Latest / Abide Meditation App / Magical Bedtime Story _ Day of the Dead in Michoacán _ Relaxing Story for Bedtime

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Magical Bedtime Story _ Day of the Dead in Michoacán _ Relaxing Story for Bedtime · Abide Meditation App

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Welcome to get sleepy where we listen we relax and
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: we get sleepy as always my name's thomas and i'm
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: your host thanks so much for tuning in tonight we'll
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: take a fascinating journey to mexico's michoacan region and celebrate
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: the day of the dead festival Though this story is
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: still very much on point with our seasonal theme, there's
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: nothing frightening whatsoever about it, so you can just relax
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: and drift off whenever you like. Now then, let's prepare
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: to listen to our story by taking some time to
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: be mindful and to invite deep relaxation into the body
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: and mind. Start by putting today behind you. There's nothing
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: more that can be done, so imagine yourself just putting
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: everything down and letting go of any inner chatter. Take
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  Speaker 1: a deep breath in through the nose and back out
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  Speaker 1: through the mouth. Feel how the weight of your body
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  Speaker 1: sinks into your bed while you're exhaling. Throughout this exercise
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: and during our story, thoughts may come and go And
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  Speaker 1: that's okay. When they arise, just gently bring your attention
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  Speaker 1: back to this moment. Now, visualize a single ray of
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  Speaker 1: warm sunlight. Whatever this light touches, warmth and relaxation are induced,
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  Speaker 1: dissolving any tension and bringing relief. So imagine this ray
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  Speaker 1: of light shining just on your toes to begin with.
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  Speaker 1: It feels warm and comforting. It creates space and ease
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: as it spreads through your feet and up your legs,
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  Speaker 1: all the way to the waist and into the abdomen.
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  Speaker 1: Bit by bit, these warm rays of sunlight melt away
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  Speaker 1: any discomfort they continue spreading up your chest and back
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: moving into the shoulders down the arms and then reaching
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  Speaker 1: your hands and fingers Now, it spreads over your neck
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  Speaker 1: and your throat, massaging your vocal cords. Finally, the warming
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  Speaker 1: light spreads across your head and your face, covering every
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  Speaker 1: inch of your body. Your whole entire body now feels
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  Speaker 1: relaxed and renewed. Continue to enjoy sinking deeper into relaxation. Meanwhile,
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: let's begin our story on a bright November day in Mexico.
• 5:06
  Speaker 1: at the edge of a large square. The bright sun
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  Speaker 1: beats down on the green and grassy square. You raise
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  Speaker 1: your hand to your forehead, shading your eyes. Around you,
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: people are preparing for the long night ahead. When the
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  Speaker 1: sun sets, Noche de Muertos, or Night of the Dead, begins.
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  Speaker 1: This night is part of the larger celebration of Dia
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  Speaker 1: de los Muertos, also called Dia de Muertos, or Day
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  Speaker 1: of the Dead, when some people believe the spirits of
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  Speaker 1: those who have passed on return to eat, drink, and
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  Speaker 1: visit the places they walked in life. It's a time
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  Speaker 1: when families come together to remember their loved ones and
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  Speaker 1: celebrate their lives. Here in the area around Lake Pátzcuaro,
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  Speaker 1: the festivities begin weeks in advance. The lake is in Michoacán,
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  Speaker 1: a state on the Pacific coast, west of Mexico City.
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  Speaker 1: and it is home to some of the most well-known
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  Speaker 1: Day of the Dead events. The first stop on your
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  Speaker 1: journey was the secluded mountain town of Kapula. It's a
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  Speaker 1: village known for its fine pottery and artwork. Two weeks
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  Speaker 1: before the holiday, Capula begins its popular Feria Artesanal de
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: la Catrina. This festival celebrates the rich history of the
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  Speaker 1: figure known as La Catrina. Even outside of Mexico, La
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: Catrina has come to be one of the most famous
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  Speaker 1: symbols of the Day of the Dead. She is often
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  Speaker 1: depicted as a skeleton wearing an old-fashioned dress and wide-brimmed hat.
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  Speaker 1: In Capula, women of the area dress up as La
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  Speaker 1: Catrina and walk through the city streets. They are resplendent.
