Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Evening in the Mountains of El Salvador

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Starting point is 00:01:27 and sign up, follow the link for Get Sleepy Premium in the show notes, or you can subscribe directly with in Apple podcasts. Thanks so much for your support. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host Thomas, thanks for tuning in. For anyone who's new to the show, or even those of you who've been with us for a while, you might be interested in receiving our free weekly newsletter, which I send out every Monday. It previews everything coming up on Get Sleepy each week, and a few other behind the scenes features, highlighted reviews, and various other bits that you'll only find in the newsletter. So if you'd like to join the mailing list, go to GetSleepy.com and scroll to the bottom

Starting point is 00:02:30 of the homepage where you'll see the words, join our newsletter. I'll be reading tonight's story for you all. Where we'll be travelling to El Salvador, a small country in Central America? In this story, two friends enjoy a relaxing vacation in a cozy, mounting cabin. It's a vacation I certainly wouldn't much mind taking myself, and I bet you'll feel the same way too. So as usual, we'll begin with a bit of relaxation first. Just take this opportunity to get comfortable, lying on your back. Even if you don't usually sleep on your back, just for the next few moments, that's going to be the best way to experience this relaxation. Once you're comfortable, place your hands on your belly and take a deep inhale, feeling

Starting point is 00:03:50 your stomach rise as you take in the air. And then exhale, noticing how it lowers as the air leaves your body. Allow that breath to continue nice and steady in and out. And allow your attention now to focus on your toes. And imagine that there's a light switch for your toes. Right now it's switched on as it has been all day. But you're ready for a good night's sleep. So just turn that light switch off. Noticing how that causes your toes to relax as the energy powers off. as the energy powers off. Move your attention to your feet and turn the switch for your feet off as well.

Starting point is 00:05:20 Now turn off the switch for your lower legs, your thighs and your hips, allowing everything everything below your waist to relax. Focus now on your abdomen and turn off the light switch there. Then turn off the switch for your chest. Your back, your shoulders, and your arms. Turn off the switch for your hands and fingers. Your neck and finally your head. Your whole body has switched itself off, so you can deeply relax into the night, knowing that sleep will come when the time is right. Meanwhile, listen along to the sound of my voice and the story I'm about to tell.

Starting point is 00:07:16 We're off to join a couple of friends for a beautiful trip in Central America. It was summer in El Salvador, the weather was nice and fresh. Olivia and her friend Grace had been wanting to go on a short vacation for a while now. As they looked at different options, they found a cabin located in the mountainous area that divides El Salvador from Honduras. This cabin peaked their interest. They usually went to the beach, but this cabin and its mountains promised a new landscape and a new adventure. Olivia was Grace had all their bags ready. They wanted to set off as early as they could. The trip was bound to be long, because the cabin was almost at the other end of the country.

Starting point is 00:09:02 It would be about a four-hour drive. So, once their bags were in the trunk, they got into Grace's car and hit the road. The route to the cabin was scenic. As the two friends left the city, they found themselves surrounded by stillness and nature. The sky was a blue canopy that accompanied them throughout their journey. It was as clear as it could be without a single cloud. Olivia's mind felt clear, too. Any burdensome thoughts seemed to leave her body, disappearing as the car drove under the blue vastness. disappearing as the car drove under the blue vastness. With a calm state of mind, Olivia was able to pay closer attention to the nature on each side of the road.

Starting point is 00:10:20 There were small houses here and there, surrounded by large green fields, where different types of plants were growing. But the most common sight here were corn fields. Corn is one of the main elements in the Salvadoran diet, Corn is one of the main elements in the Salvadoran diet, and many of its traditional dishes use this ingredient. The slender green corn stalks were lined up neatly in grids. Each stalk of corn stood tall and straight, looking poised and elegant. And when the breeze moved through the fields, the stokes and leaves danced gracefully. Other fields were inhabited by cows of different colours, including the occasional white cow with black spots.

Starting point is 00:11:33 Some were grazing calmly, while others walked slowly across the grass. The Olivia and Grace spotted some other animals in the fields too, such as horses and pigs. They all seemed to be enjoying the quiet country life. The sides of the road were lined with a variety of trees. Their branches, leaves and flowers extended outwards, providing cool shape. This green and blue landscape had a backdrop of a thick line of mountains. There were patches of different colours running around each mountain. They varied between tones of yellow, brown and green. The patches of colour made the mountains look like gentle, sleeping giants, covered by

Starting point is 00:12:50 patterned quilts. This image made Olivia smile. She became even more relaxed as she gazed at the beautiful landscape. Yawning, she decided to close her eyes for a second. She felt grateful that her friend was the one doing the driving. And soon, without meaning to, Olivia fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, they had already arrived at their destination. The two friends were greeted at the entrance by the groundskeeper.

