Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Serenity in Luang Prabang

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name is Thomas, it's lovely to have your company. Tonight we'll journey to the heart of an ancient capital in Laos, Luang Prabang. This city in the southeast Asia is a spiritual sanctuary hidden among lush mountains and flowing rivers. And a big thank you goes to Donna for writing this story, her first on the podcast. Before we get there though, I'd like to thank our friends at Canva for sponsoring tonight's episode.

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Starting point is 00:01:54 So collaborate with Canva for teams. Right now you can get a free 45 day extended trial when you go to Canva.me slash get sleepy. That's c-a-n-v-a dot-m-e slash get sleepy for a free 45 day extended trial. Canva.me slash get sleepy. Okay, my friends, let's take some time to settle in. It really is wonderful to have your company. Whether you're a regular listener, or you just tune in now and again. I hope that my words and the words of my fellow narrators bring you comfort and reassurance whenever you need it. With that being said, just try to give yourself some comfort and reassurance right now. Whatever is going on in your life, however you're

Starting point is 00:03:11 feeling, I know you're trying your best. We are all on our own journeys of self-discovery and journeys towards goals and achievements. Sometimes these journeys feel exciting and life seems to flow easily as we go about our daily activities. But these journeys always present challenges along the way too. Moments where we may question ourselves or our circumstances and direction. And this is very normal. As you settle down tonight, give yourself some recognition and appreciation. Many of us default to being self-critical, but we all deserve to feel love and appreciation for who we are and what we do. So perhaps you can internally say to yourself right now, I'm grateful to me, I'm trying

Starting point is 00:04:38 my best and that's all I can ask of myself. I want to thank you for who you are and what you bring to the world. And thank you for listening to my voice, giving me the opportunity to hopefully have a positive impact on your rest and to help you find that comfort and reassurance that we all deserve. So remember, you are welcome to drift off to sleep at any time as you listen along tonight. Now, let's make our way to Southeast Asia and begin tonight's dreamy story. The road ahead is straight and long. To the left, down below in the distance, you see the river.

Starting point is 00:06:17 It appears and disappears behind a wall of green foliage. You inspect the various plants and trees that line the side of the road, carefully tracing their shapes with your eyes. Each one has its own unique character. One is weathered and winding, covered in soft, waxy leaves. Another is tall and neat, with spiky leaves that go up and up. Nestled among dense shrubbery, the trees create a thick canopy. They offer a cooling shade as you walk slowly along the pavement. You take long, languid steps forward and you notice how the sunlight dances in and out of the trees and plants.

Starting point is 00:07:41 You enjoy the shadows cast on the ground by each one. They're like friendly giants that come alive in the gentle breeze as they leave sway back and forth. Soaring your step, you watch the shadows parade beneath your feet. Gradually the ground becomes brighter and the shadows begin to disappear. An opening ahead allows you to take in the scenery. Tall white posts frame the view like a picture. You see the river trickling below, vast and sand-hued. The light colour of the mud contrasts with the bright green shrubbery and trees that surround the river. Looking up, the clear blue sky seems infinite. There's not a single cloud in sight, but an endless sea of light

Starting point is 00:09:12 blue. You think to yourself what a beautiful day to explore the city. As you continue walking, you come across motorbikes neatly lined up. Gently tilt it, they sit diagonally on the pavement. A smart silver motorbike is parked alongside an eye-catching lime green bike. And next to it, there's a cheerful looking white bike, then a pink one. From behind, you hear the sound of a buzzing engine. A man on a motorbike makes his wave pass you. On the back, his daughter holds on. You smile and wave, and the little girl waves back with a giggle as they whizz down the

Starting point is 00:10:33 road. On the other side of the street, you see white stone walls and lush palm trees. There's something appealing about the brightness of the stone and how it contrasts with the cool shade you've been enjoying. You cross the road and take him the warm sunlight. As you continue to wander down the street, a delicate floral scent fills the warm air. At first you breathe in a slight sweetness, and with each inhale the scent grows stronger and stronger until it completely surrounds you. The smell is so enticing. You look around to see where the fragrance comes from. And twined along the stone walls, you notice beautiful flowers bathed in sunlight. These bright white blossoms are

Starting point is 00:12:12 known locally as Doc Shampa. You recognize them as Frangia Pani or plumeria with their round open petals that fade into a buttercup yellow center. Leaning forward, you clasp one of the blooms in your hand as you take in a deep breath. as you take in a deep breath. It's sweet, welcoming and tropical. Following the scent of the flowers ahead, you discover a mark the entrance of a temple monastery. You walk through the gates and into the courtyard, which houses pavilions and shrines, all intricately decorated. But it's the grandeur of the temple hall that immediately draws your attention. Gleaming in the sun, it stands majestically above white stone steps. Surrounding the raised temple are white pillars. They're topped with mosaic lotus butts in shades of turquoise, blue and green.

