Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Magical Candle Workshop

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Starting point is 00:00:48 calming atmosphere. Explore the legend of El Dorado, see what life was like for the Roman gladiators. uncover the myths and mysteries of Stonehenge. You'll find interesting but relaxing episodes like these on Sleepy History and the same great production quality you've come to know and love from Get Sleepy. So check it out and perhaps you'll have another new way to get a good night's rest. Just search Sleepy History in your preferred podcast player. Welcome to Get Sleepy. When we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy.

Starting point is 00:01:37 I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks so much for listening. Tonight we'll be visiting a magical town where a young apprentice mage is learning to make candles. A big thanks to MJ for writing this tale and to Chloe who will be reading it for us. If you'd love more content from Get Sleepy and the very best listening experience,

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Starting point is 00:02:49 just visit the link in the description. Thank you so much for you. your support. Now then, before we begin our story in a special, magical place, we'll wait for the sun to rise over the town. So make sure you're comfortable. Take a couple of slow, deep breaths. enjoying the calming release of the exhale.

Starting point is 00:03:32 And once you're settled, imagine a picturesque town with cobblestone streets and beautiful little cottages and shops. an orange light begins to rise in the east with the warm embrace of the morning sun the coolness of the night is chased away gentle light bathes the little town as the sun inches up the horizon. Dew on the grass and leaves begins to sparkle as the magical warming light shines between trees and slips down the quiet streets. Whips of fog dance and disappear.

Starting point is 00:04:51 The sky turns from orange and purple into a brilliant blue. Even as the town begins to wake up, the gentle buzz of activity is just as soothing as the quiet of morning. And now, let's join Shalewise, an apprentice mage who's pondering the intricacies of candle magic. This is where our story begins. Candle magic isn't flashy, like other arcane arts. Enchantments dazzle and shimmer, elemental magic sparks and fizzes,

Starting point is 00:06:14 and transformation magic snaps. Suddenly, a pigeon is a cat. With candle magic, you need to know the chandler or candle maker it came from. Otherwise, you'd never know a candle was infused with a spell. Shailwise wonders at this as he watches a beekeeper mage wave his hand. A purplish, glittering smoke washes over the hive, and the buzz quietens, at least from one of the dozens of hives in the apiary. Bees flit back down into the hive, or simply for the hives. find a comfortable place on the mage's robes to take a quick nap.

Starting point is 00:07:18 The mage smiles to himself as he carefully pulls one of the frames out of the hive. Sleepy, grumpy bees skitter around. The maid gently taps the frame, letting the sleepy bees flit off back to their home to rest. Lost in thought, Shale Weiss jumps a little when one of the apprentices pops her head out from under the desk.

Starting point is 00:07:55 The apprentice is a young girl with dark hair and dark brown skin. She asks Shailwise how many he's after today. Four, please, he says. Her arms flex as she hauls the big golden yellow bars of wax down off a shelf, one at a time. Each bar of wax is about the length of her forearm.

Starting point is 00:08:32 The girl watches, amused, as shell-wise sets them gently into a huge satchel. which almost hangs down to the floor by the time it's loaded up. As payment, Shailwise slides a box of sleep candles across the counter. They're a favourite of the head beekeeper mage. Then Shailwise heads out into the streets of Ophrean. The library city of Ophrian is bustling with scholars. Mages coming and going from the colleges or at the great arcane library. A bunch of law mages in long silver robes stand on a corner, debating the improper use of shield spells.

Starting point is 00:09:36 Nearby, a handsome bard with locks of dark hair tied up prettily and a brilliant white smile expertly strums a harp. People clamber to throw coins into his hat, but Shalewise gives him a wide berth. He barely has enough silver. for his favorite broadsheet about night's adventures which is coming out on the weekend

Starting point is 00:10:14 Shalewise walks on through the town a tanned freckled woman with strawberry blonde hair and a wolf almost as big as she is ambles down the main street she's probably a druid

Starting point is 00:10:36 in town for a lunar ceremony. Ophrian is full of mages from every walk of life. And there are townsfolk, mages or not, going about their business, keeping the town running smoothly. That's not always easy. Often, mischievous in China, chanted chairs will slip out from underneath the unwary. Or sometimes you give a dog an ear scratch, and he transforms into a disgruntled mage.

