Latest / Abide Meditation App / Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Story _ Autumn Leaves in Vermont _ Travel Bedtime Story

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Relaxing Autumn Bedtime Story _ Autumn Leaves in Vermont _ Travel Bedtime Story · Abide Meditation App

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for tuning in. Tonight,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Heather will be reading to us, and as many of
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: us in the Northern Hemisphere are now enjoying the autumn season,
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: we'll be following Mariah as she takes a scenic hike
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  Speaker 1: through a Vermont forest. She'll enjoy some of the most
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  Speaker 1: beautiful leaves in North America, as they reach the peak
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: of their full color. And at the end of the trail,
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  Speaker 1: a special view awaits her. A waterfall cascading down a mountainside.
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  Speaker 1: It's time to get nice and cozy in bed now,
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  Speaker 1: ready to enjoy tonight's story as you gently make your
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: way towards sleep. And if you're feeling anxious about getting
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  Speaker 1: to sleep or staying asleep, just give yourself time and patience.
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: Try not to put any pressure on the need for sleep.
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  Speaker 1: Forcing it never tends to work. That's something I know
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  Speaker 1: all too well. I've spent many nights desperately wishing sleep
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  Speaker 1: will come my way, but that only creates a pressure
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: which in turn causes stress and resistance within the body
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  Speaker 1: and mind. So, instead of trying to sleep, just listen
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  Speaker 1: along tonight and focus on giving your body a chance
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  Speaker 1: to feel rested and relaxed because that is something you
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  Speaker 1: do have control over and the easiest way to settle
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: in is by slowing your breathing drawing the air in
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: deeply and easing it back out for a little longer
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: than the in-breath. Bit by bit, feel any tension, anxiety,
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  Speaker 1: or stress melting away. Each exhale takes you another step
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  Speaker 1: deeper into rest and relaxation. Just enjoy that blissful ease
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  Speaker 1: as you continue to breathe deeply and naturally. Meanwhile, allow
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  Speaker 1: your mind to drift to a mountain overlook on a
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  Speaker 1: sunny autumn day. There are trees as far as the
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  Speaker 1: eye can see dressed up in their finest fall colors.
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  Speaker 1: Deep red, bright yellow, and vibrant orange. A breeze kicks up,
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  Speaker 1: and the sound of rustling leaves fills the air. Some
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  Speaker 1: flutter gently downwards, joining other fallen leaves that coat the ground.
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  Speaker 1: And this is where our story begins.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah breathed in deeply, enjoying the feeling of the chilly
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  Speaker 2: air entering her nose and filling her lungs. The smell
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  Speaker 2: of fall was everywhere. Brittle fallen leaves crunched under her boots,
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  Speaker 2: a delightfully satisfying sensation as she walked a bit closer
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  Speaker 2: to the overlook. She approached the waist-high stone wall that
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  Speaker 2: separated the gravel parking area from the mountain below and
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  Speaker 2: looked down. The view was stunning. The land sloped sharply
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  Speaker 2: to the sparkling river far below, and on the other side,
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  Speaker 2: it ascended back up into the mountains just as steeply.
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  Speaker 2: the deep V of the river valley cut a wedge
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  Speaker 2: through the rolling mountains, covered with trees proudly showing off
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  Speaker 2: their fall colors. It was early October, and the leaves
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: hadn't yet reached their peak. Not here in the Hudson Valley, anyway.
