Latest / Abide Meditation App / Relaxing Story for Anxiety _ Finding the Hidden Garden _ Soothing Bedtime Story for Grown Ups

Transcript

Relaxing Story for Anxiety _ Finding the Hidden Garden _ Soothing Bedtime Story for Grown Ups · Abide Meditation App

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax,
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas, and I'm your host.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Thank you for being here. Tonight, we'll wander along the
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: rugged coastline of southern Italy, trying to unravel the mystery
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: of a beautiful hidden garden, before finally drifting off into
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: a peaceful sleep. And it will all be read by Abby.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: As we're in the summer months in the UK, I've
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: been enjoying spending time in the garden as much as possible,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: and I feel very lucky to have a garden to
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: relax in. Though the one in tonight's story may be
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: quite different to that of my own, and maybe to
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: yours too, the tranquility and peace of sitting in the
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: sun on a summer's afternoon is one of the best
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: and easiest ways to find calm in the middle of
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: a busy day. So, picture yourself now, sitting or laying
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: in a garden or any tranquil outdoor space. Your breathing
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: is naturally gentle and steady, and with each rise of
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: the chest and stomach, you feel the sun's warmth moving
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: across your torso. The nourishing sensation seems to calm and
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: cleanse you at your core. Not only is it warming
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: your skin, but you can sense its energy within too.
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: Just rest here for a moment, with your eyes closed,
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: enjoying the pleasant feeling of the sun, the charming sounds
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: of birds in the trees, and a light breeze flowing
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: over your skin. Remember that although you may not always
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: be able to experience this feeling in person, you can
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: always recall it in your imagination. So, take one more
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: deep breath in, feeling the sun's warmth, and exhale gently
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: as you allow yourself to relax deeper and deeper. It's
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: nearly time for me to hand over to Abby. So now,
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: Imagine the warmth of the Mediterranean sun shining over you,
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: and conjure the rhythmic sensation of traveling on a lazy
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: provincial train. This is where our story begins.
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: It's a summer afternoon and you're sitting in a train
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: carriage travelling from the Sicilian capital of Palermo towards a
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: small coastal town. You have a window seat and you've
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: cracked the window to let in the gentle afternoon breeze.
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: Through the glass you see grey-blue mountains, green olive groves,
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: ramshackle villages and every now and then a glimpse of
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: the sea in a mesmerizing shade of turquoise. The breeze
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: wafting through the cracked window smells like rosemary and thyme,
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: which grow wild in the hills, paired with the sharp
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: scent of sea salt. You are on vacation, and after
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: the hustle and bustle of Palermo, you're feeling ready to
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: trade the energy of the city for a sleepy seaside town.
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: The train carriage was full of passengers when the train
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: pulled out of Palermo's main station. But as your journey
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: has worn on, more and more people have disembarked. Now,
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: your carriage is nearly empty. In fact, you realize, when
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: you glance away from the scenery out the window, there
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: is only one other passenger still aboard. She's an elegant,
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: older woman, wearing a chic linen suit, the kind of
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: garment that is never exactly in style, because it has
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: never exactly gone out of style. An immaculate suitcase is
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: stowed at her feet, and on the seat beside her
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: is laid a broad-brimmed sun hat. Like you, She is
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: a traveller.
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: You think.
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: But while you've been looking out of the window, soaking
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: in the view, she has been absorbed in her book.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: It's a small book, bound in red leather. It looks
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: very old. And it must be old, because when you
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: look at it more closely, you see that the gold
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: lettering of its title has worn away to almost nothing.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: If you squint, though, You can make it out. The
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: book is called Secrets of Sicily. The woman reads the
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: book very intently, sometimes nodding at a certain passage, sometimes
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: seeming to stop and read a line two or three times.
• 7:06
  Speaker 2: You wonder what secrets the book holds. You even consider
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: striking up a conversation with her. After all, you're both
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: travelling through Sicily alone. But she looks to be enjoying
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: the book very much, and you'd hate to interrupt her.
