Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Dreams of Ice Hockey

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas, thanks so much for tuning in. Tonight's story is a very special listener request that we received a few weeks ago. I hope if you're listening, you know who you are, and thank you for this suggestion. Indeed, it's Ice Hockey night, and together, we'll play a game worth dreaming about. Though Ice Hockey is played in many parts of the world, this particular story is authentically themed around the American adult leagues and was written by our friend in the States, Monica. Whether you're a hockey fan or not, I hope you enjoy listening.

Starting point is 00:01:06 or not, I hope you enjoy listening. Tonight's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sometimes in life, we're faced with tough choices, and the path forward isn't always clear. I'm definitely an indecisive type, which can feel rather frustrating, but the weight of big decisions has always felt lighter once I've spoken to a friend or my therapist. Whether you're dealing with decisions around career, relationships or anything else, therapy helps you stay connected to what you really want while you navigate life, acting a bit like a road map so you can move forward with confidence and excitement. So if you're thinking of starting therapy, I highly recommend giving better help or

Starting point is 00:01:56 try. Their service is entirely online and it's designed to fit around your schedule in whatever way suits you. You just fill out a short questionnaire and they match you with a licensed therapist which simplifies the process of getting started so much. Let therapy be your map with better help. Visit betterhelp.com-get-sleepy today to get It's time that we settle in for the night, so make sure you're comfortable with your body resting in whichever position feels best. And your head and neck gently support it by your pillow. As you enjoy the sensation of relaxing into bed, just bring your attention into the present

Starting point is 00:03:12 moment. Your mind may still feel fairly active, not quite aligning with the intention to settle and rest. But that's okay. If it is a little busy, you don't need to try and fight that. In fact, for the next few moments, I want you to grant your mind permission to do and think as it pleases, without any resistance. I'll just give you some space to do that. And then gently and gradually bring your attention back to my voice and back to the present moment. helping you settle more and more. All the responsibilities of daily life can be put to one side for the time being. So you can now grant yourself permission to relax and rest. Free from the desire to problem solve or to get anything done. It's time to turn to our story. A dreamy tale about the love and joy that sport can bring. And it begins right where you are, tucked up in bed and ready for a good night's sleep. You've just tucked yourself into bed. You take a few moments to get yourself situated,

Starting point is 00:06:18 letting your body settle and your mind relax. It's time to set aside any niggling thoughts from the day as you prepare for rest. But there's one thing on your mind that makes you smile as you're winding down for the night. Ice hockey. Even now, lying in bed, you can almost smell the cool freshness of the ice. Hear the sound of blades slicing across the frozen surface, and feel the excitement of the game crackling through the air. The gentle smile lingers, even as the rest of your body feels heavy and relaxed. Sleep is on its way.

Starting point is 00:07:32 Your eyes take a slow tour of the room, with all its familiar objects, colours and patterns. You listened to the reassuring sounds of your space, which fade away as you grow sleepier and sleepier. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and allow yourself to succumb to the gentle pull of sleep. At first, all is dark and quiet, but slowly a distant sound grows clearer and more distinct. You hear the swish and slash of someone on ice-skates zooming along the ice. As the sound gets louder, it's joined by others.

Starting point is 00:08:57 You listen more carefully. Now you can hear chatter all over the ring. Spectators, players. Each team's bench is electric with anticipation. Your vision slowly comes into focus. It's a hockey game, and not just any game, but a game you are in. You look down at yourself. You are wearing a yellow jersey tonight. The air inside of the rink feels crisp, but you are warm and snug.

Starting point is 00:09:55 You take a deep breath and the air feels cold and clean as it billows into your lungs, oxygenating your body for the player head. The bright lights of the ice hockey rink illuminate the scene around you, yellow versus black. Yellow vs. Black Your body is covered in hockey pads for your knees and shins, your hips, chest, shoulders and elbows. Oki Skates are laced tightly to each of your feet. You take stock of your body and realize you're feeling tired. But it's that good I've done something worthy kind of tired. diet. Soon you realize this is the championship game of an adult isockey league and the score is 0-0 in the third period. You can tell it's the championship game because there's an enormous trophy in the scorebox. What a wonderful opportunity that would be, you think, to be on a team whose season ends

Starting point is 00:11:41 up engraved forever on the side of a trophy. And that future is in reach tonight if your team wins. You check the clock, two minutes left. You're watching from the bench with wrapped attention. Everyone wearing yellow is looking for any window for your team to score. You wipe your hands on your yellow jersey and slip them back into your gloves. You pick up your stick and stand. There's a shift change coming and you know to be ready. Out on the ice, your teammates are skating as hard as they can. This kind of sporting moment calls for fresh legs, and you know you're about to be back on the ice. You watch the game like a hawk. Then you glance down the bench, catching the eye of two

Starting point is 00:13:14 of your teammates. Their names are Darcy and Danno. Darcy gives you a nod. Any second, you all will take the ice. Your eyes go back The elves, icing, play stops, just over a minute left. You hop onto the ice and skate out. Your wiped out teammates heave themselves onto the bench, panting and reaching for their water bottles. Your legs feel powerful and efficient as you stride out onto the ice. You twist your skates to the side and the friction of the motion brings you to an abrupt stop at your position on the face-off circle. You take a couple of deep breaths and wait. The referee has the puck in his hand and he slowly lifts his arm. He looks at each team's centre, dano for the yellow team.

