Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Relaxing at the Victorian Seaside

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. As always, I'm your host, Thomas. Thank you for tuning in. Before I go any further tonight, I'd just like to apologize if you can hear a difference in my voice. I've had a pretty nasty cold this week, and it's still not completely cleared, but hopefully by the time you're actually hearing this, I'll be right as rain again. So please just bear with me for this week.

Starting point is 00:00:40 Soon, I'll be making way for Simon, as we board a train and travel back to 19th century England, taking in the sights and sounds of a typically English seaside, joining the first wave of holiday makers to do just that. It's a charming story written by Joe. I'm delighted to say that tonight's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. It's so easy to get caught up in what everyone else needs from you, and never take a moment to think about what you need from yourself. Therapy can give you the tools to find more balance in your life, so you can keep supporting others without leaving yourself behind.

Starting point is 00:01:31 Giving yourself a space to work on you and offload a emotional baggage in therapy is already a great step in restoring that balance, and it's something I've definitely benefited from myself. So if you're thinking of starting therapy, give Better Help a try. Better Help takes out a lot of the difficulty of figuring out who's the right therapist for you. You just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and you can switch therapists any time for no additional charge. Find more balance in your life with better help. Visit betterhelp.com slash get sleepy to get

Starting point is 00:02:14 10% off your first month. That's better help help.com slash get sleepy. It's nearly time to begin our story. But first, let's take a few moments to prepare ourselves for this trip. Snuggle into whatever position feels most comfortable for you. And allow your eyes to gently close. Take your attention to your mind with a sense of curiosity, almost as if you are watching through a window with a natural detachment as you look upon your thoughts through the glass panes. You can simply notice your thoughts without any judgement. Maybe you can see a number of them drifting by, or maybe there's not too much going on at all. Either way, maintain this detachment, this observational stance, rather than feeling consumed by them. Now focusing on your own body.

Starting point is 00:04:08 Scan downwards from your head to your toes. Still with the attitude of a curious bystander. Observe the feelings and sensations present in your body without any judgment. simply observing. And lastly, let's come to the breath and find the natural patterns that are already at work. Follow your breath place of relaxation and observation, peace and tranquility while we turn to our story. And you may carry these feelings with you if you wish, as you picture yourself boarding the first-class carriage of a modern train and taking a seat beside a window. This is where our story begins. The train carriage is relatively quiet today, so you're able to enjoy a four person table entirely to yourself.

Starting point is 00:06:50 You place your bag onto the empty seat beside you and settle down into the velvety fabric of the window seat. Then you gaze out of the window, observing the people on the platform as they stand waiting for the next train to arrive. For the most part, these are the regular morning commuters, recognisable by their confident strides and business like a tyre. Many appear to be in a hurry, you notice, tapping their feet on the platform or checking the time on their wristwatches.

Starting point is 00:07:31 One of these commuters stands out from the crowd, a woman dressed in a smart, teal-culled suit. Like so many of the commuters, she holds a paper coffee cup in her hand, which bears the name of the station cafe. Only unlike most people who drink rather absent-mindedly or chat to other commuters they know, this woman seems to savor every sip. You watch as she brings the cup towards her mouth and then holds it for a moment under her nose, smelling the bright aroma.

Starting point is 00:08:13 And then she takes a sip of the hot coffee and closes her eyes for just a moment, subtly tilting her head back. As she opens her eyes again, she smiles easily. It's an expression of pure contentment. Though the other travelers pay her little attention, you find yourself somewhat mesmerized by this woman and the sense of calm she seems to radiate. It's as if a bubble surrounds her, filled with sky blue tranquility, separating her entirely from the noise and busyness of her surroundings.

Starting point is 00:09:00 Simply observing her is soothing to you, and you feel yourself unwinding in your seat. By the time the conductor whistles to signal your departure and the rumble of the train grows stronger beneath your feet, you feel as relaxed and peaceful as you've ever felt. The woman's smile is the last thing you see as your train exits the station. Minutes later, an attendant passes by with a coffee cart. He offers you a cup of freshly ground coffee. With grateful thanks, you accept the cup and hold it beneath your nose just as the woman did, taking in its smoky, earthy scent.

