Featured Pose: Relaxation pose (Savasana)

by Nina and Baxter

This powerful pose provides deep physical rest, allowing you to completely relax your musculoskeletal system in an anatomically neutral position. And if you practice it with a mental focus—which we hope you will—this pose triggers the relaxation response, reducing your stress levels and allowing you to spend time in the Rest and Digest state. For those who can’t meditate in a seated position (or who prefer not to), you can use this pose for any form of meditation (as long as you don’t fall asleep). 

Baxter prescribes this pose for: 

• Resting at the end of a yoga practice, after other physical activity, or when fatigued 
• Stress reduction 
• Insomnia 
• Meditation 
• Minor digestive problems 
• Mild low back pain (versions 3 and 4)

Timing: For all practitioners, stay in the pose for 5-10 minutes (to trigger the Relaxation Response, aim for 10 minutes). If it is challenging for you to lie still for that long, start with 3 minutes and work up to longer holds.  

Cautions: People with low back pain should try version 4 first, then version 3, and work towards version 1. If you still cannot get comfortable, try version 4 of Legs Up the Wall pose instead. Pregnant women the second and third trimester should do version 2 of Reclined Cobbler’s pose, version 2 or rest on their left side. And if you find that lying on your back causes anxiety, you can try a prone position (lying on your belly), such as Child’s pose.

1. Classic Version 

The classic version with no props is suitable only for people who are completely comfortable in this version and who can keep their heads in a neutral position (chin pointing slightly down toward your chest, not tipping back). All others should try versions 2, 3, or 4. 

Start by lying on your back with bent knees. Then straighten your legs and position them eight to ten inches apart. Turn your arms out so your palms face up and your hands are six to eight inches from your body. And position your head perfectly between your two shoulders, with your eyes about equal distance from the ceiling. Adjust your body so it is as symmetrical as possible and your weight is even on both sides. Now make a commitment to stay still, and turn your awareness inward. The focus for your mind can be your breath, the gradual relaxation of your body (sometimes called a body scan), or a peaceful image. Rather than simply letting your thoughts wander as they would if you were lying on the grass, intentionally keep your mind focused as in meditation.

To come out of the pose, take each step slowly. Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the ground, and then turn over onto your right side. Then use your hands to push yourself up to a seated position, allowing your head to release downward until you are upright. Finally, when you are seated upright, lift your head. Take a few breaths in the seated position before moving on. 

For more information on practicing this pose, see LINK. 

2. Head Support 

This version is for those who need support to keep their heads in a neutral position in Relaxation pose. It is also beneficial for those with head forward syndrome or neck pain. 

To set up for the pose, place a folded blanket near the end of your mat where your head will be. (You may need to experiment with the thickness of the folded blanket to find the support that suits you best.) You can include this head support for any other version of Relaxation pose as well as any other reclined pose. 

When you come into the pose, make sure that only your head is supported by the prop (not your neck), and that your shoulders are resting comfortably on the ground. Follow the instructions in the classic pose for aligning yourself and for finding a mental focus. 

To come out of the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version.  

3. Leg Over Bolster

 This version provides a comfortable alternative for people feel lower back discomfort when lying flat on the floor. It is also a better way to rest your entire back than the classic version, especially as a counter-pose after practicing backbends, twists, or forward bends. 

To set up for the pose, place a bolster crosswise on your mat where you estimate your knees will be. Add a blanket for your head if desired. To come into the pose, lie on your back, with your buttocks on the floor in front of the bolster and the backs of your knees on top of the bolster. Follow the instructions in the classic pose for aligning yourself, moving the bolster if needed so it comfortably supports your legs. From there, follow the instructions for the classic version for finding a mental focus. 

To come out of the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version, moving your bolster to one side as you come up to sitting.  

4. Constructive Rest 

This version provides a second alternative for people who experience discomfort lying flat on the floor. It is also excellent way to rest your entire back, so if you have back problems or soreness or need a counter-pose after a backbend practice, give this version a try. 

To come into the pose, lie on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet on the floor. Position your feet so they are hips-distance apart and far enough away from your sitting bones so your shins can be perpendicular to the floor (not slanting back towards your pelvis) or even slanting away from your pelvis. Let your knees to fall toward each other, so the back of your pelvis widens. To allow complete relaxation, you loosely bind your legs together just above the with a strap. Add a blanket for your head if desired. From there, follow the instructions for the classic version for finding a mental focus. 

