Resting In The Madagascan Rainforest | Immersive Bedtime Story For Insomnia

Hey Jeffrey here and welcome back tonight falls. Before we begin I want to thank you for your support. It means the world and helps the show a huge amount. If you can find time please do leave us a review. They help us grow and I love to read them. Here in Scotland the weather has been dry of late. For those of you that don't know what that means it's cold, gloomy and a wee bit dull. As I said we're into the heart of winter and the verdant hills of spring have all this rain to thank so I can't complain. Also I'm nice and cozy indoors with a fire crackling and alto nestled by my feet. Oh toasty, good boy. In tonight's story I'm taking me back to a winter gone by when frost settled overnight falls, snow hushed the mountains, the forest fell quiet and the campfire became the centre of everything. But when auto insisted on an adventure he let us down the path of time out of the frost and into a warm, madagascan rainforest where rain drips through the canopy, lemurs roam the skywalk and the night feels alive with unseen footsteps below. So get comfy, let your shoulders soften and follow us into the green where wild life roam and gentle protectors keep watch as you fall asleep. Before we begin here's the quick ad break that keeps this free content possible to go out free, subscribe, via the link in the show notes. For a lot of us making time to take care of our mental health isn't always straightforward. For me therapy has been part of that and one thing I've learned is that even after you decide to ask for help finding care that's affordable and fit into your life can still be difficult. It can sometimes feel like choosing between getting the right support and being able to afford it which shouldn't be how mental health care works. That's one of the reasons RULA exists. RULA is a healthcare company that helps you find in network therapy that fits your budget and works with your insurance. Without the endless searching or confusing fine print they work with over a hundred insurance plans which means many people pay around fifteen dollars a session and depending on your coverage it could even be zero and instead of sitting on a wait list for a month you can often find a licensed therapist accepting new clients as soon as tomorrow. What I also appreciate is that RULA doesn't just match you and disappear they stay involved checking in along the way to make sure your care continues to work for you. Thousands of people are already using RULA to get affordable high quality therapy that's actually covered by insurance. Visit RULA.com forward slash night falls to get started. After you sign up you'll be asked how you heard about them. Please support our show and let them know we send you that RULA.com slash night falls. We deserve mental health care that works with you not against your budget. Just a quick note before the night settles in sleep awareness week is almost over and so is our thirty day free trial of the sleepiest network bundle. If you've been thinking about exploring the full world of night falls and everything we create across the network this is your final opportunity to try it free for a full month. With the bundle you'll unlock the entire catalogue of night falls sleep wave and sleep magic completely ad free giving you stories to escape into meditations to steady you and hypnosis to help you switch off. Thirty days gives you space to try something different and find your own rhythm at night. This extended trial ends on March 16th and it won't be available again for some time. So if this feels like the right moment to take your night seriously tap try free in Apple podcasts or use the link in the show notes before the weekend. There's no better week to choose rest I'll be here when you're ready. Alright, now back to night falls. Winter had closed in on night falls fast. Snow softened the peaks of the surrounding mountains and that morning always quiet in the clearing save for the crackle of the campfire. This no force seemed to have had a rather stilling effect. For days nothing had scuttled or scurried out in the pine forest. The rabbits, foxes, badgers and moles that made their home there were tucked up tight in cozy caves, warrants and burrows for the winter. My friends and I had taken to lasing by the campfire and that day we were all bundled into multiple jumpers and tucked under too many blankets to bother moving far from it. Although the ground had frozen beneath his paws, also enthusiasm for adventure never waned. The schnauser didn't mind when the snowflakes caught in his fur coat made him shiver. He seemed undeterred by the cold water and he still bounded by the clearing all day long. He slid across the ice that covered the lake and licked at the frozen waterfall caught in time cascading over the cliffs as though it were nothing more than an enormous ice pop. When he trotted over to the foots of the path of time that evening and let out a bark to get my attention, I must admit I was reluctant to leave the warmth of the fireside. What I know and were also intended to leave me, I might not have tried so hard to cook him back to the campfire with treats. That evening it didn't seem to matter that