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  Speaker 2: But Mariah was headed north to Vermont, where the colder
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  Speaker 2: weather meant the height of leaf peeping season was already
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  Speaker 2: in full swing. Mariah pulled her soft hoodie around her frame,
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  Speaker 2: grateful she had the warm fabric to ward off the
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  Speaker 2: chill as she took in the view. Every fall, the
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: leaves turned in slightly different ways, and there was always
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  Speaker 2: something that Mariah found surprising This year, it was the
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  Speaker 2: reds that stood out the most. The maples and their wide,
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  Speaker 2: burgundy leaves struck a bold melody, while the birch's yellow
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  Speaker 2: and the sycamore's orange played a softer harmony. As beautiful
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  Speaker 2: as the color here in upstate New York was, She
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  Speaker 2: knew even more spectacular views awaited her in Vermont. This
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  Speaker 2: season would be brilliant. She couldn't wait to get back
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  Speaker 2: on the road. Later that night, Mariah warmed her toes
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  Speaker 2: by a roaring fire, enjoying the feeling of her thick,
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  Speaker 2: soft socks hugging her feet. The drive to the cabin
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  Speaker 2: in Stowe, Vermont, had been even more beautiful than she'd imagined.
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  Speaker 2: The hues of the trees that lined the road grew
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  Speaker 2: gradually bolder the further north her car traveled. By the
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  Speaker 2: time she passed a sign reading, Welcome to Vermont, the
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  Speaker 2: Green Mountain State, The colors seemed to take on a
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  Speaker 2: life of their own. They shifted subtly as the wind
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  Speaker 2: jostled them. It almost seemed as if they were waving hello.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah smiled as she snuggled deeper into the plush green
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  Speaker 2: armchair she had pushed just a little closer to the fire.
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  Speaker 2: the flame of the stone fireplace had quickly warmed the
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  Speaker 2: tiny cabin's single-room interior. The smell of the fire mingled
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  Speaker 2: with the scent of citrus and honey from her steaming
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  Speaker 2: mug of lemon tea on the table next to her.
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  Speaker 2: Outside the window, A full moon had risen over the
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  Speaker 2: shadowed outline of the trees. Mariah squinted her eyes at
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  Speaker 2: its brightness. A light she knew was reflected from the
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  Speaker 2: sun on the opposite side of the globe. Tomorrow, when
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  Speaker 2: the sunlight returned, the leaves' symphony of colors would be
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  Speaker 2: revealed again. Mariah's eyelids began to droop, and she let
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  Speaker 2: them flutter closed, her breathing now slow and steady. When
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: she opened her eyes, after what she thought was just
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  Speaker 2: a moment, the fire had gone down to a few
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  Speaker 2: glowing embers. The moon was had risen above her line
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  Speaker 2: of sight. But she knew it wasn't far away by
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  Speaker 2: the silver glow it still cast on the treeline. Time
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  Speaker 2: for bed, Mariah decided. She stretched her arms and legs,
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  Speaker 2: enjoying the relaxing sensations in her muscles. Somewhat reluctantly, she
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  Speaker 2: got up from the warm nest of the armchair and
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  Speaker 2: padded over to the big brass bed in the center
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  Speaker 2: of the room. Mariah turned back the sheets and hopped in,
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  Speaker 2: the fresh scent of clean linen filling her nose. She
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  Speaker 2: snuggled underneath the thick covers, grateful for its warmth because
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: of the slight chill in the air left by the
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  Speaker 2: dying fire. Her eyes drifted closed once again, and in
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  Speaker 2: no time, she was sound asleep. The next morning, Mariah's
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  Speaker 2: stomach growled as she sat at the counter of a
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  Speaker 2: local diner. eagerly awaiting her breakfast. The guidebooks had all
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  Speaker 2: recommended the diner for its warm atmosphere and world-renowned pancakes.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah could hardly wait to try them. A family sitting
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  Speaker 2: in a nearby booth had just ordered a tall stack,
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  Speaker 2: and the scent of butter and maple syrup filled the
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  Speaker 2: air From the kitchen, Mariah could hear the sizzle of
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  Speaker 2: the griddle and the cooks shouting orders to each other.
