Latest / Abide Meditation App / Circe_s Island _ A Relaxing Sleep Story

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Circe_s Island _ A Relaxing Sleep Story · Abide Meditation App

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, the podcast where we listen, we relax,
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks so
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: much for tuning in. Arif will be reading tonight's story,
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: where we'll pay a visit to the Italian island of Ponza,
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: located to the west of mainland Italy. This small, picturesque
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: island is a popular holiday destination, and many visitors return
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: every summer. The character in tonight's story, Luca, is one
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: of these regular visitors. But although he thinks he's explored
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: every nook and cranny of the island, there's still one
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: magical place left to discover. Let's prepare for our story
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: with a moment of relaxation so we can naturally transition
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: from the wakeful and active frame of mind to a calmer,
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: more restful one. So, close your eyes if you haven't
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: already done so and just allow your breathing to slow
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: to a pace that feels relaxed and reassuring for you.
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: You may need a little extra help to let go
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: of niggling thoughts playing on your mind. So just try
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: to picture yourself outside on a sunny day looking up
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: at the blue sky watching gentle clouds float by That
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: scene is just like your mind. The ever-present blue sky
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: observes as the clouds move by, just as your mind
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: observes those thoughts that come and go, as if they
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: too were drifting on the breeze. Separate any sense of
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: your thoughts being intrinsically part of you and simply become
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: the observer whatever thoughts present themselves you can just smile
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: and watch as they drift by across that beautiful blue
• 2:56
  Speaker 1: sky Where we're going tonight, a clear blue sky envelops
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: the scene below and the warming sunshine caresses your skin,
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: filling you with comfort and ease. So as you continue
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: to relax, allow an image to form in your imagination
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: A small white boat floats on the calm surface of
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: the sea. The colors are beautifully bright and vivid. And
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: this is where our story begins.
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: The white boat seems to glow and shine in the
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: strong Mediterranean sunlight. The glittering water shifts between shades of
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: blue and green. There's a man swimming in the water
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: right beside the boat. He's moving so slowly that he
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: hardly seems to be swimming at all. He's just treading water,
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: happy to stay in this particular spot. Then he floats
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: on his back with his eyes closed. He looks deeply
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: relaxed as he drifts on the gentle waves. Another younger
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: man is asleep on the boat, taking a nap in
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: the shade of the awning. Every now and then, he
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: stirs slightly, but only for a moment. The calming movements
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: of the water deep dreamy sleep the boat bobs up
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: and down gently rocking one man floats dreamily in the
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: water while the other sleeps on the boat time is
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: suspended this peaceful moment could last forever A young man, Luca,
• 6:22
  Speaker 2: had been dreaming of moments like these. Sea, sunshine, and
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: pure relaxation. This was why he came to the Italian
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: island of Panza every summer. It was like a second home.
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: Whenever he returned there, Traveling by ferry, he thought about
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: all the people who had made this journey over the centuries.
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: In ancient times, Panza was a wild, remote paradise. It
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: was also a place of exile for the relatives of
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: some Roman emperors. They were exiled from Rome and sent
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: to live on this distant, hilly island surrounded by dazzling
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: blue sea. Although it was a beautiful place to live,
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: it was far away from the politics of the Roman
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: Empire and the rest of the world they knew. The
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: first settlers arrived on Panza in Neolithic times, thousands of
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: years ago. When he was exploring the wilder parts of
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: the island, it seemed to Luca that very little had
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: changed in all that time. As he climbed up rocky trails, wandered,
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: through the vineyards, or went on boat trips around the island.
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: It might have been any year in history. The modern
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: world felt very far away. During his stays on the island,
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: Luca changed his routines and rhythms He switched off his
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: phone and forgot about work. He woke up early and
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: often went to bed early too. He was always worn
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: out after a long day of walking or an afternoon
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: of swimming and sunbathing in the rocky coves. It was
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: a good healthy kind of tiredness. He would fall asleep
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: the moment he closed his eyes and sleep deeply until
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: the next morning. Occasionally, he would wake up just in
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: time to see the soft pink sky at sunrise. Luca
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  Speaker 2: stayed in a house at the top of the hill
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  Speaker 2: with breathtaking views across the island. Sometimes he stayed with
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: friends and other times he came alone. On this particular
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: trip he had just spent several days with his friends.
