Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Secret Tent

Starting point is 00:00:00 Tonight's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. You know what seems to me to be one of the most common influences on poor mental health these days? Comparing ourselves and our lives to others. It's so easy to do, what with social media being at our fingertips 24-7, and I've fallen into that trap at times myself. In reality, nobody's life is exactly the way they portray it online. Therapy can help you focus on what you want instead of what others have. It's so important to understand what you appreciate and love for yourself and about yourself, regardless of what anyone else thinks or does.

Starting point is 00:00:47 So if you're considering starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Stop comparing and start focusing with better help. Visit betterhelp.com slash get sleepy to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com slash get sleepy. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas, it's so wonderful to have your company. It would mean so much to us if you hit the subscribe or follow button on whichever platform you use to listen to the show. We want to help as many people as possible to get a better night's sleep, and your engagement

Starting point is 00:01:56 and your support of the show really helps us reach more people all over the world. It also means that you won't miss any new releases or updates from us. So, thank you for subscribing and doing your bit to help our voices and stories reach wonderful friends all across the planet. Tonight we'll accompany Robin as she walks through her familiar local park in Glasgow, Scotland and stumbles upon something altogether unfamiliar and new. She'll be transportedating for us tonight. So my friends, let's prepare to listen. Begin with a deep, full breath, allowing any tension you are feeling to bunch up into the shoulders, and

Starting point is 00:03:12 as you breathe back out, feel that tension scatter away out of your body, leaving you to unwind. Take a few more deep breaths in this way if it helps you relax. Feel your body sink down into your bed. Notice the comforting weight of the covers on top of you. Luxuriate in the soft support of the mattress beneath you. There is nowhere in the world as comforting and relaxing as your bed. Now that your body is at rest, let's settle your mind for the evening. Close your eyes and allow your mind to be filled with the velvety darkness of the night sky. The thoughts that have occupied you for the entire day are like the sunlight sunlight drifting below the horizon of your consciousness. They will return in the morning.

Starting point is 00:04:51 For now, allow the deep purple of the cosmos and the vibrant spray of stars to take center stage. With the night sky comes calm and stillness. The stars wink and twinkle against the vastness of space. Every time a latent thought tries to grab your attention, focus back on the stars in the sky. See how the Milky Way spreads across the universe with peaceful certainty. Now that those thoughts of the day have been gently banished, we're ready to join Robin. She lives in Glasgow and it is summertime. The days are long and the world is vibrantly green. It's the perfect kind of day for a walk in the park, and this is where our story begins. Robin walks through the black iron gates of Queen's Park and takes a deep breath in. She can smell the delicious scent of grass and blooms in the air.

Starting point is 00:07:07 The Victorian Park opens to a long, wide tree-lined walkway that leads to some ancient stone stairs. Robin walks towards the stairs, being careful to step out of the way of a small girl learning to ride a bicycle, and her father jogging after her. As Robin walks along the wide path and up the gentle incline to the stairs, she catches glances of a group of men playing cricket

Starting point is 00:07:41 on the courts to the right. They yell and laugh while a small group of younger boys watches with interest. Robin reaches the stairs and climbs up them to a small landing on the hill. She turns left and finds her favorite viewing spot. From here, she can look north and see all of Glasgow laid out in front of her. To the far left is the University of Glasgow and Kelvin Grove Museum.

Starting point is 00:08:20 The tall, red buildings stand proudly against the backdrop of Green Kelvin Grove Park. They are easily spotted due to their red sandstone and Victorian architecture. Directly ahead, Robin sees the huge, pink People Make Glasgow sign in the center of the city. people make Glasgow sign in the centre of the city. Glasgow is well known for its friendly people and community focus. Further to the right, she spots the Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis,

Starting point is 00:08:59 both the landmarks of the city that speak to its ancient Scottish history. Robin turns her gaze down to the gently sloping hill below her. The hill is dotted with groups of people enjoying the summer sun. There are several couples having picnics on multicolored blankets. One woman simply lies amongst a patch of buttercups with her headphones in, moving her foot lightly to the sound of her personal concert. There are larger groups of young people laughing and rehashing stories from the weekend. of young people laughing and rehashing stories from the weekend. Down near the bottom of the hill sit several parents watching over a flock of children