Starting point is 00:14:34 and green. Some aspects of the temple seem almost humble, like its low sloping roofs. But the elaborate golden facade gives it a noble spiritual appearance. You stop to admire it in more detail. Lining the exterior are gilded wooden doors and windows. They are all neatly carved. The entire facade of the temple is adorned with golden stencils. They cover the walls from the ground, all the way up to the roof. The metallic gold tone of the stencils contrasts with the deep maroon red of the walls beneath, making the decoration all the more vivid. You turn your focus to the main entrance, which features a peaked

Starting point is 00:15:53 arch. Surrounding it are depictions of Buddhist mythical figures. They are set against swirling trellis flowers and circular dharma wheels on black shiny lacquer. The site is magnificent made even more beautiful by the bright sunlight. It sparkles as it reflects off the golden-tipped roofs. The sloping, teared roofs meet with green spires which are styled with naga heads. A naga is a mythical water-spirit, half human and half serpent. You count three all identical that sit in line along the length of the roof. At the back of the temple you count another two spires and in between at the center of the roof sit golden spires. Together, these elements alike a celestial floral bouquet that reaches up to the heavens. After admiring the roof, you step closer. Through the temple entrance, you see a large golden Buddha sitting upright. The statue fills the hall from the raised altar to the ceiling.

Starting point is 00:18:08 Other golden statues cover the altar and below candles flicker in the darkened hall. You take a few moments to quietly reflect. As you stand there, you hear the low hum of spiritual chanting that drifts from the temple hall. The deep melodic timbre is peaceful and calming. You look on watching those in prayer. Their heads are slightly bowed. Then, you close your eyes and focus on the sound of chanting. When you're ready, you slowly open your eyes and look around. You follow the golden stenciling that continues along the exterior of the temple. Then you walk along the entire facade, admiring the cosmic imagery. As you reach the back of the temple, you see a terracotta wall. It's decorated

Starting point is 00:19:54 with a bright mosaic tree in coloured glass and shining metallic hues. You take a step closer to see the detail. The mosaic contains gold and silver mirrored glass. The pieces sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight and are scattered throughout. The bright glass tiles create a rainbow of colour. You feel as if you could stand here for a while, gazing at the changing light. So you do just that and watch the colours dance for a little longer. Finally, you move back to take it all in. It's a beautiful depiction of the tree of life. The leaves are tiled in bright green tones with hints of turquoise that contrast with the deep red walls. Sitting on either side of the tree are peacocks with fanned feathers.

Starting point is 00:21:54 Along the branches are soaring mythical birds. and surrounding the tree there are leaping animals and depictions of laud daily life. The vibrant imagery creates an enchanting impression that stays with you as you slowly walk out of the monastery gates and back onto the main road. You begin to wonder what other magical sites there are to explore. And then you come across some red-bregged steps. They are weathered with moss and flanked by stone railings and trees with low branches. The steps are almost hidden. They feel like a secret passage that will take you up and away to a secluded place

Starting point is 00:23:14 above this ancient city. You slowly climb the stairs one step at a time. They feel comfortable underfoot and each step is evenly spaced out. Your feet carry you in different directions. One moment you are facing north and then south. You wonder where the steps lead. Then as you look up, you see the golden glittering spire of a stupor. This gleaming Buddhist structure sits above a stone platform ready to welcome those who come

Starting point is 00:24:29 for prayer and meditation. Ahead, a new flight of stairs awaits. This time they are more spacious with a straight accent. You don't mind the climb. As you go up you look at the variety of trees that surround you moving gently in the breeze. Their light grey branches almost match the weathered stone of the steps. The tree branches are mostly bare, creating a sense of open space. there, creating a sense of open space. At the end of the branches, our muted green leaves, and down below, spiky plants sprout from the ground. The air is cool, and you feel relaxed in the shade. Slowly up and up you go and you finally make it to the top where you let out a long sigh. Straight ahead you have a clear view of the golden

Starting point is 00:26:10 stupa and near the building you see a group of novice monks resting. Their golden robes burn a shade of bright turmeric under the low-lying sun. You take in the Num Khan River. As you look around, you realise you meters above ground, up the sacred hill of Mount Pussy. Looking out, you see low mountains in the distance and lush green forests. Nestled among the trees are roofs in rich shades of red and brown. They are signs of life and community in an otherwise quiet and secluded peninsula. To the west, the clear blue skies start to turn lilac. You stand still and take in the changing colours, from lilac to pink, pink to orange, and then

