Savasana, also known as Corpse Pose, is the most vital part of your practice. Think of it this way – the whole intense 55, 70 or 85 minutes you spend in the yoga class is to work up to the 5 minutes of absolute relaxation and bliss in savasana. These are the 5 minutes that you should never short-change yourself on; in fact, stay until the room needs to be cleaned! Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras (the foundational text on Yoga, written in the 2nd Century CE), writes “yoga citta vritti nirodhah”, or, “yoga stills the fluctuations of the mind”. The physical practice of asana (practicing postures and alignment) is a means to work up to this point of completely letting go, achieving peace.

Even if, to you, yoga is just asana (i.e., a workout), scientifically and physiologically speaking, savasana is the means to reap the full benefit from your practice. Savasana enters the body into an anabolic state, where healing processes (such as the synthesis of complex tissues, resulting in the repair and growth of organs and tissues) occur. It is only through being a proper, “good” corpse, that we can reawaken refreshed and rejuvenated.

Savasana allows the body to assimilate the benefits of the preceding practice. It provides the valuable opportunity to completely let go of any tension in our bodies, and, hopefully, also our minds and hearts. Sometimes, falling asleep, mental tension, and boredom, can come between the practitioner and a proper savasana. The worst obstacle is thinking that savasana is unnecessary – it is this mindset of not being able to let go, always holding on to tension, and never able to be still and relax, that can cause us to miss out on many good things in life. The benefits of savasana are profound – it can develop heightened self-awareness, and insights on how to live better.

Savasana – How To?

Is there a right way and wrong way to practice the most important (and some say, difficult) of poses? Of course! Most important rule is to BE ABSOLUTELY STILL – no fidgeting, no shifting. How can your body – your muscles and nervous system – possibly be able to completely release tension, when you’re moving around? Alignment is another important factor that applies to savasana as much as any other posture. Here are some helpful directions from “Savasana, the Dying that Brings Life”, by Nancy Gerstein.

Lie on your back in savasana. Gently rock your head from side to side. Separate your feet about eight to ten inches apart. Your palms face upward; fingers are naturally curled. Gently close your eyes.

Make yourself as comfortable as possible and remain in this position unless you begin to experience real discomfort. Constant adjusting or fidgeting will prevent you from experiencing the effects of deep relaxation. (If you have any discomfort in your lower back area, place a rolled towel beneath your knees or keep your knees bent, feet flat on the mat.)

Allow your attention to be on the smooth, slow, serene flow of the breath. The exhale is cleansing and relaxing. The inhale is nourishing and energizing. Turn your attention inward.

Mentally scan your body from head to toe and back again, pausing briefly to become aware of each area and to release any tension you feel there. Go slowly; sometimes tension begins to feel ‘normal’ and we don’t always recognize when we are holding on to it. When you discover tension, imagine sending the breath to that particular part of the body.

Honor your areas that need a little extra healing. Pause on certain body parts a bit longer if you have pain, limitation or emotional injury. Remember, this a practice for body, mind and spirit. Clear your mind of the past and the future, and when it wanders, simply bring it back to the breath.

Let the whole body be soft, heavy and easy. Let it feel like you’re melting into the earth below. Relax everywhere, letting your eyes fall backward, away from the eyelids, your tongue lightly resting on the roof of your mouth. With each exhalation feel the tension leaving your body, releasing all the body’s toxins, wastes and negative energy. Make your inhalation deep, soothing and peaceful. Feel the space inside and around your body. Notice that as you relax and expand, every tension disappears.

Relax the crown of your head and the brain, allowing both sides of your head to release to the floor. Relax your forehead, eyebrows, eyes, eye sockets and the space between the eyebrows (the mind’s eye), your cheeks and chin. Soften the temples, the jaw and your neck and throat center.

Relax from the shoulder joints to the elbows to the wrists and fingertips. Feel the energy in the palms of your hands.

Let the movement of your breathing loosen the shoulder blades, mid-back to lower back. Let all the wide muscles of the back release to the ground completely. Let go over and over again through the breath.

Soften the heart center, the rib cage, the abdominal organs and pelvis. Feel yourself let go of any toxins with a long, slow, deep exhale. Feel the life force (prana) entering your consciousness with a long, slow, deep inhale.

Soften the hips in and around the hip sockets, then breathe all the way down the thighs, knees, calves, ankles, feet, toes, tips of the toes and the soles of your feet. Continue releasing with your breath until you are wide open like the heavens.

Exhale as though you are breathing from the top of the head down to the tips of the toes. Inhale as though you are breathing from the tips of the toes up to the top of the head. Fill every nook and cranny with prana.

Now it’s just you and your mind. Completely detach yourself from your thoughts and receive the serenity of the pose and the flow of the moment.

Remain here several minutes, being cautious not to drift off to sleep. When you’re ready to come out, gently wiggle your fingers and toes. Rock your head from side to side. Roll your body over to one side. Take your top hand and lift yourself up to a seated position. Sit tall, feeling happy and energetic. Be grateful for what you have just experienced. Notice your tranquil state of mind, but don’t let it end there; make a commitment to take this feeling with you as you move through your day with joy, serenity and kindness.

- Lishan

Further reading, with suggestions on modifications:

http://www.myyogaonline.com/community/blog/yoga-relaxation-modifying-savasana

http://www.yogachicago.com/sep05/savasana.shtml

http://www.yogaartandscience.com/poses/restpos/shavas/shavas.html

Whatever the degree of physical fitness you start out from, you should adjust the intensity and level of your yoga practice according to your physical limitation, in consultation with your medical advisor and a knowledgeable instructor.

Increased flexibility: Yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised..increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons: Likewise, the well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body. Surprisingly it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing an extraordinary flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously worked upon. Why? It is here that the remarkable research behind yoga positions proves its mettle. Seemingly unrelated “non strenuous” yoga positions act upon certain parts of the body in an interrelated manner. When done together, they work in harmony to create a situation where flexibility is attained relatively easily.

Massaging of ALL organs of the body: Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those (such as the prostate) that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder.

Complete detoxification: By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life.

Excellent toning of the muscles: Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess flab and flaccidity.