Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Pony Paddock

Episode Date: November 27, 2019

Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, Abbe will guide us on a relaxing adventure through a meadow filled with playful ponies. 😴  Sound design: meadow ambiance, horse hooves.    Support Us   - Get Sleepy’s Premium Feed: https://getsleepy.com/support/.  - Get Sleepy Merchandise: https://getsleepy.com/store.  - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-sleepy/id1487513861.    Connect  Stay up to date on all podcast news and even vote on upcoming episodes!  - Website: https://getsleepy.com/.  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getsleepypod/.  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getsleepypod/.  - Twitter: https://twitter.com/getsleepypod.    About Get Sleepy  Get Sleepy is the #1 story-telling podcast designed to help you get a great night’s rest. By combining sleep meditation with a relaxing bedtime story, each episode will guide you gently towards sleep.    Get Sleepy Premium Get instant access to ad-free episodes, as well as the Thursday night bonus episode by subscribing to our premium feed. It's easy! Sign up in two taps!  Get Sleepy Premium feed includes:  Monday and Wednesday night episodes (with zero ads). The exclusive Thursday night bonus episode. Access to the entire back catalog (also ad-free). Exclusive sleep meditation episodes. Discounts on merchadise. We’ll love you forever. Get your 7-day free trial: https://getsleepy.com/support.  Thank you so much for listening!  Feedback? Let us know your thoughts! https://getsleepy.com/contact-us/.   That’s all for now. Sweet dreams ❤️ 😴 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before tonight's episode, I want to let you know about our supporters' feed Get Sleepy Premium, the best way to experience the show and get a good night's sleep. With Get Sleepy Premium, everything is ad-free. You'll receive a bonus episode every week, and have full access to our entire back catalogue. Your support really helps, and means so much to us. Simply tap the link in the show notes to learn more. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you two three episodes each week. Imagine how much better the world would be if everyone woke up well-rested every day.

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and sign up, follow the link for Get Sleepy Premium in the show notes, or you can subscribe directly with in Apple podcasts. Thanks so much for your support. Welcome to Get Sleepy. The podcast where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. Thank you for tuning in. My name's Thomas and I'm your host. Now one thing we try to do with Get Sleep is to teach exercises that listeners can do on their own. That way even when you're not tuned into the podcast, you'll be able to relax and fall asleep more easily. Scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of many of the types of exercises that we like to use here at Get Sleepy? One of them is the gratitude exercise that I'm going to show you tonight.

If there's particular exercises that any of you guys like that really work for you, then let us know. Give us your feedback on GetSleepy.com. And of course, leave us a review on iTunes. We really do appreciate it. But you can wait till the morning. As always, we're here to encourage a good night's sleep. And speaking of which, I happen to read an article today that popped up on my phone. And it was about regulating your body temperature at night. And how there's actually somewhat of a science to sleeping with one leg outside of your covers.

It's something I know a lot of people do. And lo and behold, it's with good reason because the body cools itself down just before sleep. But if your body is still maybe a little too warm then it's comfortable by putting one foot outside of the covers. The vascular structures within your feet help to dissipate your body heat. And so when that skin there on your feet is called down, the blood is then called down.

And as it disperses around the rest of your body, it helps the body to just get in the right temperature and the right sort of feeling to fall asleep. So there you go, a simple but hopefully helpful little temp of something to try alongside listening to get sleepy. So now let's just take a moment for ourselves to relax and to practice gratitude. Get cozy under your blankets. Find the position that's most comfortable for you. Feel the bed supporting you, the blankets providing

comfort and security. Now take a deep breath in. Hold and slowly release. Feeling your body become limp and calm. Just follow the rhythm of your breath. Deep and full and slow. And now I'd like you to just focus your attention towards someone in your life that you're thankful for. It could be a family member or a colleague who went out of their way to help you. A friendly barista who takes special care when making your morning coffee. Just choose someone for whom you're grateful and just picture them in your mind. Feel the natural joy that you have for their well-being, for their happiness, and for their success. With each breath, offer them your grateful-for heartfelt wishes.

As we begin tonight's story, it's narrated by Abbey Offer. It is the late afternoon as you walk down the old carriage trail. The sun ducks behind the occasional cloud, cooling the air instantly, and tinting the sky to a darker blue. Wild flowers and blue bells speck all the valley floor, birds tweet softly in the trees as they prepare for the evening. You aren't in any hurry, trailing your hand against the bushes as you walk by them. The soft tickle of the leaves is like a whisper on your skin.

