Savasana:
Also known as corpse pose.
Don’t let its simplicity fool you. Although it may look like you’re just taking a nap, Savasana has a lot more going on than meets the (third?) eye.
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3 Reasons Why Savasana Is So Challenging—and So Important
1. Your body may feel restless—but Savasana is a chance to settle and relax after a physically demanding yoga session.
In corpse pose, do you suddenly feel itchy, sore, uncomfortable, bored, stiff, or exhausted? Do you want to fidget, scratch your nose, or crack your knuckles? It’s common for us to resist the true settling nature of Savasana by creating these kinds of movement. It’s okay: think of them as little bubbles of energy working their way up and out of your body.
Just always try to return to a sense of physical stillness and heaviness as naturally and quickly as possible. This sensation is extremely restorative and helps initiate the recovery process following any type of yoga flow.
2. Being so quiet in your body shows you just how unquiet you tend to be in your mind.
In our fast-paced world, we’re not used to feeling genuine deep relaxation. We think if we’re not moving, we’re losing. We equate idleness with laziness or low productivity.
But sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is just sit quietly in a room alone (or lie on a yoga mat surrounded by other quiet people, for that matter). Learning how to turn down the constant chatter in your mind can help you clear up much needed mental energy, so you can hopefully take a more centered and equanimous approach to your daily challenges as they arise.
Of course, the first step in learning how to turn down the chatter is to simply be aware of it. Savasana is ideal for this: you’ll be amazed if you sit back as an observer of yourself and just notice the thoughts racing through your head. Welcome it: this awareness is your first crucial step to becoming a little more still, a little more present, and a little more empowered.
Don’t try to resist whatever comes up here, either: many yoga practitioners will tell you they’ve found themselves spontaneously crying tears of joy or sorrow in a pose like Savasana, simply because their body has relaxed enough to release stored and suppressed tension and emotion.
Creating space to notice your thoughts and emotions is crucial for helping you process and transform them: Savasana is a gift in this way.
3. Savasana serves as a key transition between your yoga practice on the mat and your yoga practice out in the “real” world.
It’s easy (sort of) to be peaceful and centered while in the middle of a stimulating yoga class. But if yoga is really all about conscious breathing, present-minded awareness, and inner joy (and it is), wouldn’t it be wise if we could learn how to bring those elements of our practice into our hectic daily lives, too?
To this end, try to see Savasana as a stepping stone helping you bridge the gap between your mat and the rest of your day. See if you can keep a part of that stillness and calmness with you wherever you go and wherever your day goes.
Wherever your practice finds you, approach it innocently and curiously. Feel grounded and connected to the Earth, your body, and your mind. Allow yourself to just be. For this reason alone, your Savasana will be worth it.