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: So you content yourself with staring out the window, idly
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: wondering what secrets such a book might contain. The train
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: comes to a halt and pulls in at a station,
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: interrupting your peaceful daydreams. And when you look out the window,
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: you see that there is only one stop to go
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: before you reach your destination. Across the aisle, there is
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: a sudden rush of movement. The woman you're sharing the
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: carriage with is standing up, gathering her possessions. This must
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: be her stop. She sweeps through the carriage, leaving a
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: faint trail of perfume. The train doors open. Before the
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: woman steps down, though, she turns back and looks you
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: straight in the eye. A smile pulls at the edge
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: of her mouth. Then she steps onto the platform. The
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: doors close. The train pulls away from the station, and
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: she is gone, taking her suitcase and sun hat with her.
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: But she's left something behind. The red leather book she
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: was reading lies on her seat. You remember the deliberate
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: way she looked at you before she left, and you
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: feel sure that this wasn't accidental. you take the book.
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: For a moment, you simply feel its weight in your hand,
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: noticing how the worn smooth binding feels against your palm.
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: Then the book falls open. You can tell by the
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: frayed edges of the page and the loose stitching at
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: the book's spine that it has been opened to this
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: specific page many times. There isn't much time before you
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: arrive at your station, but there is enough time to
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: read a paragraph or two. You lean over the book
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: and begin to read. This passage describes a lush, beautiful
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: garden locked in an old medieval courtyard in the depths
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: of a Sicilian village which remains unnamed. The author of
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: Secrets of Sicily describes in great detail all the flowers
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: and herbs that grow in the garden. Their description lingers
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: on the marble statues that inhabit the garden's shaded groves
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: and sweet-smelling corners. On the lichen-stained, sun-warmed stone benches where
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: visitors can rest. On the cool, blue depths of the
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: grotto at the garden's edge. But they never reveal the
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: garden's location.
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: Instead, they leave you with the cryptic instruction that the
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: garden is impossible to find for those who are not
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: meant to find it.
• 11:00
  Speaker 2: On the other hand, if the garden wants you to
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: find it, then you will. You go to turn the page,
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: but you stop. you read the passage about the garden
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: again and again. You start to picture it in your
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: mind's eye, imagining how cool and green and fragrant it
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: must be there. You wish you could see it for yourself. Someday, perhaps.
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: The train comes to a stop, pulling you out of
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: your daydream. You gather your bags and the book and
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: alight into the balmy Sicilian evening. The town you have
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: chosen to stay in is small but lively. On your
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: first night here, you wander around, pleased. There is a
• 12:03
  Speaker 2: beach where you can swim, a piazza where the tables
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: are filled with locals eating and drinking. and the faded
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: stone buildings of the historic centre are brimming with antique
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: shops and galleries. You are glad you've decided to stop here.
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: Over the next few days, you fall into a pleasant
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: holiday rhythm. In the mornings, you swim in the sun-warmed ocean,
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: then spread out on the sandy beach to dry with
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: your eyes closed, sunlight dancing over your face, listening to
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: the crashing of waves and the faint puttering of fishing
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: boats in the distance. In the afternoons, you wander the
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: town's markets, admiring the colour and gloss of the local
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: fruit and vegetables. and stroll through its narrow medieval streets,
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: stopping here and there, where a shop's window display or
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: a painting in a gallery catches your eye. In the evenings,
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: you linger over fresh pasta at a restaurant on the
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: piazza that soon becomes your favourite. You like to watch
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: the sky slowly changing colours as the sun sets, while
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: local children play games of football in the centre of
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: the piazza, and young lovers and old couples stroll hand
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: in hand around the piazza's edge. At night, you return
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: to your hotel. On your way, you smile at the
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: old man who lives in the house next door. He
• 14:10
  Speaker 2: seems to always be in his garden, polishing his cherry
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: red Vespa, and whenever he sees you, he greets you
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: in Italian. Your hotel occupies one of the tall, turreted
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: medieval buildings in the city centre, and your room is
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: on the top floor. So at night, when you throw
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: open the heavy shutters and look through the window, you
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: can see the evening sky dusted with stars, the hilly
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: coastline that surrounds this town, and here and there, the
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: dark outlines of other nearby villages. When you look at
• 15:00
  Speaker 2: the villages in the hills, You can't help but wonder
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: if one of them contains the secret garden you read about.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: You remember the words you read in the book. If
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: you are meant to find the garden, you will. One morning,
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: you make your way down to the beach. The old
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: man who lives next door greets you with his usual expression.