You pass the end of a row of old pretty cottages, their windows small and their roofs thatched with reeds. Here, to your left, five small fields stretch up and out towards the hills. There is a brown wood fence, slatted and old, and a gate that murmurs when it's pushed or when it moves in the breeze. This is the pony paddock, the tranquil home to a family of playful horses and ponies. As you walk along the grassy trail, the trees bend over in front of you and their branches sway. You duck beneath them as they cast shadows that dap all the earth beneath your feet. Here, in front of you, is Megan, tall and proud, with long, live legs and a full and

luscious tail. She is bending her graceful neck and reaching for foliage from the side of the field. Her tail flaps softly and bats away the buzzing insects that hum and swirl around her. Megan is the oldest horse in the paddock. The younger horses here follow her wisdom and look to her for guidance. You stand by the old wooden fence and watch her leisurely chewing the leaves from a sprawling bush. She notices you and she lifts her head to look at you. Maybe you have a fresh apple in your pocket or a carrot from the farmer down the road. The warmth of the sun still on her skin, Megan walks slowly towards you.

Her limbs are supple yet strong, and her back sways back and forth as she moves. She reaches you, and you hold out your hand to her. Megan lowers her face so you can stroke the bridge of her nose. Your palm will lie against the flat of her face and you can feel the warmth of her body radiating onto yours. Megan is an old soul and she watches you while you stroke her soft short fur. After a while she flicks her tail again and turns to move back into the open space of the field. You walk along the trail a little further, counting the fence posts as you go. A little up ahead is Rosemary. She is slightly smaller than Megan, younger too. She wears a blue coat and hood to protect her from the heat of the summer's day. Her ears are pricked up as you approach where she stands in the paddock.

She watches you for a moment, then lowers her head to the grass and begins to tug at it with her strong teeth. Rosemary's thick mane is kept under her royal blue coat, but you can see her long blonde tail, swishing back and forth behind her. She is the paddock's beauty. Her fur is chestnut and her mane and tail the colour of soft sand. Rosemary's owner is Mrs. Edwards. Mrs. Edwards purchased Rosemary's new coat only two weeks ago, and Rosemary loves to show it off to the other horses in the paddock. She trots up to the top of the field and then she gallops back down her new coat fringing around her sturdy body. The other horses may think Rosemary's a show off, but she is beautiful and full of life. And so they let her parade around, and they nod their appreciation of how charming she looks. You can watch Rosemary frolic in the fields. You see her long blonde

tail swish, and her nose raised in the air. And you admire her strength and her elegance. However, Rosemary doesn't approach the fence for you to stroke her. She doesn't want anyone but Mrs. Edwards to touch her new blue coat. So, you smile in Rosemary's direction, her graceful shape like a waterfall, and you walk a little further down the grassy trail. The trees begin to shade the path in front of you, a tangle of roots blanketing the ground. As you wind around a large apple tree, you see Ruby. Ruby is a white horse with a soft grey mane and tail, and she is the mischievous one. Ruby is mulling around the base of the apple tree. She's reaching with her neck so her head can get to the branch above her. You see the tree shake a little as she dislodges a fresh

apple from the tree and pulls it into her mouth. Her strong jaw makes quick work of the apple, as the sweet juice spreads throughout her mouth. She's very pleased with herself and munches the apple quickly before trying again. This time, she can't quite reach the apple, but she nudges at the tree with her shoulder, and the fruit falls from where it has clung to its twig. The apple lands on the ground at Ruby's feet. Last week, Ruby tried this trick, and one of the dense apples fell onto her head, making her startle and rear herself away from the offending tree. She looks to the ground around her feet, to see if another shiny red apple has found

its way to the ground. But the only ones left are the ones with patches of green and brown that Ruby finds unappealing. Ruby sees you standing by the fence and she wonders if you have anything she could snack on. She trots over to where you stand, her strong legs and body like the dance of rain bouncing off the ground. She slows when she gets near you and she has one moment of hesitation, perhaps Megan has warned her to be wary of people who are not her own. But you smile and hold out your hand and a chance that you may have food overpowers her other thoughts. When she reaches you, she keeps her head high and you can see her warm breath sigh from

her wide nose. She flicks her ears and you reach out your hand and touch the side of her face. She relaxes into your palm. She knows now that you are a friend. You stroke her face and rest your hand in a soothing motion on her neck. You might murmur some calming words to her. You might tell her she's a beautiful creature. After a moment or two, she slowly raises her head.

