Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Daydreaming on the Bus Ride Home

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, when we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. As always, I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for tuning in and giving us your company. I want to quickly remind you that you can find us on all the major social media platforms. Just search Get SleepyPod as one word on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or even TikTok to keep

Starting point is 00:00:55 up to date with our new episode releases and other news and content from the team. It's lovely to have your company here, but also to connect with you all in whatever capacity you choose, so if social media is your thing, be sure to give us a follow. Tonight's story will be narrated by Jessica, and it was written by Charmista, both of whom are new to the podcast. In our story we'll join Emily on an overnight bus journey. As she gazes out the window, Emily recalls some happy memories, and by the time she returns home, she has a new sense of contentment and gratitude. and gratitude. If you're enjoying the show and would like access to more episodes and our amazing bonus content, I'd love you to give Get Sleepy Premium a try.

Starting point is 00:01:56 When you first sign up, you get a 7 day free trial to make sure you're happy and you can share your subscription with up to three other devices, so if other members of your family want to listen, you can all do so at your own leisure. As a premium member, you'll have access to over 500 full-length stories and meditations, completely and entirely entirely, add free. Plus, every Thursday we release a brand new bonus episode exclusive to the premium feed. Tomorrow I'll be reading a mystical tale about a young boy and his unexpected and unique aquatic pet. To hear that and everything else on Get Sleepy Premium, go to GetSleepy.com slash support, or just follow the link in the show notes. Thanks so much everyone. Ok my friends, I hope you're feeling comfortable and relaxed. If you need to change position, take a nice stretch or plump up your pillow, go ahead

Starting point is 00:03:11 and do so. Getting comfortable is all part of the transition process, from the busyness of the day from the busyness of the day into the slow and gentle night where we must allow our bodies and minds to switch off from that more frantic pace. So as you lay in bed, I want you to try and focus on what feels good in this moment. It can be something physical like the soft weight of your duvet keeping you snug and warm. You might enjoy the darkness and stillness of the space around you, allowing your eyes to rest. Maybe it's the sound of my voice, bringing familiarity and comfort to your nightly routine. It's pretty easy to get caught up in focusing on what doesn't feel right. But if we can have the self awareness to catch our minds drifting towards what doesn't

Starting point is 00:04:39 feel right, and then consciously shift our attention back to the things that do feel good. It's likely to bring a greater sense of calm, contentment and ease. Continue to enjoy those good feelings as I hand over to Jessica for our story. It's time to join a young woman named Emily as she waits for the bus that will take her home. As Emily stands at the bus stop on the edge of town, she's in a relaxed, dreamy mood. She doesn't mind the wait, as it gives her time to take in her surroundings. This afternoon, the sky is a mystical shade of metallic grey, while the cool breeze carries a fresh minty aroma. There are birds everywhere, in the branches of the trees sitting on wires or perched

Starting point is 00:06:23 on fences. The sound of their cheerful, lively chirping echoes down the street. In the distance is the soothing jingle of the church bells. Every corner of this small, beautiful city is filled with an atmosphere of joy and serenity. To Emily, this place seems to have come alive from an artist's sketchbook. It's peaceful, but it's also vibrant and full of life. And this is Emily's favorite time of day, just before dusk. She loves the beauty of this hour, when late afternoon merges into twilight like a soft embrace. As she gazes at the golden colors Emily feels a sense of deep happiness. Along the street there are a few

Starting point is 00:07:39 people sitting here and there. When their eyes meet, Emily smiles at them. She loves greeting people in this way, as she believes there's something magical about a smile. This simple, friendly gesture can lift someone's mood and even make their day. one's mood and even make their day. Three sparrows come hopping towards Emily, pecking at the fallen crumbs on the ground. Emily pulls out a packet of chips from her small brown bag. After eating a few herself, she places the remaining chips in her palm and offers them to the sparrows. The little bird stop and stare curiously at Emily, but her smile seems to work on them,

Starting point is 00:08:40 too. One of the sparrows is brave enough to jump right into her hand. As it sits there, Emily feels the lightweight of its soft tender body and its delicate fluffy feathers brushing against her hand. This close contact with the bird gives her a feeling of tranquility. Moments later, the bus pulls up, honking to let everyone know it's arrived. Emily checks to make sure she's got all her belongings, her brown bag and her emerald-colored violin case. Then she moves towards the bus, keen to get her favourite window seat. Soon she's comfortably settled by the window.

Starting point is 00:09:47 Emily always enjoys the long bus ride home. She can watch the world go by and then sleep until the bus arrives in her town the following morning. The bus drives slowly through the city outskirts towards the countryside. At the next stop, a mother and her little boy get on. Emily watches them curiously, but she can't see the boy's face. He's hidden behind four colorful balloons, red, yellow, pink, and blue. This reminds Emily of her childhood days when she went to the fair, sitting on her father's shoulders. Even now, she can still remember the sweet taste of the soft cotton candy. But her favorites were those her memory of the taste.