Starting point is 00:13:49 After showing them where to park the car, he gave them the keys to the cabin and explained a bit about the area. The groundskeeper lived close by and he was just a phone call away if they ever needed his help during their stay. But for now, the place was all theirs to explore. Olivia and Grace decided to look around the area surrounding the cabin before going inside. The first thing Olivia noticed was the sense of space.

Starting point is 00:14:37 There were wide open fields of grass in front of the cabin, edged with shrubs and bushes. Flowers were growing too, in countless shapes and colors. Tones of purple, yellow, orange and red were sprinkled across the perfectly cut grass. As the Olivia and Grace walked beyond the field, they entered a different area, where the terrain started to become more mountainous. Sloping dirt roads carved their way through pine trees and other types of trees and bushes. The pines were tall, their spiny branches spread out high above a livea's head. As she looked up, she noticed how the needles were clustered together in tafts along the thin wood of the branches. She took a step back to get a better look. To Olivia, To Olivia, the Tufts looked like huge stars. They painted the clear sky, reminding her of a surreal and magical starry night.

Starting point is 00:16:22 Olivia lowered her gaze and looked beyond the pines. Here, she found the most beautiful view she had seen so far on this trip. A long bout of mountains stood behind the trees. They were lush with many different shades of green. The mountains appeared to be densely covered with vegetation. It seemed like they were mostly uninhabited. The landscape was mesmerizing. Olivia stood in awe as she observed the beauty that surrounded her. The area was so still and quiet, the only sounds that could be heard were those of birds singing and chirping.

Starting point is 00:17:33 And the air felt so clean up here, away from the city. Olivia stood in silence with her eyes closed as she slowly savored this moment. She took a deep breath in and felt how the pure air travelled to her lungs, filling her with a sense of peace. As she breathed out, Olivia felt how her body and mind were becoming as relaxed and still as the atmosphere that surrounded her. It had been a while since Olivia had felt like this, so she remained there in the middle of this sanctuary, taking deep breaths and letting them out. With each breath she felt lighter and more relaxed. A gentle breeze carried another gust of fresh air towards Olivia,

Starting point is 00:18:58 making the experience even more peaceful. The wind brushed her face softly, and made the strands of her hair lightly tickle the back of her neck. Olivia felt like she was being massaged by the air, moving around her. The combination of all her senses made her feel like she was floating in a sea of serenity. At last, feeling relaxed and refreshed, Olivia and Grace decided that it was time to move on. After grabbing their bags from the car, they walked up to the main door of the cabin and turned the key. The door swung open, revealing a neatly designed space with more than enough room for the two of them. The cabin wasn't that big, living room and dining room met.

Starting point is 00:20:32 This open space had several medium sized windows with wooden frames and short plot curtains hung in front of them. The small dining table was made from glass and wood, the chairs were wooden too, as with the kitchen cabinets. The living room was carpeted and the temperature was just right. Some beam bags lay on the floor, perfect for sitting and watching television. Even though Olivia and Grace had never been here before, the place was so cozy that it immediately felt like home. They put their bags in one of the bedrooms and then went back to the kitchen. Here they prepared a quick dinner. When the food was ready, Olivia decided that she wanted to eat while sitting in one of the bean bags in the living room.

Starting point is 00:21:52 She let her whole body sink into the large, cushiony surface. As she sank deeper, she felt how the bean bag started to take the shape of her body. It was like being wrapped in a snuggly, comfortable coat. This felt particularly pleasant because it had started to get chilly outside. Sitting in the bean bag, Olivia was ready for dinner. It was a nice portion of a home-cooked lasagna that Grace had brought from her house. The combination of different types of cheese, meat, tomato sauce and pasta made it smell wonderful. When Olivia took her first bite, she could taste all the flavors mixing deliciously in her mouth. The cheese was gooey and the sauce was smooth. As she savored this bite, she noticed that some herbs had been added too. Her mouth Next to her mouth filled with the taste of basil and oregano, adding a subtle but perfect last touch to the mixture of flavours.

