Shadow Stories: a meditation 😌 and bedtime story 💤

0:02 [SPEAKER_00]: Hello, Away Islanders. [SPEAKER_00]: We're so glad you are here. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's see if you have everything you want to become on Away Island. [SPEAKER_00]: Are the lights in your room dim or off? [SPEAKER_00]: Do you have your favorite listening buddy or blanket? [SPEAKER_00]: Before we begin our story, let's relax by taking a nice, deep, dragon breath.

0:31 [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in through your nose, filling up your lungs, and then out through your mouth. [SPEAKER_00]: Imagineing you are breathing fire, like a dragon. [SPEAKER_00]: Ready? [SPEAKER_00]: Deep breath in and out. [UNKNOWN]: Ah! [SPEAKER_00]: Good job. [SPEAKER_00]: As your chest, arms, and shoulders relax, think of a puffin' family, hugging their baby puffin' in their cozy burrow.

1:09 [SPEAKER_00]: You feel loved and connected, just like the baby puffin'. [SPEAKER_00]: As you think about the puffin' family, your heart feels happy and warm. [SPEAKER_00]: Place your hands on your chest. [SPEAKER_00]: Close your eyes, and let's take another deep, dragon breath together. [SPEAKER_00]: Ready?

1:35 [SPEAKER_00]: Deep breath. [SPEAKER_00]: In and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Now let's think about your family. [SPEAKER_00]: Every family is unique. [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe your family includes parents, or siblings, or grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins, or friends, pets, nannies, caregivers, and teachers, whoever your family is, and wherever they are, send your loving energy out to them.

2:17 [SPEAKER_00]: and let's take one more deep, dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Loving energy surrounds you, and like the baby puffin' you feel safe and loved. [SPEAKER_00]: Great job, everyone. [SPEAKER_00]: I hope you are tucked in nice and cozy. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, I think we're ready to begin our story.

3:01 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's be calm. [SPEAKER_00]: On a way Island, our story today is Shadow Stories. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody Wombat yaw, aww, aww, and he and his friend Wily Wombat had just finished their supper of leafy greens. [SPEAKER_00]: And now they were sitting cosily near the entrance of Woody's burrow in the away island forest.

3:28 [SPEAKER_00]: Those greens were tasty, Wily said to your [SPEAKER_00]: He felt too sleepy to say a whole sentence. [SPEAKER_00]: He let his eyes drift shut for just a moment. [SPEAKER_00]: Now that we're done eating, continue it whiley. [SPEAKER_00]: Do you want to tumble? [SPEAKER_00]: Tumbling and rolling around was one of the one that's favorite pastimes.

3:58 [SPEAKER_00]: Not right now, said Woody, you're hunting again. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm kind of sleepy. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, replied Wiley, undeterred. [SPEAKER_00]: The little wombat was not quite back up to his usual energy after their big meal, but he was quickly regaining full power. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, that supper was very good.

4:22 [SPEAKER_00]: Wiley continued eagerly. [SPEAKER_00]: You've got to love tender roots and grass and leafy greens. [SPEAKER_00]: We're lucky there are so many good things to nibble in the forest. [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, I like the little clover leaves too. [SPEAKER_00]: Clover is great. [SPEAKER_00]: And those new shoots near the pond are very nice.

4:46 [SPEAKER_00]: Don't you think so, Woody? [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, did I tell you about the time I found that patch of extra sweet grass by the blue gum trees? [SPEAKER_00]: It was so fresh and soft and tasty. [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, it tasted like [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, Woody interrupted gently. [SPEAKER_00]: You've already told me about the extra sweet grass, Wiley.

5:11 [SPEAKER_00]: Woody was not trying to be rude. [SPEAKER_00]: He just felt so tired and sleepy, and Wiley was talking a lot. [SPEAKER_00]: Wiley often talked a lot. [SPEAKER_00]: Usually, Woody did not mind at all, but tonight, it all felt like a little too much. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, said Wiley. [SPEAKER_00]: Sorry, I guess I did tell you about that grass, didn't I?

5:40 [SPEAKER_00]: You did. [SPEAKER_00]: Many times, said Woody. [SPEAKER_00]: Sorry to interrupt you. [SPEAKER_00]: It's okay, reply, Wiley. [SPEAKER_00]: Wiley truly did not seem to mind. [SPEAKER_00]: After a tiny pause, he started talking again. [SPEAKER_00]: While Woody remained curled near the burrow with his eyes half closed, while he set up, and talked about all the games they could play that night.