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: But then something catches his eye. He is looking intently
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: at your beach bag and at the red leather cover
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: of your book, Secrets of Sicily, which peeks over the
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: bag's rim. Then he turns back to you and smiles.
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: He asks how you are enjoying your holiday. You tell
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: him you are having a wonderful time. And then, to
• 16:02
  Speaker 2: keep the conversation going, you say how much you admire
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: his Vespa. This seems to make him very happy. He
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: tells you he's too old to ride it very much anymore,
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: but he still polishes it every day. While he polishes,
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: he likes to remember all the adventures he and the
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: Vespa had together. He tells you of visiting ruined Roman
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: temples high in the hills, and swimming coves where dolphins
• 16:36
  Speaker 2: splash in clear waters, of sleepy villages, and of beautiful gardens.
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: He pauses with a half-smile on his lips, and then
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: he tosses you the Vespa keys. You should go exploring,
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: he tells you. It would give him pleasure to think
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: of his Vesper setting off on another adventure. You start
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: to feel excited. You love the lazy, rhythmic days you
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: have spent here, swimming in the ocean, lying on the sand.
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: But now, you start to feel drawn to new horizons.
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: A day roaming the countryside, on the back of a
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: Vespa might be just what you need. Before you set off,
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: you buy a map and sit at a table outside
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: your favourite café on the Piazza. While you sip your
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: morning coffee, you mark out a route that will take
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: you up into the hills, then back along the coast.
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: On a whim, you pull out Secrets of Sicily and
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: ruffle the pages until you find the description of the garden.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: The author doesn't give the name of the village where
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: this magical garden can be found, but when you read closely,
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: you see that there are some clues to its whereabouts.
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: The author describes the brightly coloured red and yellow flag
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: that festoon the town's main streets. They also describe the
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: town's coat of arms, two mermaids circled by a wreath
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: of herbs and wildflowers. Lastly, they write about a sweet
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: delicacy which can only be found in this specific village,
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: an almond biscuit baked in the shape of a mermaid's tail.
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: At last, you're ready to leave. You hop astride the
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: Vespa and turn the key in the ignition. The engine
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: growls to life, and soon you are speeding smoothly along
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: the road that leads out of the town and winds
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: up into the hills. A light breeze plays across your face,
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: It carries the scent of the rosemary and thyme that
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: grow wild in the region, and the salt of the ocean.
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: As you ride higher and higher, the view becomes more
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: and more breathtaking. When you reach your rocky outcropping, high
• 19:46
  Speaker 2: in the hills, you come to a stop and step
• 19:49
  Speaker 2: off the Vespa. This is the perfect place to soak
• 19:54
  Speaker 2: up the view. To either side of you, the hills
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: stretch out in shades of green and grey. Below, the
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: ocean unrolls like a length of blue silk. Looking around you,
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: you can't help but feel a sense of ease. You
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: close your eyes. You feel your muscles loosening and your
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: breath growing deeper. You are conscious of the earth under
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: your feet grounding you and of the playful breeze that
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: dances around you. The breeze meets with the wind coming
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: off the ocean and grows stronger. A rustling noise brings
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: you back to yourself and you open your eyes in
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: time to see the wind lifting the map with your
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: carefully marked route out of your bag and carrying it away.
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: You can't help but laugh. as you watch the white
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: paper float off into the blue sky. Now you'll have
• 21:18
  Speaker 2: to leave your route to chance or to luck. You
• 21:25
  Speaker 2: get back on the Vespa and keep riding up into
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: the hills when something down near the coast catches your
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: eye and makes your heart skip. A flap of red
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: and yellow. You remember the description of the garden in
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: the book. It was found in a village where red
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: and yellow flags are strung between the streets. On impulse,
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: you turn and start driving down to where you see
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: the flags waving. You reach a small medieval town The
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: piazza here is taken up with an ornate marble fountain.
