Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Floating Down the Shenandoah River

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thank you for tuning in. Tonight TK will guide us as we head to Virginia in the United States and spend a lazy day floating down the beautiful Shenandoah River. As we drift through its peaceful landscapes, we'll experience the magic of its flowing waters around each and every bend. A big thank you to Alicia for writing this beautiful story. Tonight's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. With the busyness of life

Starting point is 00:01:01 and the time and energy we put towards other people, it's so easy to neglect our own self-care. Whether it's burning ourselves out from overworking or bottling up challenging emotions and thoughts, we can all be guilty of taking too little time to look after ourselves. If this sounds like you, therapy can give you the tools to find more balance in your life, so you can keep supporting others without leaving yourself behind. If you're thinking of trying therapy, then go to betterhelp.com slash get sleepy. Better help is entirely online. All you need to do to get the ball rolling is fill out a brief questionnaire.

Starting point is 00:01:50 Then you'll be matched with a licensed therapist who will work with you in whatever way you feel most comfortable. So find more balance in your life with better help. Visit betterhelp.com-get-sleepy to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp-h-e-l-p.com-get-sleepy. Ok my friends, to prepare for our soothing journey, start by letting go of anything that is mentally weighing you down. Allow your breathing to lengthen with a gentle steady inhale and then a smooth relaxing exhale. Whatever concerns or stresses you might have experienced today, take a moment to set them aside. Imagine yourself leaving them on the shore as you lightly float away from them. Know that you can retrieve those tasks again tomorrow.

Starting point is 00:03:29 Right now, your only job is to relax and enjoy the comfort of your bed. you can give yourself a well-deserved night of restful sleep. And you're in the perfect place to achieve that. So reassure yourself that sleep will come when the time is right, without any force. Alicia asked me to read a quote that inspired this story, one from the legendary naturalist, John Muir, who once said, the rivers flow not past but through us. Indeed countless poets and philosophers have written about the unique powers of healing and relaxation we can find in oceans and rivers. So without being said, close your eyes and envision a beautiful summer day with clear blue

Starting point is 00:05:03 skies. Your relaxing adventure to the Shenandoah River awaits. And this is where our story begins. It's summer, and you've been visiting a friend who lives in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Prior to traveling here, you had not realized how much of the metropolitan area of this bustling city is actually located in either Maryland or Virginia. Many people who work in the District of Columbia live in a neighboring state, and that includes your host. Just 30 or 40 minutes outside the city, his home is in a quiet community of townhouses in Virginia. The advantage to this location has been your ability to easily enjoy the traditional attractions

Starting point is 00:07:01 of the capital, while still pursuing leisurely activities in the countryside, such as antique shopping or visiting farm stands. The rolling hills of the vineyards in horse country are nearby. And you have had a wonderful time seeing monuments and museums. But you have also enjoyed taking in lush summer landscapes Virginia is known for. Today, your friend has taken the day off from work. He has promised you an extra special excursion.

Starting point is 00:07:59 That will be your most relaxing yet. You are going to pack up a lunch cooler and head to our southwest, where you will spend a better part of the day, lazily floating down the Shenandoah River. On the day of your trip, you get on the road early, while the air is still a little bit cool. Departure is a simple affair. Very little preparation is needed, other than packing a delicious lunch and lots of cold drinks. You're ready for a day on the river. And that means wearing a simple t-shirt, a swimsuit, and sports sandals you can take in the water. Your friend has a small waterproof bag you can stuff the towels into, along with your wallets and cell phones.

Starting point is 00:09:26 The busy suburbs are soon behind you. Your friend turns on to a road that is populated by small cities, separated by miles of rural scenery. Here is a little white church with a steeple. There is a pasture with grazing cows and further down the road, an ice cream stand that will probably open in the afternoon. These are the sights that slide peacefully by you as you relax in the car, sipping on a travel cup full of your favorite morning drink. Now that you are no longer hung highway, you roll down

Starting point is 00:10:33 your window and let in the summer morning air. It's still mild enough for you to avoid using the air conditioning. But the forecast for your day on the river is bright, sunny and hot. As you move along, you get the feeling you are driving through a folk art calendar. Green pastures are dotted with perfectly rounded hay bales, as if they were dropped there by the gods. Tall, delicate wildflowers waved cheerfully in the breeze, set dramatically against the backdrop of the blue-widge mountains. There are long stretches of winding roads with hardly any traffic. You sometimes ride through well-preserved historic districts. They appear dignified and, and time tested with matching red brick buildings. In between those charming little town centers, you sometimes see country intersections where locals can be spotted shopping in general stores. Although houses populate the landscape only sparsely, clusters of mailboxes. Give away places where dirt roads may lead to small groups of homes out of your

