The Sleepy Island - A Gentle Sleep Story for Adults - Rest: Sleepy Bedtime Stories

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good evening and welcome to Rest, your sanctuary for peaceful
sleep and relaxation. Whether you're escaping daily stresses or seeking
a nightly companion, you're in the right place. My name
is Jessica, and i'll be your host this evening. Before

(00:27):
we begin, why don't you turn off your screens and
turn down your volume. Now that's done, let's unwind and
help you ease into a blessed rest. There's something wonderfully

(00:53):
comforting about the repetitive murmur of ocean waves, isn't there,
Especially when you're snuggled in a hammock, being gently rocked
and swayed, listening to the waves thrum against the sandy shore.
Well to night, we'll be visiting one of my favorite hideaways,

(01:19):
sequestered in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, where
we'll see what enchantments we can find. Before we go exploring,
let's take a moment to settle in, stretch out, get comfortable,

(01:41):
and let your breathing fall into a slow, steady rhythm.
Your boat is just about to pull into the lagoon
where the sleepy island awaits. The full beauty of the

(02:03):
island manifests itself unfolding like the first bloom in spring, steady, confidant, unhurried, glorious.
Closing your eyes, you inhale, deeply, savoring this very moment

(02:28):
and thanking all other moments that came before it, both
the precious seconds and the tedious hours that lead you
here to this tranquil paradise. With your eyes still closed,
you exhale, slowly, preparing to leave behind the worries of

(02:55):
yesterday and the stresses of to day. After all, stress
and worry serve no purpose here in your new found sanctuary.
The gentle rock of the boat as it glides across

(03:15):
the sea is a familiar motion that pulls you one
step closer to serenity, and you bask in its sway.
Your eyes open and you glance over at your sea
captain standing at the helm, a dark haired man with

(03:42):
a salt and pepper beard and a friendly smile. You
watch his brow furrow as he squints his eyes to
shut out the beaming sun, his thick reflective sunglasses and
drawstring bucket hat now striking you as more for appearance

(04:07):
and less for purpose. With the flick of the engine
safety cut off, he turns off the boat and twists
his body to face you. We don't want to scare
the fish now, dew we You smile at him and

(04:29):
shake your head in agreement. He asks if you need
assistance climbing out of the boat. You shake your head
once more and thank him politely, replying that you think
you've got it covered. Smiling a knowing smile, He tilts

(04:55):
the brim of his hat and gestures to the swim ladder.
You take a couple of steps towards the ladder, Based
towards the back of the boat, you turn around and
step backwards onto the first rung, holding onto the handrail

(05:20):
as you gradually make your descent, The warm ocean touches
your toes, rising slowly to your ankles and then your calves.
As you make your way down, You release the handrail

(05:42):
and step from the bottom rung onto the cool seafloor.
The water is shallow, coming just below your thighs, and
its warmth radiates through your body very quickly. You are

(06:02):
grateful to the captain for his consideration of sea life.
Little tropical fish are already swimming up to you, playing
ring a roses around your ankles. They hover around your
shins in whimsical curiosity, and you wonder for a moment

(06:28):
if this might be their way of welcoming you after
your lengthy voyage. You or at their vibrant colors, sun
drenched tangerine, canary, yellow, pistachio, green, boogain, velli, effusia, saubet, coral,

(06:54):
more color combinations than you could possibly count. Your toes
wiggle involuntarily, burrowing excitedly into the sandy floor, in eager
anticipation of the wonders that await them on land. And

(07:16):
with that thought of awaiting wonders, your feet are on
the move, slowly but steadily, one foot in front of
the other, left, right, left, right, Your two feet wading

(07:42):
through knee high waters, ocean droplets clinging to your skin
like little reverential kisses in awe of your stride. The
poetic scent of the sea is carried to your nostrils
by a passing breeze. It lingers there for a moment

(08:07):
in all its salty, mineral glory, before giving way to
the familiar sound of bird song. Their calls entice your eyes,
drawing them upwards and encouraging them to abandon all sense

(08:28):
of navigation. But you know your feet need no assistance.
They move as if independent from your body, seeming to
innately know where they are going where they are taking
you like a shepherd leading his sheep to posture. So

(08:54):
to do your feet lead your weary body to peaceful sands,
and you are grateful to them for their instinctive assistance.
The island birds circle above the treetops in unsynchronized motions,

(09:15):
calling to one another in a language unknown to most.
The color of their feathers strikes you as a remarkable
contrast to the buoyant tones of the fish you had
just passed. Their feathers are gradient hues of midnight blue,

(09:40):
a color so deep and rich that it could easily
have been mistaken for black by less observant eyes. You
watch the birds or gracefully, each one dancing their own
dance with the wind. As their wings rise and fall,

(10:07):
you notice tiny flecks of white sprayed across their soaring bodies.
You imagine they've just flown straight out of a jet
black sky and are still carrying the night stardust on
their backs. This thought makes you smile, and you ask

(10:33):
yourself what this species of bird might be called. With
no one around to provide an answer. You decide to
christen them stardust thieves. After all, given their fine appearance,