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: A couple sit, having an animated conversation on the fountain's rim.
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: On impulse, you approach them and ask them about the garden.
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: They haven't heard of it. When they notice your disappointment,
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: you explain that you've read about a village in where
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: red and yellow flags fly in the streets, and a
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: wonderful garden can be found behind a stone wall. They laugh.
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: All the villages in this area fly red and yellow flags.
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: They are the colours of the local castle. They draw
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: directions to the castle on the back of a napkin.
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: You fold your napkin carefully into your pocket and start
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: back on your journey. You ride into the hills, twisting
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: up and up, and soon you see the smudgy outline
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: of a town on the horizon. As you get closer,
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: the smudginess sharpens and you can make out the outlines
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: of roofs and Above the other buildings, a tall stone castle.
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: You park the Vesper at the edge of town and
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: wander through the streets until you arrive at the castle gate.
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: The castle has stood empty for many years and now
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: its sand-coloured stone is worn and crumbling. Here and there,
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: A green tendril of vine pushes through the stonework. Tiny
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: white flowers bloom between the cracks in the pavers at
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: your feet. You climb to the top of the castle's turret,
• 24:20
  Speaker 2: and from the old stone ramparts, gaze down into the village.
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: You take in the streets around the castle, where bright
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: flags flap in the breeze, and locals wander with shopping
• 24:37
  Speaker 2: bags and baskets slung over their arms. There is something
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: special about this town and this castle. You would never
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: have come here if your map hadn't flown away in
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: the wind. Perhaps you were meant to come here. This
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: town is where you will find the hidden garden that
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: has tugged at the corner of all your daydreams ever
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: since you first read about it. You feel a prickle
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: of excitement. You make your way back down into the town,
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: and after you've stopped for a refreshing scoop of gelato,
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: you begin to explore. Secrets of Sicily described the entrance
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: to the hidden garden as a heavy wooden door with
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: an elaborate silver lock at its center. The door is
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: all but invisible, concealed in an old stone wall that
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: is completely overgrown with wisteria. But, though you search and search,
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: your heart lifting every time you turn into a new
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: street with the hope that this street might be the street,
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: you don't find any wisteria-laden wall or any heavy wooden door.
• 26:19
  Speaker 2: It's not such a disappointment though, for this town is
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: filled with hidden treasures. In a tiny piazza behind the
• 26:31
  Speaker 2: castle you find a fountain where water splashes over frolicking
• 26:38
  Speaker 2: marble fish and dolphins. Nearby, in an old church that
• 26:44
  Speaker 2: smells of clean plaster and pungent incense, you see that
• 26:50
  Speaker 2: the walls are covered with brightly coloured frescoes. The streets
• 26:58
  Speaker 2: are lined with old-fashioned boutiques selling lace and linens, old
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: books and maps, or brightly painted toys. One shop looks
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: especially enticing to you. It's an antique shop, crowded with treasures. Inside,
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: it is cool and dark, but the tables and shelves
• 27:27
  Speaker 2: are laid with glittering brooches, and combs and fans with
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: elegantly carved handles. You stop to admire an ornate mantel
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: clock and a vivid oil painting in a heavy gold
• 27:45
  Speaker 2: leaf frame. You even spy an old-fashioned pair of opera
• 27:51
  Speaker 2: glasses in among all the other objects. But there is
• 27:57
  Speaker 2: one item above all the others that fascinates you. It
• 28:03
  Speaker 2: is a beautiful silver jewellery box carved all over with
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: intertwining leaves, flowers and animals. As you run your fingers
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: along the box's carved surface you notice something exciting. In
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: the centre of the box's lid you see two mermaids
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: swimming in a circle, wreathed in a garland of carved wildflowers.