Starting point is 00:12:50 site. By mid-morning, you are making your way through the town of Lure. Your friend tells you that there is a famous system of caverns here. You might want to visit on another day. Apparently, people come from far and near to walk through these subterranean wonders and view their amazing stalactites, stalagmites and mirrored pools. With a humorous side glance, he adds that there is also a great hedge maze outside. You laugh at the notion of the two of you becoming lost in it. He continues by telling you that this historic town is also near the gateway to the popular tourist attraction, Skyline Drive, which runs the length

Starting point is 00:14:10 of the Channandoa National Park. You've been traveling southwest all morning, but Lure's attorney point, where you begin heading north. Before long, you are crossing the south-four of the Shenandoah River. You find yourself on a shady road driving through Woodzee scenery. To your right, you can see the river playing peekaboo through the trees. You can tell that this is a popular area for camping. Clusters of cabins appear frequentlyoes lying on the riverbank. A few people stroll about carrying cups of coffee and wearing shorts and bathing suits. Others lounge in folding lawn chairs, enjoying a few relaxing hours before joining friends and family on the river.

Starting point is 00:15:56 It is only about 15 more minutes until you reach your destination. Your friend turns the car into a large dirt lot where you see numerous old yellow school buses parked. There are stacks of rafts and canoes on trailers behind some of them. A large log cabin-style building sits in the middle of the clearing. A few people are milling about the open front porch. Off to the left is a small covered area that oddly has a large key V inside. It seems out of place in this rustic scenery. Near that is a group of rats holding lots of different types of life jackets. You find a parking spot in the dirt lot and exit the car stretching luxuriously. After taking a moment to organize yourselves, you reach for the cooler in the back seat. Meanwhile, your friend takes the waterproof bag with the towels and your other important personal items.

Starting point is 00:17:47 It's all you will be needing for your adventure today. Together you walk around to the front of the main building and enter through the screen door on the porch. The interior is a cross between a general store, a gift shop, and a registration counter. Snacks and bottled drinks are available, as well as sunblock, insect repellent and a selection of hats. Your friend makes his way to the counter and identify you as part of the tubing route. And then, she shows you a laminated map of the route you will be taking on the river. She makes a point of indicating her favorite stopping place for a bite of lunch, saying,

Starting point is 00:19:08 there's a nice little beach here. Before you depart, she asks you for your car keys. She shows you that they keep the keys of every visitor to prevent someone losing them in the river. You think this is extremely wise, and your friend gladly hands his over. Once you have finished checking in, you are directed to the area with the TV so you can review safety information and choose a life jacket. The video is generally aimed at anyone who is taking a boat or a tube on the river. You choose a couple of orange life jackets to be yours for the day, tugging the straps to make sure they fit securely. Then you draped them over your arms until they are needed.

Starting point is 00:20:27 The woman at reception has told you to wait near the front porch for your ride to leave. Your driver will be taking you to a drop-off point and then picking you up at another meeting place when your trip down the river is over. You and your friend take a seat lot, where the buses are located. It's such a happy place. Large families arrive, ready for a special day out together. A group of women nearby appears to be friends having a getaway. They are cracking jokes and laughing freely.

Starting point is 00:21:40 Obviously, ready to make some great memories. As you rock back and forth in the swing, the true warmth of the day begins to make itself apparent. You are really looking forward to dipping your toes in the river soon. Luckily, you do not have to wait long. A very friendly man in cut off jeans and a baseball cap appears, calling out that he will be dropping off anyone who is there for tubing. A large van pulls up and you climb into the back seat, followed by the cheerful group of women friends.

Starting point is 00:22:49 Your driver pulls out onto the road and takes a ride, driving you further in the same direction you'd been traveling when you arrived, again you are going north next to the river. New campsite slide by as the van bumps along. As you go, your driver reviews the details of your trip with all the guests, explaining roughly how long you can expect to be on the river and how to spot the landmarks that will indicate the pickup point in about four hours. He tells you that you have come on a good day. There has been just the right amount of rain lately. If it had rained too much, Too much, the river would be moving faster. If it had rained too little, you would have to paddle and kick your way down the river. As it is, he expects you to have a very relaxing and lazy day in the water.

Starting point is 00:24:29 The van pulls into a clearing by the riverbank. You see a trailer there, piled high with large inner tubes. You wait patiently as the driver tosses tubes down to everyone. You and your friend get free tubes. Two of them are for each of you to float in, and the third is just for your cooler. This is such an intelligent and yet decadent arrangement that it makes you laugh. The plan for the day is so simple that there is really nothing else to do now. Other than to dawn your life jackets and push your tubes into the water. You tentatively step into the slow moving waters of the Shenandoah and find that the temperature is heavenly. It's just cool enough to feel refreshing.