Starting point is 00:23:39 After enjoying their dinner, Olivia and Grace noticed that it had already become dark outside. They'd been planning to spend some time outdoors looking at the stars. Just as they were getting ready to go out, some raindrops started falling. The friends stepped onto the sheltered terrace at the front of the cabin. They sat here while they waited for the rain to stop, facing the grass. In the dark, everything looked even calmer and more peaceful. And at this time of night, the temperature outside was lower but still comfortable. A livinger enjoyed the feeling of the cool breeze against her face and hands, combined with the warmth of her hoodie, trousers and socks. There were muffled, splashing sounds as the light rain touched the grass.

Starting point is 00:25:06 The sight of the tiny raindrops falling in the dark, covering everything in a thin blanket of water, was very relaxing. This experience was enhanced by the familiar earthy scent that the rain brought with it. Olivia felt even more at home now. After a while, the light rain passed and the skies cleared. past and the skies cleared. A livier and grace finally stepped off the terrace just as they were drying off a bench so they could sit and look at the stars. The groundskeeper came by. He wanted to see how they were doing. After a short chat, he offered to prepare a campfire for them. There was a fire pit nearby, not far from the bench. Olivia found the idea of a campfire very exciting, and the two women instantly agreed.

Starting point is 00:26:33 The groundskeeper started filling the air and flicker. Olivia had never seen the process of a group of sparks turning into a big fire. It was beautiful and hypnotizing. Some of the initial embers flew up into the air. The rest remained close to the wood finally grew a small orange flame. The wood surrounding it slowly caught fire. In a few minutes, powerful flames were rising from the fire pit. They looked like elongated orange petals, flickering in the dark as they swayed in the night's gentle breeze. Now that the campfire was finally ready, the groundskeeper said good night and went back

Starting point is 00:28:12 to his cabin. Olivia and Grace brought out some chairs and sat next to the campfire. The air around it was warm now. More flames emerged from the pit, lighting up the dark in yellow, orange and white flashes. For a while Olivia sat and watched the mesmerizing performance. The light show was accompanied by the crackling sound of the fire. Olivia felt herself sink into the cozy atmosphere provided by this warm and powerful force. She felt safe and protected. Taking a deep breath, she embraced the moment. As she sat by the campfire, Olivia remembered that they had brought some cookies and marshmallows with them.

Starting point is 00:29:38 She went to fetch them from the kitchen and looked for a couple of sticks. Olivia and Grace were excited to try a new treat. Toasted marshmallows, sandwiched between cookies. They each stuck a marshmallow on the tips of their sticks and moved them close to the fire. Olivia loved seeing the slow transformation. Under the swaying heat, the marshmallow gradually went from white to golden. When it looked like it was warm and soft enough, Olivia took it out of the fire. She placed it between two thin round cookies and pushed them together. The marshmallow was perfectly gooey, so it was easily squashed.

Starting point is 00:30:58 The cookie sandwich became the thinner as the flattened marshmallow stretched towards the sides of the cookies. It smelled delicious. Olivia took a careful bite. Her mouth was filled with the wonderful taste of crushed cookies, mixed with the warm and sweet gooeyness of the marshmallow. Craving another one of these marvellous treats, she prepared herself more cookie sandwiches. her self, more cookie sandwiches. When it came to the final marshmallow, she accidentally left it too long in the fire observed how the flame started burning the exterior of the marshmallow. It spread across the surface very slowly and made a hissing noise on its way. The white marshmallow started to show brown and crispy spots, which then

Starting point is 00:32:32 became black and crunchy. The flame danced around the white surface as if in an effort to paint it black. Somehow it was satisfying to watch. When the Marshmallow's surface had been consumed, Olivia carefully blew out the flame. After finishing the last cookies, Olivia and Grace leaned back and looked up at the sky. It was completely black and it was very easy to see the stars. They were all shining and flickering in white and silver. As Olivia's gaze moved across the night sky. She found herself staring at the full white moon. Tonight it looked particularly large and beautiful. It had been a long day and Olivia and Grace were starting to feel tired, so they went back inside the cabin and vivid in her mind. A picture book was unfolding behind her eyelids. It felt like she was reading a calming bedtime story.

Starting point is 00:34:52 And as she relived all the relaxing moments of the day, she fell into a deep and peaceful slumber. ... ... 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. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:36:20 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 - Evening in the Mountains of El Salvador

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