Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Year of the Dragon

Episode Date: February 5, 2024

Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Shady Grove Oliver ✍️ Sound design: light rain, wind chimes 🌧️🎐 Includes mentions of: Heights, Flying, Bodies of Water, Outer Space, Children, Underwater Scenes, Rain, Fantastical Creatures, Lunar New Year, Fantastical Elements.  Welcome back, sleepyheads. Across Asia and around the world, people are once again coming together to celebrate the start of a new year. While the celebrated animals differ slightly from country to country, many people are welcoming the Year of the Dragon in 2024. Tonight, we’ll follow one of these dragons on its journey across the three realms. 😴 Tell us what you love about Get Sleepy, and where we can improve: Get Sleepy Listener Survey ✅  Watch, listen and comment on this episode on the Get Sleepy YouTube channel. And hit subscribe while you're there! Enjoy various playlists of our stories and meditations on our Slumber Studios Spotify profile. Support our Sponsors Check out the great products and deals from Get Sleepy sponsors: getsleepy.com/sponsors/ 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.  Get Sleepy FAQs Have a query for us or need help with something? You might find your answer here: Get Sleepy FAQs 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). Extra-long episodes Exclusive sleep meditation episodes. Discounts on merchandise. 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

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, add 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. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas, and it's my pleasure to be your host.

I'd like to thank everyone that's responded to our listener survey that I mentioned last week. Your feedback is both deeply heartwarming and incredibly helpful, as it means we can gauge how to shape our content going forward to make the show even better for all of you. If you'd still like to complete the survey, which only takes a few minutes, I've left the link in the show notes for this episode too. Thanks again sleepyheads, we are so blessed to have all of you here with us. Tonight's story was written by Shady Grove and I'll be reading it to you. And it's a special story in honor of Lunar New Year. Across Asia and around the world, people are once again coming together to celebrate the

start of a new year. And these years are associated with animals. While they differ slightly from country to country, many people are welcoming the Year of the Dragon in 2024. There are many characteristics associated with dragons, including a sense of justice, intelligence, grace, and good leadership qualities. In this story, we'll follow one of these dragons on its journey across the three realms. But first, take some time to relax and get comfortable. Close your eyes and allow all the muscles in your body to settle. Make sure your face is relaxed

and unclench your jaw if you realize you're holding stress and tightness there. Allow your shoulders to softly drop down onto the bed, letting go of any lingering tension that might be built up from the day. And sense how your neck is supported by the pillow, releasing the strain of the muscles there. Feel your chest and upper back relaxing, your waist and hips. And feel your legs and arms grow heavy as you sink deeper into the comfort of your bed. You can gently move your fingers and toes if you wish, before letting them come to rest wherever is most comfortable.

Here, in your cozy bedroom, or wherever you're settling in right now. Your mind can relax just like your body and let go of the thoughts and worries of the day. There's nothing to pay attention to here. This is a private place for you to quietly rest. So embrace that opportunity and let go of any resistance, anything telling you to remember this, that or the other. Now is the time when you have absolutely no obligation to any of it. And as you rest here, listening to the sound of my voice, you can drift off whenever you're ready. This isn't something you'll be able to actively choose, but it's something you can give room for and just allow to happen without resistance.

So, enjoy our story for as long as you'd like. We're about to travel to a beautiful cloud hovering near the top of a majestic mountain. This is where our story begins. The cloud the dragon lives in is hazy white. It melts around the sharp-peaked mountain, gauzy tendrils reaching gently into every crack and crevice. A delicate purple glow reflects on the underside of the cloud. That soft, comforting lavender that heralds the coming of morning at these great heights. People in the village below rise early, but with determination. They know the year of the dragon is upon them, and a lucky year it will surely be. As they open their eyes and gaze outside, some of them might notice the cloud forming and reforming around the highest rocks above them.