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: You go to the counter and buy the box. The
• 28:43
  Speaker 2: shop owner carefully writes your purchase down in an old
• 28:48
  Speaker 2: accounts book, and as he does so, you ask him
• 28:54
  Speaker 2: about the emblem carved into its lid. It's the crest
• 29:00
  Speaker 2: of a nearby village, he explains. If you keep travelling
• 29:05
  Speaker 2: down along the road that leads out of town and
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: towards the ocean, you'll soon come across it. Not many
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: tourists visit this particular town, he tells you, but he
• 29:21
  Speaker 2: has a feeling you will find it worthwhile to stop
• 29:25
  Speaker 2: there for an hour or two. The shop owner is right.
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: When you arrive in this third town, you are immediately enchanted.
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: It's even more magical. than the last two villages you visited.
• 29:45
  Speaker 2: It is set into a cliff overlooking the ocean, and
• 29:50
  Speaker 2: everywhere you walk, you can hear the sounds of gentle
• 29:55
  Speaker 2: lapping waves and the cries of fishermen calling in their catch.
• 30:03
  Speaker 2: The sky is somehow even bluer here, the flapping red
• 30:09
  Speaker 2: and yellow flags more vivid, and the smells of sea
• 30:14
  Speaker 2: salt and wild rosemary that carry on the breeze are
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: even sharper in your nostrils. As you wander, you come
• 30:27
  Speaker 2: across a bustling market where stallholders sell fresh produce and flowers,
• 30:34
  Speaker 2: a charming old puppet theatre, a street performer who strums
• 30:40
  Speaker 2: a guitar while a crowd gathers round, swaying and dancing.
• 30:47
  Speaker 2: In fact, it seems every time you turn a corner,
• 30:52
  Speaker 2: you stumble onto another picturesque scene. But the one thing
• 30:58
  Speaker 2: you're looking for is nowhere to be found. There is
• 31:05
  Speaker 2: no wisteria-covered wall, no heavy wooden door, no ornate silver lock,
• 31:16
  Speaker 2: no hidden garden. What's more, every time you ask a
• 31:23
  Speaker 2: passing local where a garden might be found, they simply
• 31:27
  Speaker 2: shake their heads. None of them knows of any garden,
• 31:33
  Speaker 2: though more than one has a twinkle in their eye
• 31:37
  Speaker 2: when they say this. You have walked every street of
• 31:43
  Speaker 2: the town twice over before you finally decide to stop
• 31:49
  Speaker 2: hunting for the garden. The afternoon sun is sinking, turning
• 31:56
  Speaker 2: the pavers of the piazza the colour of rich honey.
• 32:03
  Speaker 2: You sit at an empty table in a cafe on
• 32:06
  Speaker 2: the piazza and order a plate of the local delicacy,
• 32:11
  Speaker 2: mermaid tail biscuits. They are sweet, but not too sweet,
• 32:19
  Speaker 2: and they have a texture somewhere between crumbly and melty.
• 32:25
  Speaker 2: They taste faintly of almond with one mouthful, and faintly
• 32:30
  Speaker 2: of cinnamon with the next. You can't remember the last
• 32:35
  Speaker 2: time you tasted anything so delicious. When you are finished,
• 32:42
  Speaker 2: you lick the crumbs from your plate and settle back
• 32:46
  Speaker 2: in your chair to watch the deepening colour of the sky.
• 32:54
  Speaker 2: You listen to the wash of the sea the distant
• 32:59
  Speaker 2: calling of birds, the soft murmurs and rustles of the
• 33:05
  Speaker 2: cafe's other customers as they speak to one another in
• 33:10
  Speaker 2: low voices or slowly leaf through the day's newspapers. In
• 33:19
  Speaker 2: the corner of your eye, you see the red leather
• 33:23
  Speaker 2: spine of secrets of Sicily poking out of your bag.
• 33:31
  Speaker 2: Beside it, the silver jewelry box gleams. You sigh, but
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: it is more a sigh of contentment than disappointment. Perhaps
• 33:45
  Speaker 2: you weren't meant to find the hidden garden after all.
• 33:50
  Speaker 2: Perhaps you were meant to have the adventure of looking
• 33:54
  Speaker 2: for the garden, rather than stumbling upon the garden itself.
