Why We Love Savasana
We’ve all been there, that moment when we get to lie flat, absorbing the energy from our practice, eyes closed, breathing softly, relaxed. We’ve all been there, allowing the body and the mind to come together, in a state of calm and bliss. We’ve all been there, feeling the gentle support of your mat and the earth, holding you in this precious state. We’ve all been there, deeply enjoying savasana.
Why is it that we enjoy svasana so much? What does being in that state of calm, quiet, and stillness do for us? How can something so simple provide us with such complex results? Let’s explore.
To begin, let's take a look at the word savasana. Savasana can be translated to mean corpse pose. The goal of this posture is to release all energetic impulses. By doing so we allow the body to heal from the inside out. We give ourselves the opportunity to restore, ground, and process.
The beauty of Savasana is that it has great effects on the nervous system. When you find yourself in deep relaxation, your body begins to ease. Your heart rate begins to slow, your blood pressure drops, and the muscles begin to relax and release holding patterns they’ve accumulated through day-to-day living. Savasana helps us to naturally release our own personal calming effect, reducing stress and anxiety. You may notice a boost in your energy levels, an increased sense of concentration and focus. You may notice that sleep is becoming increasingly easier to achieve. Guess what? Savasana has helped you attain all these things. Savasana has taught your the body how to simply relax, both on and off your mat.
So let's savasana. Begin by lying flat on your back. Your limbs should be extended away from your body, your feet and ankles should be relaxed and natural, your palms are turned upwards towards the sky. Make sure your spine is fully extended. You can do this by pulling the knees to the chest, lengthening the lumbar spine, then extending the legs back out. If you feel pain in the low back, slide a blanket under the knees. If the pain continues, bring the feet flat to the ground, and gently guide your bent knees together, so they may support each other in the middle. Once the spine is fully extended, and the low back is settled, press down with the elbows, draw the shoulder blades in, down, and back. This will help to flatten the spine through the top of the back. Then close the eyes, and begin to bring focus to your breath, keeping a nice and gentle rhythm, feeling the mind and the body soften. Stay here for as long as you want. Enjoy.
Namaste