None of them see the dragon, though many feel the presence of its kind on this day of days. day of days. For the lightly in the early morning glow. body moves, every tendon, every muscle, working in perfect harmony. It stretches its feet, claws clicking together, as it clenches and, the power in its grip. With confidence it moves when it must, and grows still when it chooses. The dragon raises its head above the top of the cloud. Feathers of mist gather around it, delicately swirling and churning as it repositions itself. It shakes its head, feeling the cool droplets of water falling from its body like rain. And then, with a single elegant motion, it takes flight. Up and up the dragon's sores, its lithe body moving with ribbon-like grace. As it whips its tail, it flies this way and that, around the sides of white puffy clouds, that tower high into the sky, and brilliant golden lines decorate the edges of the clouds,

almost too bright to look at, like the dragon itself, which shines gold as it skims across the glittering vapor. Violet, rose, blush pink. The colors of dawn paint the sky above the lush green valleys and ancient winding rivers. Wind whips around the body of the dragon. To someone far below, it might sound like the quiet tinkling of chimes or the hollow notes of a distant flute. One woman standing in a rice paddy turns her head. Perhaps she had something. Soon, she returns to her work, the sound of fading memory on the breeze.

The woman works and the rice grows. Soon, it is harvested by the community and used to feed the families who live here. They make simple meals and elaborate ones, piling rice in bowls and molding it into beautiful shapes. When the harvest is good, the community is content. Days come and go, and the dragon soars through the air, the landscape growing bright as the midday sun arcs across the sky. The dragon is heading east. There are more of its kind gathering there.

A natural born leader is rising to power. He is born in a small town. They see him take his first steps, toddling around his home under his parents' watchful eyes. He grows older and is educated. His peers look to him for guidance when they need help. As a schoolboy, he shows promise. The years pass and he matures into a good-natured young man. He works for the benefit of his town and its people, and takes the lead in bettering the

community for all. He is confident, yet kind. It rests on a long, thin cloud hovering above the town, which has grown since the boy was born. The day he comes to power is the first day of a new year. Celebrations were held the night before. It is an auspicious year for the man. It is the start of the year of the dragon. The dragons have come to lend their support, but what year it is means little to them. They see all just the same. The man spends decades leading his people, but the dragon moves on after some time has passed. There are other realms to visit. Uncoiling its body once again, it leaves the long thing cloud behind and flies into the sunset sky. fiery orange as the large round sun sinks lower and lower. Once the sun is gone, it leaves behind a faint glow, which feathers into umber, pink, and

light blue. Higher in the sky, the blue deepens and darkens. Night is on its way. The dragon whips its tail back and forth, shimmying through the clear twilight sky. Up and up it flies, higher into the celestial realm, until all that surrounds it are countless glittering stars. The dragon skims through the inky black expanse, pimprix of light flickering all around it. If someone could see what the dragon sees, they might be overcome with how beautifully

vast the heavens are. Stretching endlessly in all directions, celestial bodies glowing and pulsing in a multitude of shades, a kaleidoscope of impossibly glorious objects. The stars illuminate the night like mirrors, reflecting a single source of light in an otherwise darkened room. Flick, flick, the dragon moves its tail and flies effortlessly through the diamond sky. The rising of the moon brings with it a new kind of beauty. Silvery light fills the sky, and the dragon basks in its glow. It is quiet, so quiet. There is no wind here. The dragon moves silently. Time passes.

Far, far down below, the dragon sees the ocean. With a flash of its tail, it dives down, it swishes its tail, straightening out to fly above the waves. Dark water stretches out on either side, but the dragon follows a special path. A trail of moonlight shimmers on the surface, silver and delicate. The dragon skims the moonlit water, feeling the spray dancing across its body. It hears the gentle lapping of the waves on a distant shore, and it watches the light of the moon dance across its claws as it drags them through the current. Then the dragon dives again, feeling the cool water against its face.

For this is one of the many special things afforded to dragons, they can travel in all three realms. Celestial, Terrestrial, and Aquatic. Beneath the waves, the dragon swims, swishing its powerful tail back and forth to propel itself forward. A school of fish turns together, following the edge of an underwater rock formation. Their iridescent scales glitter in the soft light. Nearby, a seahorse bobs quietly, and a little further on, a tangle of seaweed sways elegantly back and forth, back and forth. The seaweed is a beautiful emerald green, and the seahorse almost translucent. The dragon watches as clams, crabs and fish

