Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Autumn at the Mountain Cabin

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to Get Sleepy. When we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and it's my honor to be your host. If you've been following our seasonal visits to the mountain cabin, our character Sarah and her home will certainly feel familiar to you. But if you haven't listened to any of the other stories in this series yet, you can always go back and listen to Spring, Summer and Winter another time. But for tonight, we'll complete the collection by spending a cozy autumn day with Sarah, as she watches falling leaves, bakes pumpkin cookies, and reads in her living room by the crackling fireplace. For our premium subscribers, tomorrow night you'll be able to hear a special long play episode of both Autumn and Winter at the Mountain Cabin stitched together

Starting point is 00:01:12 into one. If you'd like to try our supporters feed Get Sleepy Premium, the first seven days are free. It would be lovely to speak to you there tomorrow, so for more information, go to GetSleepy.com slash support, or click the link in the show notes. Before we begin tonight's story, I'd like to say a big thank you to Shopify, the best tool to achieve all you deserve for your business. Shopify makes it simple to sell to anyone from anywhere, whether you're a small homegrown business owner or already broadly established and setting around the globe. You'll create an online store in your vibe, discover new customers and grow the following

Starting point is 00:02:04 that keeps them coming back. And thanks to 24-7 support and free libraries full of educational content, Shopify's got your back every step of the way. Shopify makes selling simple so you can put yourself and your ideas out there. Sign up for a free trial at shoppify.com slash get sleepy, all lower case. Go to shoppify.com slash get sleepy to start selling online today. Slash gets sleepy. Okay friends, I hope you're feeling calm and relaxed, ready for a good night's rest. It's a true pleasure to have your company here tonight. And though you may not have thought about it this way before, listening to Get Sleepy

Starting point is 00:03:07 is a really healthy and positive thing that you're doing for yourself. So long as you've put any devices and distractions to one side, there's every reason to give yourself a pat on the back, perhaps just typothetically, for making get sleepy part of your bedtime routine. So just lay comfortably in bed now, drawing in a nice deep breath, and exhaling slowly and smoothly, allowing the eyes to gently close as you do. Breathe in again. And let the exhale extend out a little longer than the inhale. Slowing down your body's natural rhythms, relaxing your nervous system, and in turn,

Starting point is 00:04:16 easing the pace and busyness of your mind. Simply by inviting relaxation in this way, you're already giving yourself a chance to rest. That's why you don't need to panic about getting to sleep. You don't need to force the process in any way. You're already recharging your body in this gentle state of peace and rest. Continue to breathe in a comfortable, relaxing rhythm while you listen along to our story. Just like a gently falling leaf in autumn, you can come to rest in a soft place and invite sleep to come naturally. Let's join Sarah at her mounting cabin on a peaceful autumn day. The The crisp air quietly whistles through the tree branches, which sway in harmony outside Sarah's cabin.

Starting point is 00:06:14 Its autumn now, her most treasured time of the year. She is nestled in a rocking chair, legs lifted up onto the wooden railing as she sits outside on her balcony, admiring the gloomy or tumnal scenery before her. The first big drop in temperature after another scorching hot summer sent happiness coursing through Sarah's body. Now the leaves have begun to change and Sarah is at the very heart of her favourite season. Dressed for warmth, Sarah is wearing long, cozy trousers, and a luxuriously soft, mohair jumper she knitted last spring. Her shoes sit on the wooden floorboards in front of her, and her feet are bare. She can feel the breeze moving in between her toes. Earlier, she prepared a fresh chylate, using spices gathered from both her neighbors and her own back garden. She also used oat milk that she'd made yesterday morning, after a long, quiet walk in

Starting point is 00:07:57 the forest. That walk was wonderful, Sarah remembers, with leaves crunching beneath the soles of her shoes. She combined all the ingredients, adding on the table next to her. Its spicy sweet aroma, wafting up into the air. Next to the latte is a paperback book. Sarah has it turned page side down as she's taking a reading break to admire the autumn views. The sky is a bright shade of grey and white as if the clouds have all joined forces to hide the sun that radiates behind them.

Starting point is 00:09:03 The air out here smells of a coming rain, Sarah thinks as she takes a sip of her chylate. Luckily, the roof of Sarah's cabin stretches out over the balcony and a set of stairs leads down to the ground. So if it starts to drizzle, Sarah will stay comfortably dry right where she is. As she looks back out at the view, she can see the green pine trees intertwining with a sea of other trees, boasting their autumn hues. Shades of burnt orange, deep yellow, mahogany and crimson are scattered throughout the forest. To Sarah, it's the most beautiful time of autumn, when the leaves are slowly falling, but the trees themselves are still bushy and full. As the wind continues to rustle the trees, bundles of leaves spin around and dance together

