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Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy.
My name's Thomas, and it truly is my honor to be your host.
I'll be guiding you through tonight's story, a day in the life of a monkey family who live at a temple in South India.
Thank you to Lottie for writing this one.
And before we hear it, I just want to ask a small favour of you that will go such a long way in helping the show to remain sustainable, so that we can continue to do what we do and bring you more amazing, relaxing bedtime stories and meditations.
All I'm asking is that, if you're enjoying the show, consider sharing an episode with a friend, loved one, a colleague, or even by posting it on your own social media channels.
In such a busy and noisy online world.
We want to be a source of calm and rest for as many people as possible.
But of course it's difficult to stand out when most content online is trying to grab your attention in more of an energetic way.
So, with your help and your word of mouth recommendations, we hope to continue to broaden our scope and reach more people that need a little help drifting off to sleep each night.
We pour all our love, care and compassion into everything.
We do so by sharing an episode with someone you know you'll help make sure we can continue to do that for a long time to come.
Thank you all so much simply for being here, but also for your enthusiasm and appreciation towards the show and everyone on our team.
It really does mean the world to all of us.
Now, my friends, let's take some time to get comfortable and to prepare our bodies and minds for rest.
First, take a slow, even breath in.
Let it flow into your body and then slowly exhale Now, if you've not done so already, close your eyes.
Become aware of all the tiny muscles along your eyebrows and around your eyes.
Take time to relax these muscles, smoothing them out.
You might be surprised to sense that as you relax them, any tension you're holding melts away.
See if you can keep smoothing each muscle in your face.
Start with your forehead, then your cheeks.
You can use your breathing to help each part relax and release.
Let your jaw become soft.
Then your tongue.
Now, see if you can spread this wonderful feeling through the whole of your body.
Relax the muscles in your neck, then your shoulders.
Focus on your back and your chest and the muscles in your arms.
Soften your belly and hips.
And finally, let the relaxation spread all the way down your legs to the tips of your toes.
Take another slow breath in and out.
Feeling the total peace and calm of your fully relaxed body.
And now, let your focus turn to my voice as we begin our story.
It's the dusky moment of daybreak.
A monkey family is cocooned high in the canopy of a gorgeous tree in a jungle.
The leaves that surround them are slightly tear-shaped and waxy.
They are a wonderful shade of emerald green.
The top side is quite glossy but the underside is matte and soft looking and they are cool to the touch.
The monkeys are still sleepy and clinging to each other.
The little ones have nuzzled into their mothers.
They all have short, wiry fur the color of ground black pepper.
Their faces are soft and pink, and their tails are long and slender.
The tip of each of their tails is crowned with a tuft of fur and each long finger is topped with a tiny fingernail.
The morning air is cool and clean.
There is a tangy scent in the air, like a mixture of tropical flowers, damp earth, and fresh water.
All around, there is the sound of the song of the jungle.
Birds hidden out of sight are chirping and calling to each other.
Frogs are croaking and insects are scurrying.
There is a soothing sound of wind rustling through the leaves.
The branches of the trees swish ever so gently.
The sky is a curious pinkish grey, as the sun has not yet risen.
But there is a faded yellow glow on the horizon, which is where the sun will soon emerge.
There is a milky, misty quality to everything.
The moisture of the jungle has risen into the air overnight and has not yet been evaporated by the sun's warmth.
The older monkeys yawn happily and stretch out their limbs.
Then, the rest of the monkey family starts to wake up.
The little baby monkeys peer out of their mother's belly fur.
The young monkeys start to play with each other, leaping and scurrying up the tree branches and chattering excitedly.
But the adult monkeys are slower and wiser, and they take their time to wake up.
The mothers fuss over their babies.
They run long fingers through their offspring's fur, picking out bugs or pieces of leaves.
The father monkeys watch the young ones warily, making sure they don't fall from the branches they swing from.
There is an amazing sense of peace among the monkeys.
They are content to simply be at one with their surroundings.
The monkeys are fully present in their normal activities, but there is also a sense that they are waiting for something.
Somewhere in the distance, the sound of many brass bells rings through the air.
The monkeys look up, alert.
The bells keep ringing, and then the low morning chant of a temple swami follows.
The monkeys chatter to each other excitedly.
This is what they have been waiting for.
The eldest monkey leaps from his branch to the next.
Immediately, the rest of the family follows him in a line.
They leap from branch to branch, never missing a step or making a mistake.
It's as if they are weightless.
As they jump, the monkeys hold their tails poised, ready to wrap around any branch or steady them like a fourth limb.
Their balance and grace are just like a trapeze artist or ballet dancer.
Their feet easily grab everything, and their bodies glide effortlessly.
They leap and soar through the air.
But it's not just a way to move.
The monkeys enjoy it.
There is a great sense of play and freedom in each bound and every landing feels like a tiny triumph.
The monkeys carry on through the trees.
Some trees are like the one they woke up in waxy and tropical, but some are slender and tall with thin leaves, a bit like a eucalyptus tree.