Starting point is 00:09:54 And again, mirroring the actions of the tranquil stranger, you drink, closing your eyes for just a moment as your senses luxuriate in the richness of the coffee. Each sip brings a sense of lightness and care-free ease. When your cup is empty, you settle back into your chair and look out the rectangular window. into your chair and look out the rectangular window. The day is beautiful, nothing but blue skies and bright golden sunshine. It's the kind of weather that elevates everything it touches, from the aged stone of solitary farmhouses and bridges crossing tiny streams to the cloud-like coats of the little sheep, munching grass. On any other day, the hills and fields that the train now passes might well be described as a flat green. But today they are transformed into a vibrant patchwork of olive, lime and

Starting point is 00:11:09 jade bathed in a stream of sparkling golden light. It's the perfect day for a leisurely trip to the English seaside. You couldn't have picked a better time to go. You've been planning this sojourn for some time now, reading up on the place's attractions in a guidebook, detailing the local area. When the attendant stops by to refill your cup, with more of that delicious warm coffee, you decide to take it out of your bag, eager to learn more.

Starting point is 00:11:53 But as you lift up the book, something rectangular falls out and flutters down onto the ground. You lean over to pick it up and find that it's a postcard that had probably gotten stuck between the book's pages. The colour print is of the seaside you're travelling to today. But looking at it more closely, you realise the image shows a time long ago. You sip on your coffee, examining the details of this altogether charming scene. In the background, distant figures stroll across a long pier, below a sky peppered with sea gals. In the foreground, is a golden beach crowded with couples, friends and families enjoying themselves in their own special ways.

Starting point is 00:12:55 Just as you might see today, children build sandcastles upon the shore as parents lounge on deck chairs casting their eyes out to sea. However, unlike most beach goers today, everyone here is fully clothed. From the ladies in ample gowns and frilly bonnets, to the gentleman in suits and top hats. Rose of wooden chalets raised up on wheels stand at the shoreline. These you recognise to be Victorian bathing machines meant to be pulled out to sea by a horse and driver, allowing people to preserve their modesty during a dip in the ocean. Based on the details, you'd guess the image on the postcard to be showing the mid-1800s. After all, it was then that the notion of taking a holiday or vacation was first popularised. And ordinary people, rather than only the most privileged, began flocking to the seaside.

Starting point is 00:14:13 How exciting it must have been to live in the age when the holiday first came about. To find yourself suddenly able to catch a train and head to the coast, enjoying a week or so of leisurely entertainment and seabaving. To swim in the sea, having never done so before, or to stroll leisurely along the pier. What an experience that must have been. What an experience that must have been. You ponder this for some time, closing your eyes as you picture the world-rest Victorians wandering about the sunny seaside resort, their eyes are gog at the sights around them. Until at last you open your eyes to feel the train slowing beneath you.

Starting point is 00:15:11 Through the window you glimpse the sea upon the horizon only for a moment, before your view is obscured behind the old stone station that your train is pulling into. The sight of it thrills you. At last, you've arrived. And so, with a spring in your step, you collect your bag and begin making your way towards the doors at the end of the carriage. As you do, you catch sight of something rather curious. The young couple just ahead of you, also moving towards the train doors, are dressed in rather peculiar clothing. The lady wears a dress, covered by a long, elegant coat of grey with cream embroidery.

