Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Night of the Full Moon (Encore)

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Starting point is 00:01:59 our all-time favourites for the month of October. It was written by Shady, our headwriter and editor, and narrated by me. It's one we've actually had a number of requests to return to for a follow-up over the years. And hopefully someday we can do just that. But for now, I hope you enjoy revisiting this tale that very much holds that hallowly Halloween spirit, originally released in October of 2021. I'll hand over to my younger self to give you a short synopsis and then help you settle down for sleep. Tonight, we'll drive deep into the woods to a cozy bed and breakfast, but this is no ordinary place to stay. It's Lunar Lodge,

Starting point is 00:03:03 whose owner happens to be gone on the night of the full moon. You'll find there's no safer place to be than tucked away in your soft bed in room two on the second floor. With its strange purple flowers and silver furniture, you'll sleep soundly tonight, even as changes are happening outside. So, nestle down into bed, making sure you're nice and comfortable.

Starting point is 00:03:49 Then, close your eyes and relax into your pillow. I'd like you to think about the season of autumn. It's a time of change when the world transforms from warm to cool, branches shed their leaves, taking off their bright green cloak of summer, turning bare in preparation for the winter months. Autumn is a season of transition, of shifting and transfiguration in the spirit of the season. I'd like you to think of something you want to change this autumn. It can be anything, no matter how big or small.

Starting point is 00:04:56 Know that it's possible for you to accomplish this goal. Whatever you put your mind towards changing, I believe you can do it. Keep that in mind as we begin our story tonight. On a night of transformation, just beyond the walls. of Lunar Lodge. The car tires crunch as you make your way down the loose gravel drive. You turned off the highway several minutes ago and are now being carried deep into the forest along this secluded lane. You're heading to a quiet bed and breakfast that promised to be off the beaten track. And so far, it seems to be living up to its descriptions.

Starting point is 00:06:22 Tall trees arch over the car, forming an intertwined web of branches that obscures your view of the sky. Every so often you spot a dark cloud passing overhead and watch until it drifts behind a thick trunk and out of sight. The road turns unpredictably, weaving in and out of the trees. You're never able to see more than a few dozen feet ahead of you at a time, before it twists away, leading even deeper into the woods. The directions say you should stay on this gravel track for several miles. So you cruise along slowly and carefully. You're in no hurry to get there.

Starting point is 00:07:34 arrive when you can, and not a moment sooner. Through the glass, you can see there's a light wind outside. You roll down the window, letting in some fresh air. As soon as it's open just a sliver, a cool, crisp breeze flows into the car. It brings with it the scent of damp leaves and pine needles, moss and oak. You relish the feeling of the air on your cheeks and smile as you navigate down the lonesome road. This is just what you were hoping for. A cozy spot tucked away in nature to relax and restore your mind and spirit. The road curves to the left and then drifts to the right, before leading you to a narrow gravel parking area in front of a humble bed and breakfast. With your first look at your home away from home, you like what you see.

Starting point is 00:09:06 The exterior is made of stacked, split logs, like a classic log cabin. It's two stories tall with checkered curtains. in every window. Two large, bushy trees, heavy with clusters of tiny red berries, loom over it on either side. And a short fence encloses a pretty garden in the back. Above the midnight blue door is a hand-painted sign. It shows the silhouette of a wolf, howling at a large, glowing moon, hanging low in the sky. And it bears the name, Lunar Lodge. Lunar Lodge, you whisper to yourself, feeling the way the words play on your tongue. It's a pretty name, romantic even. You imagine you'll feel quite at home here for the next few days. Beside the door is a round.

Starting point is 00:10:30 button for the bell. You press it gently and hear a faint ringing sound echo within. You wait for a few moments, but there's no answer. So you try the bell a second time. All is quiet in Lunar Lodge, taking a step back. You look around to see if there's a sign. Perhaps you can call the owner to let you in. Just then, you notice a thin envelope resting against the bottom of the doorframe with your name on it. You pick it up and use your finger to slide open the flap. Inside is a note written in an elegant, sloping hand. Welcome to Luna Lodge, it reads. You'll find the key under the mat. Please come inside and make yourself at home. My apologies for not being here to greet you in person. I hope to meet you in the morning. It's signed by the owner. You notice a hastily scribbled

Starting point is 00:12:04 post script at the bottom. P.S. the note continues. It might be best to keep to your room tonight. I hope you'll find it cozy and to your liking. How strange you think to yourself. But looking up at the sky, you see heavy storm clouds drifting past. Perhaps it's predicted to rain tonight, and he wants to make sure you'll be safe and dry. You appreciate the owner's thoughtfulness and give him a word of thanks in your mind.

Starting point is 00:12:51 before retrieving the key. It's right where he promised it would be, under the mat. You slide it into the lock and turn the knob. The door opens into a cozy little parlour that doubles as a breakfast nook. Right across from the entrance is a desk with a handful of pamphlets.