6:07 [SPEAKER_00]: He talked about tumbling. [SPEAKER_00]: He talked about tag. [SPEAKER_00]: He talked about rolling down the little grassy hill and seeing who could stop closest to the fern patch. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody tried to listen politely, but he was barely awake. [SPEAKER_00]: Indeed, he was very tired because he had not been sleeping enough.

6:32 [SPEAKER_00]: The reason was that Woody had recently invented a new game, and he was playing it a lot. [SPEAKER_00]: The game was an imagination game. [SPEAKER_00]: Every morning after Wiley went back to his burrow to sleep, Woody stayed awake for a little while longer. [SPEAKER_00]: He would sit near the entrance of his own borough, and watch the last bits of moonlight, and the first bits of sunlight make shadows on the ground.

7:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Woody would look at the shadows, and think about what they looked like. [SPEAKER_00]: Then he would start making up a story in his mind, using the shapes of the shadows to help him. [SPEAKER_00]: For example, [SPEAKER_00]: One morning, Woody saw the shadow of a long tree branch, stretching across the ground.

7:26 [SPEAKER_00]: The branch reached so far that it's shadow almost touched another tree. [SPEAKER_00]: What do you look at it and thought? [SPEAKER_00]: That looks a lot like a bridge. [SPEAKER_00]: Looking more closely, the taller tree beside it seemed a bit like a castle tower. [SPEAKER_00]: that gave Woody an idea.

7:50 [SPEAKER_00]: In his mind, he imagined a tall castle surrounded by a wide mode. [SPEAKER_00]: The only way to cross the mode was to wait for the bridge to lower. [SPEAKER_00]: Then Woody made up a story about two grave bombets trying to cross the bridge and enter the castle. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody really liked this imagination game.

8:22 [SPEAKER_00]: He liked making up fun stories. [SPEAKER_00]: And if he was honest with himself, he liked that it was something he did on his own. [SPEAKER_00]: Usually, at night, he enjoyed playing active games with Wiley, like tumbling, and tag, and racing. [SPEAKER_00]: but making up stories alone helped Woody realize that he also enjoyed quiet time by himself.

8:52 [SPEAKER_00]: The problem was that the story game was so much fun that Woody had been staying awake too late. [SPEAKER_00]: Each time he thought the story was finished, another shadow gave him a new idea. [SPEAKER_00]: Then he wanted to add another part, and another, and another. [SPEAKER_00]: Truth be told, there was another reason what he stayed up late, too.

9:23 [SPEAKER_00]: He didn't want to make Wiley feel bad by saying that he wanted to play by himself sometimes. [SPEAKER_00]: So after Wiley had gone to sleep, pleasantly tuckered out from rolling and running around in the forest, [SPEAKER_00]: Woody stayed awake inside his burrow, imagining shadow stories until he could hardly keep his eyes open.

9:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Finally, when Woody was too tired to think anymore, he would curl up in his burrow and fall asleep. [SPEAKER_00]: But by then, he had not loved himself very much time to rest before the next evening when it was time to wake up, explore and play with Wiley again. [SPEAKER_00]: So tonight, as Wiley talked on and on about tumbling games and yummy food, Woody kept his eyes shut, very nearly dosing off.

10:28 [SPEAKER_00]: Woody, are you listening? [SPEAKER_00]: Say, do you want to go play now? [SPEAKER_00]: Let's roll to the pond. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody's side. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, he said reluctantly. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's roll to the pond. [SPEAKER_00]: Yay! [SPEAKER_00]: Said Wiley happily. [SPEAKER_00]: Beat you there.

10:50 [SPEAKER_00]: Wiley tucked his chin close to his chest and rolled to the grassy path. [SPEAKER_00]: There, he stopped and waited. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody got up with a little groaned and followed more slowly. [SPEAKER_00]: When Woody reached the path, highly called, go, and started rolling again. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody tucked his chin and rolled as fast as he could.

11:16 [SPEAKER_00]: But while he outpaced him easily, I went, while he said, when he reached the pond first, [SPEAKER_00]: Woody rolled to a stop a little later and flopped gently onto the grass. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, you won, Miley. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody sighed. [SPEAKER_00]: At this point, Wiley finally noticed that Woody was not his usual playful self.

11:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Woody, are you okay? [SPEAKER_00]: Wiley asked, you don't seem like yourself. [SPEAKER_00]: Are you tired? [SPEAKER_00]: Should he just tell Wiley what was going on? [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, maybe that was best. [SPEAKER_00]: Actually, Wiley, would he said, yes, I am tired. [SPEAKER_00]: Really, really tired.