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  Speaker 1: in their shiny satin gowns of rich purple and midnight black,
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  Speaker 1: trimmed in delicate folds of lace. Their eyes are hooded
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  Speaker 1: beneath the brims of the hats. Some keep their faces
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  Speaker 1: obscured behind the black veils, but you can always see
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  Speaker 1: their signature makeup white collarbones, hollow eyes, and skeletal teeth.
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  Speaker 1: During the festival, one of these women is crowned Queen
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: of the Dead. But to you, they all stand out
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  Speaker 1: as heralds of the night. La Catrina traces her roots
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  Speaker 1: to the illustrator named José Guadalupe Posada. He was born
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  Speaker 1: in Mexico in 1852 and was known for using his
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  Speaker 1: art to make social commentary. He made engravings and lithographs,
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  Speaker 1: which critiqued the major social and political issues of his time.
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  Speaker 1: His works of satire were often published in newspapers and pamphlets.
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  Speaker 1: Perhaps his most famous creation was La Calavera. Gabancera. It
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  Speaker 1: critiqued the leader at the time for his intense fascination
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  Speaker 1: with European high society. That leader was later overthrown during
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  Speaker 1: the Mexican Revolution. The original drawing shows the chest, shoulders,
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  Speaker 1: and head of a skeleton. She grins with large white teeth.
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  Speaker 1: On top of her head is an oversized lady's hat.
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  Speaker 1: It is covered in flowers and enormous drooping feathers. The
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  Speaker 1: hat hangs above her like a parasol, comically large. This
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  Speaker 1: drawing came to be known as La Calavera Catrina, or
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  Speaker 1: The Elegant Skull. Over the years, it found its way
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  Speaker 1: into many facets of Mexican culture. La Catrina even appears
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  Speaker 1: in one of the most famous murals ever made by
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  Speaker 1: the artist Diego Rivera. In it, she stands between him
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  Speaker 1: and his wife, fellow artist Frida Kahlo. Now, she is
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  Speaker 1: most commonly seen during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
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  Speaker 1: While people may dress as many different types of skeletons,
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  Speaker 1: La Catrina is the one you are most likely to see.
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  Speaker 1: In Capula, you spotted her everywhere as you explored the
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  Speaker 1: stalls of the artisan market. In every shop window, there
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  Speaker 1: were little galakas, or figurines of skeletons, grinning at you
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  Speaker 1: through the glass. In one display, several of them were
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  Speaker 1: posed together as the members of a mariachi group. They
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  Speaker 1: had white shirts, red ties, and ornately embroidered black jackets
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  Speaker 1: and trousers. They each held a tiny instrument and you
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  Speaker 1: could almost hear the music they seemed to play. Capula
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  Speaker 1: was a beautiful place to begin, to understand the aesthetic
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  Speaker 1: of this special occasion. Walking through one of the alleys,
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  Speaker 1: you watched Papel Picado flutter in the air above you.
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  Speaker 1: These little squares of delicately cut tissue paper are meant
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  Speaker 1: to catch the wind, allowing souls to travel through them
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  Speaker 1: on their journey. They are vibrant and colorful, and they
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  Speaker 1: tell a story, like so many aspects of this holiday.
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  Speaker 1: After Kapula, you traveled down the mountain to the town
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  Speaker 1: of Pátzcuaro, which is situated on the edge of the lake.
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  Speaker 1: This is the hub of activity during the holiday week,
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  Speaker 1: but there are things to do in all of the
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  Speaker 1: villages along the waterfront here. When you arrived in Pátzcuaro,
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  Speaker 1: the first thing you did was make a stop at
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  Speaker 1: Plaza Grande. There in the main square was another artisan market.
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  Speaker 1: Stores were lined up in tightly packed rows, selling pottery
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  Speaker 1: and other local handicrafts. At one table A woman showed
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  Speaker 1: you ceramic skulls painted rich brown and red, with white
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  Speaker 1: around the eyes and mouth. She also had pieces of
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  Speaker 1: the famous Okumicho pottery. They come from a town of
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  Speaker 1: the same name in Michoacan, and show vibrant scenes of
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  Speaker 1: mind-bending fantasy. With their mermaids and gods, strange animals, and diablitos,
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  Speaker 1: or little devils, they reminded you of something out of
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  Speaker 1: a dream. Nearby, a man had rows of white sugar
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  Speaker 1: skulls with jeweled eyes that danced in the light. No
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  Speaker 1: names of loved ones were written yet upon their foreheads.