Starting point is 00:16:09 In her gloved hand, she holds a parasol. Its thin, pine handle attached to an umbrella of white lace. On her head, she wears a silk bonnet, tied with a cream-colored ribbon below the chin. The bonnet is striking in color, a vivid shade of teal, reminiscent of the suit worn by the tranquil businesswoman upon the train platform. Beside her, the man is equally traditional. He wears a white shirt and cream coloured waistcoat, with light grey trousers and a matching top hat and tailcoat. There are very handsome couple, and a little merrier in demeanor than one might presume,

Starting point is 00:17:04 given their formal attire. You find yourself intrigued. It could be that there's a historical reenactment organized for today, or some kind of event requiring participants to dress in such clothing. But surely, you would have found word of this in your research. A thought comes to you now, that you might follow them from the train and have your questions answered. And why not? When you have no deadline to meet. Today is your day for exploring at leisure.

Starting point is 00:17:49 And so you find yourself able to do exactly that. Keeping a few paces behind them, you follow their steps as they disembark onto the station platform, hypnotized by their long and graceful strides. platform hypnotized by their long and graceful strides. Just as they're dressed like people from another time, they move as such also, with their arms linked together, taking long strides in perfect unison with one another. When they encounter another person along their path, the man dips his top hat ever so slightly towards them, whilst the lady performs the most subtle of curtsies beneath her lace parasol.

Starting point is 00:18:37 Behind them, your own footsteps feel light and easy, and your arms swing loosely beside you. The bright warm sunshine tickles your skin, cooled to the perfect temperature by the luscious sea breeze. With each step forwards, you're rewarded with various coastal sounds, waves crashing, children playing and sea-gulls calling. These sounds grow louder and more varied as you walk. And meditating on these sounds, it's as if you're being pulled towards something by an invisible thread.

Starting point is 00:19:29 Had you not felt quite so much as though you were in a trance, you might have been more aware of your surroundings. You might have noticed the other people you encountered upon the journey, just as uncommon in style and manners as the pair you follow. Like the newspaper boy, selling broadsheets displaying headlines almost two centuries out of date, though perfectly in keeping with the year printed upon them, 1849. As it is, you remain blissfully unaware, until you arrive at the beach. From the high up railings of the promenade, a gust of salty air catches you off guard. You inhale a deep, long breath of that brisk sea air.

Starting point is 00:20:25 breath of that brisk sea air. Then upon the exhale, you feel as if you're woken from a trance. And you begin to look around you with fresh and curious eyes. In front of you is the sea, its waves glistening with sunlight. The water moves with ballerina-like grace, forming ripples and wrinkles, and waves that roll so beautifully before foaming upon the golden shore. Truly it's even more beautiful than you had imagined. Surely, this is what you felt pulled towards. You stand here for some minutes, staring out at the sea, until curiosity forces you to turn around in search of the couple you followed. Scanning up and down the wide promenade, you'd expect the pair to stand out, seeing as

Starting point is 00:21:34 they're dressed as a Victorian lady in gentlemen. But in fact, they don't, because the promenade is positively teaming with top hats, jacks and hats, sponets and parasols. Everywhere you look, there are men, women and children of every age, each sporting the summer fashions of the 1800s. And just as you'd observed with the couple from the train, they don't just look the part, but they act the part too. Rarely have you seen people so poised with backstreet, chins in the air, taking only the deitiest of steps.

Starting point is 00:22:25 That's not to say that they're stuffy, however. Though their appearance is certainly conventional, the expressions reveal the same kind of easy relaxation that the beachfront might evoke today. Wide smiles beam out from below bonnets and top hats, whilst eyes look about them in awe and wonder. How utterly curious this is. After all, you've seen no signs or posters announcing a history themed event or fancy dress day. Nor would we imagine that such an event would be possible on this kind of scale. What's more is that it isn't only the people that seem otherworldly, it's everything.

Starting point is 00:23:22 It's the wooden stalls along the walkway, displaying canopies of red and white stripes, above offerings of seafood, confectionery and souvenirs. And the wooden poster stands dotted all around advertising theatre shows and boat rides in a range of vintage fonts and colours. Furthermore, it's the smooth, wide road running to your left, where horse-drawn carriages transport countless happy passengers against a backdrop of tall, elegant buildings. There's no denying that you're at the seaside, but it's not the kind of modern times. This is the seaside of the past, dream like and beguiling.