(10:53):
it seems only fitting. As the flock of stardust thieves
land on the west side of the island, your feet
finally leave the shallows and feel the warm, sandy beach
beneath them. Nothing could have prepared you for this wave

(11:18):
of emotions, your feeling joy and sheer admiration served with
a side of disbelief, disbelief that a place this extraordinary
could have remained untouched and untarnished for so long. A

(11:43):
tear collects in the corner of each eye and rolls
down your cheeks, but you don't brush them away. You
allow them to trickle at their own pace. These are
happy tears, and they have earned their place. They are

(12:07):
the prelude to that beaming smile spreading across your face.
You've stepped into art itself, and there's no explanation for it,
but you can't help but feel that when this island
was created, billions and billions of years ago, extra time

(12:34):
and careful attention was paid. Here. Amidst your silent admiration,
you nearly miss sight of a hermit crab crawling along
the sand bed. Tentatively, you remove your satchel from your shoulder,

(12:56):
not wanting to startle him, You quietly finger through the
contents inside and try to locate your sketch book and
charcoal pencils. From now on, you want to record everything,
from the greatest discoveries to the smallest creatures, all of which,

(13:25):
much like this hermit crab, deserve to be remembered. You
bend down slowly to get a closer look and begin
sketching the little traveler's movements with bold strokes. His sturdy
legs walk swiftly and confidently in search of their next destination,

(13:53):
and you lean in closer to better capture his four
antennae as he walks, intrigued by their flickering movements. The
two longer feelers twitch quickly as he uses them to
feel the world all around him, carefully navigating his body

(14:19):
around dried seaweed, empty shells, and other hindrances to his quest.
The smaller set moves in a more controlled manner, lifting
slightly above the other two to taste and smell his surroundings.

(14:42):
He hesitates as a wave recedes and starts sifting through
the sand. In search of something the ocean might have
left behind. You flick the page of your sketch book
to begin a new drawing. Just as his scavenging pays off,

(15:06):
his claws pick up some tasty debris and he puts
it in his mouth, causing you to chuckle at how
similar he looks to a human excitedly eating finger food.
It's not long before he finishes his snack and resumes

(15:31):
his journey across the shoreline. And just like that, as
quickly as your new friend had appeared, you watch his
red body disappear into a forest of rocks. The hermit

(15:52):
crabs rapid departure serves as your reminder of how fleeting
memorable moments can feel when you abandon the technology to
quickly capture them. But you know that removing technology is

(16:12):
the only way to be truly present. That is why
you had left your phone and digital camera on the boat,
leaving your sketch bad as your only recording device, because
you'd promised yourself that this trip would be different from

(16:37):
every other. It would be distraction free and grounding. Over
the years, you have noticed that there is always something
truly magical that happens when you remove the lens between

(16:59):
you and the world unfolding around you. When you let
go of technology and live each moment in the beautiful moment,
you can feel it happening. Even now. Your ears tune

(17:22):
into the wind whispering through the trees. The colors are
becoming brighter, and the smells fantastically more fragrant. You breathe
it all in one slow inhale, and your burdens feel inconsequential.

(17:49):
One's steady hold, and your frustrations seem smaller and irrelevant.
One long echoes sail, and your breathing becomes lighter and effortless.
You pack up your belongings and continue your journey along

(18:13):
the shoreline. After a couple of eager strides, you step
into a forest of mangrove trees and smile at their
tangle of exposed roots, roots that twist and turn thickly
above the sand in full view, and you wonder what

(18:37):
creatures might have found their home in this wooden fortress.
These beech beauties strike you as being completely unlike the
species of trees you see back home, pine, silver, fir,

(18:59):
home oak, evergreens that conceal their roots and history in
the undergrowth, but these mangroves feel transparent, honest, almost hiding
nothing in the earth below. And in response to their

(19:22):
display of honesty, your lips part and an urge washes
over you to whisper your hopes and dreams to them.
But that would be silly, wouldn't it, whispering trees your
hopes and dreams. You peer over your shoulder to scan

(19:48):
the island for other visitors. With no one else in sight,
you suppose that a little silliness could never hurt anyone.
You sigh deeply, touching one of the mangrove trunks with

(20:08):
your right hand, and whisper your hopes for the present
and your dreams for the future. Maybe you were imagining it,
but you're sure that as you whispered, you felt the
wind change ever so slightly, almost unnoticeably. It was as

(20:36):
if the mangroves had heard your quiet prayers. You allow
your hand to fall to your side, silently, not your
gratitude to the mangroves for lending and listening ear and
turn to walk in land. As the distance between you

(21:03):
and the beach grows, the echo of falling water breaks
through the cacophony of waves crashing and birds calling. You
follow the sound in eager anticipation. After walking through the

(21:25):
islands from descence for a couple of minutes, you catch
sight of a cascading waterfall sweeping greenery out of your
line of sight. You're able to take a couple of
steps closer to get a better view. The white sprays

(21:48):
fall heavily onto the rocks beneath and pour over their
sharp edges to join the pool of water at the
base of this magnificent cascade. Some of the droplets carry
on a passing breeze, spraying your face and arms delicately.