Starting point is 00:11:21 Or else a drink of your favorite juice turns you purple. That happened to Shale Wise once. It only lasted a day, but no. Now, he studies any juice he's offered with a cautious eye. There's a reason why they call them magic tricks, Marion always says. Shalewise loves living in Ophrian, but he also finds the bustle and noise a little overwhelming. That's why he likes Marion. chandlery. It's calm and quiet there. No flashy, noisy, trixie magic. Shalewise weighs to the

Starting point is 00:12:20 alchemist as he passes by her shop. He rounds the corner to the sunny street he moved to, about a year ago, on his 11th birthday. At the end of the street, on the left, is a shop with an old wooden sign. A candle is painted in pearly white and the light in gold. Little wisps of painted smoke form the words Marion the Chandler. Hello, Marion. Shailwise calls out. He heads past the shelves stocked with candles and past the shop desk.

Starting point is 00:13:15 Usually he'd be sitting there when he's not running errands for the Chandler or helping her clean and tidy things. But today he heads straight into the workshop. Today, he'll be making magic candles. The workshop is a magical place in itself. At least Shalewise thinks so. There's the pleasant, musty smell of wax and the decades of wood smoke that have seeped into the walls. And there are subtle,

Starting point is 00:14:04 scents from fragrance oils, which Marion sometimes adds to bolster the magic effects. Lavender for calm and citrus and camphor to chase off bugs. Magic changes a place too. Years of Marion's gentle spells have woven into the fabric of the workshop. Sometimes sunlight streaming through the door will make Shailwise's head nod in drowsiness or else make him feel like he could tackle any task. Light catches the wists of old spells.

Starting point is 00:14:55 By the time Marion has tottered in, Shalewise is already stoking the fire in the enormous hearth. The brick-lined hearth is big enough that he can stand inside it, when there's not a fire lit, of course. Marion's lavender robes swish as she pulls her snow-white hair up into a messy bun. She gives Shell-wise a gem. gentle pat on the head, then grabs the kettle off the shelf. On the same shelf is a big cauldron, which shale-wise hauls down.

Starting point is 00:15:43 Marion claims the big cast-iron cauldron is as old as she is. It's got small dents along the rim, and the handle's been used so much. that the coating has flaked off to reveal the cool grey metal beneath. The inside is shiny from use, while the outside is scarred and mottled from age. It's big enough that Shalewise has to cradle it in both arms and waddle over to the hearth, where he lowers the thick handle

Starting point is 00:16:28 onto its holder. When the kettles boiled, Marion pours them both a cup of fragrant chamomile. Shalewise has to suppress a smile as he watches Marion's thin, wrinkly hands wrap around the ceramic mug. Her skin is thin, like old parchment paper,

Starting point is 00:16:57 and spotted by time. But he's always found her hands strangely beautiful. Not just the way they look, but the way she moves them, graceful and flowing like a conductor directing a band. She makes picking up a mug look like an enchantment spell. She blows once over the top of the mug, takes a small sip, then smiles and looks up at shale-wise. Now, Marion says, let's make some candles.

Starting point is 00:17:48 Together they get all the supplies out, putting them on the big wooden table in the middle. little of the workshop. A couple of balls of wick string, scissors, a few wooden spoons, a mold, and a little cup to scoop up the wax. Marion tuts that they're forgetting something, and Shalewise runs over to the bag he left by the doorway. They need wax. of course.

Starting point is 00:18:29 Walk me through it, love, says Marion, as she helps Shellwise lift the heavy sack of wax bricks onto the table. First, we melt the wax, Shailwise explains. He slides one of the bricks of beeswax out of the bag, smiling as he holds the weighty, golden, yellow brick in both hands. These are going to be his candles. And this is what he moved to Offrian for, to study with Marion and to become a candle mage.

Starting point is 00:19:18 He glances up and realizes that Marion's beaming down at him. With the brick in his hands, he skitters over to the cauldron. Once the brick is lying inside, he pushes the cauldron so it hangs over the fire. The room begins to fill with the soft, sweet, and musky smell of melting beeswax. Shalewise grabs a spoon and starts to prod at the wax as it melts, the fire crackling merrily underneath. We want the wax to melt, he says. But not to boil or hiss. The wax blackens if it gets too hot.