Starting point is 00:10:30 harmoniously. It reminds Sarah of ballet. Her eyes follow the dancing leaves, and in her mind she is at the theatre. The curtains are drawn and the leaves are sent to stage giving another timeless performance of the season. Soon they fall elegantly to the ground and the audience gives a standing ovation. The view from Sarah's balcony has many layers. First, there is a hilltop meadow, which she can reach quickly by descending the staircase next to her. From there, the terrain transforms into a deep forest with spectacular walking

Starting point is 00:11:37 paths that lead to quaint mountain streams and moss-covered borders. There are also shortcuts she can take to visit some of her neighbours. The houses in her village are all generously spaced out, so Sarah often feels she has the whole world to herself. Then behind the forest are layers of mountains that blend together in various shades of blue. Sarah always finds this view captivating, even on a grey afternoon like this one. Soon Sarah will return to the warmth of her cabin and prepare a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in her kitchen down the hall. But for now she remains with her feet kicked up, drinking from her warm mug and embracing the autumn air.

Starting point is 00:12:59 She lifts the mug to her mouth, closes her eyes, and takes a big, generous breath in through her nose, before enjoying another smooth sip of her chai latte. She remains like this for a moment, cupping her drink to warm her hands. The moment has completely taken her away from the book she was reading, but Sarah doesn't mind. She will have plenty of time to read this evening, she knows. After just a few more minutes, Sarah lifts her feet off the railing and slips them into a pair of fuzzy house slippers. With the mug in her hand and her book squeezed between her arm and side. She walks across her balcony, looking down at several pumpkins she has placed for decoration.

Starting point is 00:14:17 Then she slowly pulls open her door with the stained glass. As usual, it creaks just slightly as she opens it. She always thinks she should fix it, but never does. At this point, the gentle creaking sound is both familiar and comforting to Sarah. Walking inside, crackling every so often. Today is only the second day she has used it this season, and she is still admiring the wonderful smell of burning wood. She rarely uses scented candles during the colder seasons.

Starting point is 00:15:35 Why would she, when the fireplace and her baked goods, create the most tantalizing sense all on their own. She takes one final sip of her chai latte, on her credenza, along with her book. Now, she feels ready to make her favorite autumn cookies. Her grandma loved these particular cookies, just as much as she does. And whenever Sarah makes them, she always follows the family recipe. She walks down the hallway, her sink, bringing in a bit of light to complement what's coming in through the windows of her back door to the right. The room is airy, but nonetheless still a bit dark. So she flicks on one of the tall standing lamps, located at the

Starting point is 00:17:11 edge of the kitchen. Sarah then moves over to her quaint square dining table. It is situated in the left corner closest to the hallway. On it is a small beige lamp and a stack of books. Both are pressed against the wall with only enough room at the table for two diners. She paused down the beaded cord to turn on the lamp's yellow-tinted light. Much better, she thinks as she looks around. Next, Sarah heads over to the kitchen sink. She flicks on the faucet. The old pipes clink slightly before fresh warm water flows from the tap. She presses down on the nozzle of a glass bottle of hand soap. The luxurious sense of vetiver and amber spill onto her hands.

Starting point is 00:18:37 She takes a relaxing moment to wash them, moving the soap between her thumb and fingers before she rinses the suds down the drain. Now, with freshly washed and moisturized hands, Sarah feels even more relaxed than before. She is ready to prepare the pumpkin-flavored treats. She first turns on the oven to preheat it. Then she crutches down to grab a baking sheet from the cupboard near the sink. Her recipe involves several ingredients, from eggs and brown sugar, to pump campurée and chocolate chips. Sarah tugs open her refrigerator, gathering all the necessary ingredients. The eggs came from one of her neighbors down the road, called George. He has nearly a dozen chickens and plenty of eggs to spare.

Starting point is 00:20:02 He came over for a coffee just the other day, bringing her several as a thank you for inviting him. Sarah loves this way of life, where people think of one another and always give back. Of course, she would never come to his place empty handed either. She places the eggs and other ingredients on the counter next to a wooden chopping board. Then she opens up her spice cabinet and finds her homemade jar of autumn spice. It's a delicious blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cardamom. Sarah opens the last cupboard and finds a jar of dark chocolate chips nestled behind a bag of fluffy marshmallows. She slides open a drawer just to her right. Inside are miscellaneous cooking items, including parchment paper.

Starting point is 00:21:28 Sarah pulls out a layer of paper long enough to cover the baking sheet. It makes a crackling sound as she spreads it across the metal tray. She needs just a couple more things. So she dances around the kitchen, in pursuit of a wooden spoon and a large glass bowl. Now for the fun part, Sarah thinks. She begins working culinary magic. Her muscle memory takes over as she cracks eggs and whisks in fresh pump-cmpury, flour, flower, vanilla extract, and all the other goodies to complete her batch of cookies. As she works, her mind travels back to being a child, standing on a stool, baking with her grandma on a crisp autumn day, much like this one.