You run your fingers in her thick, cream-man, and you think it feels like the softest wheat in a yellow field. Then Ruby turns her head and swishes her long tail before she strolls back in the direction of Rosemary. You continue to stroll along the old fence that surrounds the paddock. You let your hand caress the wooden beams, counting them as you pass. One, two, three, four, five, six. the rough word massaging your fingertips, seven, eight, nine. There are only two more sections of the paddock left, and next you come to Kara. Kara has dark black hair, and she shines in the sun like the calm sea under moonlight. She is standing by her water trough, her slender neck bending down so she can lap up the cool

refreshing water. Cara's own ogil was here early this morning, filling the water and tracing a soft brush through Cara's mane and tail. Cara loves to be groomed. She stands tall and lets Jill brush her sides and back. The tips of the brush relaxing her skin with long, with make strokes. She closes her eyes while Jill grooms her, and she won't move until she is sure it has ended. When Jill pats her side to signal that she is done, Kara offers Jill a lick to her cheek in return. Jill laughs and moves away, no longer able to tolerate the tickling tongue. You leave Kara as you continue along the old path.

The trees becoming thicker at this end, and the warm air collects under their shelter, making it feel still and tropical. This is where you'll find Marsha. Marsha is smaller than all the other horses here. She is squat, her body wide and her legs short. Despite her stature, her mane and tail are luscious and full. Her hair is chocolate brown and her mane and tail are red like autumn leaves. Marsha is a Shetland pony. She moves differently from the other horses. She charges forward and rumps around in the paddock. Her soft mane like the ruffle of Ford and leaves in the breeze. Marsha knows she's different, and she doesn't mind that. She is cute and she is sturdy and she likes being

the one children favour. When she was a fool, parents would bring their children to stroke her back and feed her carrots. Because she is smaller, Marsha can easily make her way through the trees in this part of the pasture. You stand and lean on the old wooden fence, and you feel the warmth of the sun soaked into the bark. You watch Marsha as she flicks her tail and turns with the sun on her wide back. She notices you standing there and she begins to walk slowly over to where you wait. Her shadow reaches forward and greets you before she reaches the fence. You lower your hand and place your palm gently on her soft, bushy mane. You lift the red hair and feel it fall through your fingers like a gentle waterfall. Marsha is a very special pony.

You can feel the home of her breathing as it falls into sync with your own. You stand with Marsha for a while and you feel yourself relax. You and she are still now both warmed and calmed by each other's presence. When she shifts slightly and tilts her head, you know it is time for her to rest. The horse shelter is to your right, a sand-colored shed with hay for a bed and a roof to keep out the occasional rain shower.

Marsha turns and begins to walk slowly towards the shelter. Your eyes follow the path forward through the trees. Here, you will also find shelter and a place to rest. You walk along with Marsha, the old wooden fence between you. When Marsha reaches her resting place, you look up and you see two sturdy large trees with a hammock slung between them. Marsha is going into her shelter, her rounded back, turning the corner into the shed. The swish of her rust red tail is all you see, before she enters her shelter and settles

down for her now. The hammock in front of you is wide and made of soft cotton strands. You climb into the hammock and you feel it hug your body. You look over at the field and you see Clara and Ruby sitting on the grass, munching apples they found from the other side of the sprawling tree. You can see Rosemary coming back from her run. Mrs. Edwards leads her into the field and closes the gate behind them. She removes Rosemary's saddle, then her bridal, and she pats her tall side to let her know how well she did on the road. Rosemary is tired from running in the open air, and Mrs. Edwards leaves her to rest. You see Rose re-drinking from the water trough, the cool, luscious water quenching her first instantly.

She walks up to the top edge of the field where there is shade from the afternoon sun. And you can see Megan in the far field walking slowly towards the end of the fence and eating the fresh green leaves the other horses can't reach. Your own body begins to relax now. The ponies in the paddock are all happy and calm, and they live slowly and with peace all around them. You can feel the hammock sway slightly in the breeze rocking you and lulling you. Your breathing is deep like marshes and you can smell the sweet scent of the forest all around you. The sun streams in through a gap in the trees and you feel your muscles relax and your limbs become heavy.

You will walk by the pony paddock again whenever you need to feel the calm and peace of the horses here. You know you can come here whenever you want and the ponies will welcome you. You close your eyes and feel the gentle sway of the hammock. Back and forth. Back and forth. of heres of in the distance. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... you you