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  Speaker 1: That would come later, at home, to dedicate these offerings
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  Speaker 1: to ones who have passed. The market was brimming with
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  Speaker 1: activity and anticipation as people hurried to prepare for the
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  Speaker 1: holiday ahead. Children laughed, running between the stalls, and adults
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  Speaker 1: smiled and greeted one another as they passed. Although this
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  Speaker 1: holiday is one of the dead, it carries with it
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  Speaker 1: a sense of joy and humor. Life is something to
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  Speaker 1: be celebrated, and the richness of family ties is felt
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  Speaker 1: deeply at this time of year. You find it easy
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  Speaker 1: to get caught up in the feelings of remembrance and
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  Speaker 1: love that seem to infuse the very air around you
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  Speaker 1: in this place. After a day at the market, you
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  Speaker 1: went back to your room in one of the historic
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  Speaker 1: buildings in town. You laid down on the bed and
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  Speaker 1: closed your eyes. It felt good to rest after the
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  Speaker 1: excitement of the day. While the moon was high in
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  Speaker 1: the sky, visions of fairytale creatures and grinning calaveras danced
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  Speaker 1: in your mind. A few days later, it was time
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  Speaker 1: to visit the area near the basilica for the wondrous
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  Speaker 1: world that is the flower market. There, your senses were
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  Speaker 1: overtaken by the dazzling color and sweet aroma of cempasuchiles,
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  Speaker 1: or Mexican marigolds. This large yellow and orange bloom is
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  Speaker 1: often called flor de muerto, or flower of the dead.
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  Speaker 1: It is said the aroma entices the souls to the
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  Speaker 1: altars on which they are placed. You smelled the stunning
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  Speaker 1: piles of flowers before you saw them. From several streets away,
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  Speaker 1: the alluring scent called you to the market. You followed
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  Speaker 1: your nose around corners and through alleys until you reached
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  Speaker 1: the beautiful display. There, vendors sold the flowers by the armful.
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  Speaker 1: Mothers and fathers, and children too, carried as many stems
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  Speaker 1: as they could fit in outstretched hands and bent elbows.
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  Speaker 1: From one side of the street, it almost looked as
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  Speaker 1: though a volcano had let off a mighty eruption. But
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  Speaker 1: instead of lava, these breathtaking flowers had fallen upon the town,
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  Speaker 1: dusting it in gold. In and around the orange marigolds
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  Speaker 1: were bunches of the maroon and raspberry-colored Mota de Obispo flowers,
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  Speaker 1: or coxcomb. They are named for their uniquely ruffled shape,
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  Speaker 1: which is reminiscent of the comb on the head of
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  Speaker 1: a rooster. After a day wandering through the flower market,
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  Speaker 1: and up and down the streets of Pátzcuaro. It was
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  Speaker 1: time to head back to your room once again for
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  Speaker 1: a good night's sleep. You woke up this morning feeling refreshed.
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  Speaker 1: It was welcome, as you knew you'd have a long
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  Speaker 1: day and night ahead of you. And now you're standing
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  Speaker 1: here beside a green square, enjoying the feeling of the
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  Speaker 1: sunshine on your face. You decide to take one final
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  Speaker 1: walk around town before you head down to the docks
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  Speaker 1: where this evening's festivities will begin. You leave the greenery
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  Speaker 1: of the square and head out onto one of the
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  Speaker 1: small streets that border it on either side. As you walk,
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  Speaker 1: you notice the sun has shifted from directly overhead to
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  Speaker 1: a lower position in the sky. Sunset is on its way.
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  Speaker 1: Continuing on, you fall into a rhythm with your feet.
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  Speaker 1: They carry you up one street and down the next.