Starting point is 00:14:59 Is the player about to vie for the puck. Sticks are poised, blades flush against the ice. Nearly everyone on the face-off circle has a power stance. This is one of those moments where position equals advantage and nobody is letting someone from the other team move and drops the puck. Dano manages to hook the puck to one of your defencemen. Darcy is off like a rocket and you are too. You feel your heartbeat quickening as you pick up momentum. Your legs are fresh. You feel strong as you hurt all yourself down the ice. The park is going to come fast, but you're ready. Your defenseman whips it down the ice, and you hear the thwack of Darcy catching a hard pass.

Starting point is 00:16:42 She kicks it to Dano, and he skates across the blue line. You're in the scoring zone now, close enough to take a shot. Dano is skating hard and you match him, stride for stride. Dano says, cross, and you swing behind him, letting him take the heat of the other team's defenseman. He taps the puck to you, and the pass is perfect. You miraculously have a clear lane to go. Placing to slow down for a moment. In your periphery, you can see your wave of yellow stand up from your team's bench. The black team also stands.

Starting point is 00:17:51 Everyone is watching. You look at the other team's goalie and see that she's ready for your shot. Her stance is crouched and she looks like she might even come out of the pipes and challenge you. The fate of the game is riding on this shot. You have a moment of clarity. You know you can do this. You cradle the puck once, twice. Then you deek it to the right and can hardly believe your eyes when the goalie falls for it. The goalie lunges for your fake, but you collect yourself and slap it in on the opposite side. The puck nicks the metal of the goalpost as it hammers in. You've never heard a ping so satisfying. It's the best shot of your life.

Starting point is 00:19:19 You know it immediately. Dano and Darcy pounce all cheers. The third teammate is thumping you on the back. Your grin must be a mile wide, because you see the same expression mirrored back at you as your entire team rushes the eyes to celebrate. The game ends, the buzzer sounds. You've done it, your hustle paid off. There's no money, no prizes, but your team has just scored bragging rights until the puck drops next year. And maybe if the captain of the other team is a good sport, a couple rounds

Starting point is 00:20:30 of drinks are in store. You and your team mates line up to bump fists with the other team. Everyone is smiling and laughing. That goal was a greataps you on the back. He found that one fair and square, she says. The league's trophy is carried out of the score box and everyone on your team holds it high for a picture. Your fingers linger on the core metal of the cup, home-wilded by one of the players in the league. Your ecstatic and everyone on your team seems to be feeling the same way. The Zamboni fires up in the background, which is everyone's cue to make their way off the ice. Both referees pull up the goals and skate them to the sides of the rink so the

Starting point is 00:22:15 Zamboni can make its first pass. The big ice-creaming machine, trundles onto the rink like an old tractor, wet mop hanging off the back. The surface of the ice is scratched and mired after such an intense game. A layer of bright white ice shavings glitters on the surface. Remnants of a hundred or more hockey stops, changes of direction, fakes and falls. All of that is about to be wiped clean. One pass with the Zamboni and the surface of the ice will return to a slick translucent grey blue, a fresh start. grey blue, a fresh start. You skate back to your team's bench and grab your water bottle as the Zamboni rolls out. Then you follow your teammates off the ice and into the locker room. When you get there, there's more celebration.

Starting point is 00:23:55 You pop off your helmet. The sweat on your face is starting to cool. Your heart rate is returning to normal. You give your head a shake and take a seat by your gear back. Your teammates are still filing in. You take a deep breath in and then exhale. It was an incredible game. It feels like everyone is replaying that last goal. Your grinning, everyone is grinning. It was an excellent shot. There's an atmosphere of camaraderie and joy in the locker room. You're blanketed by the sounds of your teammates laughter. You feel snug and warm in the deluge of their smiles and joy.

Starting point is 00:25:17 Adultly cocky is an incredible way to spend a dark winter night. You bend down and start to untie your skates. Right skate first. As you untie the knot, you feel your back stretch as you melt into a forward fold. It feels delightful. Your fingers loosen the laces, you pull at the tongue of the skate and wiggle your right foot free. Left skate next. You untire the double knot, pull the laces loose and shimmy the skate off your foot. Your feet experience a heavenly wave of fresh air. You wiggle your toes. You pin off your socks too and stuff them into your bag with your skates and helmet. You pause for a moment and look around you. Everyone is doing the same, changing out of their game clothes. Some will make their way over to the bar when they are done to rehash the action.

Starting point is 00:27:12 A single hockey game provides enough material for a good few hours of discussion. You reach over your shoulder, grab onto your jersey and slowly pull it over your head. You smile looking at your team's colour. Throughout the game, you watched for the blower of a yellow teammate in your peripheral vision. As this was the championship game, you realise the season is over. It was a fantastic way to end, though part of you is feeling a bit melancholy, that you have to wait all summer for the league to start again. You smile though, and toss your jersey into your back. Hockey is bliss, and the off-season only makes you more excited for winter each year. The next things to come off are your chest and shoulder pads.