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  Speaker 2: She wondered if this latest batch of batter taking shape
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  Speaker 2: on the griddle was for her. The place was just
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  Speaker 2: as welcoming as the guidebooks described it. It was small,
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  Speaker 2: with only six booths. each with comfy-looking benches upholstered with
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  Speaker 2: red vinyl. Three locals were eating their breakfast alone at
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  Speaker 2: the counter, but all had greeted each other warmly, as
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  Speaker 2: though they looked forward to seeing each other here every day. So, too,
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  Speaker 2: did they all know the friendly server by name. An
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  Speaker 2: older woman with a gray bun and a flowery apron
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  Speaker 2: everyone called Geraldine. Geraldine must have pegged Mariah as a
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  Speaker 2: flatlander immediately, what Vermonters call someone from the more densely populated,
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  Speaker 2: lower-lying states to the south. But she didn't pry over
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  Speaker 2: whether Mariah was visiting. She just smiled, and refilled Mariah's
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  Speaker 2: mug with coffee, calling her honey. Order up, Mariah heard
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  Speaker 2: her cook announce, and she hoped the plate of pancakes
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  Speaker 2: he placed on the wood lip of a pass-through window
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  Speaker 2: was her own. Sure enough, Geraldine quickly placed the fluffy
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  Speaker 2: rounds in front of Mariah, She could feel the warmth
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  Speaker 2: of the griddle rising in puffs of steam from the
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  Speaker 2: delicious-looking stack. Eager to dig in, Mariah used a knife
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  Speaker 2: to smear a pat of butter on the top of
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  Speaker 2: the highest pancake, watching it melt and pool into each crevice.
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: As she poured on a healthy serving of real maple
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  Speaker 2: syrup from a glass jug, she was a bit surprised
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  Speaker 2: at how light and clear the amber liquid was. Mariah
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  Speaker 2: savored the delicious smell for a moment before she cut
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  Speaker 2: out a tall wedge with her fork and brought the
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  Speaker 2: bite to her lips. The richness of the butter and
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  Speaker 2: sweetness of the maple syrup complemented the doughy texture of
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  Speaker 2: the pancakes in just the right way. Mariah was tempted
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  Speaker 2: to quickly gobble up each tasty morsel, but she reminded
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  Speaker 2: herself to slow down and enjoy the treat. She smiled
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  Speaker 2: as she chewed, wondering if the taste or the smell
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  Speaker 2: was the best part. When Geraldine asked whether she liked
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  Speaker 2: her breakfast, Mariah nodded heartily, her mouth too full to speak.
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  Speaker 2: Geraldine explained that the syrup was from nearby maple trees
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  Speaker 2: that locals tap each February or March. in a tradition
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  Speaker 2: dating back hundreds of years. At the end of the
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  Speaker 2: long winter, when the daytime temperatures finally rise above 32
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  Speaker 2: degrees Fahrenheit and fall below freezing at night, that's when
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  Speaker 2: the sap begins to flow. Locals look for the best
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  Speaker 2: maple trees to tap, usually adult sugar black, red, or
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  Speaker 2: silver maples, which produce sap with a higher sugar content.
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  Speaker 2: Then they drill a sap hole in the bark, insert
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  Speaker 2: a metal nozzle known as a spile, and affix a
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  Speaker 2: bucket underneath to capture the sweet liquid. The syrup Mariah
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  Speaker 2: was eating was was from a batch captured early in
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  Speaker 2: the season this year, when the trees are known to
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  Speaker 2: produce their highest quality sap, Geraldine said proudly. Mariah marveled
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  Speaker 2: at how the trees provided their gifts in such different ways.
