A sleep story in six chapters. Voice for about 41 minutes, then it fades. You are not meant to finish it. Music underneath, and it keeps going after the voice stops
A sleep story written so you never hear the end of it. A raindrop leaves a cloud, and I get quieter as it goes.
About 41 minutes, tense and release first. You are not meant to reach the end.
Tense and release first, every muscle from your feet upwards, because that is the proven part and it does most of the work. Then the raindrop falls, lands in a forest, finds a river and ends in the sea. If you miss a chapter it does not matter. Catch it tomorrow night.
Treat me to a coffee, keep the podcast free, and get my Weekly Calm every Sunday. It is all on stevenwebb.uk
Thank you for sitting with me.
Steven
Who this is for
You want a long one. Something to sink into rather than a quick route down.
A raindrop leaves a cloud and I get quieter as it goes. The story is not there to entertain you. It is there so you can stop paying attention to it.
Only listen where it is safe to fall asleep.
What happens in this meditation
Before the story, the tense and release. Feet and toes and ankles, then legs and hips, then the whole torso, then shoulders and arms and hands, then the neck and face. Then everything at once on a count of three.
That tells the body the day is done.
Then the raindrop. It is born in the cloud and falls, and lands on a leaf in a forest, and moves leaf to leaf. Then into a stream, over pebbles, past flowers and dragonflies. Then into a slow, broad river. Then out into the ocean, rising and falling with the waves. And finally it lifts back up towards the cloud, and the whole thing starts again.
Six chapters, and each one ends by inviting you a bit deeper.
How to get the most from it
The file runs about an hour. I talk for roughly forty one minutes and then it fades away, so nothing ends abruptly.
If you miss a chapter it does not matter at all. Catch it tomorrow night. You were never meant to hear the end.
One tip from the start of it: if something is pressing on your mind, write it on a bit of paper by the bed. Your mind decides it is handled the moment it is written down.
Questions people ask
Why is it so long?
Because the length is doing part of the job. There is no hurry in it anywhere and nothing to reach, which is difficult to achieve in ten minutes.
Why does it say an hour when the notes say forty one minutes?
Both are right. Forty one minutes of me talking, then a long fade rather than a stop.
Why can I not fall asleep normally?
Usually because your mind has not decided it is safe yet, and it thinks checking one more thing matters. Thank it and tell it it is time for sleep, and it is generally alright about that.
Read along
The transcript
It follows the audio. Press any line to jump there.
sleep · sleep-story · nature · forest
Read the transcript
Welcome to The Sleep Meditation by Steven Webb. The Secret Life of a Raindrop.
This meditation is specifically designed to help you to fall asleep, your body and your mind. And the story really
is not to entertain you, but just allow you to comfortably fall asleep. Just
before I begin this story, let's become comfortable and wiggle into the most comfortable position. But
if you have something really pressing on your mind that just keeps coming up, the best advice I've got is
to jot it down somewhere and then the mind thinks it's automatically sorted. Always keep a pen and little piece
of paper next to you on the bed. The mind just thinks the minute it's wrote down that it's all
done. But
if you haven't got anything pressing on your mind, let's just wiggle into the bed and... The main reason we
normally struggle to fall asleep is because the mind, for some reason, doesn't think it's safe. Doesn't think it's comfortable
or secure to do so. And
this might be because you're thinking about something you need to do next week or or food that you want
to eat, or something really important like checking Facebook.
You see, the mind doesn't know that these things are not important. Because you do them quite regularly, the mind
thinks they're really important.
So if any of these things do crop up in your mind with the urge or desire to do something
about them, just acknowledge them and smile and go, Thank you, but time to go sleep.
And your mind will automatically be okay with that. So we're going to do some stretching and relaxing that prepares
the body and the mind for sleep. And then I will continue with the secret life of the raindrop. That
will take you from the clouds right through to the ocean and the cosmic openness of the whole universe. And
the idea is you never get to the end of the story. It's quite repetitive and it's quite just my
voice and I slowly go quieter and hopefully you don't wake up for the rest of the night. The story
is written and designed so you don't make it to the end. So the idea is that you have a
beautiful, deep, healing night's sleep.
So, again, wiggle your body. Just allow every muscle to relax. Become aware of your muscles
relaxing and become deeper and deeper into the bed.
