of a shipwreck. One of the island's inhabitants is the sorcerer Prospero, who's helped by a spirit, Ariel. Prospero agrees that once the work is done, Ariel will be freed. The play ends happily. Happily, a young couple fall in love, a family rift is healed, and Ariel is set free. The human characters leave the island and return to their homes on mainland Italy. Our story tonight takes place after the events of the Tempest. We'll follow the adventures of the spirit aerial as they enjoy a peaceful, carefree existence on the island.

Starting point is 00:01:54 Firstly though, there are many ways you can listen to the podcast and we know that you all have your preferred apps and methods of listening, but for all of you who like to the podcast, and we know that you all have your preferred apps and methods of listening. But for all of you who like to use Spotify, we've set up a slumber studio's profile and started making a selection of playlists for our Get Sleepy episodes. These playlists include stories specifically narrated by me, as I know some of you prefer sticking to just one voice. There's also all of our history episodes, travel logs, fairy tales and more. We hope this will make it easier for you to enjoy the stories you love best, so I'll put a link to our Spotify profile in the show notes.

Starting point is 00:02:41 And please be sure to hit follow and add some of our playlists to your Spotify library. For those of you who don't use Spotify but would still like to access some playlists, we also have plenty on our YouTube channel, and link for that is in the show notes too. Now, we're going to begin our story a little differently to the usual tonight. I have a short extract from the tempest that will help us set the scene for our story. So just make sure you're nice and comfortable, and get yourself cozy and warm under your covers. If you're ready to then allow your eyes to softly close and draw in a nice deep breath holding for a moment then releasing it back out. Let's do that one more time breathing in fully holding at the top

Starting point is 00:04:16 Holding at the top, and then relaxing with a steady exhale. As you begin to settle into this cozy spot, you can let go of any tension held in the neck and shoulders. Relax your jaw, ensuring it's unclenched. And with a calm and restful state of body and mind, I'll begin with a few lines from Shakespeare's play, in which one of the characters describes the enchanted atmosphere on the island, with its mysterious sounds and music. Be not a feared, the aisle is full of noises, sounds and sweethears that give delight and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices, that if I then had waked after long sleep, will make me sleep again. And then in dreaming, the clouds me thought would open and show riches, ready to drop upon me that when I waked I cried to dream again.

Starting point is 00:05:52 As you relax imagine this dreamy island with its sounds and sweet airs. This is where our story begins. The island is a wild, rugged patch a few rocks scattered randomly in the sea. The mainland is miles and miles away. This island is so small and so remote that it doesn't yet appear on any maps. A sorcerer named Prospero once lived here, along with his daughter Miranda. But they've now left the island, and there are no longer any traces of their presence. The island is pure nature and unspoiled paradise. Its only inhabitants are the birds and the other creatures that live among the rocks and

Starting point is 00:07:42 trees. And then there are the spirits. Their result is the island itself, and they represent the very essence of the elements. There are spirits of fire, air, earth and water who live at one with nature. Ariel is a spirit of the air. Born from a cloud, Ariel has lived on the island their entire life. They know every inch of the land from the crumbling rocks of the cliff face to the fine white sand of the beaches.

Starting point is 00:08:41 And of course, they know the air above the island. Every morning, airy or wakes up with the sunrise and soars into the sky. They float above the tree tops, then higher and higher, singing all the while. Mixed with the morning chorus of the birds, is the soothing melody of Ariel's song echoing across the island. As Ariel flies and sings, they are almost invisible. Like other spirits, aerial can take just about any form. But most of the time, they're in their natural state of luminescent near transparency. In the air, they resemble a shimmering patch of light, like

Starting point is 00:09:52 a glowing outline of a bat. Aerial flits smoothly through the sky, sometimes visible as a radiant cloud and sometimes disappearing completely. When Prospero lived on the island, Ariel was kept busy all day, helping the sorcerer with various tasks. But now they are free. They can spend their mornings like this, swooping rocky cliffs to the north and the thin stretch of sand to the west, the island is entirely covered with trees. There There are pines and ciprisis forming dense groves as well as ancient majestic dragon trees spread among the rocks. Even here high above the tree tops, airy or can smell their fresh, woody fragrance. The scent travels far in the morning breeze, mixed with the salty air of the ocean.