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  Speaker 2: Just as they provided a feast for her breakfast, they
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  Speaker 2: would soon offer a feast for her eyes. Later that morning,
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  Speaker 2: her stomach pleasantly full, Mariah laced up her hiking boots
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  Speaker 2: on a mossy rock at the trailhead where her hike
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  Speaker 2: would soon begin. Thick ropes of sunlight streamed through the
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  Speaker 2: breaks in the tree canopy. Hidden specks of dust revealed
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  Speaker 2: themselves in the light beams, floating leisurely through them. before
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  Speaker 2: disappearing again in the shadow. They'd lent the trail a
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  Speaker 2: magical quality. Mariah smiled as the phrase pixie dust came
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  Speaker 2: to her mind and then drifted away just as gently.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah was headed to a waterfall. She wasn't sure which
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  Speaker 2: she would enjoy more, the tumbling water, or the hike
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  Speaker 2: to get there. The reviews had said it was a
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  Speaker 2: short and beautiful hike that culminated in a spectacular view
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  Speaker 2: of the beautiful falls. A deep green moss covered nearly
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  Speaker 2: everything around her, its earthy smell filling the air It
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  Speaker 2: was the perfect canvas for the stunning colors of the leaves,
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  Speaker 2: many of which had already fallen to settle on the ground.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah set out on the trail alongside a rushing creek,
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  Speaker 2: following the water upstream. She was grateful for the thick
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  Speaker 2: socks that kept her toes warm inside her boots. and
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  Speaker 2: for the moss that cushioned her feet with every step.
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  Speaker 2: She kept a slow pace, wanting plenty of time to
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  Speaker 2: examine the complexities of colors in each tree she passed.
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  Speaker 2: Before her trip, Mariah had read up on the chemical
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  Speaker 2: processes that led each fall to the leaves turning, In
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  Speaker 2: the spring and summer, a chemical called chlorophyll works overtime
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  Speaker 2: inside the leaf cells to create a kind of magical alchemy.
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  Speaker 2: It absorbs sunlight, gleaming the energy it needs to transform
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  Speaker 2: water and carbon dioxide into sugar and starch. Though invisible
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  Speaker 2: to our eye, chlorophyll makes its presence known by giving
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  Speaker 2: the leaves their green color. When the temperatures drop, the
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  Speaker 2: chlorophyll starts to break down, effectively closing up the tree's
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  Speaker 2: kitchen for the season. The green mask fades away, revealing
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  Speaker 2: the brilliant orange and yellow hues beneath. As Mariah passed
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  Speaker 2: a birch tree with delicate white bark, she was awed
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  Speaker 2: that its lemon-yellow leaf were only a few weeks ago
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  Speaker 2: shrouded by green. She wasn't sure why the trees hid
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  Speaker 2: their leaves' brilliant tones most of the year, but she
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  Speaker 2: was grateful to share the season of their most authentic self-expression.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah noticed a tiny hole in the maple about three
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  Speaker 2: feet high, likely where someone had tapped it earlier this year.
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: When Mariah passed a sugar maple, she recalled that its
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  Speaker 2: burgundy leaves were the result of another chemical process that
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  Speaker 2: developed red pigments. Meanwhile, the yellow and orange hues that
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  Speaker 2: dotted the forest were caused by other pigments that revealed
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  Speaker 2: themselves only as the chlorophyll dissipates. When a leaf is
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  Speaker 2: ready to fall, a layer of cells grows at its
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  Speaker 2: base and slowly dissolves the tissues that hold the leaf
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  Speaker 2: to its branch. The tree, in turn, seals off the fracture. Eventually,
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  Speaker 2: the leaf falls from its own weight... or is blown
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  Speaker 2: off by the wind. As a gentle breeze kicked up,
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  Speaker 2: Mariah was showered by a colorful batch of newly detached leaves.
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  Speaker 2: She was reminded that they leave behind their own calling card,
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  Speaker 2: a leaf scar on the tree's surface. She was comforted
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  Speaker 2: by the thought that each leaf had something tangible to
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  Speaker 2: mark its brief but beautiful life. Each year, weather conditions
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  Speaker 2: impact how the colors show up. This fall had been chilly,
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  Speaker 2: but the temperatures had dipped below freezing only a few times.
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  Speaker 2: The cold, but not too cold air, accounted for the
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  Speaker 2: deluge of reds. There had been no early frost to
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  Speaker 2: dampen their brilliance, and a few weeks of gentle rain
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  Speaker 2: had done wonders to heighten the color's intensity. What's more,
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  Speaker 2: Mariah had chosen the perfect day for her leaf-peeping adventure.