Starting point is 00:11:10 Then other memories of the fair come flooding back. It was so bright and colourful. The giant wheel and the merry-go-round were Emily's favorite rides, the ones she never missed. When she was very little, Emily was nervous about going on the giant wheel. There's no need to be afraid, her father told her. The giant wheel teaches us a great lesson. It teaches us to balance between good and bad, happy and sad. While moving upwards, he said, think of the things that make you upset or angry. And when you go down, let go of those feelings.

Starting point is 00:12:14 Trust me, Emily, you will be a different person after the ride is over. Your heart and mind will be like feathers gently flying in the air. You will actually enjoy the ride and live happily with all the goodness in your heart. After her father's lesson, Emily was no longer afraid. She was happy to ride on the wheel whenever the fare came to town. Just as she's reminiscing about the fare, her train of thought is interrupted by the bus conductor. He's come to check her ticket.

Starting point is 00:13:07 Afterwards, Emily turns to look out the window. The sky is changing now, filling with thick clouds. Through the open window, she feels a sudden gust of wind causing her hair to fly around her face. With the wind comes the pleasant scent of raindrops on parched soil. Emily breathes in deeply, inhaling this wonderful earthy smell. When she moves her head closer to the window, a few drops of rain fall on her face and she smiles. Emily loves the rain. When she was younger, she and her brother used to run out of the house whenever it rained.

Starting point is 00:14:10 They would jump in puddles, play in the mud, and have fun racing their toy boats in the streams of water. The downpour never lasted long. Just a few minutes later the rain would stop, leaving everything fresh and clean. And it's the same this time as the bus continues down the country road. After a brief rain shower, the sun comes out once more. The bus is now passing through a paddy field. The yellow patches of crops are glowing with the last rays of the sun. To Emily, it looks as though they're nodding and dancing joyfully. As the golden rays of sunlight fall upon Emily's face, she closes her eyes, leaning

Starting point is 00:15:17 her head against the breeze. After the rain, the air is so cool and fresh. Emily is enjoying every moment of her ride. There's so much to see. Soon they're passing through fields of dancing sunflowers, lilies and daffodils. The sunflowers are huge and so close to the window that Emily can see the striped honeybees all over the petals. There are butterflies too, that are so colorful. It's like something from another world, thinks Emily. Breathing in, she notices the mesmerizing fragrance of the pink, purple and white lilies. Carried on the cool breeze, the bus reaches a small bridge over a river.

Starting point is 00:16:50 Emily moves slightly in her seat, just to get a glance at a family of ducks. They're swimming in a line, one after the other, in perfect alignment. One of the ducklings is white. It looks so pretty, so different from the yellow ones that Emily can't take her eyes off it. As she gazes at the ducklings, she imagines that she's capturing each moment with her eyes, just like taking a photo. Then she saves the pictures in her memory. Emily has so many beautiful memories. Whenever she feels like revisiting them, she just needs to close her eyes.

Starting point is 00:17:55 Going down memory lane makes her feel like she's drifting, floating in a bubble. Emily leans back in her comfy seat and lets her eyelids close. She's feeling sleepy now and can't help but yawn. Slowly she drifts into a peaceful sleep. Emily naps for an hour or so until the bus comes to a stop and she wakes up. Rubbing her eyes, Emily looks out the window. The twinkling stars have taken their positions in the sky, while the moon brings back a funny memory. As a child, Emily thought the moon traveled with her wherever she went. She clearly remembers those nights when she and her brother, along with their parents, returned home on their scooter.

Starting point is 00:19:28 The moon seemed to travel alongside them over the trees, fields, ponds and houses. When they were close enough to their house, Emily used to get off the scooter and run the rest of the way home. She'd keep her eyes fixed on the sky and jump with joy seeing that the moon ran with her. Now that she's older, she knows the moon is for everyone. The beauty of nature is there for anyone who looks for it, something to be treasured by all.

Starting point is 00:20:17 The bus is passing through another field of flowers, their petals glowing silver in the moonlight. Emily loves flowers. It's hard to tell what these are in the dark, but some of them look like roses. This brings back yet another memory from not so long ago. Every year, Emily visits the Flower Festival in her hometown. It's a place where you can see almost all the varieties of flowers under one roof. The festival last year was particularly memorable as it was there that she met Jamie for the first time. That day Emily had been searching for the roses. She was looking everywhere, hoping to recognize their fresh scent. everywhere, hoping to recognize their fresh scent. There were carnations, sunflowers, lilies,

Starting point is 00:21:36 all kinds of flowers, except for her favorite roses. Then she overheard a conversation between stall owners. Apparently the Rose Boy was running late. The festival had already started and visitors were gathering near the stalls, but there was no sign of the roses. Emily walked on, lost in her thoughts. Then all of a sudden, she felt something push against her back, immediately a voice behind her started apologizing. When she turned around, Emily saw a young man who was pushing a cart full of roses. There were hundreds of them, or even thousands, piled on top of each other.