To come out of the pose, follow the instructions for the classic version, starting by rolling onto your right side. 

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How to Prepare for and Practice Savasana

by Nina

Savasana certainly gets short shrift these days! It is often just an afterthought for many of us, especially in public classes, where we quickly wrap up a practice by “lying down” for just a few minutes.

But Savasana can be a powerful practice. Practiced with a mental focus, it is one of several ways you can trigger the Relaxation Response, switching your nervous system from Fight or Flight to Rest and Digest (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga). It addition to quieting your nervous system, Savasana allows you to relax your musculoskeletal system in an anatomically neutral position, which provides deep rest for your entire body. And as a form of reclined meditation, Savasana can teach you about the way your mind works, just as seated meditation does.

Recently, we’ve had several interesting posts about Savasana that explored the benefits of practicing Savasana, including interviews with Richard Rosen (The Value of Not Doing), Tias Little (see The Practice of Savasana, Part 1 and Part 2), and Roger Cole (The Mind Coming into Equilibrium and Drawing Inside and Quieting). I’m hoping all this material has piqued your interest in giving this ancient practice more serious attention. So today, I’m going to write a bit about how to actually approach this pose as an intentional practice. 

Preparing to Practice

Typically, although Savasana can be practiced on its own, we do Savasana at the end of an asana practice. That’s because it is often hard for us to lie still for a long period of time if we haven’t exercised much. I have written a sequence to help you prepare for Savasana (see Featured Sequence: Preparing for Savasana), but I also realize that what you should practice before Savasana depends on the time of day and what you have already been doing or not doing.

If you want to practice first thing in the morning or if you have had a sedentary day, you should prepare for Savasana with an active practice. This will tire you out and allow you to rest more comfortably. Strength building sequences with challenging poses or long holds or agility sequences where you move in and out of poses with your breath will be helpful at this time. Examples are Featured Sequence: Lower Body Strength Practice and Featured Sequence: Agility Practice.

On the other hand, if you have had a strenuous day physically, either due to physical labor or standing on your feet all day, a practice focused on gentle stretching is a good way to release held tension from your body. For example, try sequences such as Featured Sequence: Upper Body Flexibility. If you are really exhausted, it may be that a restorative practice is what you need (see Mini Restorative Practice).

Finally, if you are very stressed out, calming your nervous system is your priority, otherwise, it will definitely be hard to lie still. In this case, practicing supported inverted poses will help calm you down enough so that you can lie still. See Featured Sequence: Easy Supported Inverted Poses for a practice. 

In general, before practicing, take some time to consider what feels right to you at that moment and follow your intuition.

Choosing a Version

Most people cannot be truly comfortable lying flat on the floor with no support. So the next step is to choose the right version of Savasana for your body and for the particular day and time. Here are our four recommendation versions:

Classic Version. The classic version of Savasana is good for people who are completely comfortable in the pose and who can keep their heads in a neutral position in the pose (so the chin is pointing slightly down toward the chest, not tipping into a backbend). 

Head Support. If you can’t keep your head in a neutral position without support, use a folded blanket or towel under your head. Make sure that only your head is supported by the prop (not your neck) and that your shoulders are resting comfortably on the ground. Head support can be combined with any other type of support you might choose to add, such as for your legs.

Leg Support. Many people have discomfort in the lower back when lying flat on the floor. In this case, use a bolster or blanket roll behind your knees to support your legs. This option also works well if you have been practicing a lot of backbends, twists, or forward bends and want to rest your entire back more completely.

Constructive Rest. This version is extremely restful for your back, so if you have back problems or soreness, give it a try. Simply bend your knees and place your feet hips-distance apart and far enough away from your sitting bones so your shins can be perpendicular to the floor (not slanting back towards your pelvis). Allow your knees to fall toward each other, so the back of your pelvis widens. If you want to relax without thinking about holding your legs up, you can use a strap just above the knees to loosely bind your legs together.

If you can’t get comfortable on your back or shouldn’t be lying on your back (for example, because you are pregnant), you can try a side-lying position instead. And if you find that lying on your back causes anxiety, you can try a prone position (lying on your belly) such as Makrasana. See Savasana Variations for photos and information on these alternatives.