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  Speaker 2: It had been a fun experience but tiring week of
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: boat trips and diving expeditions and delicious seafood dinners. Now
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: his friends had gone and Luca had the house to
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: himself for the remainder of his trip. Although he missed
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: his friends in a way, he was looking forward to
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: exploring at a more leisurely pace. He was also happy
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  Speaker 2: to have a few days without any plans so he
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: could do whatever he felt like in the moment. Luca
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: never felt lonely here. By now He knew many of
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: the locals. Every morning, as he walked down the steep
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: path that led to the town, he would always encounter
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: at least one or two neighbors who greeted him with
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: a smile. He even knew some of the dogs in
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: the neighborhood. he often saw a friendly Labrador and an
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: affectionate old mongrel that always came up to him, hoping
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: for a scratch behind the ear or a belly rub.
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: Their owners allowed them to wander freely, exploring the streets
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: and gardens. When he was alone, Luca's usual morning routine
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: involved a stroll into town and breakfast at a local café.
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: He would order a steaming hot black coffee and a
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: sugary pastry filled with jam. Then he would wander through
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  Speaker 2: the cobbled streets of the center, admiring the colorful buildings
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: Many of them were painted in pastel shades, blue, pink,
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: and yellow. Some of the houses were white, reminding him
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: of seaside villages in Greece. Wherever he walked, he found
• 13:16
  Speaker 2: color and beauty, and reminders of the sea. The shops
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: sold swimwear and snorkeling equipment and souvenirs inspired by the ocean.
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  Speaker 2: There was even a jewelry shop selling necklaces with coral
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  Speaker 2: pendants and charm bracelets with little golden shells, which he
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: bought as gifts. The cafes and restaurants were brightly decorated
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: and looked welcoming, with chalkboard menus advertising fresh fish and
• 14:05
  Speaker 2: hearty plates of seafood pasta. As he passed under the
• 14:13
  Speaker 2: balconies of apartments, and guest houses. He saw colorful beach
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: towels hung out to dry in the sun. The port
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: was nearby, too. Sometimes Luca would stroll to the edge
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: of the island and have a coffee sitting outside at
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: one of the cafes overlooking the port. He liked to
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: watch the ships come in and see the tourists arrive.
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: Although the port was always a little hectic and noisy,
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: it was nice to see people's excitement as they got
• 15:05
  Speaker 2: to town. Some looked around in wonder, witnessing the beauty
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: of the island for the first time. Luca smiled, remembering
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: his own happiness and excitement on his first visit to
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: Panza all those years ago. There was something special about
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: seeing a beautiful place for the very first time. But
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: Luca now enjoyed his visits in a different way. with
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: a sense of comfort and familiarity. He had his routines,
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: and he knew exactly where to go. The best swimming
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: spots were the most scenic parts of the island. On
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: this particular day, on his own, And with no plans,
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: Luca decided to have lunch at one of his favorite restaurants.
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  Speaker 2: It wasn't far from the town, but getting there was
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  Speaker 2: an adventure. First, he went on a short boat journey
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  Speaker 2: across the bay to a long, pebbly beach. He often
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: came to this beach to sunbathe or to swim in
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  Speaker 2: the crystal clear water. Before continuing his journey to the restaurant,
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: he allowed himself a quick, refreshing dip. Once he was
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: feeling cool and refreshed, He was ready to continue on
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  Speaker 2: his way. He walked to the far end of the beach,
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  Speaker 2: past rows of sunbeds and umbrellas, and around some pools
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  Speaker 2: surrounded by boulders. At the far end of the beach
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  Speaker 2: was a tall, sand-colored cliff with a steep flight of
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  Speaker 2: steps cut into the rock. It wasn't the easiest climb,
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  Speaker 2: but it was a route he'd taken many times before,
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  Speaker 2: and it was the only way to reach the restaurant.
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  Speaker 2: Slowly and carefully, Luca made his way up the steps.
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: all the way to the top. The steps seemed to
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  Speaker 2: go on forever. But when he caught sight of a
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  Speaker 2: goat grazing in a patch of grass, he knew he'd arrived.
