Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Room of Rare Books (Premium)

Episode Date: February 4, 2021

This is a preview episode. Get the full episode, and many more, ad free, on our supporter's feed: https://getsleepy.com/support. The Room of Rare BooksTonight, Tom guides us on a tranquil wandering through an old bookstore, where we'll discover a special collection of books. 😴  Sound design:  quiet town ambiance, breeze, birds, distant chatter.  About Get Sleepy Premium: Help support the podcast, and get: Monday and Wednesday night episodes (with zero ads) The exclusive Thursday night bonus episode Access to the entire back catalog (also ad-free) Premium sleep meditations, extra-long episodes and more! We'll love you forever. ❤️ Get a 7 day free trial, and join the Get Sleepy community here https://getsleepy.com/support. And thank you so, so much.  Tom, and the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, Thomas here. You're listening to a preview episode. You can enjoy the entire story tonight by subscribing to our supporters' feed. There you'll get access to the entire back catalogue, bonus episodes, and more, and it's all completely ad-free. Click the link below to learn more and thank you so so much. Me and the team really appreciate your support. There are elegant cast iron street lamps shining with a soft golden glow. It's still daytime, though the ambient light is dim. The days are shorter at this time of year, and on wintery afternoons, the street lights come on early. You wander down this cobbled road, gradually noticing more details.

The glossy shine of the dark stones beneath your feet, and the occasional yellow leaf stuck to the air. The street is quiet, there are only a few passes by, chatting in harsh tones. Every now and then someone stops to look in a shop window, intrigued by the display. The owners in this part of town clearly take pride in their presentation. Each shopfront is an opportunity not just to promote their goods, but to add something to the overall atmosphere of the street. On your left is an elegant building with a wide curved window. On the other side of the glass are woolen scarves, hats and gloves in every colour of the rainbow.

They are arranged so beautifully, spread out with the utmost care and attention. Kashmir says the sign in the window. This special wall is one of the softest, lightest kinds. Just looking at it is enough to make you feel warmer somehow. Next to the clothing shop is a cozy looking cafe. The windows are misted up with the heat inside, but you catch a glimpse of wood-panelled walls and comfy leather sofas. The door opens as a customer leaves, and you breathe in the scent of freshly roasted coffee.

It's tempting, but for now you want to keep on walking to see what other shops you can find in this charming little neighborhood. You pass a few selling clothes, chocolate, stationary, and then something catches your attention. Tucked away at the end of the street is a tall narrow building. There's just a single window on each floor. Everyone has its shutters thrown wide open, and the rooms are brightly illuminated, so you can see what's inside.

There are shelves and shelves of books. There's no space for a fancy window display on street level, but there is a sign. Books and sea shells and more and more, browsers welcome. You're intrigued. You decide to go in and have a look, just as the sign suggests, and perhaps warm up a bit from the cold outside. As you push open the door, the first thing you notice is that powerful scent. It's unmistakable, the comforting smell of hundreds or even thousands of old books. You've always loved this smell, without knowing exactly why. Perhaps because the center is richly evocative, somehow it transports you to another time,

another place, while also making you feel connected to the present moment. It is the strange magic of bookshops and libraries.