Starting point is 00:11:40 Ariel breathes in deeply, letting these beautiful aromas mingle, spreading throughout their entire being. In moments like these, the spirit is inseparable from the nature surrounding them. Aerial and the air are one and the same. For a while, aerial drifts lazily on the wind, watching the branches sway below. This is one of the best ways to spend the morning floating without direction, going wherever the breeze takes them. It's so deeply relaxing, aerial could even fall asleep right here on the breeze. But eventually the spirit turns their attention skywards.

Starting point is 00:12:54 Gazing up at the billowing white clouds, Ariel decides to play their favourite game. As an air spirit, they command the clouds, making them grow, shrink, or move in any direction. It requires no effort, and no magic spell. All Ariel has to do is gently shift their awareness, focusing on the clouds before them. The air spirit can move the wind and the clouds as freely freely and easily as a bird flapping its wings. Aerial focuses on a small white cloud directly above the island. First, it spreads outwards, growing softer and thinner towards the edges. Then it transforms into a fluffy ball, then a pyramid, and then a mountain. It gets bigger and bigger, casting a soft shadow over the island. Once at Prospero's command, Ariel created a tempest, a dramatic storm with booming thunder and white flashes of lightning.

Starting point is 00:14:42 and white flashes of lightning. Conjuring up a storm is easy for Ariel and enjoyable in a way. They like the creativity of summoning great cups of thunder and choosing where to direct the lightning bolts. But these days, Ariel rarely finds a reason to unleash a tempest. Instead, they settle for rain showers, or playing with the clouds, just like this. The spirit watches with satisfaction as the mountainous cloud changes shape once again, dissolving into silvery tufts. The pieces then scatter into the sunlight, glowing at the edges. Ariel could happily spend hours like this, absorbed by these games in the sky. Controlling the clouds is like directing an orchestra or painting a picture. It's pure creativity and it feels so freeing. appear, surrounded by the ever-changing clouds, they are completely at peace. The sun gradually becomes warmer and brighter.

Starting point is 00:16:38 The clouds turn from grey to white, and then to gold. Aerial floats in the air below bathing in the divine warmth of the sunlight. They become so relaxed and sleepy that they eventually let the clouds slip from their control. As much as they enjoy the game, Ariel likes to let the clouds move freely too. The air spirit feels a sense of affinity with everything else that moves through the sky, from the raindrops to the sea goals. So although Ariel has fun directing the air, they know that sometimes it's better to let go.

Starting point is 00:17:47 This way, everything can follow its natural flow. Aerial plays with one more cloud, shaping it into a misty spiral. Then they let go and watch as the cloud moves on its own, slowly dispersing into the atmosphere. Until evening, there's nothing Ariel has to do. They are free to spend the day as they like, moving between the elements. Perhaps they'll go from the sky to the sea, or somewhere in between. As they sink down, voting towards the canopy, they catch the scent of the woods once more. It's strong and enticing, so Ariel decides to drift through the trees The fragrance becomes stronger as the airy old descends. Passing through the branches, they breathe in deeply, identifying each individual aroma. There's the fresh scent of resin and pine needles.

Starting point is 00:19:41 Then there are the flowers, berries and citrus fruits mixed with something like honey. Together they create an intoxicating cloud of pure natural perfume. For Ariel, these scents are like a healing balm. They're the smell of home, nourishing to all the spirits that live on the island. Ariel is not the only spirit who lives here. There are many others. Some nature spirits inhabit the caves near the beach or the stream that runs through the woods. But most of them live right among the trees where Ariel is passing through now. The spirits are invisible, but Ariel can sense their presence and hear their calls. At first these sounds might be mistaken for bird song or the hum of a cicada.