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  Speaker 2: This was no ordinary restaurant. Its uniqueness was one of
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  Speaker 2: the reasons Luca returned. again and again, often several times
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  Speaker 2: in a single trip. It was worth the climb and
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: getting a little bit out of breath. The main area
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  Speaker 2: was a large, shady terrace with some old-fashioned tables and chairs.
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  Speaker 2: This was the dining area, with spectacular views over the
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  Speaker 2: beach and the bay. Just below the terrace was a
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  Speaker 2: row of striped sunbeds and deck chairs for any visitor
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  Speaker 2: who felt like sunbathing after lunch. There was also another
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  Speaker 2: row of sunbeds behind the terrace, in the shade of
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  Speaker 2: the pine trees. In addition to the restaurant and relaxation areas,
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: there was also a small folk museum, telling the story
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  Speaker 2: of the island and its people. There were just a
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  Speaker 2: couple of rooms in the museum, filled with an assortment
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: of photos, tools, and machinery. Each object was carefully labeled
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: with handmade signs. The family who owned the restaurant also
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: ran the museum and clearly took pride in it. They
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: would offer guided tours to anyone who came to eat,
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  Speaker 2: happy to share their deep love and knowledge of the
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  Speaker 2: island with visitors. Finally, near the museum was a kind
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  Speaker 2: of farm a vegetable garden, and some enclosures with goats
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  Speaker 2: and chickens. The animals sometimes wandered freely. The family's dog
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  Speaker 2: could often be found sleeping under one of the tables
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  Speaker 2: in the restaurant while the goats roamed around the garden.
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  Speaker 2: Luca loved the atmosphere in this special place. Even though
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  Speaker 2: he had visited many times, it always filled him with
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  Speaker 2: a sense of childlike wonder. But today, the main purpose
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  Speaker 2: of his visit was to enjoy a simple lunch with
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  Speaker 2: a view He greeted the owner and then sat down
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  Speaker 2: with a contented sigh, happy to be resting in the shade.
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  Speaker 2: He sipped a glass of cold water and gazed at
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  Speaker 2: the panorama in front of him. This stretch of coastline
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  Speaker 2: was truly stunning. with its craggy cliffs and gorgeous blue water,
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  Speaker 2: like something from the Caribbean. He felt like he was
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  Speaker 2: sitting on the top of the world. Just as he
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  Speaker 2: was beginning to feel hungry, the owner returned with his food.
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  Speaker 2: There was no written menu at this restaurant, but Luca
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  Speaker 2: trusted the family to prepare simple, traditional meals with fresh ingredients. Today,
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  Speaker 2: the owner had prepared a delicious dish of eggplant, tomato,
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  Speaker 2: and cheese baked in the oven. with a side serving
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  Speaker 2: of pizza stuffed with chicory and olives. There was also
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  Speaker 2: a basket of freshly baked bread rolls, still warm from
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  Speaker 2: the ocean. Luca tucked into his food with relish, savoring
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  Speaker 2: every moment. he felt perfectly content to be sitting here alone,
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  Speaker 2: eating a delicious meal and admiring one of the most
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  Speaker 2: beautiful views in the world. But another advantage of this
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  Speaker 2: particular restaurant was the friendliness of the guests. It was
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  Speaker 2: easy to get into conversation with the people sitting at
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  Speaker 2: other tables. It felt more like a family dining room
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  Speaker 2: than a traditional restaurant. More than once, Luca had ended
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  Speaker 2: up befriending fellow diners, meeting them again for a meal
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  Speaker 2: or a day at the beach This time, Luca ended
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  Speaker 2: up chatting to a middle-aged man at the next table.
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  Speaker 2: This man, Marco, was also dining alone. Luca was not
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  Speaker 2: surprised to discover that Marco was a sailor. He was
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  Speaker 2: deeply tanned, and his dark hair had a golden tint
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: from the sun. He looked like he'd spent his whole
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: life on the sea. As the two men finished their
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: meal with a cup of coffee, they shared their experiences
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: of visiting the various coves and grottos around Panza. Most
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: of them were places that Luca was familiar with, but
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: there was one he didn't know, the Cave of Circe.