Starting point is 00:09:52 chasing one another along the grass. Behind the entire view of the park and the city rise the foothills of the Trossachs. The small mountains and large hills overlook Glasgow and mark the entryway to majestic countryside and a series of beautiful locks. Robin likes to think of them as guardians of the city, watching over her home. Robin turns around to continue on the path and eventually make her way to the pond, but

Starting point is 00:10:30 her eye is caught by the huge rhododendron bushes off to the side. She has admired them all through the spring, watching and waiting for them to bloom. They are now covered in purple, pink, and blue bunches of flowers. Near the bottom of one bush, there is what looks like a scrap of red fabric. Robin walks over to investigate. Robin walks over to investigate. She picks up the red cloth, which jingles slightly due to the four brass bells sewn at each corner. It looks like some kind of strange handkerchief or tiny flag. The sound of more bells comes from behind the bushes. Robin crouches slightly and finds a path between the bushes she has never noticed before.

Starting point is 00:11:32 She has walked through this park hundreds of times. How did she not notice this path? Determined to find out more, Robin ventures into the sweet-smelling foliage. She walks slowly and carefully, not wanting to break too many branches. The flowers caress her limbs as she walks by. She feels like Alice making her way through the forests of Wonderland. Every once in a while, Robin hears the bells again and knows she's on the right track. Robin notices that the ground beneath her feet is covered in thick, soft grass. It looks so lovely,

Starting point is 00:12:28 she has to resist the urge to bend down and stroke it like she would a friendly cat. Eventually, the vegetation thins, and Robin enters a small clearing. The grass grows nearly to her knees, and the huge hedges around her are lush and leafy. The clearing contains a small red tent. It is slightly faded from the sun, but little brass bells glint from every corner and seam. Even as she watches, a breeze ruffles the ancient canvas and sends the tent tinkling sweetly. Robin holds up the fabric she found to compare. It's a perfect match.

Starting point is 00:13:28 Robin circles the tent, inspecting it. It is an old style tent with wooden sticks and pegs instead of metal ones. Along each of the lines of thin rope that secure it to the ground is a line of small pennant flags in every color of the rainbow. They flap cheerfully in the breeze as if to welcome Robin.

Starting point is 00:13:56 She comes back around to the front of the tent and tries to peer inside. She becomes aware of a jolly tune coming from the entrance. She can't quite make it out, though, and edges closer. From what she can see of the inside, the sunlight filters through the faded red canvas to create a dimly lit space. Is it a single room, she wonders? through the faded red canvas to create a dimly lit space. Is it a single room, she wonders. It looks bigger than a normal room

Starting point is 00:14:32 from where she is standing. Robin decides to follow her instinct and enters the tent. The light in the tent is a warm, rosy pink, washing everything in a lovely haze. Inside is not a room, but what appears to be a winding tunnel. Robin is confused. There's no way this little tent could possibly be a long tunnel. She must find out what is at the end. Robin walks down the tunnel, which twists and turns every few feet. Meanwhile, the happy music becomes louder. She can hear drums, tambourines, mandolins, and even pan pipes.

Starting point is 00:15:32 Robin finds herself taken over by the joyful music. She must get to the end of the tunnel and find its source. Just then, Robin bursts out of the tent and into the brilliant golden sunlight. She is in a large field, bordered by the largest trees she has ever seen. She's definitely not in Glasgow anymore. Robin glances behind her and finds a mirror of the tent she entered, except this one has a painted wooden sign above it that reads, The Other Place. Robin considers this.

Starting point is 00:16:21 If where she came from is The Other place, then where is she now? All around the field are similar tents and stalls. They are decorated with bunting, pennant flags, and bells. People walk between them or sit in the grass with one another, but they are all dressed in strange old clothing. The realization hits Robin like a sudden summer rain. She must be at a renaissance fair. Robin wonders what she should explore first, when the smell of something delicious wafts through the air. Robin follows her nose to a stall, where her husband and wife are passing out freshly baked hand pies.