Starting point is 00:21:01 Some even resemble a musical instrument, the melodic strum of a harp or the long notes of a flute. But in fact, these strange sounds are the cause of the island's spirits as they communicate with each other or sing to themselves. As Ariel floats through the leaves, they hear a familiar sound. It's a long, whistling hoot like the call of an owl. Ariel recognizes it as the greeting of another spirit who lives in this grove of trees. They respond with their own distinctive call, the series of high-pitched notes like a siren song.

Starting point is 00:22:09 This is how the spirits of the island communicate. They enjoy a quiet, peaceful coexistence, interacting with the occasional call. The spirits tend to keep to themselves, but they acknowledge each other like this, with beautiful sounds that rever humans lived on the island. As well as the sorcerer Prospero and his daughter, there were the survivors of a shipwreck. These people were mystified by the strange sounds of the forest as they couldn't understand where they were coming from. Only prospero understood. After living on the island for years and studying its secrets, he knew that there was nothing

Starting point is 00:23:24 to be afraid of. At first, the sounds seemed unnatural, but in fact, they were just as natural as the songs of the birds, the rolling waves and all the other sounds of the island. Moving on through the woods, Ariel comes to the cave which was once home to the sorcerer. Prospero lived here with his daughter, studying nature and magic. It was here that he often met with Ariel, asking for the spirit's assistance. Ariel was prosperous by and servant, helping him in every way. Together they created storms and apparitions and cast sleeping spells. But now there's no sign that the sorcerer was ever here. The cave is empty and has already been reclaimed by nature.

Starting point is 00:24:53 Just days after Prosperos departure, the birds and animals of the island took over the cave. They gathered the coves and furnishings he left behind and used them to decorate their own nests and dens. Nothing was wasted. Passing the cave, Ariel is happy to see how wild and natural it's become. Now there are animal tracks in the dirt and sprawling vines across the entrance. This is how it should be, think Ariel. is how it should be, think cereal. Everything is right with the island and the world too. After all, for aerial and the island's other inhabitants, this remote patch of land is their entire universe. A little way past the cave, the trees spread out and the forest becomes brighter. Aery all moves through the pines towards the light. Soon the beach is visible, its powdery golden sand shining in the morning sun. This tranquil stretch of coastign is completely empty.

Starting point is 00:26:51 It's so quiet, so peaceful. The only sound is the murmuring rush of the tide. Aerial hovers over the glittering waves. In this light, the water is many shades of blue. There are dark patches of indigo, merging into crystalline turquoise. For a moment, Ariel is content to simply float over the waves, watching them sparkle in the sunlight. But gazing into the water, they soon feel the familiar pull, a craving to dive into the blue depths of the ocean. In an instant, Ariel changes into one of their many forms, a sea nymph. Now, Ariel resembles a glowing fairy with a small human-like body. This shape allows them to swim more easily. And this way, Ariel can fully enjoy the sensation of being in the ocean.

Starting point is 00:28:29 As they plunge into the waves, they savor the feeling of the cool water on their body. Although Aerial's favorite element is the air, they also feel at ease in the water, gliding through the sea with the speed and grace of a dolphin. in every moment, spinning and twirling in the clear water. Then when they start to feel tired, they let their limbs relax and float up to the surface. Here they drift on the gentle waves, looking up at the blue sky and watching the clouds. After floating lazily for a while, aerial dips their head below the surface once more. They like watching the slow, hypnotic movements of the brightly coloured fish, and keeping an eye out for treasures. Sometimes they'll find a patterned shell or a shining pearl. Whenever Ariel finds something pretty on the sea bat, they dive down and pick it up. Then they add it to their secret collection of treasures. In a cave near the beach Ariel has hidden away, a box made of driftwood.