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  Speaker 2: All he knew was the name, and that it was
• 26:31
  Speaker 2: on the western side of the island. But as he
• 26:36
  Speaker 2: explained to Marco, he had never visited the cave. and
• 26:42
  Speaker 2: he knew nothing about Circe. Marco smiled and suggested they
• 26:51
  Speaker 2: make a deal. If Luca bought him lunch, Marco would
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  Speaker 2: take him to visit the cave of Circe and tell
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  Speaker 2: him the story of the myth. Luca had to see
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  Speaker 2: this magical place for himself. And just as the restaurant
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: could only be reached by the steps on the side
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  Speaker 2: of the cliff, the cave of Circe could only be
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  Speaker 2: reached in one way, by boat. Luca was keen to
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  Speaker 2: discover another part of the island. so he accepted willingly.
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  Speaker 2: He agreed to meet Marco at the port the following day.
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  Speaker 2: The next afternoon, the two friends met at the port
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  Speaker 2: and began their journey on Marco's little white boat. The
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  Speaker 2: boat was completely white, from the hull to the awning.
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  Speaker 2: The only other color was the blue paint on the
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: side of the hull. The boat was called La Sirena,
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: the Mermaid. It was an appropriate name for the boat
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  Speaker 2: and for this particular expedition. they were on their way
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  Speaker 2: to visit the cave of an enchantress. After leaving the port,
• 28:45
  Speaker 2: they began to slowly navigate the circumference of the island,
• 28:51
  Speaker 2: looking out for sites and landmarks. There were manmade grottoes
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  Speaker 2: dating back to Roman times, once used as fisheries. Then
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: they passed small, rocky islands and the crumbling ruins of
• 29:16
  Speaker 2: an ancient lighthouse high on the hill. The island was small,
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  Speaker 2: and they were in no rush to reach their destination.
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  Speaker 2: So they took their time Enjoying the magnificent scenery they
• 29:40
  Speaker 2: stopped and lingered for a while in the most impressive
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  Speaker 2: bay a wide expanse of coastline shaped like a crescent
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  Speaker 2: moon with towering golden cliffs Gazing at the cliffs from
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  Speaker 2: the sea, Luca imagined how the island must have appeared
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  Speaker 2: to the Greeks and the Romans, exactly as it was now.
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  Speaker 2: From here, he could see nothing but untouched nature, majestic
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  Speaker 2: cliffs rising up around a narrow stretch of sand. and
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  Speaker 2: a shimmering expanse of turquoise water. Once they were ready
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  Speaker 2: to move on, Marco started the boat's engine. He explained
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  Speaker 2: that Circe's cave was just a little further around the bend.
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  Speaker 2: It wasn't quite as spectacular as this bay, but it
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  Speaker 2: had a charm of its own. It also had a story.
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  Speaker 2: When the boat next stopped, it took a moment for
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  Speaker 2: Luca to realize where they were. At first, The cliff
• 31:28
  Speaker 2: seemed to be a solid wall of rock, but then
• 31:33
  Speaker 2: he looked a little closer and saw that there was
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  Speaker 2: a wide opening above the water, the entrance to Circe's cave.
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  Speaker 2: The archway was just tall enough for the boat to
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  Speaker 2: pass through, Marco gently guided the boat under the archway
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  Speaker 2: and into the cave. It was more spacious than Luca
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  Speaker 2: had expected, like a large room. But instead of a floor,
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  Speaker 2: there was only blue water, and the high, sloping ceiling
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  Speaker 2: was made of rock. The shape of the cave reminded
• 32:31
  Speaker 2: Luca of a church. There was also something mystical about
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  Speaker 2: the light. The sunlight streamed in through the opening, creating
• 32:46
  Speaker 2: watery reflections on the walls and ceiling. As the boat
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  Speaker 2: drifted further into the cave, the magical effects of the
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  Speaker 2: light intensified. They were surrounded by gorgeous luminescent shades of
• 33:13
  Speaker 2: blue on all sides. Luca breathed in deeply. The cave
• 33:24
  Speaker 2: had a soothing, calming atmosphere. Perhaps it was the simplicity
• 33:33
  Speaker 2: of the sensations. There were no sounds except for the
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  Speaker 2: water gently lapping against the walls of the cave. And
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  Speaker 2: all he could see was the rock and the water.