Starting point is 00:17:23 freshly baked hand pies. She watches the husband line up a dozen little pies onto a stone slab and slide it into a large brick oven. Robin wonders briefly how they get the oven home at the end of the day. The wife catches her eye and hands her a warm pie. A moment later, the woman passes her a goblet of a dark red liquid and says it is apple and blackberry juice. When Robin asks how much she owes for the food, the woman merely smiles and waves her away before moving on to the next customer. Robin can't believe her good luck and takes a sip of her beverage. The juice is the perfect combination of sweet and tart.

Starting point is 00:18:29 is the perfect combination of sweet and tart. She bites into the warm golden pie. The crust is flaky and melts in her mouth. Inside is a combination of seasonal veggies in a creamy sauce. It's the best thing she's ever tasted. Robin barely notices anything else that she eats her meal. After she finishes, she decides to wander around and look at the stalls. She decides to wander around and look at the stalls.

Starting point is 00:19:11 She carries her goblet with her, sipping her juice. The strange thing about it is the goblet hasn't seemed to empty at all, and the liquid is still perfectly chilled, even in the summer sun. perfectly chilled even in the summer sun. Robin brushes that from her mind as she heads towards a small crowd in front of a loud stall. She approaches and quickly finds a free spot in the crowd. They are all watching a blacksmith and a glassblower at work. The blacksmith is heating and shaping metal, his skilled hands working his iron tools with ease. The glassblower, who is sharing the same fiery embers for her work, rolls and snips liquid glass into shape.

Starting point is 00:20:09 Robin is mesmerized by the craftspeople. She does not know how long she stands there, admiring their work, but eventually they both set down their finished pieces. They have each created small unicorns in their chosen medium. The pair of magical creatures are caught in mirroring positions, both rearing up majestically. They are so detailed and beautiful that Robin gets the impression that they will come to life as soon as she looks away.

Starting point is 00:20:56 The crowd around her applauds, and she joins in eagerly. Robin continues through the fair and finds herself before a leatherworker's stall. The old woman who owns the store smiles at her kindly before returning to the piece she is working on, leaving Robin to explore her goods in peace. working on, leaving Robin to explore her goods in peace.

Starting point is 00:21:29 On a small table, there are stacks and stacks of leather-bound books. No two are alike, and each one has its own delicately carved design. Some have clasps to keep them shut, and others are small enough to fit in a pocket. On a tall stand sit dozens of leather hats in a wide variety of old styles. Robin notices that a few of the hats have holes cut just above the location of the wearer's ears. She considers this for a while and glances at the old woman.

Starting point is 00:22:13 Two long pointed ears poke out from her silvery hair. Robin glances at the other people wandering around the fair or chatting happily with their companions. Everyone appears to have long pointed ears. Surely this must be some kind of costume, she thinks. Robin continues browsing the wares of the leather worker. She admires belts, satchels, and boots, all made with incredible skill and detail. She waves goodbye to the woman and moves on to the next merchant. This one is a jewelry maker, although the artist appears to be a 12-year-old girl.

Starting point is 00:23:12 Robin would have assumed the stool belonged to the child's parent if she had not seen the child meticulously making a necklace before her own eyes. Robin has already seen some incredible pieces of craft at this fair, but these pieces are by far the most extraordinary. There are necklaces with bright jewels on impossibly delicate chains, earrings twinkle in the sunlight, each one like a drop of pure rainbow.

Starting point is 00:23:51 Bracelets and rings in designs Robin has never seen before sit on velvet. But the most beautiful items are the crowns. They are delicate and impossibly wonderful. Some look like circlets grown from pure golden ivy. Others are towering shards of icicolf. Each one is completely unique and covered in shining gemstones. Robin is almost afraid to touch them because they appear too delicate to remove from their satin pillows. She is just admiring a gold tiara covered in pieces of mother of pearl

Starting point is 00:24:45 when she hears a change in the music. It goes from the cheerful jig that's been playing in the background to the sound of trumpets. This strikes Robin as odd, because not only has she not heard any trumpets up until now, but she has also not seen any musicians. The trumpets sound an announcing fanfare. Robin notices everyone around her stand and turn towards a party of people coming out from between the huge trees. They are a very tall and statuesque couple.