Starting point is 00:26:14 With the initial toe dipping out of the way, you lean back into your tube and give the ground a little push. In seconds, your vessel has caught the gentle current and you are slowly moving toward the center of the river and downstream. You are floating backwards at first and you see your friend do the same, except he is also dragging the cooler tube. He ties it to a small handle on his inner tube and is soon drifting right behind you, with all of your tube and trail your hand in the water. The addition of just this small amount of drag makes you start to rotate very slowly. Almost imperceptibly at first, your tube turns Your friend does the same, pulling the cooler tube in his wake. Like a silky, smooth conveyor belt, the steady current of the Shenandoah River accepts Accepts you as part of itself and moves you silently downstream. It's quiet on the river as you drift along.

Starting point is 00:28:19 You have the odd sensation that you are not going anywhere at first. But you realize that's an illusion. When you look up from the river itself, you see the scenery on the banks, gliding by at a steady pace. Sometimes the current pulls you in an unexpected arc, boomeranging you smoothly around some underwater feature that change the root of the water. Looking back, you see your friend effortlessly follow in the identical path. At first you feel alert. You experiment with different ways to lie back in the inner two. Once you find the most comfortable position, you begin to trust the tube completely. You've completely... You melt into it, and accept that you are not propelling your little vessel. The river chooses your speed and your path for you. With the Shenandoah in charge, you lean your head back and watch the clouds You close your eyes and time stand still. In fact, you briefly doves off in the warm sun. You come back to reality when you hear a little splash nearby.

Starting point is 00:30:51 Looking around, you see your friend has paddled his way up to your side. He tells you a fish just jumped out of the water nearby. Your tubes are close enough to reach each other now. He opens up the lid of the cooler, offering you a cold drink. With the late morning sun shining down and the humidity rising and icy beverage sounds like an absolutely fabulous idea. You gladly take the can he offers you, and the chilly aluminum sends a little tingle through your fingertips. Hopping open the tab, you take a long sip. You think perhaps nothing has ever tasted this good? After your first few sips, you set the can in the cup holder of your inner tube and lean

Starting point is 00:32:22 your head back again. You feel like you're now full of sunshine on the inside world. The Shenandoah runs silently through this fervent corridor undisturbed. The only regular noise is the light-whushing when you occasionally hit a faster current, or a splash from a fish. You aren't familiar enough with fish species to identify your native river companions, but you have read that bass and sunfish are plentiful in this part of the Shenandoah. You chuckle to yourself as you recall the fanciful names of the sunfish, redgrass, bluegill, and your favoritekin seed.

Starting point is 00:34:05 In fact, many of the local fish sounded delightful to you. For example, the river is also home to catfish, and the amusingly named Mad Tom and Northern Hogsucker. The skies are busy as well. Sometimes you float under tree branches that extend over the river. Birds sit there in small lines watching you go by. They appear to be very social little creatures, often darting and swooping in the air in threes and foars as if having a game. Time passes easily as you relax into the scenery. And lunchtime is approaching before you know it. Just as the helpful woman at the outfitters had said, you spotted a small sandy beach up

Starting point is 00:35:33 the head. You call out to your friend and point at it. In agreement, he begins to lightly paddle his hands, steering his tube toward the shore. You will eventually reach a place so shallow that your tube stop, and there you are able to fly out. Stretching your arms and legs, you pull the cooler from its own floatation device and survey the scene. There is a flat rock nearby that seems like the perfect spot for lunch. You sit down on the stone, which your freedom from its puffy embrace. The two of you gladly set to work, eating the thick sandwiches you brought. You eat them along with long drinks from your cold bottles of water. Any sluggishness you might have been feeling is banished, and you are ready to tackle the

Starting point is 00:37:17 second half of your journey. The guide has said you would be finding some gentle rapids after this beach, so you are anticipating a bit of fun. As you push off from the sand and slip back into your inner tube. You are treated to a change of scenery. The dense, green foliage has given way to a dramatic cliff I had of you, which makes you feel like you're entering a new phase of your journey. The rock in its face is multi-colored, displaying uneven vertical stripes that range from a reddish clay to a gray stone. Where the cliff meets the river, scrubby little trees, valiantly dot the steep banks.

Starting point is 00:38:37 You offer them a silent nod of respect for making a home in such an improbable location. A majesty of this geological feature becomes more impressive as the current pulls you closer in a graceful arc. You hear increasing noise ahead in the water and realize that the bubbling rapids are ahead. Your friend proceeds you into the foaming waters and laughs loudly as his tube dips suddenly downward, sending a big splash over his arms and legs. Thanks to him, you have the advantage of seeing the dip coming. Closing your eyes, you are not surprised by the boisterous water when you get there.