Starting point is 00:13:25 You idly flip through them. There's a guide to local flora and fauna, a page of recommended nature walks, and a tattered almanac that lists the sunrise and sunset times for the year, along with the moon phases every month. There's also a second envelope addressed to you. Inside is a metal key attached to a plastic key chain, with the room number stamped on it. It looks like you'll be staying in room two on the second floor. You slip the key into your pocket and continue surveying the entryway. To the right is a modest grouping of wooden tables and chairs. They all look as though they've been roughly carved by hand and polished.

Starting point is 00:14:35 The heady scent of pine and sandalwood fills the air, making you think of wintry evenings in a hidden forest. The ceiling here is low. While you don't have to bend down, you sense the presence of it not too far above your head. but rather than feeling cramped, it makes the room seem quaint and welcoming. Like someone's living room, this is the kind of place that makes you think of home. But now, it seems as though you're the only guest, that's fine by you, as it will give you a bit more space and privacy to relax, which is just what you need.

Starting point is 00:15:36 You're looking forward to having a few days without the pressing demands of everyday life. No deadlines, no work, nothing to do but enjoy a cup of hot tea and a good book by the fireplace. With a smile, you carry your bag over to the carpeted stairs and begin to climb. Every other step seems to creak with the weight, but your footfalls are padded by the thick, emerald green carpet. The interior of the lodge looks like something from another age. It's as though it's been frozen in time, tucked away in the forest, removed from the influence of passing years. The wood-panelled walls reflect the sounds of your shoes on the floor

Starting point is 00:16:48 and the rustling of your bag against your body. Paired with the carpet, it makes the environment feel close and secure. Like someone's private home, you reach the second floor landing and glance around until your eyes settle on room number two. There's a charming bundle of purple flowers hanging on the door. You've never seen this type of bloom made into such a decoration before. Violet coloured blossoms hang like hoods in a column off a central stem. The leaves of a spindly, fern-like plant are nestled into the gaps,

Starting point is 00:17:48 filling out the space between. It really is a beautiful display, you think. A lovely personal touch from the thoughtful owner of Lunar Lodge. You pull out the key from your pocket and go to insert it in the lock. When something unusual catches your eye, the lock and the doorknob are a gleaming, brushed silver colour. but all the other doors down the hall have standard brass knobs which are much older by the look of it perhaps your door was being tricky and needed new hardware you muse either way the key fits you open the sturdy door walk inside your room and let it shut gently behind you you've been placed

Starting point is 00:18:58 in a suite, it seems. From the entryway, you have the choice of going straight ahead or to the right. Ahead is a pleasant seating area, complete with overstuffed couches, an armchair, and a small fireplace. To the right is an open doorway leading to the bedroom, where an enormous bed, as soft as clouds, is waiting for you. On the bedside table, and again on the coffee table by the couches, sits a vase filled with the same bluish-purple flowers. They vaguely remind you of Lupin, the way the blossoms climb the stem. But they aren't quite the same.

Starting point is 00:20:00 They stand in contrast to the heavy-looking furniture. The coffee table appears to be made of wrought iron, with a gleaming silver top, turning around to look at the room from a different perspective. You notice a bundle of leaves hanging above the door. Moving closer, you see it's a bunch of mistletoe, dangling upside down, Its stems tied together with silver ribbon, delicate white berries dot the bright green leaves like snowflakes. What a strange decoration for a room in autumn, you think. But still, you like how it adds a splash of colour to the entryway.

Starting point is 00:21:04 So you decide to leave it there. You set your bag down near the door. planning to unpack it later on. You'd like to do a bit of exploring first. From your bag, you get your jacket, hat and scarf in case you decide to go outside. You imagine it's probably quite chilly at night here in the forest. With your key in your pocket and a last glance around the room,

Starting point is 00:21:47 You head out into the hallway, rather than going straight back to the landing and down the stairs. You decide to have a look around on the second floor, a handful of other rooms line the hall, but none of them are in use at the moment, like other bed and breakfasts you've stayed at before. This one has a few aesthetic touches that hint at the owner's. personality. It's kept clean and neat, despite being an old building. A waist-high glass table stands at the end of the hall, holding a bunch of the same purple flowers and lacy green leaves. And along the upper edge of the wall, above the tops of the door frames, is a wallpaper border. On it is a repeat, heating pattern, the silhouette of a wolf howling at a bright, full moon. It matches the sign

Starting point is 00:23:11 on the front of the building, you realize. It seems to be an appropriate image for a lodge tucked away in the woods. Turning back towards the stairs, you make your way down to the first floor, but instead of going into the breakfast nook, you walk around the back of the stairs into a large sitting room. You imagine that this is where guests can come and relax together on an evening like this one. Playing board games, drinking tea, or simply gazing at a crackling fire in the fireplace. As you're the only guest and the owner of is away for the night, the fireplace is dark. It would be quite pretty, you think, with the flames reflecting off the cranberry red walls and emerald carpet. Above the fireplace is a solid

Starting point is 00:24:30 wood mantelpiece. In the centre, you find a bouquet of the same purple flowers in a glass vase. It's nestled between two bunches of mistletoe and an array of the lacy leaves. Above the mantle is a wide painting hanging on the wall. But instead of being a family portrait or a tranquil landscape, this is an oil painting of a bright, full moon, hanging low above the same kind of tree that stands outside the lodge. You wonder if the owner is a botanist, or otherwise fascinated by flowers, plants, and trees. As you're about to step back from the fireplace, you notice something on the floor.