• 34:02
  Speaker 2: After all, you have had a wonderful day, riding the
• 34:07
  Speaker 2: Vesper on mountain roads, with the wind all around you
• 34:12
  Speaker 2: and a view of the ocean, stumbling on quaint villages
• 34:17
  Speaker 2: filled with ancient stone architecture and lively streetlights, unearthing treasures
• 34:26
  Speaker 2: in antique shops and sampling Sicilian delicacies that you might
• 34:32
  Speaker 2: otherwise never have tried. It has been a long, satisfying day,
• 34:40
  Speaker 2: and now you're ready to go home. You make your
• 34:47
  Speaker 2: way from the piazza to the outskirts of the town's
• 34:51
  Speaker 2: historical centre, Where you have parked your cherry red Vespa.
• 34:57
  Speaker 2: But you can't find the place where you parked. You
• 35:01
  Speaker 2: feel lost. Though you know you can't possibly be lost.
• 35:07
  Speaker 2: You have walked at least twice down every street in town.
• 35:13
  Speaker 2: Trying to find the entryway to the hidden garden. And yet,
• 35:19
  Speaker 2: these streets feel new and different. the sun is beginning
• 35:25
  Speaker 2: to set, turning the sky to dusky hues and lengthening
• 35:31
  Speaker 2: the shadows on the cobbled pavements.
• 35:36
  Speaker 3: Perhaps it's a.
• 35:37
  Speaker 2: Trick of the deepening light that is making you feel
• 35:41
  Speaker 2: like you've stumbled into a new, unfamiliar part of this
• 35:47
  Speaker 2: small town. As the sun sinks, It lights up one
• 35:54
  Speaker 2: alleyway with particular brightness, throwing pink and gold rays onto
• 36:00
  Speaker 2: the buildings on either side of its narrow path. You
• 36:07
  Speaker 2: look down the length of the alley. You're convinced you
• 36:11
  Speaker 2: haven't seen it before. In fact, you're almost certain it
• 36:17
  Speaker 2: wasn't there the last time you traversed the town. A
• 36:23
  Speaker 2: whole street can't spring up out of nowhere, you tell yourself,
• 36:29
  Speaker 2: and yet you have the sense this is precisely what
• 36:34
  Speaker 2: has just happened. At the end of the street, glowing
• 36:40
  Speaker 2: under the late afternoon sun, you catch a glimpse of
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: purple blossom. Your breath catches, and your heart... Wisteria, blooming
• 36:57
  Speaker 2: in soft shades of lilac and mauve, covers a crumbling
• 37:03
  Speaker 2: stone wall at the end of the alleyway. You walk
• 37:09
  Speaker 2: down the alley and stop in front of the wisteria.
• 37:15
  Speaker 2: You pause for a moment to breathe in its sweet,
• 37:19
  Speaker 2: powdery scent. Then you start to search for a door.
• 37:26
  Speaker 2: It doesn't take you long to find the heavy wooden
• 37:30
  Speaker 2: doorway concealed by wisteria blossom. You push. The door is shut.
• 37:42
  Speaker 2: You push harder. But the door doesn't budge. It is locked.
• 37:50
  Speaker 2: There is an ornate silver lock set into the center
• 37:54
  Speaker 2: of the door, just as the book said there would be.
• 38:01
  Speaker 2: You put your eye to the keyhole. On the other
• 38:06
  Speaker 2: side of the door, you can hear the gentle rustling
• 38:09
  Speaker 2: of leaves and grass moving in time with the breeze
• 38:15
  Speaker 2: and the burbling of running water. if only the door
• 38:20
  Speaker 2: would open. You pull away from the keyhole and sit
• 38:26
  Speaker 2: down on the cobbled ground. This sudden movement causes something
• 38:33
  Speaker 2: to rattle in your bag. Where is the rattling noise
• 38:38
  Speaker 2: coming from, you wonder. Your hand brushes against the silver
• 38:45
  Speaker 2: jewellery box and you pull it out. You open it up.