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  Speaker 1: Time passes quickly as you note the movement of your
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  Speaker 1: legs and the feeling of your shoes connecting with the
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  Speaker 1: pavement beneath them. After several minutes, you pause for a
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  Speaker 1: moment on a quiet street corner. There are not many
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  Speaker 1: people out and about in this part of town. It
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  Speaker 1: seems unusual to you now, after so many days spent
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  Speaker 1: in busy market squares with countless others. Looking up, You
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  Speaker 1: see you are standing across from an open courtyard. There,
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  Speaker 1: beside a small fountain, is an elaborate ofrenda. Homemade altars
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  Speaker 1: hold offerings for loved ones who have passed away. This
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  Speaker 1: one is made of a small table covered in a
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  Speaker 1: colorful cloth. Bright blue, red, orange and green stand out
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  Speaker 1: against a white background. Cheerful tassels hang down the sides
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  Speaker 1: of the table, like a rainbow reaching for the ground.
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  Speaker 1: On the table, you see a picture of the person
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  Speaker 1: the altar is for. It's small and encased in a
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  Speaker 1: shiny gold frame. Around it are bright clusters of marigolds.
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  Speaker 1: They also decorate a large tiered frame that stands up
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  Speaker 1: vertically behind the main table, adding an extra touch of
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  Speaker 1: decoration and splendor. Next to the photograph is a small
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  Speaker 1: white sugar skull. Across the forehead, someone has written the
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  Speaker 1: person's name. The skull is decorated with purple and blue
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  Speaker 1: icing and has ruby red jewels for eyes. It faces outward,
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  Speaker 1: welcoming passers-by to gaze back at it in admiration. Several
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  Speaker 1: small tea lights are tucked away among the flowers. They
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  Speaker 1: flicker in the light breeze and illuminate the many colors
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  Speaker 1: of the ofrenda. Finally, next to the candles, There are
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  Speaker 1: a few loaves of pan de muerto, or bread of
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  Speaker 1: the dead, and a selection of the person's favorite drinks.
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  Speaker 1: These will nourish the soul when it returns. Standing here,
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  Speaker 1: you can see how these offerings honor this person's unique
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  Speaker 1: life and journey. you can feel the love and care
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  Speaker 1: that went into building it and setting out the perfect
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  Speaker 1: items to welcome them now. With a final glance at
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  Speaker 1: this special altar, you continue on down the road. After
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  Speaker 1: a while, you come to a crossroads You choose the
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  Speaker 1: path on the right and make your way towards the waterfront.
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  Speaker 1: The closer you get, the more people you encounter walking
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  Speaker 1: past you on the street. Some are carrying armfuls of
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  Speaker 1: flowers to bring home for an altar. Others seem to
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  Speaker 1: have just left home and are slowly heading to the
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  Speaker 1: docks like you. A little further down the road, you
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  Speaker 1: smell something delicious. It catches your attention and you stop
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  Speaker 1: for a moment to figure out where it's coming from. There,
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  Speaker 1: in a shop window, you see what's giving such a
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  Speaker 1: tempting aroma. There are rows and rows of pan de
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  Speaker 1: muerto on display. They are small loaves which look like
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: a cross between a circle and a square. That's because
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: of the bone-shaped accents that have been baked into the
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  Speaker 1: top of the bread. They are coated in a thick
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  Speaker 1: layer of sugar. The smell is so familiar to you.
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  Speaker 1: It is warm and sweet and lets you know the
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  Speaker 1: bread is fresh out of the oven. You take a
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  Speaker 1: minute to enjoy its scent and the fond memories it brings.
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  Speaker 1: By now the sun is beginning to set. As much
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  Speaker 1: as you would like to stay and enjoy the aroma
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  Speaker 1: of the fresh bread, it's time to head down to
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  Speaker 1: the pier. When you arrive, you find the waterfront is
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  Speaker 1: bustling with people. You make your way carefully through the
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  Speaker 1: crowd until you reach the edge of Lake Pátzcuaro. There,
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  Speaker 1: you shift your gaze away from shore and out over
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  Speaker 1: the water. This is where you are heading tonight. You
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  Speaker 1: watch as the sun makes its final descent below the horizon.
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  Speaker 1: It's time to be on your way. Looking down, you
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  Speaker 1: see the first set of boats are about to head
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  Speaker 1: out to the island of Hanitsio. They are long and
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  Speaker 1: thin and floating in the water a short distance offshore.