(22:14):
You take this as the waterfall's invitation to come closer
and carefully make your way down the mossy bank to
the natural pool waiting beneath. You reach the pool's edge
and watch the sunlight dance across the water's surface. The

(22:41):
scene awash with greens and shifting blues. You couldn't imagine
a more relaxing place to be without hesitation. You remove
your outer layer of clothing and rest the garments neatly

(23:03):
on a large rock, carefully placing them out of reach
of the waterfall's mist. You enter the shallow pool, bending
your knees slightly to fully immerse your body. Your head

(23:23):
tilts back into the warm water and your eyelids full shut.
Your legs lift as you float on your back, and
your arms stretch out at your sides. You remain in

(23:44):
this starfish pose, not knowing how much time has passed,
and not particularly caring. The water's surface trickles and ripples
as your fingers caress its surface lovingly, And it occurs

(24:06):
to you how inappropriate it is to cool this planet
Earth when it is so Evidently ocean water does cover
more than seventy percent of the planet's surface, after all,

(24:27):
and along with air, is the most omnipresent substance here
on Earth. It is the primary ingredient for supporting life
as we know it, So how could we not give
it its dew? With the exception of the water fall's berbal,

(24:52):
you float in silence, not uttering a sound, not that
there's air anyone around to utter a sound too. This
moment's recognition of your solitude is peaceful, and you bask

(25:13):
in the quiet within yourself. As you continue to float,
your heart rate lois and you feel a profound peace
ripple through your body. This is serenity, you say to yourself.

(25:37):
With your arms still outstretched and your body floating weightlessly.
For the first time, you notice the sky's evolution. Once
a clear blue, it is now filled with a cotton

(25:58):
candy mass of white and gray clouds. They hover above
the waterfall, momentarily thick with summer rain, before eventually rolling
over its crest. Your ears tune in to nature's overture

(26:21):
as swollen drops begin to fall heavily and spontaneously, plunking
the pool with confidence and experience, drumming the earth in
rhythmic precision, plucking the vines snaked around the tree trunks,

(26:45):
tapping tear drop shaped leaves one after another enharmonic thrum.
This involuntary orchestra compose by the clouds is unintentional, but
strangely harmonious. You resist the urge to applaud, instead, rising

(27:13):
to your feet and wading through the waters towards the bank.
You smell the island around you errupt into gratitude, a
homely baked earth scent that rises from the land, a

(27:35):
scent that is warm and fresh, almost sweet. You think
to yourself that if there were ever a time to dance,
then this is it. Under the open heavens, so with

(27:59):
your arm arms outstretched and your innerbitions thrown to the wind.
You dance as the warm rain washes your skin and
bathes your hair. You dance as the rainfall quenches the

(28:20):
island's thirst. You dance as nature's symphony softens. Drawing to
a close. You dance, whirling on the tips of your toes, until,
just as rapidly as the clouds had arrived, they disperse,

(28:46):
taking the summer rains with them. For now your dance
is over. But this freeing feeling is enough and will
live on until the next rain, when you'll dance uninhibited again.

(29:09):
Pushing your wet hair from your face, you collect your
dripping clothes from the water fall's edge and go in
search of somewhere to dry off. The sound of ocean
waves lapping against the shore cal to you once more,

(29:33):
but this time they whisper from the other side of
the island. You respond by walking in the direction of
the sound, and eventually approach a clearing between towering coconut
palm trees. They frame the sandy beach and turquoise waters

(30:00):
to perfection, as if they'd been deliberately planted here long
ago with the sole purpose of one day becoming a
live exhibition. You think back to the many galleries you
visited around the world and the remarkable treasures they hold

(30:26):
within them. The Mona Lisa in the Louver in Paris,
the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome's Vatican Museum,
the marble Greek sculptures that live within the Metropolitan Museum

(30:47):
of Art in New York, and Darli's surrealist masterpieces on
display in London State Modern. Yet none of these could
ever compare to this breath taking view. You marvel at

(31:11):
how truly astounding Mother Nature is when left to her
own accord, and quietly promise to get out of her way.
More often, there's a woven hammock tide between two of

(31:31):
the coconut trees. It hangs slightly over the rising tide
and looks like the perfect spot to dry off in
the warm breeze and setting sun. The hammock creeks under
your weight as you climb in, adjusting your body until

(31:59):
you are perfectly comfortable. You lay your head back, taking
a minute to relish the feeling of freedom that has
come with surrendering yourself to the island and all of

(32:19):
its charms. You've come to love this gentle and unhurried pace,
now finding it easy to surrender your body and mind,
to come to peace, to relaxation once again. You tune

(32:45):
in to the waves lapping against the shore, the star
dust thief birds rustling through the coconut leaves, and the
breeze offering a comforting blanket of warms. You're at home

(33:07):
in the island's lullaby, and as its song grows fainter,
fainter and fainter still, you slip gently into the open
arms of sleep.

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The Sleepy Island - A Gentle Sleep Story for Adults

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