• 38:51
  Speaker 2: It is beautifully lined with soft blue velvet, but it
• 38:57
  Speaker 2: is completely empty. You shake the box. There is that
• 39:03
  Speaker 2: rattling noise again. You open the box once more and
• 39:10
  Speaker 2: run your hand across the lining. There is a slit
• 39:14
  Speaker 2: in the velvet, and underneath the velvet, What feels like
• 39:20
  Speaker 2: a small latch. You undo the latch and a secret
• 39:24
  Speaker 2: compartment in the lid of the box falls open. Inside
• 39:32
  Speaker 2: is a silver key which tumbles out onto your palm. Somehow,
• 39:40
  Speaker 2: from the moment you feel the weight of it in
• 39:43
  Speaker 2: your hand, you know that this key will fit the
• 39:48
  Speaker 2: lock in the door perfectly and it does you turn
• 39:56
  Speaker 2: the key open the door and step through the curtain
• 40:01
  Speaker 2: of wisteria into the most beautiful garden you have ever
• 40:08
  Speaker 2: seen it is green and lush despite the dry sicilian
• 40:16
  Speaker 2: heat and it has a faintly hazy quality to it,
• 40:22
  Speaker 2: as if it has been painted in watercolours. You breathe
• 40:28
  Speaker 2: in and fill your lungs with its fresh, fragrant air.
• 40:35
  Speaker 2: Despite the narrowness of the alley, the garden itself is
• 40:40
  Speaker 2: very large, spilling out around you in every direction, Apart
• 40:49
  Speaker 2: from the insects buzzing in the flowerbeds and the birds
• 40:54
  Speaker 2: chirping in the tree branches and, of course, you, it
• 41:00
  Speaker 2: is completely empty. You take your time exploring this beautiful
• 41:08
  Speaker 2: hidden garden. You wander through its overgrown garden beds and
• 41:15
  Speaker 2: for a while, Stretch out on the grass and lie
• 41:21
  Speaker 2: under the silvery leaves of one of the many olive
• 41:25
  Speaker 2: trees that grow here. You wander through the orchard, admiring
• 41:33
  Speaker 2: the bright fruit that hangs from the trees. Somehow you
• 41:40
  Speaker 2: know that if you like to eat something, a juicy
• 41:45
  Speaker 2: peach or a crisp pear, you are free to help yourself.
• 41:54
  Speaker 2: Later on, you dip your feet into the stream that
• 41:58
  Speaker 2: runs along behind a nearby cluster of rose bushes and
• 42:05
  Speaker 2: trail your fingers across its surface. The water is a
• 42:11
  Speaker 2: perfect temperature, just cool enough to be delightfully refreshing. The
• 42:20
  Speaker 2: smooth speckled pebbles that lie at its bottom are beautiful
• 42:26
  Speaker 2: to look at through the clear running water. You wander
• 42:33
  Speaker 2: through the groves of cypresses, where the pathways are studded
• 42:38
  Speaker 2: with marble statues of ancient gods and goddesses, and visit
• 42:44
  Speaker 2: the cool depths of the underground grotto. Time seems to
• 42:54
  Speaker 2: stand still as you explore. The garden is yours to
• 43:00
  Speaker 2: wander through, however you want, as you tune into the
• 43:05
  Speaker 2: sense of deep peace and calm that pervades this magical,
• 43:11
  Speaker 2: secret place. When you finish wandering, you stretch out in
• 43:21
  Speaker 2: the soft green grass, feeling your limbs getting heavy and
• 43:28
  Speaker 2: your eyes falling closed. The sun is warm on your
• 43:35
  Speaker 2: face and the breeze dances over you. You breathe in
• 43:47
  Speaker 2: And out.
• 43:51
  Speaker 3: In.
• 43:54
  Speaker 2: And out. Making your breaths longer and slower each time.
• 44:05
  Speaker 2: Until you finally fall into a deep, replenishing sleep.
• 44:14
  Speaker 3: Thank you.
• 44:24
  Speaker 2: Thank you for watching.
• 44:49
  Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you.
• 46:29
  Speaker 2: You Thank you.
• 47:13
  Speaker 1: This is the first time I've ever seen this.
• 47:15
  Speaker 2: This is the first time I've ever seen this.
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: This is the first time I've ever seen this.
• 48:12
  Speaker 3: Thanks for watching! Thank you. Thank you.
• 49:10
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 49:40
  Speaker 3: You