Starting point is 00:39:57 Your tube makes several turns as you descend through the rapids, which occasionally treat you to a refreshing wave of water. It's as if the Shenandoah knows exactly how to cool you off in the midday sun. After the rapids, the river slows down dramatically and you drift effortlessly forward into wide calm waters. You look over and notice your friend has once again leaned his head back in an attitude of total relaxation. Turning your head to the side, you see that the clusters of trees and the dramatic cliffs have given way to the occasional modest riverfront home. You soon reach a long stretch of riverbank that appears to be a campground. Hence, and camping vehicles are parked by the river, and families are enjoying a lazy

Starting point is 00:41:39 day by the water. Some are cooking simple foods over a fire. Other people are having conversations in their lawn chairs with kids playing games nearby. Some of the children wave to you and you wave back. At the far end of this campground, you hear the man sitting under a tree, lost in his thoughts. The song feels vaguely familiar to you, although you cannot place it. The beauty of the its unhurried manner, allowing you to be one with the current. Your mind wonders as you rest lazily in your tube, and you think of how Ralph Waldo Emerson once expressed the inevitable pull of the river knows the way to the sea. Without a pilot, it runs and falls, blessing all lands with its charity. It's true, you ponder to yourself.

Starting point is 00:44:05 You are feeling like a lucky guess of the river today. As your trip continues, you occasionally paddle briefly with your hands to avoid low hanging vegetation or shallow points in the water. Your friend has drifted away from your inner tube and you occasionally wave to each other just to say hello. Both of you are beginning to watch for the landmarks. A guy told you about in the morning. Those will indicate that your pickup location is near. You both see the meeting spot at the same time. On the left side of the river, there is a large sign that says, stop here. You are able to steer yourself toward the correct end point.

Starting point is 00:45:30 Once you are close enough, you slide out of your tube and slowly make your way through the waste deep water to dry land. As promised, your guide is waiting there with a van. He raises his hand in greeting and comes to help you pull your inner tubes up to the trailer where they will be stored. You retrieve your cooler and pull the towels out of your protective bag. Then you and your friend sit on a nearby rock and dry off while the other people from your trip arrive at the meeting point and do the same. Once everyone has been accounted for, you load back into the van and are once again on the winding road to the outfitter headquarters.

Starting point is 00:46:50 Everyone seems very relaxed and happy. You are also oddly tired for people who loungeed about in an inner tube all day. You bask in the warmth of the mid-afternoon sun as the van gently bumps and rolls onward. The home of conversation in the van provides a soothing backdrop as you and your friend exchange favorite moments from the day. At one point, your driver slows to a halt, and you all wait for a glossy little box turtle to cross the road. Nobody seems to mind, and all the passengers lean back and forth to get a good look. Making sure the plucky orange and brown reptile makes it safely into the woods. Even eventually your rhymes back in the parking lot. You and your friend are the last to exit. You return your life jackets to the guide and slowly make your way into the reception area

Starting point is 00:48:40 to retrieve your keys. The woman at the desk asks you how your trip was and you respond that it was wonderful. She nods her head approvingly and helps you remove your tour bracelets. Your day on the river has officially reached a conclusion. Luckily, you still have a beautiful ride home through the countryside to enjoy. countryside to enjoy. As the shadows grow a bit longer and the golden hour approaches, you follow the road from Lurea, however. Your friend pulls the car over at the ice cream stand you passed in the morning.

Starting point is 00:49:54 It is now open for business. And you can see that it attracts visitors from miles around. People stand patiently in line. Adults are in shorts and some children are in bathing suits, enjoying a sweet treat after a day in the great outdoors. You consult the generous list of ice cream flavors and ponder which flavor you would like the best. When it is your turn at the window, you order two scoops in a dish.

Starting point is 00:50:48 Your friend hops for the chocolate mint chip. The ice cream is soon ready and you pick it up from a nearby window. Sitting at a picnic table, you enjoy small bites of the deliciously cold, creamy dessert. As you survey the rolling green fields, you are convinced the scenery is making it taste even better. The summer afternoon is warm, but there is a hint of coolness making its way into the air as the twilight approaches. When you've both finished your ice cream, you make your way back to the car and complete the last leg of your journey home.

Starting point is 00:52:03 You and your friend are both tired from your adventures, and you retire early after a light dinner on his patio. As you relax into your soft bed that night, surrounded by the coolness of your crisp white sheets, you think about your wonderful day on the river, breathing a deep sigh, you close your eyes and picture the water swirling in its mysterious patterns, moving constantly to take you downstream to far away places. You are pulled along with it into a deep, current of sleep. And as you float away, you hear the strains of a distant harmonica, drift through your dreams. Beams. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 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 00:59:30 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. ... ... ... ... ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Floating Down the Shenandoah River

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