Practicing Savasana

To practice receive the full benefits of Savasana, you need to practice the pose with intention as you would any pose (rather than just collapsing onto the floor). To do this, commit to:

Aligning your body. Place your legs eight to ten inches apart, turn your arms out so your palms face up and your hands are six to eight inches from the body, and position your head perfectly between your two shoulders, with your eyes about equal distance from the ceiling. None of us are completely symmetrical, but you can adjust your body so it’s as symmetrical as possible and the weight is even on both sides of your body. Now your alignment is close to what medical books call “anatomical neutral,” the position your body naturally assumes when no muscles are being activated. And when you are in this neutral position, you can begin to relax your body completely. 

Remaining still. After aligning your body, make a commitment to stay still. When your body becomes motionless, external stimulation is reduced to a minimum, allowing your nervous system to cool down and your mind to quiet.

Using a mental focus. After you've aligned and quieted your body, turn your awareness inward. Typically the focus for your mind in Savasana is your breath, the gradual relaxation of specific parts of your body (sometimes called a body scan), or a peaceful image (for example, you might imagine your mind is the surface of a lake whose ripples are slowly subsiding). Rather than simply letting your thoughts wander as they would if you were lying on the grass in a park, intentionally keep your mind focused on your object of choice. When you notice your attention wandering, gently return it to that object.

Maintaining your awareness as you come out of the pose. Stay in the pose for at least 10 minutes (it takes 7 or 8 minutes to trigger the Relaxation Response). When you are ready to come out, open your eyes to passively receive the light of the room. Then let your body know you’re ready to begin moving by gently moving just fingers and toes or simply take a couple of deep soft breaths. Next, slowly bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the ground, and then slowly turn over onto your right side and rest there for a couple of breaths. Then slowly use your hands to push yourself up to a seated position, allowing your head to release downward until you are completely upright. Finally, when you are seated upright, slowly lift your head.

See Savasana (Corpse Pose) for more information on these aspects of practicing Savasana.

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Featured Sequence: Preparing for Savasana

by Nina

You probably got the message by now that we strongly feel that one of the best ways to reduce chronic stress is to practice conscious relaxation (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga). But with the exception of Supported Inverted Poses, all the other techniques for practicing relaxation that yoga provides require that you either lie or sit still for an extended period of time. And when you’re feeling stressed out or anxious, sometimes the last thing you feel like doing is staying still!

With that in mind, I’ve created this sequence to help prepare you for Savasana. This active, balanced practice will help release held physical tension from your body, allowing you to physically relax when you finally lie down. And by practicing strong standing poses, which you hold for long periods of time, you will hopefully tire yourself out enough so that by the time Savasana comes around, you’ll be glad to lie down!

If you want to practice for a longer period of time, you could really tire yourself out by practicing all the standing poses two times.

Preparing for Savasana

1. Upward Bound Hands (Urdva Baddha Hastasana), 1 minute per side. Start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet about hips-width apart. Now, interlace your fingers and turn your palms toward your feet. Strengthen your legs, pressing from your hips into your feet. Then, on an inhalation, bring your arms forward and up. Lengthen your spine and lift your collarbones as your lift your shoulder blades. Move your arms toward a vertical position, keeping your head in a neutral position. Once you encounter resistance in your shoulders or upper back, resist the impulse to take your arms further back. To come out of pose, lower your arms forward and down before releasing the clasp of your hands.

To repeat on the second side, change the interlacing of your fingers your habitual, comfortable position to the “other side.” Then repeat the instructions above. See Featured Pose: Upward Bound Hands for more information on the pose and for alternatives.

2. Warrior 2 Pose, 1 to 2 minutes per side. From Mountain pose, step your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, then, pivoting on the ball of your back foot, shift your left heel back an inch or two to your left so the foot is slightly turned in.

Next, inhale and raise your arms up so they are parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down toward the floor. Keep your shoulder blades relaxed and moving down your back (not sliding up toward your ears) as you raise your arms. Then, on an exhalation, bend your right knee directly over your right ankle while keeping your torso centered over your pelvis (not leaning over your front leg). Allow your hips to rotate slightly toward your right knee but rotate your chest away from your right knee so your chest faces directly forward. Finally, allow your head and neck to turn so you gaze over your right hand.