Now remember, it's not about making the muscles relax is about allowing them to do so. They know how
to relax just the same as your lungs know how to breathe. And
with each breath, we can go slightly deeper and slightly more relaxed.
Now I'm going to ask you to tense up some muscles and then hold them for a few seconds and
then release them. This tells the body that it's time for sleep and time for complete relaxation.
So we'll start with your feet and really tense up your feet and your toes and your ankles. Hold them.
Really tight. Hold them. And now let them relax.
And now we do the legs and the hips and your bum. All
those areas. Just really, really tense them up
and allow them to relax. And notice how much more relaxed they are afterwards. And
now we do the whole torso, your belly, your back and your chest. And hold them all really, really tight.
Your stomach and your back.
And now let them relax. And
just feel your body going deeper into the bed.
And now we'll do the shoulders, the arms, your hands and your fingers. Just really, really hold them all tight.
Really tight. And now they relax into the most comfortable place. Ready for sleep.
And now we'll just do the neck and your face and your eyes and your forehead. Everything on your head.
Really tight. And now let it all relax.
And now become aware of your breath.
Breathing in and breathing out.
And you'll notice your breath just getting deeper and longer.
Your body knows exactly how to breathe. Your body knows how to relax.
And we're just going to do that tense one more time, but we're going to do every single muscle in
your body. From
the top of your head right down to your tips of your big toes. So
after three. One, two, three. Tense everything. Your fingers, your torso, your
bum, everything. And now let it all go. Just really deep relaxation into the bed.
And now your body is perfectly ready for a good night's sleep.
And as you become more aware of your breath,
becoming aware that your body is falling asleep,
And then we'll move to your mind.
But with the mind, we're just going to enjoy a story.
And this story is going to be of
The Secret Life of a Raindrop.
If you missed a bit of the story, just don't worry. It's fine. You can always catch that bit tomorrow
night. The idea is just allow your body to relax allow your mind to drift into a deep sleep.
Chapter One. The Birth of the Raindrop.
Up above in the sky, where the clouds float freely, a tiny raindrop was born.
It emerged from the soft grey clouds, feeling light and weightless.
Around it, other raindrops were also coming to life.
Like little pearls forming in the sky.
The raindrop felt a sense of joy and wonder at this new world.
The sky was a vast canvas of gray with the occasional glimpses of blue
below the earth awaited, green and welcoming.
The raindrop began its journey downward, joining a gentle dance with the other raindrops.
They twirled and they spun as they fell.
The valley of nature, graceful and serene.
As the raindrop descended, the gentle pitter-patter of rain filled the air.
It was a soothing sound,
nice and steady.
The raindrop felt itself relax as it fell, each moment bringing a deeper sense of calm.
The world seemed to slow down, and the raindrop enjoyed every second of its leisurely descent.
The raindrop watched as its fellow drops gathered on leaves
and patterns on windows and created ripples in paddles.
This was a world of simple beauty, a place of peace and tranquility.
The raindrop felt grateful to be part of this dance, a tiny but essential piece of the world.
And as this chapter closes, you're invited to take a deep breath,
feeling the calmness of the rain,
Letting its gentle rhythm soothe your mind during
you for the journey ahead. Into Deep, Peaceful Sleep.
Chapter Two. The Forest Canopy.
The raindrop reached the edge of the fast forest.
It landed softly on a bright green leaf, nestled among tall, majestic trees.
The forest was alive with the sounds of nature, the rustling of leaves, the whispering of the wind,
and the distant calls of birds.
The raindrop slowly glided down the leaf,
It then gently slid off the edge and landed on another leaf.
Then another. Each leaf was a new adventure. A new part of the forest to explore.
Above the canopy of the forest was a tapestry of green with the sunlight peeking through the golden beams.
The air was fresh and filled with the scent of earth and growth.
The raindrop felt a connection to the forest. A sense of belonging to this lush, vibrant world.
As it moved from leaf to leaf, the raindrop saw the forest life.
Squirrels darting up trees. Birds flitting from branch to branch.
Everything was in harmony. A perfect balance of living things.
As this chapter for the secret life of the raindrop comes to an end, the raindrop is resting on a
leaf. The forest is sounding a lovely lullaby of nature.