Starting point is 00:24:19 It's this that you're pondering when a flash of colour captures your interest. A silk bonnet, tealing colour, adorned by a cream coloured ribbon. It's the lady from the train, only meters from where you stand, her gloved hands resting upon the railings of the promenade. She looks out to sea with a face of sheer contentment, closing her eyes and dipping her head back as she visibly takes in that healing sea air. Like the businesswoman on the train platform, this elegant lady seems to exude an inner stillness. And again, it's as if she's separated from the crowds by a sky blue bubble of deep calm tranquility. She turns to you now and looks right into your eyes, smiling a most charming smile.

Starting point is 00:25:28 smiling, a most charming smile. She tilts her head slightly nodding towards the promenade and then back to you as if offering to lead the way. Then she turns away from the railings and with the gentleman beside her begins strolling along the path. Paces behind her, you follow on, utterly awash in feelings of curiosity and contentment. A touch of magic hangs upon the air. And you muse, that your own expression might mirror that of the awe-struck Victorians who take in the sights around you. In every direction there are things that capture the imagination.

Starting point is 00:26:18 Upon the beach to your right, donkeys are being led across the sand with giddy children upon their saddles. Parents look on adoringly as the children laugh with open mouths. The voice of one young boy reaches you upon the promenade full of wonder, I'm riding a horse," he says, much to the amusement of the adults around him. You track the boy's movements as he travels along the beach until he's turned around at a stationary robot. This particular section of coastline you notice is sprinkled with many wooden robots. Some lined up in neat rows along the sand and others already out at sea.

Starting point is 00:27:09 One boat catches your eye halfway out from shore with salt water lapping against its sides. A trio of elderly ladies climb aboard, outstretching their elegant, gloved hands to the mariner who helps them. They lift their long dresses and inch from the floor, keen to prevent them from trailing in the water, and then sit down upon the seats, making efforts to unruffle their gowns. There are handsome group, these ladies, a picture of high society refinement. Even so, they can't help but giggle and grin as the boat is nudged out to sea. And then, as the Orsmen jumps aboard and begins rowing, their postures start to relax.

Starting point is 00:28:06 They must be enjoying themselves, because barely minutes later, their faces glow with childlike joy, made much younger than their actual years upon the endless indigo waves. Of course, the Victorians were great believers in the curative powers of both water and sea air. And you consider now that this isn't so surprising, given that the benefits are as obvious as this. Onwards you stroll, turning your attention away from the coastline towards the promenade itself. It's now that you notice that the couple ahead of you have stopped. There stood watching something alongside many other people, or facing the same direction. The woman motions for you to join them.

Starting point is 00:29:12 You find a space and quickly see the bright colours of a painted wooden booth. Its tall wooden base is decorated with thick lines of red and white, like the canopies of the vendors scattered all about the seafront. At its top, a window is framed by panels, decorated to resemble the curtains of a grand theatre house. And inside the window, the ruby red velvet of actual curtains hang closed, completing the impression of a miniature theatre house. In front of the booth, a man stands, announcing to the crowd that they're about to witness a performance of the most comedic kind. Then, with the whistle of the pen pipes held in his hands,

Starting point is 00:30:08 the curtains open and the play begins. The hand puppets appear, the mischievous and clownish Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. They frolic about the tiny wooden stage as Judy attempts to ridicule her husband for his latest clownish shenanigans. This quickly devolves into a domestic spat of the most wacky and amusing kind. In truth, the humour is a little slapstick for your own modern tastes, though to the most the adult audience, it seems wholly entertaining. Their reactions, in fact, are as captivating

Starting point is 00:30:57 to you as the performance itself. They watch, mesmerized, gasping and laughing in all the right places, and even shouting towards the characters at the behest of the man who introduced them. Finally, they erupt into applause, placing coins into the man's upturned hat before going on their way. This includes the handsome couple who donate to handful of coins before walking on arm in arm. Once again you follow walking in the direction of the pier your steps slow and graceful. The buildings on your left, you notice, are much grander here than the ones behind you. Judging by their size and gardens,

Starting point is 00:31:53 you'd wager that they're mostly hotels for those staying along the seafront. One particular building catches your eye, palatial in stature, though not overly elaborate in detail. Marked on either side by huge blossoming trees, it stands ten stories high and is built with sandstone. Its golden façade glitters in the sunlight, home to myriad windows looking out to sea.