Starting point is 00:28:47 You undo the velcro by your ribs. First one side, then the other. Then you slip the set of pads over your head, and it too goes in your back. Next you undo the Velcro holding each shingard in place. Again, your back and shoulders rejoice in the forward fold. That was a hard game and your body craves the stretch. You stand up and shimmy out of your breezer shorts. They too go in your back. You feel a little shiver. It's

Starting point is 00:29:52 time to get into something warm and dry. Some of your teammates have already left the locker room. Each part with a high five, a fist bump or a pat on the back. It was a good goal and it's been the talk of the locker room ever since the buzzer sounded. On her way out, Darcy even replays the deak, fainting right as she goes in for a hug, then coming in at you from the left. Her antics make you smile. You're rummaging around in your back for some drier clothes. When your last teammate

Starting point is 00:30:56 says, see you later. And the locker room door shuts with a gentle thought. You're alone and you revel in the quiet. You finally pull out a dry T-shirt from the bundle in your gear pack and throw it over your head. Each arm slides in easily, then you put on a hoodie. You're starting to dry off and that feels good. The chill of the ring is gone. Your face is still flushed from exertion but you're gradually cooling down. You take a moment to look around the locker room. There's hockey memorabilia everywhere. Pictures of old adult league championships, signed jerseys, photos from away tournaments at other ranks. Familiar faces grin back at you from the walls, as your eyes take a sweep.

Starting point is 00:32:38 How many of them scored the goal of their lives in the moment when their team needed it most, you wonder. There are team photos of local peeweas, mites and other youth players too. The hockey community at this rink is amazing. You feel so lucky to be a part of it. You raise both arms above your head and gently lean to one side for a stretch. Then you lean to the other. It feels amazing. All the while you continue to look around the locker room. It's not just local hockey that decorates the walls. Your eyes land on a picture of the New York Rangers, the National Hockey League team of choice for this area. Old photographs of rangers players throughout the decades stare back at you. There's a picture of Mark Messier slapping one in, always so accurate on the net. Your eyes slip to a celebration shot of NHL legend Yaramir Yaga who wore the

Starting point is 00:34:33 blue for several seasons too. Next to him is a victory shot of the 1994 Rangers, hoisting the Stanley Cup high above their heads for the wild to see. What an incredible moment. It took seven games for them to cinch it. You look at the players expressions. There's a sense of victory, yes, but you also see pride, passion, bliss and joy. Just an overarching love for the sport captured in the snapshot of a single moment. You asked yourself, was tonight's game so different? There were no paychecks, no diamond-studded rings. Definitely no Stanley Cup. But the more you think about it, the more you believe Joy, Love for the Sport, Love for the People around you. Yes, all those things were on the ice tonight.

Starting point is 00:36:28 You take a deep breath and sigh. This is your happy place. This rink. This locker room, this place reminiscent of so many good times in your life. Tonight's goal probably won't be memorialized on a wall anywhere. Well, maybe in this locker room, but the moment has netted a spot in your personal hall of fame. You take one last look at the 94 Stanley Cup picture and make a mental note to keep an eye out for some tickets before the season is out. You slowly zip up your gear back and stand up from the bench.

Starting point is 00:37:43 Then you take stock of your body for a moment. Your heart rate is back to normal. The chill of the air is gone. You feel warm in your dry clothes and your muscles all feel tired but strong. You skated heart and the body feels its own kind of satisfaction at having risen to the occasion. action at having risen to the occasion. You hoist your gear back over one shoulder and head for the door. As you step through, you pause for a moment and your eyes sweep across the locker room, empty benches and on the walls memorable ice hockey moments. It's another 7 months until hockey season starts again and you're going to miss this no doubt.

Starting point is 00:39:12 You turn off the lights and start making your way outside. As you walk by the ice, you see that the zamboni has done its work. The ice is slick, not a single scratch remains. It's a blank slate for the next sporting event. All that's left of your game-winning shot are the memories of everyone who saw it. You walk by the rink bar on your way out. People wave at you through the glass the evening in a more peaceful way. You give a friendly wave back to your teammates and mouth the words next time as you walk on by with a smile.

Starting point is 00:40:46 You move your stick from one hand to the other as you lean into the door of the rink. When it opens, a cool wave of fresh air greets you. You take a deep breath. It's dark and chilled outside, but you are warm in your clothing. You hear the sound of insects and maybe a frog. Spring is in the air and with that, hockey season naturally draws to a close. You take stock of how you feel about that. It probably wouldn't feel so special if it happened year round. Plus, spring means other kinds of fun. And you know that hockey will be there when next winter rolls around. You're already looking forward to it.

Starting point is 00:42:17 The rink door closes softly behind you. You walk slowly, savoring the cool night air, and still thinking about the game, replaying your goal over and over again. You still can't quite believe it. The rink is a magical place, a place of friends, camaraderie, sport, and the occasional goal of a lifetime. You experience a wave of gratitude for all of it. You smile to yourself. It's been the most wonderful night of ice hockey. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Dreams of Ice Hockey

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