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  Speaker 2: Time seemed to slow down. or even stand still. He
• 34:04
  Speaker 2: felt safe and protected here. But the cave also had
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  Speaker 2: a special quality that he couldn't put into words. It
• 34:21
  Speaker 2: felt incredibly ancient and somehow sacred. As he tried to
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  Speaker 2: express his feelings to Marco, the sailor smiled and nodded.
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  Speaker 2: It was something that everyone felt when they entered the cave.
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  Speaker 2: Luca would understand when he heard the story of Circe.
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  Speaker 2: Long ago, In the mythical age of the Odyssey, this
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  Speaker 2: island was a wild and magical place. It was famous
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  Speaker 2: among sailors and travelers as the home of Circe, a
• 35:16
  Speaker 2: beautiful goddess with fiery hair and golden eyes. Circe had
• 35:24
  Speaker 2: special talents as an enchantress, using her knowledge of potions
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  Speaker 2: and herbs to cast spells. She even enchanted the hero
• 35:39
  Speaker 2: Odysseus and his men. But most of the time, Circe
• 35:47
  Speaker 2: lived a peaceful, solitary life on the island. She passed
• 35:55
  Speaker 2: her time wandering through the woods and vineyards searching for
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  Speaker 2: new plants and herbs to use in her spells. On
• 36:09
  Speaker 2: these long, dreamy walks in the woods, she was often
• 36:15
  Speaker 2: accompanied by her pets. She had a variety of cats, dogs, birds,
• 36:25
  Speaker 2: and even a pair of tame lions that walked by
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  Speaker 2: her side. Once Circe had gathered her plants, she would
• 36:38
  Speaker 2: return to her palace in the forest on the hill
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  Speaker 2: and spend the afternoon creating potions or weaving on her loom.
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  Speaker 2: She used to sing to herself as she worked. beautiful
• 36:58
  Speaker 2: melodies like birdsong and lullabies that sent her animals to sleep.
• 37:08
  Speaker 2: She was soon surrounded by dozing cats and dogs, lying
• 37:15
  Speaker 2: curled up on the floor near her feet. On hot
• 37:22
  Speaker 2: summer days, Circe spent less time at work she preferred
• 37:31
  Speaker 2: to stay outside soaking up the rays of the warm
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  Speaker 2: Mediterranean sun. She sunbathed on the rocky beaches or swam
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  Speaker 2: in the shallow water floating on her back like a starfish.
• 37:56
  Speaker 2: Sometimes She explored the rock pools, searching for shells, rocks,
• 38:04
  Speaker 2: or plants to use in a spell. But she was
• 38:10
  Speaker 2: also happy to do nothing at all. She would bask
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  Speaker 2: in the sunshine for an hour or so, then immerse
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  Speaker 2: herself in the cool water. She repeated this cycle over
• 38:29
  Speaker 2: and over again, all through the summer. Visiting the cave
• 38:38
  Speaker 2: by the sea was another one of her summer rituals.
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  Speaker 2: She considered it to be her own private cave, a
• 38:52
  Speaker 2: secret she would never share with another soul. When she
• 38:59
  Speaker 2: had visitors, she would gladly show them her orchards and vineyards.
• 39:08
  Speaker 2: She might even give them a tour of the room
• 39:12
  Speaker 2: where she concocted her potions. But the cave was for
• 39:17
  Speaker 2: her alone. When Cersei felt like stretching her limbs, she
• 39:25
  Speaker 2: would swim to the cave. She was sometimes joined by
• 39:31
  Speaker 2: a pod of dolphins, escorting her all the way to
• 39:36
  Speaker 2: the entrance. Then she would float in the middle of
• 39:41
  Speaker 2: the cave for a while, savoring the peaceful silence and
• 39:48
  Speaker 2: the cool water. but when she wanted to spend a
• 39:54
  Speaker 2: little longer in the cave, she would go by boat.