Others have many spindly branches and tiny yellowish leaves.
Their canopies spread out wide like a marquee.
Then there are the coconut trees with knobbly trunks, which are crowned with huge coarse palm leaves.
The monkeys jump into a mango tree.
Its wood is dark and knotted, and its leaves are deep green and cool.
The family pauses to search for fruit, but there are no mangoes here today.
So the monkeys carry on leaping from tree to tree following the low chant of the swami and the tinkle of the brass bells.
As they get near, the smell of incense permeates the air.
It is musky and sweet, rising up in a small, cloudy column.
Mingled with it is the scent of fire from a camphor lamp, which smells smoky and hot.
The monkeys stop in a large, vivid green tree.
Below them is a beautiful South Indian temple, which rises up out of the yellow and brown earth.
Someone has carefully swept the dusty land clean.
The temple is shaped like a rectangular pyramid without a point and structured like a magnificent wedding cake with eight or ten different tiers.
All along each tier are intricate carvings of gods and goddesses and symbols.
Every inch of the temple has been thickly painted in pastel pinks, blues, yellows and greens.
The monkey family begins to chatter and call with excitement.
Once again, they are waiting for something, peering at a small stone platform in the center of the temple courtyard.
The adults flick the tips of their tails in anticipation.
Then the swami arrives.
He is a slim man with a friendly, calm presence.
He wears a traditional orange robe made from a very light cotton fabric.
The swami is carrying a huge bough of fresh bananas and burning incense out towards the stone platforms.
He carefully places down the bananas and makes a prayer.
The monkeys immediately begin to fidget.
Then they hurry down like a small tidal wave to land on the platform and pick at the bananas.
The swami watches with a kind smile.
He is happy to be able to feed them.
Slowly, the monkeys pick and share the bananas.
They take care of each other, making sure that every monkey eats.
The mothers break off chunks of bananas and give it to their babies.
The youngsters playfully grab and fight a little for the best bananas.
But under the watchful eye of their parents, they don't misbehave.
Once the monkeys finish their banana breakfast, They relax a little.
The smallest ones begin to play again, chattering and calling out to each other.
They scurry up the temple roof and dangle from the nearby trees.
The mother monkeys look after their babies, and the other adults simply sit content to watch the world for a moment.
The sun has now risen.
There is a tropical warmth in the air, and everything is bathed in a warm yellow light.
There is a wonderful stillness to the temple and its surroundings.
But somewhere in the distance, there is also a slight hum of activity.
In the nearby village, people are starting to wake up and begin their day.
The monkeys seem to sense the distant activity.
Led by the elder, they begin to move back into the trees, once again in a single line.
They swing and leap across the branches, moving away from the temple and the jungle.
In this direction.
The trees are more spaced out and, as the monkeys move, rice fields gradually come into view.
The rice plants ascend out of the waterlogged earth to form a dense carpet of vivid, juicy green.
A gentle breeze ripples through the rice fields, making the carpet sway.
The movement is just like a sea anemone, dancing in a soft wave.
But up in the trees, the monkeys are bounding ahead at a swift pace.
They dart and swing through the branches and along the rice fields.
The air is warm now, but there is also a welcome breeze.
Here and there, a glimpse of the sun reflects in the water of the rice paddy, making the scene even more magical and glittery.
The monkeys carry on.
The rice fields go on and on.
And then, eventually, a small village begins to appear.
The tiny houses are spaced evenly apart and painted in turquoise blue, powdery pink, reddish brown and crisp white.
Each roof is covered in old coconut palms that have become dry and brown in the sun.
Most homes have a modest, neatly tended garden filled with small jungle plants and flowers.
Women in beautiful saris are starting their morning work.
Some are sweeping the ground outside their homes, braiding their long dark hair or getting their children ready for school.
The monkeys jump and scurry along the tops of the houses.
Some of the villagers call out, eager to protect their homes and gardens.
But the monkeys are not interested.
They keep going, weaving through the village.
After a while, the monkeys leave the village, leaping into the trees.
Then, the sound of running water becomes audible.
Beyond the trees is the unmistakable sight of a wide but shallow river.
The river is fast and impressive.
The water flows over chunky, rounded boulders the color of caramel.
Smooth, small pebbles line the shallow bed of the river.
They glisten like semi-precious gems in sunlight.
The monkeys come down from the trees and run across the ground towards the water.
Small children stand in the river, happily splashing their friends and playing.
There is a wonderful, fresh and cool feeling in the air.
A little way upstream, there are more women washing clothes in the water.
The material of their saris ripples and blooms in the river.
The monkeys lightly leap onto the rocks that line the water's edge.
They begin to scurry and run across them, heading for a small clump of trees that hang over the river.
Some pause to take a drink of cooling water.
The monkeys are agile on the land.
Their long limbs make them look like they are galloping.
Again, the younger monkeys begin to play, happy to tumble and wrestle every few steps.
Up ahead is a small cluster of shady trees, and it is here that the monkeys are headed.