I was offering up an ample supply of his favourite nibbles. The schnauser was insistent. He barked in my direction again and again until Wanda, who was trying to get into her new book and didn't appreciate the distraction, suggested I go and see what all the fuss was about. At Wanda's insistent I rounded the lake, certain I wouldn't be able to skate over it with any of the grace that Davani could. Just when I thought I had caught up to Otto and prepared to carry him back to the warmth of the fireside, he darted down the path of time. Otto had never taken much interest in the path that could draw us across continent and back through time. My friends and I had taken many a day trip across the decades, but Otto always preferred to keep his four paws firmly planted in the present moment. So I need to disappear between the tall trees that lined the trail, I was quick to follow after him. He trotted ahead of me and I could see the tip of his ears twitching as he listened out to check I was still following him. When I had to stop to tighten the laces on my winter boots, he turned back, ran toward me and nuzzled at my knee as part of an emotional ploy to make sure I didn't turn back toward the falls. You're too old for puppy dog Ahai's Otto, I ruffled the fire under his chin to stop him from whining. If my memory serves me correctly, you are actually older than me. Otto grumbled and eyed me as though I ought to leave out any mention of his age. Passing back into the perfect, companionable quiet I loved so much, we fell into step and followed the path back through time. The winter breeze seemed unable to follow us too far down the path of time. Perhaps it was because of the way the trees crowded in, or maybe it was night falls magic warding off the bad weather. The flowers that dried up in the clearing weeks earlier were still in full bloom at the end of the path of time, and it was little wonder, given the sudden rise in humidity. I began to peel off the layer as I'd bundled and buttoned myself into at the stars of the day, feeling more and more relaxed with every layer of fabric that fell away. At the foot of the path of time, it fell almost tropical. The familiar dark mossy greens that painted night falls forest had abdent to bright, light, verdant shades at some point in our journey. The heat felt so close, it was almost as though it was settling on my skin and sinking into my bones. When the path finally opened out to reveal a thick, humid rainforest, I was hardly surprised. My travels had taken me through rainforests before, but none so dense as that one. The flora crowded in, the tree canopy trapped the heat of the day, and the moisture evaporating from the earth after the last rainfall made the heat feel almost tangible. Clung to my skin and sawed me through. The tightness that had crept into my mind and my muscles with the winter cold began to be dissolved. Winter had all but abdent to my bones that year, and breathed by steady breath, the warmth of the rainforest was undoing all the tension that had wamed its way into my core with the cold weather. And somewhere as calming as night falls, it could be hard not to tense up and brace against the brisk wind sometimes. In that rainforest, I felt my chest open up as I took a deep breath in and out. I finally let my shoulders drop away from my ears, and let my brows soften. I let my senses drift closed for just a second, and I opened my senses. On my in-breath, the smell of the rainforest drifted into my body. It was wretch and floral. The smell of sweet fruit hung heavy in the air, I could tell just by breathing, without even opening my eyes, that the soil I stood upon was richer than rich. Otto would stop shivering at last, and his ears were on the alert as he listened into the forest. The schnauzer could hear four times farther than I could, and I wondered what he was listening to as his ears twitched in different directions. It's in the rainforest, not her new better than I did how to keep her safe. He could hear the predators we ought to steer clear of, laying tracks in the dampath, and he could hear the smaller creatures scurrying about the trees. He could hear the call of the birds miles away, and the sound of them building their nests in preparation for a peaceful night's rest. Following Otto's lead, we walked for hours, falling into a gentle rhythm. We might not have shared a language, but we most certainly shared an understanding. When he looked pointedly at the roots crawling across the pathway, a new he meant I ought to watch my step. Of all the colors in the spectrum, green has always been the easiest on my eyes. Even in the rainforest that day, when it ought to have appeared chaotic, even when shade upon shade of it was crowded in together, there was something so calming about the sea of green before us. Something about the color was soothing, something about it was welcoming. The greens of the rainforest seemed to whisper, go ahead, and pass right on through to Otto and I that day. The heavens held off, opening only when I began to feel a touch to warm. As the rainfall diced out the heat of the day, and listened to the droplets drip, dripping down through the leaves and coming to settle upon the forest floor. The rain