Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Tea Emporium in the Clouds

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out premium free for 7 days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Hey, it's Tom. I'm excited to share with you the newest show from Slumber Studios. It's called Sleepy History, and it's exactly what it sounds like. Intriguing stories, people, mysteries and events from history, delivered in a supremely 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

Starting point is 00:01:02 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, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas and I'm your host. In tonight's story, we'll be walking to the top of a beautiful hill and visiting a tea emporium. It's a wonderfully calm and relaxing place, full of many different types of tea.

Starting point is 00:02:01 We'll learn a little bit about the history of this everyday drink, which is served in so many different countries. And together, we'll go on a journey to experience some of the world's most distinctive cups of tea. It sounds quite lovely to me, and I hope you're looking forward to it. Our story was written by Lottie and will be read by Jessica. But before I hand over to Jessica to guide us to the Tea Emporium, let's spend a few moments settling down for the night. It's time to let go of the events of the day and slip into a state of relaxation. Begin by making sure you are completely comfortable.

Starting point is 00:03:08 Close your eyes and take a deep soothing breath in. Feel it expanding your stomach and chest, and when you are ready let it out slowly. Now turn your attention to the top of your head. Imagine that right here there is a golden light. With your next breath in the light begins to grow, spreading out over the top of your head and then across your face. As the light spreads it relaxes your muscles and dissolves any tension just like the sensation of getting into a warm bath. Feel the muscles of your face relaxing and releasing. Let the golden light keep flowing down over your neck and chest and along each shoulder and each arm. Feel it spreading down your back and all the way down your legs until every muscle in your

Starting point is 00:05:13 body has been filled with that warm golden light. When you are finished, take another slow, deep breath in. Notice how soft and heavy your body has become. This time on your out breath, imagine that you are releasing any remaining tension from your day. to simply lie here, relaxed, and with nothing to do except from listening to the sound of Jessica's soothing voice as she takes you on tonight's journey. This is where our story begins. It's a late afternoon and you are standing on the slope of a hill. There is nothing here but pure nature. The deep green grass feels soft and spongy underfoot. And there is a clean taste in the air, similar to cool mineral water. As you breathe in, you can feel the fresh air travel through your nostrils and into your lungs, bringing a sense of wellbeing with it. In the distance, you can hear the chirrup of birdsong.

Starting point is 00:07:50 Looking ahead, you see the most curious thing about this hill. The grass slopes up until it reaches a low bank of fluffy clouds. Then, it disappears into it. It seems that the peak of this hill is hidden right inside the cloud. Instinctively, you feel that the right thing to do is to follow the grass upwards and into the cloud. So you begin to slowly walk towards it. As you walk, you notice your body begins to automatically take deeper and fuller breaths to support the climb. You go up and up, remaining conscious of your breathing and the feeling of fresh oxygen in your body.

Starting point is 00:09:07 Then your eyes catch the cloud. It is spreading out into the air like a huge sphere. Its fluffy texture contains hints of creamy pink and delicate blue. It reminds you of the inside of a pearlescent seashell. The whole cloud seems to hang, moving like smoke in slow motion. Just watching it fills you with a sense of calm. You keep walking until you are almost at the cloud. Then, slowly but purposefully, you extend your hand to touch it. It feels cool, wet, and soothing. A little bit like putting your hand into a very fine sprinkler, except even softer. You decide to keep going and step confidently into the cloud. The same feeling of soothing, fine mist wraps around your legs. As you step fully into the cloud, the sensation envelops your whole body.

Starting point is 00:11:01 You can feel the damp mist against your arms. But before you know it, you are out on the other side, and you are standing just before the peak of the hill. Looking back, the cloud fans out below in all directions, as far as the eye can see. It's like a great, fluffy carpet. The sun is clear and golden up here, and its light seems to dance over the clouds. You guess that the day is only an hour or so away from melting into the sunset. It is truly spectacular up here. You feel like you could spend hours just watching the clouds look up ahead, to the peak of the hill.

Starting point is 00:12:32 It curves like a little bump, and perched right on its crest is a beautiful building. It is large and perfectly circular, with walls of pale pine wood, and the roof is a dome that spirals like a seashell. All across one side is a curved glass window, and inside you catch a glimpse of comfortable armchairs and sofas. On an elegant, arched sign above the door are letters that read, key emporium. Intrigued, you begin to walk up the hill to reach the emporium. As you get closer, you notice wildflowers dotted around, in all different shades of pink, purple, and yellow. The small clusters of flowers sway slightly in the breeze. Then you see the entranceway to the Emporium. It's a set of tall, glass double doors with three low steps.