12:12 [SPEAKER_00]: I haven't been sleeping well. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, no, said Wiley sympathetically. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, we don't have to play anymore tonight. [SPEAKER_00]: We can play all night tomorrow instead. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody smiled a little at Wiley's eagerness. [SPEAKER_00]: Then, he spoke as kindly as he could.

12:34 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, Wiley. [SPEAKER_00]: But I don't know if I want to play all night tomorrow either. [SPEAKER_00]: I really like playing with you, of course. [SPEAKER_00]: You are my best buddy. [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes, I like to have some quiet time by myself, too. [SPEAKER_00]: You do? [SPEAKER_00]: Ask quietly.

12:55 [SPEAKER_00]: He sounded surprised. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, yes, said Woody. [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes I just like to sit quietly and think. [SPEAKER_00]: To be honest, that is why I haven't been sleeping well. [SPEAKER_00]: I've been staying up late, making up stories in my mind. [SPEAKER_00]: It's not that I don't like you, or enjoy spending time with you.

13:18 [SPEAKER_00]: He added quickly. [SPEAKER_00]: It's just that I found out I like spending time by myself sometimes too. [SPEAKER_00]: While he thought for a minute, then he nodded. [SPEAKER_00]: That makes sense. [SPEAKER_00]: He said, we do spend a lot of time together. [SPEAKER_00]: And it is really fun.

13:40 [SPEAKER_00]: But I understand that you might want to be alone sometimes. [SPEAKER_00]: And I know I talk a lot. [SPEAKER_00]: He added, [SPEAKER_00]: Wily chuckled at himself, and Woody giggled too. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody felt relieved that Wily understood. [SPEAKER_00]: He was glad they could laugh about Wily's talka-tiveness together.

14:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Is it okay if I ask you about your stories? [SPEAKER_00]: Wily asked? [SPEAKER_00]: It's okay to ask, said Woody greatly. [SPEAKER_00]: I call them Shadow Stories. [SPEAKER_00]: I watched the shadows near my burrow and whatever shapes I see helped me imagine a story. [SPEAKER_00]: I still want to make up stories by myself sometimes because that feels peaceful, but maybe we could make up a together version too once in a while.

14:44 [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe one night we could sit side by side and watch the shadows. [SPEAKER_00]: I could make up one part of the story, and then you could make up the next part. [SPEAKER_00]: We could take turns. [SPEAKER_00]: Wildly's face brightened. [SPEAKER_00]: That sounds fun. [SPEAKER_00]: I want to make a story about tumbling.

15:07 [SPEAKER_00]: Woody smiled. [SPEAKER_00]: I thought you might. [SPEAKER_00]: But not tonight, Wiley said, looking carefully at his friend. [SPEAKER_00]: Tonight, I think you need sleep. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody, you're all on the gun. [SPEAKER_00]: I think you're right. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for telling me, said Wiley, and thank you for sharing your imagination came with me.

15:37 [SPEAKER_00]: I will go play by myself now. [SPEAKER_00]: Or maybe, I'll see if when Wallaby is awake. [SPEAKER_00]: You should rest. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody smiled sleepily at his good friend. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, Wiley. [SPEAKER_00]: And now, would be wonderful. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's try shadow stories together another night.

16:00 [SPEAKER_00]: OK? [SPEAKER_00]: OK. Said Wiley enthusiastically. [SPEAKER_00]: Then he lowered his voice again. [SPEAKER_00]: Sleep well, Woody, with that wily rolled away through the grass, heading into the forest to see if any other friends were awake. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody smiled as he watched his friend roll away.

16:27 [SPEAKER_00]: He saw all on one more time, and slowly climbed back into his burrow. [SPEAKER_00]: Letting the cozy walls wrap around him like a warm blanket. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody tucked his paws close, curled into a comfortable ball, then felt happy to rest for a while. [SPEAKER_00]: He thought of everything he had to be grateful for.

17:04 [SPEAKER_00]: Woody was grateful that Wiley had noticed he was tired and encouraged him to sleep. [SPEAKER_00]: Woody took a deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: He was grateful. [SPEAKER_00]: Or his safe, cozy burrow. [SPEAKER_00]: where he could rest in the quiet forest night. [SPEAKER_00]: What he took another D dragon breath, E and out.

17:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Most of all, Woody was grateful that Wiley understood. [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes Woody liked playing with his friend. [SPEAKER_00]: and sometimes he needed quiet time, alone, Woody closed his eyes, gave himself a big hug, and took one final deep dragon grab in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: His mind quieted, and Woody fell asleep, [SPEAKER_00]: Dreaming of the stories he might share with Wiley another night.

18:32 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for joining us to be calm on all way Island. [SPEAKER_00]: See you next time.