that made it down that far fell in gentle droplets, stopped on their journey from the skies to the soft earth by the tree canopy, then the shrubs, then the saplings they protect. By the time it splattered on my skin, it felt soft as summer rain, taking the edge of the heat of the day. Otto let the cool rain soak into his fur before he bothered to shake off. The day drifted on like that for hours. The heat rose, the rain fell, the air got more humid and the heat settled a little heavier on my skin once more. Although Otto grew impatient when I took too long to duck under low branches or climb over a fallen tree trunk that day, he didn't seem to mind the rainfall one bit. It wasn't long before the schnauser began to befriend the local resident. First, he stopped in his tracks before a fallen branch and sniffed at a tomato frog. The amphibian with the rosy red back released a rumbling ribbit every few seconds just to remind us he was there. He was the first clues to which rain forest Otto had drawn me down the path of time to. Tomato frogs aren't strong swimmers, they don't have webbed feet to help them paddle and so they prefer to pass their time by still stagnant bodies of water. If the tomato frog was near, the swamp wouldn't be far off. The frog's tongue leapt out of its mouth and leaked Otto right on the tip of his nose. Otto practically levitated with excitement and for the frog's sake, I hoisted the dog into my arms before he had a chance to return the favor. I'm not sure he'll appreciate you slobbering all over him, buddy. I whispered into Otto's ear before setting his four paws back on the damp soil and motioning for him to lead the way. Leaves crunched under my boots and the gentle sound of Otto's breath drifting in and out underscored our walk. When the rain began to fall once more, a bird swept into the forest through a break in the canopy and came to settle on one of the lower hanging branches. Taking shelter from the rain and shaking the droplets from its feathers, the serpent eagle before us looked rather less ruthless than the one I had seen last time I was visiting the rainforest. When I first took a tour through the Madagascan rainforest years ago, my group had witnessed the eagle with the unique spotted belly, capturing lizards and flying them high up into the trees to snack on. I remember showing my grandma the pictures of it when I returned to Scotland and her telling me that the eagle looked like such a sweet little fella. Thankfully the eagle was not in a snacky mood, for Otto wouldn't have liked to see the bird bothering his new friends. Otto cocked his head to the side and assessed the rather regal-looking eagle. With B.D.I.'s the bird peered down its beacatis. After a brief stare down Otto decided to move on through the thicket, electing not to chase after the eagle like he so often did the birds that flitted about knife holes. After a time we stumbled upon a wooden walkway that stretched up gradually into the canopy. There were handrails on either side and the wooden slats felt sturdy underfoot as we climbed higher and higher into the tree tops. When the path began to flatten off we found that it weaved through the forest for miles and miles, offering a bird's eye view of the forest floor and a closer look at the life thriving in the canopy. Whoever had built the skywalk was a master of their craft, for the path curved through the sky, curling around tall trees and tucking through overgrown foliage. When Otto stopped in his tracks sensing something on the path up ahead, a new to stay quiet and let him listen out. His senses were better attuned the mine and for him it was no surprise at all when a lemur rounded the next bend on the path and continued to bounce toward us. Otto's tail swatted at my legs as it set to wagging. The lemur's tail was wrapped with black and white rings and has he leaned toward Otto with wide and positive eyes and you for certain we were in the malagassy rainforest. It wasn't my first time in Madagascar and I'd seen my fair share of the good natured, rather peculiar looking ring-tailed bleamers the first time I visited that forest. The lemur was clearly uninterested in me, having already seen enough tourists following guides through the rainforest. The creature was, however, rather curious about my four-legged friend Otto. The lemur reached its long arm out and touched the fur on Otto's nose. When Otto barked in excitement, the lemur leapt away. The dog bowed on his front legs, sinking down low to show the creature he meant no harm. And steadily the lemur sidestapped closer again. The pair walked side by side for a long while, their tails knocking together as we made our way through the canopy. When the lemur finally leapt back into the trees and disappeared, I let out a sigh of relief. I'd only been moments away from reminding Otto that he was supposed to be my best friend. We watched the lemur climb down from the canopy and it was clear why he was disappearing deeper into the forest when the rain began to fall again. Heavy droplets patterned upon the wooden path that led us through the sky and up in the canopy. Without half as much shelter, the rain palted against my skin. The flower petals opened out to collect as much water as they