The air is filled with the sweetness of the river and the sandiness of the rock.
In places, small pools of water are disturbed by the monkeys.
The water sprays up into the air, landing on the warm rocks.
The monkeys reach the trees and scurry into them happily.
There are a mix of trees here.
And one type is covered in small greenish berries that look a little like a gooseberry.
The leaves of the tree are slight and pointed, with frilled edges that are soft and fuzzy.
It's easy to pick the fruit.
Each berry is small, rounded, and slightly firm to the touch.
They taste tart and juicy.
The monkeys settle themselves happily.
Some perch in the fruit tree, picking berries one by one.
Some nestle in the shade of the other trees and find a position to relax in, while others continue to play and tumble.
The monkey family settles down in the trees they like best.
They gaze out at the scene, happy to simply be a part of the beautiful nature.
In this peaceful state, the day slips by.
The monkeys sit, sleep, play, eat, and lounge under the trees.
But after many hours, the monkeys begin to shift again.
They move slowly at a leisurely pace.
The family walks away from the river towards a new set of rice fields that are lined with coconut trees.
This time, instead of climbing into the trees, they run in a line along the narrow mud border of the paddy field.
The border is only a foot or so wide.
It rises a few inches from the rice paddy's watery bottom and is covered in newly sprouted grass.
The mud of the border is cool and refreshing.
The monkeys seem to enjoy the feeling of the soft tickling grass and the slight squelch of each movement.
They happily bound and leap along the border.
The rice grains are visible from this angle.
They emerge in small clusters from the thick reedy leaves of each plant.
Soon, the rice will be ready for harvest.
All of a sudden, there is a curious glimmer of rainbow colors.
Darting through the rice fields are hundreds of dragonflies.
Some have deep blue bodies, some have green stripes, and some are pure black.
They seem to pepper the moment with a sense of hope and freedom, as if they are a good omen.
But just as swiftly as they arrived, they are gone.
Now, they are no more than tiny specks on the horizon.
The monkeys slow down their pace.
They walk now instead of running, but they are getting closer to the jungle again.
As they come to the end of the rice fields, they notice a particularly large coconut tree right ahead.
A ripple of excitement flurries through the monkeys.
There on the ground, at the foot of the coconut tree, are fresh green coconuts, and some have split.
All the monkeys hurry to the coconuts.
They pick at the jelly-like flesh, sharing it around so that everybody can eat.
The fruit has a sweet and refreshing taste that is surprisingly cool despite the warmth of the day.
When the coconuts have been eaten, the monkeys climb up to the top of the tree and look out at the horizon.
The sun is getting lower in the sky.
There is a very faint tinge of pink starting to mix with the pale blue horizon.
A few wisps of cloud stand out semi-white against the sky.
Nearby, rising out of the jungle, is the tip of the temple that the monkeys visited in the morning.
The family heads for that jungle.
Once again, they are soaring and leaping through the air.
With each minute that passes, the temperature is dropping.
A sweet coolness is arriving on the breeze.
In the evening air, there is now the sweet smell of flowers that was not there in the mornings.
Jasmine, hibiscus, and other tropical blooms are everywhere, opening up before dusk falls.
Early evening is a sacred time.
All the animals and insects that have rested throughout the day are coming out for their final daytime activities.
There is a buzz and hum in the air, a great sense of magic and contentedness.
The monkeys seem energetic too, swinging from branch to branch with peaceful delight.
The sky is different now.
The light has become golden and hazy, and the clouds have turned orange and pink.
The sun is low, hanging like a perfect circle of soft light.
The birds are returning, chattering in the sweet air.
Some of them swoop through the sky like jet planes, and others fly high up with their friends.
All of them twirl and dance in celebration of another beautiful day.
The monkeys pass the temple, taking any extra bananas they can.
But they do not linger this time, as they want to return home before dark.
So, they leap lightly back into the jungle and swing into the mango trees.
Now, the sound of thousands of croaking frogs and chirruping grasshoppers fills the air.
The nighttime chorus of the jungle has begun.
In the trees, it is calm and peaceful.
The dense jungle leaves have provided shelter all day and kept the area cool.
The monkeys climb through the canopies, sensing that the tree they call home is close.
The sun is almost sinking beneath the horizon, and the sky is inky.
Here and there, the stars are starting to show as faint white specks.
Finally, the monkeys reach the tree.
They climb back into their positions, huddling next to each other, safe in one another's arms.
They are happy to be home.
The monkeys settle down and turn their heads to watch the last rays of the sun disappear.
Darkness falls and a quiet calm swoops over the land.
The monkeys' eyes begin to droop with tiredness.
The little monkeys enjoy a wide, satisfying yawn.
Sleepiness seems to permeate the whole jungle.
The monkeys are incredibly comfortable in the tree.
Their limbs become softer and heavier, and their breathing begins to slow down.
Then, their tiny eyelids close.
One by one, they begin to drift into a deep and peaceful sleep, high above the ground, in their jungle home.
Thank you.
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Thanks for watching!
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
