If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, even if it was just one in your life then you will have heard about Savasana (unless you went to a really bad class) the final relaxation pose.
It’s the one pose that you should never skip… here is why…
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a yoga class that doesn’t end with the wonderful pose called Savasana or Corpse Pose. Even in hot yoga and Bikram Yoga you are encouraged to stay and relax in Savasana at the end of the class for at least two minutes (which is definitely not enough by the way).
How to practise Savasana
We are bringing the body into a neutral position and we completely relax into the ground. The feet are a little wider than hip distance and flop out to the sides, the palms are facing up towards the ceiling. The back is in a neutral position and we simply become really heavy, close our eyes and let go of any tension. It’s recommended that you practise 5 minutes of Savasana for every 30 minutes of yoga asana practice!
Why should I lie down and do nothing – I can do that at home!
Well, do you actually do that at home? Probably not! Savasana is part of the yoga practice and it helps the body to completely absorb what it has learned in the previous hour or hour and a half.
I once had to cut short a class I was teaching because there was a problem with the room and it was not a nice experience for my students to skip Savasana! I felt like I had robbed everyone of the best part of the class and know that they probably had a hard time going to sleep after that! The body needs those few minutes to wind down completely.
Even my youngest yogis who are three years old know that Savasana is necessary and enjoyable! It might take them a while until they stop wiggling around but once they do they love it!
Savasana is not an easy pose!
Once you start lying down in stillness you might find it really challenging. Especially if you’re not used to it. you might start thinking about all sorts of things.
“What shall we have for dinner?”
“How long do we have to be here?”
“My nose is itching!”
“I’m hungry!”
All these things! I know it because I’ve been there and it still happens to me occasionally!
When, however, you manage to be completely in the moment and symbolically “die” for 5-15 minutes after a strong yoga class then you will experience the true benefits of Savasana. It’s blissful, it’s relaxing and restoring and you might just find that you never want to come out of it!
