Highest happiness comes upon the yogi whose mind is calmed.” — Bhagavad Gita
About Savasana
Savasana Pose is a resting pose that helps you feel aware, rejuvenated and free from tension. It is important to perform this pose at the end of each yoga practice. It also help relieve stress and mild depression, this pose can also help reduce ailments such as headaches, fatigue and insomnia.
While performing this pose, you should think about relaxing each part of your body individually, from the feet toward head.
Reflections on Savasana
Savasana, also called the corpse or death pose is the most essential part of a yoga practice for me. It is a pose for total relaxation and release of physical and mental states, giving way to a complete surrender. I personally found Savasana the easiest to perform but the hardest to master. When I was new to practice, the experience of Savasana is basically to loosen up after the strenuous practice of bending, stretching, and twisting of body into various ways. Later on, I realised Savasana is a form of ultimate relaxation; maintaining awareness without effort or exertion while allowing our bodies to rejuvenate and assimilate what we have just practiced.
Weight bearing structures
In Savasana, the structures that are in full, weight-bearing contact with the floor exhibit the primary curves of the body. The blue shaded areas in the picture below shows the major weight-bearing structures, including most primary curves.
How to perform Savasana
- Lie flat on the back with legs flat on the floor, feet and hip are shoulder width apart.*
- Exhale relax both legs & feet and allow them to turn out to the sides.
- Arms slightly apart from the sides of the body, with palms facing up.
- Relax the shoulders down to the floor and relax both arms away from the shoulders.
- May close your eyes and relax your entire body, observing the breaths, try to breath as smooth as long as deep as possible. Releasing any tension that you may have.
- Hold the pose for 5 to 20 minutes.**
- To come out of the pose, gently open the eyes, slightly bend both knee and then roll onto side of the body. Hold for a few second in this posture, press your hands into the floor as slowly come up to a sitting position.
* Make sure the spine is straight, and head is in line with the spine. * *Visualize your body melting into the floor.
Breathing
In Savasana when the body is at complete relaxation, it is possible for your body to be fully aware of but not controlling the breath’s movements. if your mind starts to wander, bring your attention back to your breathing and body.
“When the breath is free, the mind is free; when the breath is allowed to move naturally, the mind settle into itself. ” — Krishnamacharya
