Final Savasana: What it is and why you should care
I teach a yoga private to a 13-year-old girl almost every Tuesday. At the start of each session, I ask her if there is anything she would like to work on that day. She usually responds, “My favorite pose.” This is an insider—she means savasana.
Though this is something to chuckle at, she has the right idea. Savasana (translated to English as “corpse pose,” often referred to as “relaxation pose”) is an essential pose to take and will transform your practice. I say this in almost all of my classes—“this is easily the most important pose of this class.” For those of me who’ve been with me, you’re nodding your heads.
So, Nicole, what do you mean when you say that?
There’s, amazingly, a lot happening within the body and around the body during savasana. Sorry, but it’s not just nap time.
This is why many yogis will joke that this can be one of the most challenging postures. Sometimes, this posture can be frustrating for me. When I’m in a “flow,” it can be easy for me to center myself on my breath and focus on my intention; I feel as though I have a heightened sense of awareness as I tune into the sensations as I explore movement. Savasana is a completely different ballgame.
· A Physical Space for Rest For starters, savasana is a neutral position. We aren’t bending, stretching, twisting, strengthening, etc. Additionally, the weight of the body is pretty evenly distributed as you recline on the back. If you are experiencing any physical pain or discomfort in savasana readjust your posture or ask your teacher for a way to modify using props such as blankets and bolsters.
· The Vital Force
As you breath, you are inviting the prana (the breath, more literally translated the “life force”) into the body. The respiratory works in tandem with the rest of the body to restore and acclimate. Luckily for us, we inhale and exhale all the time without having to think about it. In savasana, however, we pay attention to your breath without controlling it; as you do this, you will begin to feel parts of the body relax—sometimes where you didn’t even know you were holding onto tension! I often remind students to relax smaller muscles such as the jaw or the muscles in the forehead. As you listen and pay attention to the natural rhythm, you may welcome a feeling of gratitude onto the mat.
· Human Psychology The mind loves to wander. Some of us tend to dwell on the past while others stress about the future. However, savasana asks for us to maintain that focus and awareness while remaining still. For me, I have to take a step back from my thoughts and resist the urge to jump back into my to-do lists or other busy thoughts. Instead, I become “an observer of my thoughts.” If I get too close, I take another step back into my breath. This helps me to slow down and mind peace. If savasana feels like it’s a waste of time, this may be a sign that your life could use a pause button.
· Calms Systems Without getting too deep into anatomy (but if you say the word, I will go to town), by slowing down the respiratory system, the other systems (nervous, circulatory, etc.) follow suite. Such a phenomenon will lead to a reduction in anxiety/anxious feelings, a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, lower levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) and high levels of endorphins.
Do I have you convinced? Savasana is not only an extremely important part of the practice, but is essentially the end goal. We flow through our asana practice in order to release nervous energy, muscular tension, or anything else we may be carrying with us. Next time to feel tempted to roll up your mat early, I invite you to namast’ay! (;
You deserve the opportunity to allow for calmness to permeate mind, body, spirit! I could easily write an entire novella on savasana, so if you have any questions, comment or ask away!