Starting point is 00:28:13 orange to amber. The trees in the foreground seem to darken, making the colours in the sky even brighter. It feels calm and peaceful. You lean on a railing at the furthest point of the hills platform and rest here for a while, enjoying the view. You focus only on the horizon. It seems as if this enchanting city is slowly falling asleep as the light begins to dim. Your eyes are just to the darkening light and you gaze over the horizon from right to

Starting point is 00:29:24 left. The mountains furthest away appear misty in the low glow of the sunset. The peaks in the foreground are greener and abundant with vegetation. Then your eyes trace the horizon from left to right. This time you focus on the meandering river. It reflects the sunset and glistens with a myriad of colours. The water gradually seems to become calmer and more still as the sun sinks lower and lower in the sky. Then you look directly below where you're standing. You see the curving stairs that will take you down this sacred hill.

Starting point is 00:30:54 bears that will take you down this sacred hill. Each staircase gently winds, turning left and then right. The white stone railings are weathered. As you slowly move downwards, the red brick steps feel solid and comfortable under your feet. You walk towards the staircase with golden serpent figures flanking either side of the steps. You put your hand on the body of the snake following the undulations of this grand sculpted figure as you walk down the stairs. The scaled body seems to flow and you graze your hand, lightly over the surface. As you make your way to the bottom of the stairs, you see the familiar heads of the mythical Naga statues greeting you. Your feet guide you down a sloping path.

Starting point is 00:32:20 You slowly walk on until you find yourself on another path that seems to flow down away from the hill. You enjoy the slow pace and gentle decline. Remembering the majestic view at the hills summit, you smile to yourself. You reach a flight of stairs and down below through the trees, you see an opening that takes you back into the city. As you take your final steps down, you look back. The golden stupa gleams in the sunset, ready to welcome more visitors when the sun rises the next day. As the evening grows darker and darker, a glowing light draws your attention. You look down and nearby path and see the glimmer of lanterns. They're suspended along invisible lines that run either side of the path.

Starting point is 00:34:12 that run either side of the path. The lanterns hang a little above eye level, so you can peek inside and diffuse a warm light guiding you along the path. Each lantern shines with a different colour, determined by the coloured paper that surrounds the flame. You walk further and further along the narrow path, taking in the various tones and changing colours. colors. A head you see a courtyard under further glimmer of lights. As the path opens you find a multitude of colorful, floral lights illuminating the ground. Like the lanterns, each flame is covered in different coloured paper blossoms to create a sea of colour. Floral paper lanterns neatly line the ground in shades of green, yellow and red, interspersed with blue. You take in the different glow of each light and can't decide which is most beautiful. Each one illuminates the ground in its own

Starting point is 00:36:12 individual way. Your eyes follow the lights back and forth. They sit in perfect rows and line the entire courtyard, leading the way to the steps of a temple. Looking up, you follow the lanterns lining the roof. There are also other long lines suspended around the courtyard, creating a web of light that radiates from the red cylindrical lanterns. They produce a warm, welcoming glow that lights up the temple. As you watch the low flicker of the candles, you notice that further along in the distance, candles are starting to go out. A man appears from the temple carrying a lantern. As he approaches, you realise it's a young monk. He likes a candle and puts it in the lantern.

Starting point is 00:37:51 A red light starts to brighten the darkness. Then he lights another candle. This time a soft yellow glow radiates. And afterwards there's a brilliant white glow from a star-shaped lantern. One by one the the candle's burn brighter and brighter as he rekindles each extinguished flame. You look around the courtyard and enjoy the warming lights of the suspended lanterns. The temple shines in the candlelight. Your eyes retrace the lights that line the roof, then higher to its peak top. Finally, your gaze falls on a single bright light above the temple. It sits in a deep dark sky. You continue to take in the scene. Around you there's the light of the moon and a warming glow from the hanging lanterns. And below, there's the soft flicker of candlelight in a bed of illuminating blossoms.

Starting point is 00:40:08 Eventually, you focus on a single flame. You watch it dance in the balmy breeze. It flickers two and fro, back and forth. The night is calm and quiet. You feel safe and secure in this spiritual place. And you continue to watch the flame in its petal lantern for a moment longer. You stay there for a while, focusing on the depth of the flame's colour and its every single moment. As you watch, you lose all track of time. Later on, when you're back in your warm bed, with your head sinking into the comfort of a soft pillow, you think about all the candles surrounding the temple. You remember all the different coloured lights and that one flame

Starting point is 00:41:53 you watched closely. Finally, when your mind drifts and your eyelids begin to feel heavy, you close your eyes. flame flickering in the twilight. ... ... ... ... you ... ... ... you ... ... you ... ... ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Serenity in Luang Prabang

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