could, and with the forest in full bloom around us, Otto and I were more than content to weather the rain storm. When the elements finally eased off and the evening began to sweep in, our journey through the skies came to an abrupt end. The sky walk opened out onto a wide deck with pillows and blankets strewn around, umbrellas for shelter from the rain and a panoramic view of one of the earth's most unique environments. The last time I was in that forest, my tour guide had made sure to impress upon the group that over 80% of the animals in the Malagasy forest were endemic and could only be found in Madagascar. Excitedly, Otto darted about the deck. He followed the path of Sifaka lumirs and monkeys as they labbed through the trees and only once did I have to remind him that it wouldn't be a good idea to leap into the trees after them. I hadn't seen the schnauzers so excited in years, but also wasn't we anymore, and after an hour zooming about the deck, he had entirely worn himself out. I was already stretched out beneath the stars when he came to settle in beside me. As the darkness deepened, I realized just how differently Otto and I were experiencing the rain forest. Without the sun to illuminate the life thriving on the forest floor, I was blissfully unaware of the creatures that crept through the night. My mind had fallen quiet and my body was settling into relaxation, but it wasn't so easy for Otto. Even from high above in the tree canopy, he could still hear branches cracking under the paws of Fossacats. He could hear the birds darting through the trees. He could hear the frogs ribbiting into the night and he had a hard time tuning out. Tried to relax Otto, and gently stroked his back and he settled his head on my stomach. His ears were still standing to attention, twitching too and too, and free simply couldn't stop listening into the sounds in the forest below. Time passed, and I watched his thoughts were as he used his ears and nose to track the journeys the other animals were making across the forest floor. Maybe I'll tell you a bedtime story to help you wind down. I joked, but when Otto turned to face me expectantly, I realized he was hoping I would keep talking. I liked to fall asleep to the sound of rainfall or water lapping gently at a shoreline, and I felt rather proud that Otto wanted to fall asleep to the sound of my voice that night. Alright, well, this rainforest was first home to the Malagasy people. They arrived by canoe around 500 to 800 CE from Borneo and southeast Indonesia. I began doing my best to recall what the tour guide had taught me last time I visited that rainforest. They traveled almost 4,300 miles across the Indian Ocean to get here, and it was one of the most unbelievable journeys made in all of human history. To find their way they relied on stellar maps, wave patterns, burned migration routes and cloud formations, and when they arrived in Madagascar they were greeted with this, the most vultant of rainforests. The Malagasy people believed that the god Rato Van Tene is the earth. To them he is the source of all matter and fertility. They believed the gods Anna Harry to be the sky, and to them he is the embodiment of all that cannot be embodied, the spirit, the air, and the immaterial. Anna Harry represents balance and bridges that divide between earth and the heavens. The Malagasy people believed that Rato Van Tene and Anna Harry worked in harmony together. Rato Van Tene molded their bodies from clay, and Anna Harry breathed the soul into them. The Malagasy were kind to the earth that sustained them, and always mindful of the stars above them. They believed that when one of their own passed on, their spirit would linger for a little while in the perfect piece of this rainforest. The spirits would enjoy the rich offerings of the rainforest for just a little while before they made their way to join Anna Harry and sit amongst the stars. During their time here, those kind spirits serve as protectors of the forest. They ensured that everyone who travels through this rainforest has safe passage and consider their role guarding the peace does nothing short of an honour. So dear Rato, I rounded the tail off, noticing that the dog's eyes had drifted closed, and his breath was slowing and steadying at last. You needn't stand watch or listen into the night. The ancient protectors of the Madagascan rainforest will keep you safe as you sink into your slumber tonight. By the time I finished, Rato was snoring softly. His chest rose and fell steadily with every long, lazy breath that drifted in and out, in and out again. The star is dazzled above us and had I not been so exhausted that night, I might have fought to keep my eyes open a little longer so that I could watch the night sky drifting by. Instead, I let out a lazy on, pulled a thick blanket over myself and wrapped a second over Rato in the moments before I drifted off into a deep sleep. I was used to resting beneath the stars by that night, but I'd never slept so soundly as I did when I knew that the kind spirits protecting that rainforest were watching over me too. We'll leave our story there for tonight. I hope you enjoyed being back at the falls and our time in Madagascar. Sleep well and sweet dreams.