Starting point is 00:32:27 It's a beautiful building, bearing all the hallmarks of a grand Victorian hotel, though it's as well kept in appearance as if it were opened this very week. Indeed, you might have called this one of the grandest buildings you'd ever seen if you hadn't next approached the pier. What a sight this is! Its thousand-foot-long jetty raised high above the water, allowing one to walk right out over the sea. Its wooden planks and railings are a dazzling shade of white, so bright in fact that you'd

Starting point is 00:33:10 think it was painted only yesterday. At the end of the attractive pier there's a massive entertainment complex. Made up of a magnificent ground hall with a sloping grey slate roof, it's flanked by domed pavilions at each of the four corners. Its high walls are painted a fresh light green, whilst its accents are a rosy pink, making it the striking in colour as it is in size. Most handsome of all is the section of roof for the centre of the hall, cut away to reveal a huge domed ceiling made entirely of glass.

Starting point is 00:34:01 Ego to see inside, you follow the couple onto the white wooden slats of the outstretched pier. It's a novelty, not lost on you, the ability to walk far out above the sea without feeling even a drop of water upon your skin. The air is just wonderful out here, and it carries the sense of many different foods sold along the pier, arousing your appetite along the way. The same thought must have occurred to the couple in front, because they pours at a booth advertising penny-licks.

Starting point is 00:34:41 Ice cream sold in small glasses. Charging by their reactions, you'd wager that this is a rare treat, if not something that they've never had before. And in fact, you remember that prior to this and the advent of other seaside delicacies, social etiquette had generally forbidden the eating of food outdoors. No wonder they look so impressed as the ice cream swirls out of its machine straight into the glasses. And even more so as they eat. Seeing their delight, you're persuaded to purchase an ice cream yourself. Looking down, you notice a penny resting on the white floorboards near your feet.

Starting point is 00:35:36 It's meant to be, you decide, picking up the coin and handing it over to the friendly ice cream man who begins to prepare your treat. Perhaps it's due to this lucky find that you feel grateful beyond words as you walk above the sea enjoying that luxurious vanilla ice cream. Eventually, having walked the length of the platform, you find yourself at the entrance to the magnificent Victorian complex. As expected, the interior is just as intriguing as the exterior. Its various rooms are painted that same exquisite combination of green and pink. You begin to explore now, wandering through a saloon-style room where men stand and drink

Starting point is 00:36:35 at a long mahogany bar. Then there's the cafe, so elegant in decor and crowded full of patrons. They sit chatting around stylish round tables, nibbling politely on cream cakes and pastries and sipping gleefully from porcelain tea cups. There's a fortune teller too and a palm reader elsewhere, appealing to the Victorians' love of mystery and superstition. Though you don't go inside, you note the expressions of befuddled wonder as customers exit through purple curtains.

Starting point is 00:37:21 Some are practically falling over themselves, so thrilled to have learnt the secrets of their future and just as eager to share them with their closest confidence. It's here that you stand when once again that teal bonnet catches your eye. Pivoting on the spot you follow the familiar figures, noting the lively music that grows louder with each step. Moments later you find yourself at the centre of the main hall, where the remarkable glass ceiling shines a spotlight on a brass band below. Its members play upon the stage of a bright white pavilion dressed in nautically themed outfits of blue and white. Their clothes are immaculate and their pieces well-practiced.