Starting point is 00:20:20 We also want to charge the wax. with a setting spell. Marion nods her head encouragingly when he looks at her. Then he turns back to the cauldron and takes a deep breath. Shalewise holds his fingers out over the cauldron. He traces an enchantment symbol over the large pot. and mutters the incantation. He feels the spell beneath his hand,

Starting point is 00:21:03 as if it was liquid hanging off his fingers, dancing around without ever dripping down. Shalewise pulls the spell around and lets it release. He can feel it slipping into the cauldron as the wax melts. He finishes the incantation. The spell is part of the wax now as he stirs the viscous liquid with the spoon. He grins as he puts a loose cover over the cauldron rim.

Starting point is 00:21:50 He did it right, his first try. Shale Wise and Marion keep an eye on the wax as it melts to a shimmering golden liquid. Meanwhile, they prepare the wick strings. Shalewise holds the strings up to the mould. Two metal plates are connected by six long, thin tubes. The wick should be as long as we want the candle to be, says Shalewise, plus about six inches.

Starting point is 00:22:40 Since they have far too much wax for Shale Wise's six candles, He helps Marion prepare a half-dozen moulds with their own wicks. One mould would be sleeping candles, like the ones the head beekeeping mage swears by. The other will be concentration candles for the mage scholars. Another set will be candles that ward off nightmares and another an alarm spell for people out in the wild. For every spell that Marion could dream up, there's a mould for her helpful, practical, magical candles.

Starting point is 00:23:41 When they have a word, all their strings ready. Shale Wise goes over to the cauldron and lifts the lid, nodding. He takes the fire poker and uses it to swing the large pot off the fire, feeling the golden melted beeswax, sloshing with the momentum. For now, they can leave the wax. to be kept warm by the ambient heat on the bottom of the cauldron. They can always warm it up again later if they need to. Next, says Shellwise, we dip the wicks in the wax and straighten them with our fingers.

Starting point is 00:24:38 Marion helps him One at a time She hands him the hemp string wicks that he cut Shalewise carefully lowers the wicks into the pot Letting the thick liquid coat them in wax While leaving the ends dry Next They lay the wicks down on some cheese

Starting point is 00:25:08 cheesecloth, which covers the big wooden table, and they make sure the wax-coated string is nice and straight. Then, Shayawice helps Marion do the same thing with the dozens of wicks she's prepared. It feels good to be working beside her like this. He spent the last year mostly running errands, helping her clean, preparing the materials, and keeping shop. Now he'll be able to help her with the simpler magic candles, as he learns more and more about how to be a candle mage. Thank you, dear.

Starting point is 00:26:08 says Marion. What's next? Shalewise reverently picks up the mould he's going to be using. The mould is open on one end, with six holes that he'll be pouring the wax into. The other end has much smaller openings, barely large enough to spool the wicks, through. Now we're going to string the wicks through the bottom of the mould and tie them off, Shale Wise explains. He picks up the first wick, expertly slipping it through the small hole at the bottom. Once he's made sure there's some extra length coming out the top opening, He ties off the string. Then he picks up a little chunk of partially melted beeswax

Starting point is 00:27:19 that dripped onto the cheesecloth. He runs it between his fingers until it's soft and moldable. And now, he says, we seal the bottom with balls of wax. With some sticks from Marion's garden, they tie the other end of the wicks coming up through the top. The sticks are used to hold the wicks straight. Shalewise needs a little help to make sure they're taught. Then he helps Marion do the same with her moulds.

Starting point is 00:28:08 String goes through, make sure there's some extra length, tie it off, and seal with a ball of wax. Then tie the other end to a stick, so the wicks are standing up straight. They do this over and over again, until they have a bunch of moulds standing upright, in front of them, ready for wax and magic. What spell are we thinking for your candles shale? The apprentice scrunches up his mouth in thought. I know it's easy, he says, but I want to try a calming spell. Marian nods sagely.

Starting point is 00:29:09 Parents of newborns will be very thankful for them, she says. But calming candles can be used for more than that. If someone's frightened by thunder, maybe they light one during a storm. Or a student is anchored. about a test and just needs a little warm, calming light to help them study by. You'll never know all the ways that something simple you do can help other people. And just because something is small and simple doesn't mean it helps them any less. Shailwise nods back, feeling his face going red, but Marion's kind words.