• 40:03
  Speaker 2: She set out on her golden rowboat, rowing steadily across
• 40:09
  Speaker 2: the waves and under the archway. She stopped only when
• 40:18
  Speaker 2: she was in the middle of the cave, sheltered from
• 40:23
  Speaker 2: the rest of the world. Once she was here, she
• 40:30
  Speaker 2: would lose track of time. The boat rocked gently on
• 40:36
  Speaker 2: the waves, spinning slowly around as Circe daydreamed. Sometimes she
• 40:46
  Speaker 2: sang to herself. Listening to her voice echo dreamily off
• 40:52
  Speaker 2: the walls of the cave, it was like the cave
• 40:57
  Speaker 2: was singing back to her. Sometimes she did nothing at all,
• 41:06
  Speaker 2: letting her mind empty completely, until she was aware of
• 41:13
  Speaker 2: nothing but her breathes. In these relaxing, trance-like states, ideas
• 41:24
  Speaker 2: would often come to her, rising up out of her
• 41:29
  Speaker 2: consciousness like a bubble in the water. She was inspired
• 41:38
  Speaker 2: to create new healing potions or to invent even more
• 41:45
  Speaker 2: powerful magic spells. And then, ever so slowly, all thoughts
• 41:55
  Speaker 2: faded away. Circe closed her eyes and fell into a long,
• 42:04
  Speaker 2: peaceful sleep, right there in her enchanted cave. This was
• 42:14
  Speaker 2: the end of Marco's story. Now Luca understood why the
• 42:21
  Speaker 2: cave had such a strange, magical atmosphere. The memory of
• 42:30
  Speaker 2: Circe's songs and dreams still lingered in the air and
• 42:36
  Speaker 2: the water and permeated the walls. Marco started the boat's engines.
• 42:48
  Speaker 2: they slowly left the cave, passing through the archway and
• 42:55
  Speaker 2: into the sunlight. It even felt different outside. The light
• 43:04
  Speaker 2: seemed softer, and the movement of the water was even
• 43:10
  Speaker 2: slower and gentler than before. By telling Cersei's story, the
• 43:19
  Speaker 2: sailor had cast a spell of his own. Or perhaps
• 43:25
  Speaker 2: it was just Luca's imagination. He was feeling tired now
• 43:34
  Speaker 2: and in need of a nap. He often slept on
• 43:40
  Speaker 2: summer afternoons and he was tempted to have a short
• 43:46
  Speaker 2: sleep here on the boat Marco was happy to stop
• 43:52
  Speaker 2: the boat for a while. Luca could join him for
• 43:57
  Speaker 2: a swim or relax on the boat for as long
• 44:02
  Speaker 2: as he liked. There was no rush, nowhere they needed
• 44:10
  Speaker 2: to go and nothing to do. They were free to relax.
• 44:23
  Speaker 2: Luca watched Marco dive into the water. The sailor swam
• 44:30
  Speaker 2: with natural ease, gliding through the waves like a dolphin
• 44:38
  Speaker 2: or like Circe swimming to her cave. Luca smiled to himself,
• 44:47
  Speaker 2: wondering if Marco was a descendant of the goddess. Perhaps
• 44:55
  Speaker 2: he had inherited Circe's talent. It was relaxing to watch
• 45:02
  Speaker 2: Marco swim for a while, but at last, Luca was
• 45:08
  Speaker 2: too tired to resist. He lay down on a beach
• 45:13
  Speaker 2: towel in the shade of the awning and closed his eyes.
• 45:22
  Speaker 2: he could sense the light and warmth of the sun
• 45:26
  Speaker 2: on his body. But in that moment, he felt just
• 45:34
  Speaker 2: like Cersei, asleep in the cave in her golden rowboat.
• 45:44
  Speaker 2: He found it deeply soothing, picturing the goddess in the
• 45:50
  Speaker 2: same position, feeling the same sensations as she drifted into sleep.
• 46:02
  Speaker 2: They were both lulled by the gentle rocking motions of
• 46:07
  Speaker 2: the waves, breathing in deeply until their minds were quiet.
• 46:18
  Speaker 2: Warmed by the sun ensued by the waves, Luca slipped
• 46:28
  Speaker 2: into sleep and into golden dreams.
• 46:49
  Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• 48:46
  Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• 49:49
  Speaker 4: So, Thank you.
• 50:42
  Speaker 3: Thank you.
• 51:05
  Speaker 4: Amen. Thank you for watching. Thank you for watching.