Starting point is 00:30:32 It contains all the beautiful objects they found on their adventures. Swimming deeper, Ariel sees nothing but schools of fish and long strands of seaweed. Today, there's nothing to collect, but Ariel doesn't mind. They can come back the next day and the day after that. The sea is constantly changing and you never know what the surface, something catches their eye. Nestled in the seaweed forest is a strange brown object. Ariel swims closer to investigate. There's something familiar about this object. They've seen it before, and not so long ago. Brushing away the seaweed, Ariel realises what it is.

Starting point is 00:32:05 It's a large, leather-bound book, a book of magic. Ariel remembers seeing this in Prospero's cave. The sorcerer used it to teach himself spells and enchantments. This was the book that enabled him to communicate with the spirits of the island, including Ariel. But when Prospero left the island, he renounced his magic and threw his book into the waves. And here it is now, deep underwater. Ariel looks at it curiously, wondering whether the pages are still legible.

Starting point is 00:33:08 There's a temptation to rescue it, and to add the book to layer collection of sea treasures. But in the end, Ariel decides to leave it where it is. The book is exactly where Prospero intended it to be when he gave up his magic and said goodbye to the island. It represents the end of an era. And it seems fitting that the book should be returned to nature, just like everything else on the island. Over time, below the waves, Prosperos' book of magic will slowly be changed by the sea, transforming into something else. Swimming onwards, Ariel can feel themselves undergoing a similar kind of sea change. They feel so calm and relaxed down

Starting point is 00:34:30 here. It's a beautiful sensation, feeling the water flow right through them. Aerial can merge into all the elements and feels at home anywhere. They spend the rest of the day in the ocean, swimming alongside fish, turtles and dolphins. But eventually, Ariel becomes aware of the changing light. The water is slowly becoming darker, turning a deeper shade of blue as the sunlight fades. It's time to return to the surface. There's something Ariel has to do before the day is over. After emerging from the water, they change shape. It's twilight now, and they are almost invisible as they fly over the sand. The only sign of their presence is a slight glimmer in the air as they catch the last rays of the setting sun. Ariel crosses the beach and then enters the woods. Its star comes among the trees as the light that filters through the leaves is fading by

Starting point is 00:36:24 the second. But here and there are tiny glowing sparks. The fireflies often come out at dusk, providing specks of light at the end of the day. Ariel is guided by the glow as they move through the trees. And the sense of the forestander, and then the familiar, aromatic scent of a rosemary bush. At once, they know exactly where they are in the woods. They can easily find their way, even when darkness falls. From the insects to the spirits, everything on the island lives according to the rhythms of nature.

Starting point is 00:37:45 As soon as the sun sets, every living creature is ready to settle down and rest for the night. Ariel is drowsy too after a busy day playing with the clouds and riding the ocean current. But every night, before they go to trees, they sing. It's a song without words, unlike any human melody. Aerial song is more like the call of a bird or a sea creature. At times it even resembles the juggling chords of a stringed instrument. The harmony echoes through the trees and beyond. It reaches every part of the island, from the nests of the birds high in the tree tops to the burrows of the rabbits deep in the earth.

Starting point is 00:39:20 The vibrations of Ariel's song even reach the shallows of the sea where tiny fish float in the calm, moon-let water. Hearing the soothing sounds, all the creatures of the island experience the same sensation. As they listen to the music, they instantly feel calm and sleepy. In no time at all, every living thing is sound asleep. Every living thing is sound asleep. Ariel's song has the same notes of the Lullaby. The hypnotic music works its magic on aerial too. As they drift silently through the forest, the song finally comes to an end. Their work is done, and now it's time to rest. Ariel doesn't have a bad, or any particular dwelling place.

Starting point is 00:41:05 For the spirit, the entire island is home. When it's time to sleep, they can rest wherever they happen to be in that moment. So, Ariel continues to glide slowly through the air, feeling calm and completely at ease. They know that tomorrow will be another beautiful day on the island. But for now, they can enjoy the tranquility of the night, floating peacefully in the breeze, before drifting into sweet dreams. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... you ... ... ... ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:48:36 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Ariel's Island

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