Starting point is 00:25:35 They have pointed ears like everyone else, but they carry themselves with an air of majesty. Robin realizes that these must be the actors playing the king and queen. They certainly look the part. They are in elegant robes, embroidered with delicate gold and silver threads. They both wear their hair very long and have beautiful crowns on their heads. Robin recognizes the work of the young jeweler. The king and queen walk gracefully to each stall,

Starting point is 00:26:15 greeting everyone by name and shaking their hands. Even as Robin watches, the couple seems to be bathed in a golden light, or perhaps it is some inner light shining out through them. As they get closer, Robin feels a wave of peacefulness wash over her. It's almost as though this couple are bestowing a sense of contentment upon everyone. Finally, they reach Robin. They incline their heads respectfully to her and welcome her to their realm. Robin thanks them for their warm welcome. The queen studies Robin with eyes as green as the first leaves of spring.

Starting point is 00:27:12 She waves to the young jeweler, who nods and rings over a small wooden box. The queen presses the box into Robin's hand and smiles warmly. The couple moves on, leaving Robin with her gift. The people of the fair start to follow the couple to the middle of the field. In a large stone circle, huge logs are stacked for a bonfire. Robin joins the crowd and watches. The king waves his hand at the wood, which bursts into flame with green and purple sparks. Robin and the gathered crowd cheer and clap their hands.

Starting point is 00:28:16 Robin is just thinking that this display would be all the more impressive at night when the Queen steps forward. She drags her hand over her head and across the sky. As she does so, the bright day fades into a warm night. The sky seems to speed from bright blue to deepest purple within a few seconds. Stars spring into life in an instant. Robin stares at the sky and finally realizes that she truly has come to a magical place. The king waves his hand at the fire again and multicolored sparks leap into the air. Instead of disappearing, the sparks fly through the air and combine to make beautiful light pictures. First, there is a huge green dragon dragon, which rolls and dives above them. From its mouth come sparks of red, orange, and yellow.

Starting point is 00:29:33 A moment later, the dragon dissolves into a shimmering white unicorn. The glittering apparition tosses its beautiful mane and canters across the sky. Finally, the sparks create a huge castle. There seem to be dozens of turrets and towers. Ivy and creeping roses climb up its walls. From the highest tower waves a flag in the imaginary breeze. The castle glows for a while before dissolving into a rain of glittering sparks. When they fall to the ground, Robin notices they do not burn. The music starts up again once the show is over and people start pairing off to dance. Robin gets the feeling that now is the time to go.

Starting point is 00:30:48 She takes one last look at the scene, appreciating the beauty and joy of it all. Then she walks back to the tent and enters under the sign. Robin follows the tunnel back to her world. Before long, she finds herself once again at the little tent in the clearing. Robin makes her way out of the bushes and back to the path. She looks at the sky, which is bright. It is still daytime. She's certain almost no time has passed here

Starting point is 00:31:37 since she went into the tent, though she could have sworn she was there for hours. Though she could have sworn she was there for hours. She sees the same father from earlier chasing after his bike-riding daughter once again. The same couples are still enjoying their picnics on multicolored blankets. The same woman is still lying amongst the patch of buttercups with her headphones in, listening to music. Robin reaches into her pocket and takes out two things. One is the strip of the tent.

Starting point is 00:32:29 It's bells jingling at the movement. The other is the small wooden box given to her by the queen. Robin opens the box and gasps. Robin opens the box and gasps. Inside is a ring so delicate and fine, it looks as though it grew from the ground, rather than being made by human hands. But then again, was it made by human hands? Probably not.

Starting point is 00:33:16 The band is vines of silver, twisting together in an intricate pattern. Silver leaves cradle a bright gem, the color of lavender. The stone appears to be glowing slightly from the inside. Robin slips it on her finger and hears the sound of music playing on the wind.. You You. You. You You. You You You You You You You You You You You You You You you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Secret Tent

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