navigate their underwater world. It listens to the long, plaintive whale songs drifting through the calm currents, and the little pots each tiny bubble makes as it rises to the surface. Like the heavens, the sea is vast. If a person were to swim here, where the dragon is, they might only notice a few fish. But the dragon sees how the moonlight pours down in striking shafts, dancing across the ocean floor in the shallows. The dragon sees how the passage of time has smoothed out rocks, made space for coral to grow and thrive. and given rise to ancient sea creatures few people have ever laid eyes on. These dwellers of the deep rarely see the light. They live calm, peaceful existences in the greatest depths of the ocean. But the dragon sees all, and greets them as

old friends. Swish, swish, the dragon whisks its tail back and forth, moving through the soft embrace of the sea. In the distance, the first rays of flick of its tail, speeds towards the edge of the aquatic realm. The dragon feels the cool morning air on its face as it rises from the waves. A million droplets of water cascade from its back before losing themselves in the vast expanse of ocean below. Many more years have passed, days and nights and nights and days, and the dragon flies on, turning this way and that, watching all above and below. Villages grow and expand. Generations follow generations.

Seasons come and go. The dragons gather in the clouds and go their separate ways, living as dragons do. While they often watch from afar, sometimes they are drawn to act. The farmers know the last year was hard. It was dry and long, and the crops didn't yield what the farmers had hoped for. But maybe this year could be different, they think. Maybe this year they would have better luck. As the dragon flies over the wide expanse of farmland, it sees that the year has been dry and the ground is parched. With a little flick, the dragon alters course and comes to rest upon a cloud. The cloud is large and grey and heavy with moisture.

The dragon closes its eyes and settles deeply into the misty folds. It opens and closes its sharp claws. With a swish of its tail, the cloud opens up and pours its life-giving contents onto the fields below. The rains come and bring with them green growth. The air is filled with the scent of damp earth and vegetation. The farmers rejoice. The land is thriving once again, the crops grow in abundance. Perhaps this is a year of the dragon, but it means little to those who bear its name. They see all just the same. Months pass and the rain is no longer needed. The dragon stretches its limbs and tail and opens its large intelligent eyes.

It moves its tail back and forth slowly at first and watches the cloud vapour gather and dissipate in its wake. Then it rises to its feet, and with a heavy swish of its tail, to the place the dragon lives. The cloud that wraps around the highest mountain, shrouding its top in grey and white. The dragon flies up and up. It skips over mountains and soars over valleys, follows of the longest river, and mimics the twists and turns of the widest one. Left, right, the dragon turns, gracefully arcing across the sky. It passes the farmland to which it brought the rain, and sees the crops have flourished for many seasons. The ground is verdant, and the reservoirs full. It continues on over the oceans which shimmer on toward the horizon. The blue water is crisp and clear in the shallows, fading to a murky green in the deepest places.

The dragon watches as fish dart this way and that. It sees the whales leaping and playing in the waves. For a moment it dives down towards the water to skim its claws across the surface once again. A plume of spray leaps up from its talons, covering its face in tiny, cool droplets. It knows the oldest creatures are below, far beyond the reaches of the midday sun, and silently it greets them as old friends. Then, the dragon leaves the water behind, and flies higher still into the heavens. It whips its tail back and forth, until all around is a velvet black expanse. Day or night matters not in this realm. The stars are always shining here.

And then, the dragon is heading down again, descending from the heavens to find that twilight has come to the earthly realm. The dragon sees the town it visited long ago, resting calmly in the soft glow of evening. It flies onwards over the rice paddies, where, many moons ago, a woman thought she heard the distant tinkling of wind chimes, or the hollow notes of a single flute. Night falls on the countryside as the dragon soars overhead. It watches the landscape change and shift below. The stars do their heavenly dance as the dragon flies on. And just as the first rays of light are beginning to emerge, the dragon reaches its home. With a single calm motion, it comes to rest on its cloud.

The dragon feels its body relax, and its eyes begin to close. The cloud the dragon lives in is hazy white. It melts around the sharp-peaked mountain, Gorsy tendrils reaching gently into every crack and crevice. A delicate purple glow reflects on the underside of the cloud, that soft, comforting lavender that heralds the coming of morning at these great heights. People in the village below rise early, but with determination. They know the year of the dragon is upon them, and a lucky year it will surely be. నినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినిార్లులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులనినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినిన� you