Starting point is 00:14:14 After climbing the steps, you place your palm on the glass door. It feels cold and smooth to the touch. You push slightly, and the door opens easily. Stepping inside, you let the door close behind you. the door close behind you. You are now standing in a large, circular room with a high, domed ceiling. The same light pine wood of the walls outside has been used inside too, and you can smell its distinctive astringent scent. On one side, the glass window stretches, showing a perfect view of the cloud. Dotted all around the window are the armchairs and sofas that you saw from outside. And on the other side of the room, directly in front of you, is a raised platform with

Starting point is 00:15:41 a curved counter. Behind the counter is a shelf made of rows and rows of squares. Each square is filled with a glass jar, and each jar is full of different types of tea leaves and blends. On top of the counter are glass teapots, each on their own separate burner, while inside each teapot is a different tea. There is a caramel brown one, then a golden amber colored tea, another that's a deep tawny brown, a pale greenish tea, and even a blue tea. But the one that draws your attention is a clear, dusky green. It sits in the biggest teapot. You move over to it, breathing in the scent of freshly brewed green tea. Then, looking down at the counter, you notice the paintings. All across the surface, beautiful designs and descriptions of the history of tea have been carefully painted directly onto the countertop.

Starting point is 00:17:33 As you look at them, the smells of the tea and the magic of this place seem to transport you entirely. You close your eyes, and suddenly, you are imagining the foothills of southwestern China, and the rows and rows of tea plantations. and rows of tea plantations. It is here in China that the story of tea began more than 4,000 years ago. Legend has it that the Yan Emperor Shen Nong was boiling water on an open fire, next to a wild tea plant. He was tired and did not notice some of the tea leaves falling into the water pot. the water pot. When Shen Nong drank the water, he felt refreshed and happy. A glowing warmth spread inside him, and he realized that he had found a new remedy. So he decided to study tea and learn more about its properties and benefits. At first, tea was used as a medicine. The tea leaves were pressed into a cake and dried. tea leaves were pressed into a cake and dried. When someone wanted to make tea, they would break off a part of the cake and boil it in

Starting point is 00:19:34 water before adding all kinds of different ingredients for health benefits. Tea slowly spread across China and Asia with the help of Buddhist monks. They brewed and drank tea before long meditations as it helped them to remain focused and awake. But during China's Tang dynasty, from the 7th to the 10th century, people began to process tea in a way that made it tastier and tea began to be enjoyed socially, much like it is today. Opening your eyes, you come back to the Emporium and breathe in, taking in the crisp, earthy smell of the green tea in front of you. Then you notice another green tea beside this one. Moving closer, you detect the scent of mint. The pictures beside this one show the streets of Morocco, and the picture is so magical, so enticing, that you feel you could really be there. feel you could really be there. You close your eyes and your imagination takes you there.

Starting point is 00:21:33 It's as if you can sense the buzz twists and turns of the market. Blue and white plates and bowls are stacked everywhere, while stalls burst with old silverware, beautiful rugs, and enchanting handcrafts. You keep wandering, savoring the deep, rich colors and the atmosphere of the narrow roads. Then you stop at a tiny courtyard. A cluster of stalls and low wooden tables are waiting for you. You take a seat at a table and almost immediately a woman arrives. She carries a burnished silver teapot and a small delicate glass, which she puts down on the table.

Starting point is 00:22:57 You notice that the glass has been painted with a red design, just like the embellished arches you can find in old Moorish buildings. The kind with an onion-shaped top, a bit like the Taj Mahal. The woman holds the teapot high above the glass and lets the hot liquid pour into it. Not a drop is spilled and you watch it churn and bubble inside the glass. When she is finished, she walks away. You bring the glass to your lips and smell take a sip, and it's intensely sweet, but refreshing flavor washes over your whole mouth. Opening your eyes, you come back to the Emporium.

Starting point is 00:24:26 With gratitude for its magic, you turn your attention to your left, where another pot of tea is sitting. This one is a light golden brown. As you move closer, you detect a nuttier, creamier scent. This is oolong tea. Once again, you gaze down at the countertop to find beautiful illustrations and descriptions of this tea. All tea comes from the same plant, and what makes each tea different is how the plant is processed. Green tea was the original, but when people learned to oxidize or slightly ferment the tea leaves before drying, oolong and black tea were discovered.

Starting point is 00:25:41 You carefully lift the oolong teapot and feel the weight of it in your hands, watching the liquid inside swirl. The illustrations on the counter show people in China drinking cups of oolong with their meals. Placing the teapot back down again, you look to your left to find another one. This teapot is filled with a liquid that is dark, deep, and almost red-brown. The tang in the air tells you that this is black tea. Black tea is made by fully fermenting tea leaves before drying them. And it is the tea that is most popular in Europe, North Africa, Russia, and India.