Starting point is 00:22:38 Some of the petals were flying loose, sticking to Emily's clothes. The young man apologized again, but Emily didn't mind. The scent of the roses was wonderful, a rich, extravagant fragrance, and she was happy to have found the flowers at last. Afterwards the man smiled warmly and introduced himself as Jamie. As they chatted by the rose cart, it was as though they'd known each other all their lives. Emily smiles at the memory, thinking of Jamie and all the times they've seen each other since. And it was the roses that brought them together. She daydreams for a while, until she realizes just how late it is. Looking around the bus, she sees that the other passengers are already lost in a deep sleep. Emily starting to feel sleepy too, lulled by the relaxing motion of the bus. She closes her eyes and drifts into a peaceful sleep for the rest of the night. The next morning, Emily awakes to see the sun shining in all its glory over flowers

Starting point is 00:24:33 in full bloom. And shortly afterwards, the bus arrives at its destination, Emily's hometown. It's been a long but enjoyable ride. As she gets off the bus carrying her bag and fire in case, Emily knows she'll cherish the memories from this journey. Stepping into the familiar street, Emily looks around and smiles. She's standing at a busy intersection where four roads meet like old friends. Nearby is a park where joggers have gathered and children are playing. There are coffee shops buzzing with activity and a bookshop full of eager customers.

Starting point is 00:25:37 For a moment Emily stands still, absorbing everything. She watches the street food vendor arranging and decorating his food cards so efficiently. Soon the air is filled with mouth watering aromas. Across Across the street are people rushing to catch trains and taxis on their way to work. Near the park she spots an ice cream truck. It's bright, flashy and multicolored, lowering everyone toward it. Emily reflects on all the flavors of the ice cream. Vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, blueberry, butter scotch, and so many others. It's just like the variety in life, she thinks. There are all kinds of things, so many different forms and flavors.

Starting point is 00:27:00 Whatever you get, it's important to make the most of it. Whatever you get, it's important to make the most of it. Walking on, she comes to the market. Right at the center stands a cute toy shop. Emily has many happy memories attached to that shop, and she still feels a sense of warmth and nostalgia just looking at it. When she was a little girl, her father once bought her a very pretty chubby doll. The doll wore a red lace dancing frock. Her cheeks were pink like a freshly bloomed rose, and her eyes were turquoise blue, twinkling like the North Star. And she had the most adorable wavy hair. Emily can still remember how she celebrated her

Starting point is 00:28:11 doll's birthday as a great event. All of her friends joined the birthday bash and and they even brought gifts. Then Emily cut the rose-shaped strawberry-flavored cake. She closes her eyes to remember the soft creamy texture. Even now, she can vividly recall the taste and aroma of the sweet cake. And she has such good memories of the rest of the birthday party. She remembers how her mother prepared little goodie bags as gifts for Emily's friends. There were candies, balloons, glitter pens, and a few home-baked mini cookies. Emily had loved her doll so much, taking her wherever she went. In fact, the doll still sits comfortably on the rack beside the study table in Emily's room. She's happy to think that she'll soon be back at home, where her old beloved doll is

Starting point is 00:29:35 waiting for her. Emily walks slowly towards the toy shop and looks through the glass. A small girl is standing inside with her father, staring at the dolls and smiling. Emily can feel the girl's excitement. It's just how she felt many years ago and she can't help but smile too, knowing that the little girl will buy one of these cute dolls and cherish it for the rest of her life. Emily sighs happily, and then walks on through the market. She soon finds herself in a quiet street with a fountain.

Starting point is 00:30:33 This is the right place she thinks. She takes her violin out of its emerald case and prepares to play. Before Emily goes home, she wants to play the violin for a little while, right here in the centre of her town. It's been so long since she last performed here, and she's feeling nostalgic. Besides, maybe her music will lift the moods of the other people in the street. Emily closes her eyes. With one hand she puts the violin on her shoulder With one hand she puts the violin on her shoulder, and with the other she raises the bow. The moment the bow touches the strings, notes, who stand to watch mesmerized.

Starting point is 00:31:55 As Emily plays, she feels a sense of total freedom. It's as though her soul is coming out of her body and uniting with the divine. She imagines herself floating among the cottony clouds high above with the light wind gently brushing her hair. Emily plays on and on, smiling to herself. But at last, she comes to the end of the beautiful piece. As the crowd applause, Emily feels a sense of satisfaction deep within her. It's wonderful to make people smile, simply by sharing her gift of music. She carefully puts away her violin and then walks on through the town until she reaches her street. And then, at last, her house. At the gate she sees her brother eagerly waiting for her. Emily is excited too.

Starting point is 00:33:37 She is looking forward to having a hot, delicious meal with him and the rest of her family. Emily walks up to the gate with a heart full of happiness and a mindful of beautiful memories. After the long journey, it feels so good to finally be home. ... I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing.

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Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Daydreaming on the Bus Ride Home

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