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  Speaker 2: The sky was clear and blue, and the temperature was cool,
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  Speaker 2: but well above freezing. In fact, she felt a little
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  Speaker 2: warm as the hike increased her heart rate. She took
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: off her light jacket and tied it around her waist,
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  Speaker 2: and the crisp air quickly cooled her. As Mariah inhaled
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  Speaker 2: and exhaled, a bit faster than normal, the earthy smell
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  Speaker 2: of the trail mixed with the scent of a distant bonfire.
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  Speaker 2: In the distance, Mariah could hear a rushing sound. At first,
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  Speaker 2: she thought it was the breeze rustling the top layers
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  Speaker 2: of the tree canopy. But now, She thought it might
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  Speaker 2: be the sound of the waterfall. Could she be approaching it,
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  Speaker 2: she wondered. Mariah picked up her pace slightly. When she
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  Speaker 2: reached a portion of the trail that climbed steeply upward,
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  Speaker 2: she knew she was close. By now, the sound had
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  Speaker 2: increased to a gentle roar She couldn't see the falling water,
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  Speaker 2: but she could feel its energy. It gave the air
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  Speaker 2: an electric quality. Mariah was reminded of the moment just
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: before she took her first bite of her morning pancakes.
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  Speaker 2: She paused, welcoming the pleasant sense of anticipation that tickled
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  Speaker 2: her stomach. Then, Mariah scrambled up to the top of
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: the incline, using rocks and roots to balance herself. The
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: rushing sound was so present now that she felt as
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  Speaker 2: if she were tasting it as well as hearing it.
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  Speaker 2: Tiny droplets of moisture filled the air, She could taste
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  Speaker 2: them on her tongue. As she reached the height of
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  Speaker 2: the overlook, Mariah finally saw it. The waterfall. A brilliant
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: ray of sunshine touched the top of the falls where
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  Speaker 2: the water turned white and frothy before it tumbled over
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  Speaker 2: a steep rock face. The water splayed out into three
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  Speaker 2: wide pathways and countless other tiny ones before plunging into
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  Speaker 2: a pristine pool below. A glistening cloud of mist rose
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  Speaker 2: from where the falling water met its ultimate destination. Further out,
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  Speaker 2: the water regained its stillness lapping gently at a rocky shore.
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  Speaker 2: Mariah was surprised that the water that had moments before
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  Speaker 2: displayed such power settled so quickly back into a place
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  Speaker 2: of calm. The moss that covered the waterfall's rock face
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  Speaker 2: was slick and almost black. transformed by the water rushing
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: over it. But on the rocks near where she stood,
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  Speaker 2: the moss was soft and dry, still a brilliant green.
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  Speaker 2: It was the perfect place to enjoy the view. Mariah
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: sat down and sighed in contentment, the muscles in her
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  Speaker 2: legs relaxed, as if thanking her for the rest after
• 28:15
  Speaker 2: the hike. From the overlook, Mariah was higher in the
• 28:23
  Speaker 2: tree canopy than she was on the trail. The leaves
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: seemed to envelop her, welcoming her to share their perspective.
• 28:38
  Speaker 2: The brightness of the leaves, the softness of the moss,
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  Speaker 2: and the rushing of the water together lulled her into
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  Speaker 2: a trance. She felt a sense of peace settle into
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  Speaker 2: her chest and wondered if it was yet another gift
• 29:04
  Speaker 2: from the tree. Just as their leaves revealed their true
• 29:12
  Speaker 2: colors on this lovely fall day, Mariah, too, felt like
• 29:18
  Speaker 2: her true self. She had no reason to hide because
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  Speaker 2: the trees accepted her just as she was. Like the
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  Speaker 2: water after the falls, She felt her body. settle into stillness.
• 29:47
  Speaker 2: Mariah smiled. She was exactly where she wanted to be.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you for watching. Thank you. Thank you.
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 32:34
  Speaker 2: You Thank you for watching. Thank you.
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• 36:00
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: You