Starting point is 00:26:59 It was spread via the Silk Road through pilgrimaging monks and by trading ships from Asia to Europe. You step closer to the Black Tea. The many illustrations on the countertop fill you with a sense of curiosity and wonder. The pictures of people in India, Turkey, you close your eyes, and you are immediately transported to each of these countries in your mind's eye, one after the other. First, you find yourself on the corner of a dusty side street in India. The air is hot and flavored with the scent of cardamom, ginger and cloves. The shops are higgledy-piggledy, stacked full of brightly colored packets and jars of every bean, spice, or grain you could imagine. And to your right is the chaiwala, the tea maker.

Starting point is 00:28:46 He stands behind his cart, which is painted light blue and white. In front of him is a row of glass jars filled with small golden cookies. He is boiling a large pan of very strong, very milky tea that bubbles and churns. You can see the black tea leaves and whole spices being thrown about inside. The mixture is a red, bricky color. As you step closer, he lifts the pan from the heat and pours the tea into a strange sieve that looks a bit like a brown sock. He does it with such skill that it seems like a mini waterfall. As he lifts the sieve, you realize that underneath it is the biggest metal teapot you've ever seen. The man lifts the old dented pot and from its spout he pours a measure of the tea into the line of small glasses in front of him.

Starting point is 00:30:25 into the line of small glasses in front of him. You smile as it reminds you of a fancy bartender pouring shot glasses. Gratefully, you take a glass. The sweet smell of the boiled milk and spices is soothing and comforting. Taking a sip, you can taste the sweetness of the sugar mixing perfectly with the creamy milk and the tang of the black tea. It is truly delicious. But as you put the glass down and turn, you realize that you have moved to a new location. that you have moved to a new location. Now you are in the clean, open streets of Istanbul. The bright blue sky is crisp and clear, and on either side of you are small shops and cafes.

Starting point is 00:31:49 You stop at one which has outside seats, shaded by deep blue parasols. Soon as you sit down, a waiter in a black shirt walks towards you with a tray. He lifts a small round saucer with a tiny glass, shaped like the body of a violin, and places it in front of you. A tiny silver spoon rests on the saucer, along with two perfect cubes of sugar. Next, he places another saucer on the table, and you smile at the sight. There's a sticky square of baklava, a Turkish dessert made of layers of flaky filo pastry, pistachio nuts and honey. The tea that accompanies it is dark brown with a sheen of red. You bring the glass to your lips and take a sip, and the scene changes again. changes again. The cup you hold in your hand is now an English teacup.

Starting point is 00:33:32 The fine bone china is patterned with pink and yellow roses, and the tea inside is a creamy dark beige, the familiar color of black tea mixed with just a dash of milk. The white, wrought iron table in front of you holds several plates of cakes, iced buns, and delicate sandwiches. You smile, realizing that you are sitting in the most beautiful English garden. and green, filled with roses, lilac, magnolia, and lavender. Everything is in bloom. You turn your attention back to the cup of tea, and marvel at the journey it has made all the way from ancient China.

Starting point is 00:34:50 Then you open your eyes and come back to the Emporium. The whole room is flooded with the golden glow of sunset. Your eyes sweep over the many teas and teapots that you still have not explored. You notice the herbal teas, and the ones mixed with dried fruit and medicinal plants. And you gaze at the teapot of blue liquid, which has been made from brewing the flowers of the butterfly pea plant. But you're feeling tired and the sunset is calling you. Slowly you turn from the teas and move towards the armchairs and sofas next to the magnificent window. You select the comfiest sofa you can find and curl up on it gratefully, gazing out of the window. The carpet of cloud is still there, but now

Starting point is 00:36:29 it is colored with soft peach, pink, and orange. The peaks and drops of the cloud cast little shadows. It's as if you are looking at an ocean of cotton candy. Beside you, on a small table, is a cup of chamomile tea. You breathe in its sweet, soothing fragrance. Immediately, a feeling of sleepiness and well-being cascades over you. The muscles in your back are softening and letting go. You can feel your eyelids becoming heavier and heavier. And your breathing becomes softer. There, on the sofa, in this beautiful, peaceful place, you reflect on the comfort of a simple cup of tea. You cast your mind lazily over the many different rituals all over the world. But you are so sleepy and so relaxed that your thoughts need not stay. like water poured from a spout until your mind is clear and still.

Starting point is 00:38:53 Your eyes close, your breath takes over, and you feel yourself surrendering. A last feeling of gratitude tingles over you. And then you let go and drift into a deep and peaceful sleep. No doubt helped by the calming cup of tea that sits beside you. You You You You You You You You You. you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Tea Emporium in the Clouds

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