12 Senses Yoga Nidra

Everyone knows of the five senses. Only some know of the 6th. But did you know you have at least 12? Welcome to this yoga nidra practice inspired by the 12 senses work of Rudolph Steiner. This script was influenced by the writings of Tom van Gelder. If you are a yoga or meditation teacher interested in a PDF of this script, you can request it from me here.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this yoga nidra practice.

Twelve senses nidra inspired by Rudolf Steiner.

Prepare the body for yoga nidra.

Lie down on your back using any props or blankets to make yourself impeccably comfortable.

Your body temperature will likely drop so be sure you're warm enough.

As you settle in check to see that your neck is comfortable.

Your knees,

Your lower back,

Your hands,

Everything.

Make adjustments until you feel completely supported by the surface you're on.

And that you can remain in stillness for the duration.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

Feeling the rise of the belly and with the exhale allow the belly to drop back towards the floor or bed each time dropping further and further behind you.

Let's cultivate a deep,

Deep effortless relaxation now.

You don't need to do anything but let go and listen to the guiding sounds of my voice which may weave in and out of your awareness.

Know that if you fall asleep that is perfectly okay.

Now turn your awareness to sensations of the external world,

The senses of feeling.

Feel,

Taste,

Sight.

Let go.

Let go.

Linked to the breath is smell.

With each breath we can smell danger,

We can smell fear,

We can smell food that has gone off and thus spare our body unnecessary torments.

We can smell roses and cookies baking,

Cut grass and herbs.

Smells hold memories.

Taste and the tongue sweet,

Salty,

Bitter and sour.

It informs us about our food,

Healthy or not,

Delicious or not.

Your precious eyes see color,

Light,

Dark,

Shadow.

Motion,

The eyes are objective filters of the light.

We see colors and those colors impact how we feel.

We see rainbows.

And temperature,

This sense covers the whole body felt at the layer of the skin but able to penetrate deep into the core of the body.

All temperatures on the spectrum from fiery to hot to lukewarm to dispensaries,

Who's peaking the to warm,

To chilly,

To ice cold.

How does your body temperature make you feel?

What emotions are evoked?

Turn your awareness towards the body and the senses of the will.

What sensations of touch come into your awareness?

Your skin is the delineation between the outer and inner world.

It is sensitive with many fine nerve receptors.

It is your shield.

Without touch,

You would not sense this boundary of inner and outer.

Now turn your awareness to the immaterial,

The spiritual world,

Or knowledge senses.

What can you hear?

Feel your ears and notice their ability to hear sounds all around you,

Near and far.

We must be still to listen deeply.

We can hear everyday sounds like rustling leaves and singing birds,

Or music from instruments or speech.

There is so much to be observed in vibration.

We can judge distance,

Direction,

And even intention.

We are deeply moved by sound.

Sound can resonate deeply within us.

What do you understand in word?

Vowels and consonants take shape to create objects and stories.

What meaning exists for you in thoughts?

Our concepts,

Ideas,

Imaginings,

And interpretations.

We observe and we think.

We make choices.

We experience and learn.

Now,

Even in stillness,

What can you sense of movement?

You know through awareness where your thigh is,

Your nose,

Your forehead.

You can feel and sense movement of all kinds,

Speed,

Location and space,

Strength.

As such,

You can form shapes,

Postures.

Every movement you make is a small miracle.

What do you sense in terms of balance,

Right to left,

Top to bottom,

Back to front?

Every movement requires a readjustment.

What wisdom makes such adjustments?

We know vertical,

We know horizontal,

We know when we lean and when we're straight.

Become aware of your whole body from the crown of the head to the tips of your toes.

Note the shape your body makes in space.

Notice any sensations that drift through your awareness of the whole body.

Now we will begin rotating our awareness through the different parts of the body.

Bring a light and effortless attention to each part of your body.

Become aware of the right hand,

Right thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger.

All five fingers,

Palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder.

Your right side,

Your right waist,

Right hip,

Right thigh,

Kneecap,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Heel,

The sole of the right foot,

The top of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Become aware of the left hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

Palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Your left side,

The left waist,

Left hip,

Left thigh,

Kneecap,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the left foot,

The top of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Now become aware of your right shoulder blade,

Your left shoulder blade,

Your right hip,

Your left hip,

Spine,

The whole back.

Now to the crown of the head,

The forehead,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

The space between the eyebrows,

Right eyelid,

Left eyelid,

Right eye,

Left eye,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Nose,

Tip of the nose,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Chin,

Throat,

Right chest,

Left chest,

Middle of the chest,

Navel,

Abdomen,

The whole of the right leg,

The whole of the left leg,

Both legs together,

The whole of the right arm,

The whole of the left arm,

Both arms together,

The whole of the back,

Spine and shoulder blades,

The whole of the front,

Abdomen and chest,

The whole of the back and front together,

The whole of the head,

The whole body together.

Be silent.

Be still.

Be spacious.

Your whole body is resting and relaxing.

Watch the breath.

Bring your awareness to the movement of the breath in and out.

Notice how the breath breathes all by itself.

Notice the pauses at the top of the inhale and at the bottom of the exhale.

Notice a sensation of expansion with the inhale and a contraction with the exhale.

Watch as the belly rises and falls.

Focus there on this gentle expansion and deflation.

Listen to the music of the rising and falling breath.

Now internally begin to count your breaths backwards from 10 to 1.

Start with the inhale at 10,

Exhale 10,

Inhale 9,

Exhale 9 and so on,

All in your own time.

If you lose your place,

Start back at 10.

Focus on the sensation of the breath as you count.

Focus on the sensation of the breath as you count.

Focus on the sensation of the breath as you count.

Let go of the counting.

Can you feel the life force within you?

Can you feel that subtle energy the breath carries?

Can you feel the blood flowing?

Can you feel the organs functioning?

Your synapses firing.

Do you feel hungry or full or somewhere in between?

Do you feel thirst,

Sleepy,

Healthy?

Is there pain or discomfort?

Pain is such an important feedback,

Providing us with information regarding our state of balance and harmony.

Our state of awareness.

Turn your attention to your sense of self,

Ego,

Individuality.

Who are you?

Who are you?

What is your personality?

What are your preferences?

What are your habits and emotions?

We can sense our own and we can sense that of others.

We can relate on this superficial level identity.

I am a boy,

A girl,

Gender neutral.

I am a sister,

Brother,

Wife,

Lawyer.

I am happy.

I am sad.

Where does the ego sense take you?

And what is it then that is aware of each of these senses?

Become aware once more of the breath,

The air moving in and out of your nostrils.

Become aware of any sounds in your environment.

Take your time.

Keep your eyes closed as you begin to slowly move.

You can squeeze and release different parts of your body or begin to stretch slowly like a cat.

When you feel ready,

Gently turn onto one side.

Settle up and you may open your eyes,

Sitting upright when you feel ready or simply drifting off to sleep.

Reviews

Oh I really liked this one. PDF please. Gaileee@yahoo dot com

Beautifully soothing 🤍💙