I invite you to relax deeper.
Letting the peaceful energy of the forest fill you.
Easing you further into a deep sense of calm and serenity.
Chapter three The Gentle Stream.
Leaving the forest canopy, the raindrop found itself on the edge of a small babbling stream.
It slipped into the water, becoming part of the stream's gentle flow.
The stream was a ribbon of clear water, winding through the forest over smooth pebbles
and soft blood
The sound of a flowing stream was calming,
A steady soothing murmur.
The raindrop moved with the water, gliding over rocks,
swirling around leaves,
and sometimes joining other raindrops in the joyful dance.
It felt the coolness of the water, a refreshing embrace.
As the stream reandered through the forest, the raindrop saw the flowers on the bank,
fish swimming lazily.
The dragonflies hovering above.
The world from the stream was peaceful. They slowly paced journey through nature's beauty.
The raindrop felt a sense of ease,
Letting the current guide it without any hurry.
The stream's path was a gentle, winding route, Always moving,
yet never rushing.
The sound of water flowing over rocks Was a natural melody, a lullaby for the soul.
The raindrop felt itself becoming more relaxed with each twist and turn of the stream.
As this chapter ends, you're invited to follow the flow of a stream in your mind,
letting its steady, gentle movement lull you into a deeper state of relaxation,
ready for the next part of the journey
Chapter 4. The Slow River.
The stream eventually joined the broader, slower river.
The raindrop entered the river, feeling the change in pace.
This river was calm and majestic,
quiet strength
The Water was deeper.
The surface was smooth, reflecting the sky and the trees.
The sound of the river was a soft, continuous lapping against the riverbanks.
The raindrop moved along with the river,
now in a slow, graceful slide.
It passed by tall reeds,
overhanging branches, and pebbled shores.
The river's course was serene. A tranquil passage through the landscape.
Along the river there were moments of stillness,
where the water seemed to pause and rest.
In these moments the raindrop felt a profound peace,
As if time itself had slowed down.
The gentle sound of the river was comfort in presence,
constant in the world of change.
The river's journey was not just a path through the land, but also an inward journey.
The raindrop felt a deeper connection with the world.
A sense of being part of something larger and more meaningful.
The river's gentle flow was like a meditation,
a journey towards inner peace.
As this chapter moves to a close, you're
encouraged to feel the slow, steady rhythm of the river,
allow its calmness to wash over
you hurrying you forever into a state of deep relaxation.
Chapter five The
Expansive Ocean
The river's end brought the raindrop to the edge of the vast ocean.
As it merged into the ocean, the raindrop felt an immense sense of space and freedom.
The ocean was a boundless expanse of blue stretching as far as the eye could see
open sky.
The sound here was of distant waves,
A gentle repetitive sound that was both calming and powerful.
The raindrop moved with the waves.
Rising and falling in a slow, graceful rhythm.
The vastness of the ocean made everything else seem small and distant,
away from any worries or thoughts.
The raindrop saw the sun reflecting off the water, creating a path of shimmering light across the waves.
The ocean's surface dotted with a gentle rise and forward distant waves,
like the steady breathing of someone sleeping.
The horizon was a line where the sky and sea met in a tranquil embrace.
Just imagine the calmness of the waves,
as if they're matching your slow, deep breaths,
As the waves gently carrying you to a deep sleep.
The Six Cosmic Cycle.
Final chapter, the raindrop begins to feel lighter,
As it slowly evaporates. rising from the ocean back into the sky.
The ascent is peaceful, a gentle lifting and feels like being carried by a soft breeze.
The raindrop ascends higher, leaving the ocean far below.
The raindrop feels a sense of completion, a journey that has come full circle.
As the raindrop rises, it sees the world from a new perspective.
The rivers, the ocean,
part of the larger, interconnected world.
The raindrop understands that this is part of the cycle
changing. The raindrop is not just water,
But a symbol of life and continuity.
The ethereal sound of the background is a reminder of the unseen forces that guide us and shape us in
our lives.
As the story concludes, the raindrop rejoins the clouds,
ready to begin its journey in
you You too are invited to feel the sense of renewal,
part of something ethereal and ever-changing as
you drift off to sleep. You carry with you the peace and tranquility of this journey.