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  Speaker 1: Many belong to this region's indigenous Purépecha fishermen. What makes
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  Speaker 1: these boats special is the large butterfly-shaped fishing net that
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: extends far past the rim on either side. It gives
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: the appearance of wide, delicate wings, which is how the
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  Speaker 1: group has earned the nickname Butterfly Fishermen. In each of
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  Speaker 1: the boats stands a sturdy candle, which flickers gently in
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  Speaker 1: the light breeze. Together, the boats begin their journey to
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  Speaker 1: the island. From here, they look like a hundred tiny
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  Speaker 1: lightning bugs with wings like dragonflies skimming the surface of
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  Speaker 1: the water. They seem to enchant the lake with their presence,
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  Speaker 1: shimmering through the gloom with the magic of their movement
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  Speaker 1: and luminescence. Without hesitation, these small boats lead the candlelight
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  Speaker 1: procession across the lake. You board a boat with several
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  Speaker 1: of the people around you, and before long, you feel
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  Speaker 1: the smooth sensation of gliding across the water. You find
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  Speaker 1: yourself in the middle of this dance of fireflies and
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: watch as the tiny lights flicker long reflections on the
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  Speaker 1: darkened lake. After several minutes, you see the island of
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  Speaker 1: Hanitsio rising out of the water in front of you.
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  Speaker 1: It is a striking sight. A small mound dotted with
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  Speaker 1: homes and crowned with an immense statue made of stone.
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  Speaker 1: This is the memorial to Jose Maria Morelos, one of
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  Speaker 1: the people celebrated as a hero of Mexico's independence. It
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  Speaker 1: stands 40 meters tall and depicts Morelos with his fist
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  Speaker 1: raised in the air, a symbol of strength and perseverance.
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  Speaker 1: The boat docks at the pier of Henizia. Slowly, people
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  Speaker 1: pour out onto the sidewalks and roads. They take their
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  Speaker 1: time walking together, arm in arm, making sure their families
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  Speaker 1: are close. Together, they meander through the city streets until
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  Speaker 1: they come to the island's church and cemetery. This is
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  Speaker 1: where families will gather and hold a vigil through the night.
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  Speaker 1: Like most things during this festival, it represents a blend
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  Speaker 1: of cultures, practices, and times. For days, families have been
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  Speaker 1: preparing the gravesites for their arrival, and that of the
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  Speaker 1: souls whose journey will bring them here. Every grave is
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  Speaker 1: piled high with marigolds. There are so many, the space
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  Speaker 1: blends together as one. It looks as though someone has
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  Speaker 1: laid an enormous blanket of amber and gold across the hill.
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  Speaker 1: The aroma of these flowers is sweet and inviting. Surrounding
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  Speaker 1: the marigolds are hundreds of candles. Although it is night
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  Speaker 1: and the sky above is dark, the cemetery is awash
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  Speaker 1: in the warm glow of candlelight. Standing back at a distance,
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  Speaker 1: it looks like a garden of light. with flowers and
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  Speaker 1: flames playing off one another in a fantastical and awe-inspiring way.
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  Speaker 1: The candlelight flickers in the dancing breeze, casting shadows on
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  Speaker 1: the ground that move and turn with every whisper. The
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  Speaker 1: flowers catch the light mirroring the flames with their rich
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  Speaker 1: yellow petals that set the cemetery ablaze in radiant color.
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  Speaker 1: The air itself brims with a special kind of anticipation,
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  Speaker 1: and also a sense of deep peacefulness. While it is
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  Speaker 1: a beautiful thing to see, it is time to leave
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  Speaker 1: these families to their memories. Night is upon you, and
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  Speaker 1: your boat is waiting. You walk back down to the
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  Speaker 1: pier and board the same vessel that brought you here. Slowly,
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  Speaker 1: it makes its way back out onto the lake. You
• 36:15
  Speaker 1: feel the cool breeze flow around you as the boat
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  Speaker 1: picks up speed. It makes you think of something you've
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  Speaker 1: heard before. That tonight, on Noche de Muertos, the souls
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  Speaker 1: return with the wind. Looking back at Hanitsia, bathed in candlelight,
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  Speaker 1: you can feel the beauty of this time and place.
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  Speaker 1: It's for all those who have passed on, and also
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  Speaker 1: For the living. To remember. And to celebrate. The wonders
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  Speaker 1: of life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• 39:05
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
• 41:25
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for watching. Thank you.