Starting point is 00:25:38 Bending down, you see that it's a tuft of dark, grey-black, fur. The owner didn't mention having a dog. Perhaps it just visited for a time, you think. Standing up, you return to the front desk. You remember seeing a pamphlet on local flora and fauna, and you'd like to check and see if it has the name of the purple flowers in it. It doesn't take you long to locate the folded informational booklet on the desk. Opening it, you trace your fingertip down the page, scanning for any mention of flowers and leaves. Not finding anything of use, you flip it over to check the other side. There, just along the fold is a picture of the purple flowers, it's labelled aconitum, commonly known as monkshood blue rocket, or wolfsbane,

Starting point is 00:27:09 how curious you think to yourself. You've heard of the plant before, but never seen it kept inside like this. You scan the rest of the page, searching for the leafy plant mixed in with the wolf's bane on the door and in the vase. But there isn't anything resembling it to be found here. You set aside the pamphlet and walk into the breakfast nook. There, on the back wall, is a bookshelf filled with old-looking books. Some are leather-bound, while others have tattered fabric bindings. Scanning the shelves, you soon find that your intuition was right. There's a volume dedicated to local plant law. Its weathered green cover has seen better days. But all the pages seem to be intact. You open the book, inhaling deeply the comforting scent

Starting point is 00:28:35 of musty, old pages, turning them one by one. You soon come to the section you're looking for. About a quarter of the way through, you find an image of the leafy plant. It's labelled Artemisia, or common wormwood. Further down the page is a sketch of mistletoe hanging in a bundle. and of a mountain ash tree, also known as Rowan, with its clusters of red berries standing beside a house. Below that, where the section on law about the users of these plants is supposed to be, the page is torn, the bottom half is missing. Only a tattered edge of old paper remaining. With a sigh, you place the book on the shelf.

Starting point is 00:29:51 You'll have to look it up elsewhere once you're back in town. Just then, you feel a yawn rising up through your chest. You stretch your arms out and blink slowly. It's nearing bedtime. And you're quite tired, especially after a long day of driving. but before heading off to sleep, there's one more thing you'd like to do. You recall seeing a garden behind the lodge. Even if it's just for a few minutes, you'd like to step outside, get some fresh air,

Starting point is 00:30:41 and walk around a bit before climbing into bed. You're happy you remembered to bring your jacket, scarf and hat. Putting them on, you open the front door of Lunar Lodge and step out into the brisk night air. The sky overhead is dark and overcast. Stars twinkle brightly between the tree branches whenever there's a gap in the thin, wispy clouds. Taking a deep breath, you feel the cool air enter your lungs. lungs. When you breathe out, it condenses into the slightest hint of fog. You imagine the first frost must be coming soon to this part of the forest. With your gloved hands in your pockets for warmth,

Starting point is 00:31:55 you walk around the side of the lodge until you reach the gate. It only stands at about knee height and is more ornamental than anything. You lift the latch and step inside the garden. This place must have been beautiful in summer. You can see traces of leafy bushes and tangled vines. But now, all that remains are the bare tendrils and stems of autumn, as the plants prepare for the winter months. You've come here during a time of change and trams.

Starting point is 00:32:47 transformation, you see. Pine trees rustle around you, as if in agreement, and then you notice a shift in the light. The garden has been shrouded in darkness beneath the overcast sky, but now it's illuminated in shades of silver and gold, looking up. You see the clouds have parted. revealing an enormous full moon, hanging low and heavy in the sky, as the final wisp of cloud drifts away from its edge. A long, echoing call sounds through the woods. It's a howl, unlike any you've ever heard before. The sound of it prickles your skin, making the hairs on your arm stand on end.

Starting point is 00:34:09 For some reason, at this moment, you recall the scribbled words at the bottom of the lodge owner's note. It might be best to keep to your room tonight. You aren't sure why, but you feel as though some part of you understands his meaning now, without a second glance at the woods. You turn and make your way back inside Lunar Lodge. You walk around the desk and up the carpeted stairs to the second floor landing. Fishing the key out of your pocket, you insert it into the silver lock.

Starting point is 00:35:04 and then turn the silver doornop. The heavy door closes securely behind you. All around your room, you see the purple flowers, wolf spain, in their vases. Here in the comfort of your own space, you feel your body start to relax. Your mind clears, like the parting clouds in the sky.

Starting point is 00:35:43 sky. You take off your jacket and scarf and put on a pair of soft pajamas. Then you turn off the lights and climb into the large, fluffy bed. It's situated against a wall with a window right above it, looking out through the glass. You can see the stars twinkling overhead. The wind rustles the trees, which cast long shadows on your window. You yawn and close your eyes, and then you drift off to sleep and dream of transformations, purple flowers, tufts of fur, and the glow of the full moon, in a dark night sky.

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Night of the Full Moon (Encore)

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