Starting point is 00:22:49 From learning how to knit, to getting into baking, Sarah's grandma taught her a lot of handy skills that she uses nearly every single day. Before she knows it Sarah hears a little ding informing her that the oven is properly preheated. And now that she has whisked and blended her cookie dough into a beautiful, orange tinted clump. She can begin forming it into circular shapes. Using the wooden spoon, she scoops out sections of dough and then balls them up by rolling them in the palm of her hand. Then one by one, they are placed evenly across two rows of the baking sheet. Easy as that, Sarah thinks as she rinses off her hands, excited to sink her teeth into these gooey cookies in just a little while.

Starting point is 00:24:14 The oven clinks as she pulls down the door, feeling its captivating warmth as she places the baking sheet in the center. She grabs her timer. It clicks as she moves it to 12 minutes. Then she leaves it on the counter and turns off the standing lamp as she makes her way down the hall. Soon she is back in the living room with the sound of the crackling fireplace soothing her mind and spirit.

Starting point is 00:24:59 The room is comfortably sized. There is an old rocking chair facing the window and a cosy sofa with throw pillows, knitted blankets and a low coffee table in front. There are unlit taper candles scattered on the mantle above her fireplace. And on the opposite side, Sarah has a record player, and a narrow bookcase stuffed with books of various genres. Her large windows that face outward towards the mountains, are letting in that classic soft or terminal glow. She looks out and watches leaves traveling through the air. Over by the mantle, she picks up a pack of matches, eager to make the room extra cosy, especially to compliment the cookies she will be eating soon. She lights several of the unscented taper candles on the mantle, cupping her hand to light one, and then using the first to light the others.

Starting point is 00:26:34 Then she walks over to the table where the antique record player is, and lights a thick cream coloured candle to fill the room with a warm glow. Naturally, Sarah places the original candle back on the mantle. She turns around and admires the room. The soft glow from outside mixes beautifully with the redness of the fireplace and the light orange hue of the candles. She looks at the watch on her left wrist and calculates roughly six more minutes until the cookies are ready. So, she plops herself down on a comfy seat, located by the bookshelf. Sarah admires her books, scanning her eyes across the rows, smiling at particular ones that sparked

Starting point is 00:27:49 her soul. It feels like her own little bookstore, as she notices some books she has still yet to read, and others she's almost forgotten even having. Grabbing one in particular, she holds it in her hands and runs her fingers across its smooth, simple cover. It's a contemporary romance novel that caught her attention when she discovered it in an independent bookstore in a larger town near her village. It's going to be her next book she tells herself confidently. She looks over her books with admiration one last time before standing up. Back on her feet, Sarah can smell the captivating aroma of chocolate, autumn spice and pumpkin

Starting point is 00:29:03 twirling in the air. As she makes her way down the hall, the smell grows stronger and more enticing. And like some magical clockwork, she flicks on the lamp and the timer chimes in unison. She slides a thick oven mitt onto her right hand and then pulls open the oven door with her left. The warmth embraces Sarah once again, this time carrying with it the spicy or tumnur sense. She places the tray on cork circles curiously and breathing in the tantalizing aroma. It's truly the smell of the season, in one sweet treat she thinks. Giving them a few minutes to cool, she places the glass bowl and the

Starting point is 00:30:31 sink, fills it with water spatula and a large ceramic plate. Sarah carefully removes the cookies one by one so that the bottoms don't burn. Looking at the cookies on the plate, she feels a sense of pride at how beautifully they turned out. Then instead of bringing the whole plate of cookies to the living room, which would be too tempting for Sarah to resist, she chooses a few and places them on a smaller plate. She pours herself a glass of oat milk. Then she scurries happily back to her comfy oasis, scooping the familiar book from the credenza into her arm along the way. The plate and glass of milk clink as she places them on the coffee table with the book. Sarah sits in her favourite spot on the sofa, leans forward and picks up one of the cookies.

Starting point is 00:32:13 It feels warm and soft to the touch and Sarah cannot wait to taste it. She brings it up to her mouth and slowly takes a generous bite of the gooey dessert. The notes of spice, pumpkin and dark chocolate captivate her taste buds. But captivate her taste buds. She lets out a satisfied sigh before taking another bite. It tastes just like an her mouth, Sarah takes a cool sip of the oat milk to wash it all down. Then she begins to hear the trickle of rain outside. It taps on the window behind the sofa. She looks towards the mountains and sees the rice-shaped specks of rain coming down peacefully. Where Sarah lives, Autumn is the rainiest season of the year.

Starting point is 00:33:49 She doesn't mind, however, as there is tranquility in the rain. She watches it from the window and feels pleasantly snug with her cookies, fireplace and candles. She is almost tempted to-resistant coat and enjoy a quaint walk into the forest before it gets dark. But for now, she will treat herself with cookies and another chapter from her book. And so, she lifts the paper back off the coffee table, removes the bookmark, and continues reading, cookie in hand. Oh, the beauty of an autumn day in the mountains, Sarah thinks to herself, feeling so lucky. ... I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room.

Starting point is 00:36:08 I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room.

Starting point is 00:36:24 I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Autumn at the Mountain Cabin

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