Do you know? Savasana is the hardest of all the poses in Yoga?!. It might look like a simple nap pose and for this reason many skip savasana after practicing daily yoga. After reading this article we hope you might not dismiss Savasana (shah-VAH-sah-nah or shih-VAH-snah = Sanskirt meaning = corpse pose). In fact, there are no other form of physical exercise that has pose like Savasana. This is what makes yoga stand separate from other form of exercises. Savasana is a fully conscious pose aimed at relaxing while being awake. Savasana also known as corpse pose in yoga helps to relax the body after yoga practice.

Why students walk away from savasana? Answer is simple – they have not fully understood the importance of savasana. And, it is not possible for many to practice relaxation.  Savasana is a gift pose for all yogis because it allows yogi to gradually enter a relaxed state and helps in refreshing deeply and brings focus on oneself.

The benefits of Savasana:

Our world today is moving fast and practicing art of Savasana helps us to stop fighting the clock. It makes space for peace and bring harmony to the soul. While practicing savasana one need to shut off the wondering mind and focus on one’s inner self and the body. It is like rebooting computer and bringing back it to action that helps computer to keep going. Savasana is an act of conscious surrender that need patience and practice. The whole body as well as mind experience quietness while being still.

During Savasana lot of things happen – our muscles, skeleton and nervous system that are active all the time will take back seat and our immune and parasympathetic nervous system become active.  It helps release the physical stress and repairs the body. It gives a sense of drifting away and slows down body and mind while bringing calmness to system. Savasana helps to rejuvenate the body and refreshes the mind.  In addition, it also helps to get good night sleep, decreases blood pressure, brings deep meditative state of rest that might help in repairing cells and tissues.

How to practice savasana?

The difficult part of Savasana is, to bring wondering mind under control. Human brain keeps thinking all the time about something – it will bring back memories or the chores that is pending. The challenge of turning brain off and just observing the sensation is difficult for anybody who go through corpse pose. Savasana gives us a chance to lay down and just notice about what we are feeling without clinging to thoughts and feelings.

After yoga practice lie down on the mat and allow your muscles – one by one to settle down and relax. Rest your entire body on the floor. Extend arms and legs outwards from the torso. Release all the muscle one by one from the tension. Notice all the places where the body is making contact. Exhale and inhale. While exhaling imagine each body part getting little heavier and spreading out little more.

Use cues to relax.

1. Relax your whole body
2. Let the body sink into the floor
3. Relax whole body
4. Relax right foot – relax right toes
5. Relax whole right hand, arm, shoulder and fingers
6. Relax the whole body
7. Relax left food – relax left toes
8. Relax whole left hand – arm, shoulder and fingers
9. Relax belly
10. Relax chest
11. Relax face
12. Relax whole body
13. Relax eyes, internal organs, heart
14. Relax top of the head
15. Focus on third eye and relax
16. Bring your attention to mind and relax

During entire savasana -,

• let your eyes be closed,
• jaw should be unclenching,
• arms away from body,
• shoulder blades should be tucked under,
• keep the palm open and let legs spread and feet fall open – your body should surrender to earth beneath.  

After completion of the cue, continue laying down on mat for minimum 10 minutes. While waking up, take a deep breath, slowly bring hand and legs to motion, move toes and fingers. Give a long stretch to the body from head to toe. Turn your right and lay down in fetal position. Slowly get up and come back to seated position.

These relaxation cues help different body parts to come back to normalcy after a yoga practice. There will be a sense of refreshes, rejuvenation and relaxation once we get up to sit.

A regular practice of corpse pose will train us to relax which eventually helps us to make peace with surroundings and enjoy harmony. Finish your yoga practice with om chanting which is a universal sound that brings all joy.

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Savasana_-International_Day_of_Yoga_Celebration–NCSM-_Kolkata_2017-06-21_2473.JPG

Attribution: Biswarup Ganguly / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)