Starting point is 00:38:27 The music is so moving that it stirs emotion steep within you. You feel as if you're floating, lifted upon the melodies beneath this remarkable glass dome. What a sight this is to behold. Not only the window itself, but the effect it produces. Filtering sunlight throughout the massive room and illuminating the stage so beautifully. In the hands of the band members directly below the window, the metallic instruments glow and glitter, looking more like treasure than cornets and trombones. Like the Victorians seated opposite the pavilion on hundreds of chairs laid out in perfectly neat rows, you find yourself lost in the magic of the moment.

Starting point is 00:39:34 Once again, the audience reactions are as fascinating as the performance. The people here appear so peaceful, yet energized, and so fantastically appreciative of what they are experiencing. It occurs to you that many of these people might never have been in such a situation before. Of all the things that we take for granted in today's modern world, the people here might never before have caught a train or seen the sea or taken a holiday in pursuit of only pleasure. So to find themselves in a place like this, watching such a performance must really be a moment like no other.

Starting point is 00:40:35 How incredible the world must feel to them when all around, things that were only recently thought impossible are actually coming to be. Amongst the audience, wearing expressions of Glee, are the lady and gentleman from the train. They look so very comfortable and so utterly content. She looks at you now and ever so gently nods her head at you. Her eyes frit towards your jacket pocket before returning to meet your gaze, and her smile seems knowing as if she's willing you to remember something. Intrigued, you rummage in your pocket, pulling out the postcard you first saw on the train, and there, to a soundtrack of rich, harmonious notes, the realization strikes you. The seaside town that you visited today is into the picture and into the past.

Starting point is 00:42:10 Looking back to the lady in her fine, teal coloured bonnet, you smile a bright and beaming smile. You tip your own head gently, offering silent thanks for guiding you through this wonderful place. Then you turn on the spot and wander out of the building. Clutching the postcard in your hand, you know just what to do and where to go. And in no time at all, you've walked back along the pier, partway down the promenade, and taken the steps that lead out to the sand. The beach is wonderful. With its perfect golden sand scattered with deck chairs in various nautical shades, you

Starting point is 00:43:14 head to one, sitting down on its red and white striped cushion and placing your bag beside you. You pull off your shoes, resting your bare feet on the soft, cool sand. Then you lift the postcard to eye level, comparing it now to the scene around you. Just as you'd thought, everything is as pictured. As if the artist sketched the scene from this very chair at this precise moment. The sky is the same shade of watercolor blue, the sand, a golden yellow and the pier in the background that same brilliant white. Around you on the beach, happy holiday makers enjoy the coastline dressed in floor-length gowns and tailored suits. Parents relax into dectures, whilst children build sandcastles at their feet. And ahead of you, in the water, ladies clamber out of their Victorian bathing machines,

Starting point is 00:44:46 stepping cautiously in their full-length swimwear before luring themselves into the water. They erupt into laughter, as for the very first time they swim together in the sea. Their laughter is contagious, and you find yourself chuckling along with them, feeling as carefree and light-headed as if you were swimming yourself. swimming yourself. Indeed, you are swimming in a way, in the feelings of gratitude that today has evoked. There's a sense that anything is possible and that everything is magical no matter how ordinary it might seem to us today. You cast your mind back over the day, recalling the reactions of the people along your journey. The young boy who mistook his donkey for a horse, and those prim and proper ladies, so childlike in their robot. The others too, so captivated by the puppets and the palm reader and that wonderful brass band,

Starting point is 00:46:18 performing below a glass dome. Rest in your eyes now as you lean back in the chair, you recall the taste of thick vanilla ice cream and the joy of eating it along the pier. Then your mind returns to the present, as you enjoy the blissful sensation of your toes curling into the sand as the sun warms your skin. And the way your body is becoming loose and heavy upon your seat. And the feeling of that magical sea air surrounding you. And then, with Besides spread out before you, you fall into a wonderful slumber. you you ... 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.

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Starting point is 00:50:08 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 00:50:24 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. you 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. you you you you 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 - Relaxing at the Victorian Seaside

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