Starting point is 00:30:14 She's quiet, like him, so whenever she speaks, it always feels important. He appreciates her encouragement. Shailwise takes another deep breath. Then walks over to the cauldron with one of the cups for wax. He dips it in carefully, then turns back to the table where his mould awaits him. This is the moment of truth. This is when he'll truly make magic. He holds his hand over the mould and begins to whisper the incantation for his calming spell while slowly and carefully pouring the wax in.

Starting point is 00:31:23 As he feels the warm tingling energy clinging to his hand, he twists his wrists slightly. so the wax catches the spell. Over and over again he murmurs the incantation. It's hard work, concentrating on the spell, as he pours the golden liquid of the melted wax over the top of the mould, slowly filling each of the tubes. When he's done, he huffs in exhaustion. It takes practice to be able to hold spells for a long time.

Starting point is 00:32:18 But Marion leans down and studies the mould with a practiced eye. then she looks at him beaming the spell took he's tired but can barely contain his excitement except they now have to wait for the wax to dry before they can finish the candles So, Shailwise helps Marion with her line of moulds. She makes it look easy, one hand drawing symbols in the air above the moulds as she whispers the incantations in her quiet, sing-song voice. Shale-wise runs back and forth between the cauldron and Marion. He makes sure she always has a fresh cup of melted wax, ready to be poured into the moulds

Starting point is 00:33:35 as she casts her spells. Finally, she finishes the last, and they both let out a conunds. Contented sigh. Marion says it's time for lunch. When they returned from sharing sandwiches in the garden, the candles are ready for the next step. Normally it would take the whole day just to wait for the wax to settle. But they're helped along by a little.

Starting point is 00:34:16 enchantment on each of the moulds, which makes the work slightly quicker. Shailwise stokes the fire again, tossing on a couple of fresh logs. He hauls the cauldron back over the fire until the remaining wax melts. Then they do another round on each. of the molds to fill in any hollow centers. Since the wax runs down the sides of the molds and begins cooling instantly, there's sometimes a little hollow space to be filled up by more wax. More cups of liquid gold, more incantation. And then Marion coaches Shale Wives through the final incantation

Starting point is 00:35:27 To seal the spell into the candle Only to be activated by the gentle burn of a flame Then he watches her do the same with hers His whole body is exhausted, but he feels the warm, buoyant feeling of accomplishment. He did it. He made his first batch of magical candles. By the time they're done, the sky outside is changing from blue, to orange and pink.

Starting point is 00:36:19 This calls for a cup of tea, Marion says, as she grabs the kettle. Shale Wise doesn't know if he'll be able to stay awake long enough to enjoy it, as he's worn out by the work and concentration. But he washes out their mugs from earlier, and brings her the tea-strainers. They carefully cut the knots on the end of Shale Wise's mould. Then Marion uses the leftover hot water from the kettle to fill a big bowl.

Starting point is 00:37:10 Shalewise lowers the mould into the water and counts to 30. Then he sets the mould down and gently, delicately, pulls out the candles. They've been softened slightly by the hot water. He lays the candles out on the table, smiling from ear to ear. But before we enjoy some tea, says Marion, I would like to be your first customer. She places a coin in Shale Wise's hand. He looks at it, then looks up at her,

Starting point is 00:38:10 and throws himself against her in a tight hug. Tears of happiness swelling in his eyes. She places his candle on a holder, and he carries their mugs out to the garden. Normally, Shalewise loves reading his magic theory out here. The small patio, with a couple of comfortable outdoor chairs, looks out over the river that runs through town.

Starting point is 00:38:57 The bustle of Ophrian feels gentler as magical lamps begin to flare to life in the dusk, bathing the town in a soft twilight glow. As Marion lights one of Shale Wise's magic candles, he feels a calming, subtle warmth wash over his body. He slowly lifts the cup of tea, blows across it once, takes a sip,

Starting point is 00:39:39 and then sets it down, feeling his head, nodding to his chest. The last thing he remembers is smiling drowsily when Marion tells him that he's a candlemage now. Shale Wise, the Chandler. Thank you. You know,

Starting point is 00:40:46 you know, So, you know, So, you know, And so, you know, .

Starting point is 00:40:54 Thank you. Thank you. We're going to be. You know, I'm going to be able to You know, you know, You know,

Starting point is 00:42:02 I'm going to be able to You know, you know, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Starting point is 00:45:04 Thank you.

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Magical Candle Workshop

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