To come out of the pose, straighten your front leg and turn your feet to parallel while keeping your arms raised. Repeat on the other side. For more information, see Featured Pose: Warrior 2 Pose

3. Tree Pose (Vrksanasana), 1 to 2 minutes per side. Start in Mountain Pose with your feet a bit closer together than usual. Shift your weight onto your left leg and bend your right knee a bit, coming onto the big toe of your right foot. Swing your right knee out to the right about 45 degrees. Then lift your right foot off the ground, and use your right hand to bring the sole of your right foot against your upper, inner left thigh, keeping your right knee turned out. Press your right foot firmly into your left thigh as you press your inner thigh firmly toward your foot your foot. Lengthen your spine up away from the press of your bottom foot into the floor, and see if you can then take your arms out to your sides parallel with the floor. Keep your gaze relaxed and on the horizon in front of you. If you are still feeling steady, take your arms overhead.

To come out of the pose, release your arms and then bring your right foot back into Mountain Pose. Repeat on second side. If this pose is not accessible to you, see Easy Balance Practice for an easier version of this pose.

4. Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana), 1 to 3 minutes per side. From Mountain Pose, step your feet wide apart, about the length of your legs. Then turn your right foot out about 90 degrees and your left foot in slightly, so the pinky edge of your left foot lines up with the long edge of your yoga mat. Inhale and extend your arms out to your sides.

Exhale and bend your right knee toward 90 degrees, making sure your right knee is aligned with the middle toe of your right foot. Then, keeping your front knee directly over your front ankle, side-bend your torso out over your front thigh, and place your right hand on the floor to the outside of the front foot or on a block that is up against your right shin. Try to keep the right and left sides of your chest even with each other.

Keeping your hips stable, rotate your upper belly and chest slightly up away from your right leg. Bring your left arm overhead in line with your back leg and the side of your chest. Then, turn your head and gaze up to look under your left armpit, look straight ahead, or look down at your right foot.

To come out of the pose, inhale as you straighten your right leg and use your left arm to swing your torso back to center, with your arms out to the side. Then, on exhalation, release your arms and turn your feet to parallel. Repeat the pose on your left side. For more information, see Featured Pose: Extended Side Angle.

5. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), 1 to 2 minutes. From Mountain pose, place your hands on your hips and, on an exhalation, begin to bend forward from your hip joints. When your pelvis won’t rotate over your upper leg bones any more, allow your spine to round gently into a full forward bend, as you release your arms toward the floor. If your hands easily make it to the floor, walk your fingers back toward your toes, bringing them in line with your toes if possible. But if your hands fall shy of the floor, don’t force them down; instead place your hands on opposite elbows. Bend your knees a little bit if your lower back or hips feel strain or pain.

6. Triangle (Trikonasana), 1 to 3 minutes per side. From Mountain pose, step your feet wide apart, about the length of your legs. Spinning on your right heel pad, turn your right foot and leg out 90 degrees toward the right short edge of your mat. Next, pivoting on the ball of your left foot’s big toe, kick back your left heel an inch or two towards the left short edge of your mat. After you’ve established your feet, inhale and take your arms up and out to your sides, parallel with the floor. As you exhale, lift up and over your right hip joint to reach your right arm straight out over your front leg. Then, keeping your legs strong, side-bend as you bring your right hand to the floor or to a prop, depending on your flexibility.

Keeping your hips in their new location (don’t let them spin up!), rotate your upper belly and chest around the axis of your spine toward the long edge of the mat and possibly a bit more skyward, as you bring your top arm in line with your bottom arm.

To come out of the pose, keep the strong, grounded feeling in your legs, and then on an inhalation, pivot your hips and torso back to vertical as you use your top arm to lift yourself up and out of the pose. Release your arms to your sides and bring your feet back to parallel.

See Featured Pose: Triangle Pose for more detailed instructions on moving into, being in, and coming out this pose.  

7. Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)1 to 3 minutes. Wish we had some instructions on this pose! But at least I can rest assured this pose is so commonly taught, most of you will have some idea of how to do it. So, for now, from hands and knees position, come up into the classic Downward-Facing Dog pose. If the classic version of the pose is not accessible to you due to injuries or other problems, see Downward-Facing Dog Variations for variations.

8. Warrior 1 Pose (Virabrdarasana 1), 1 to 2 minutes. Starting in Mountain pose, step your feet about three feet apart and place your hands on your hips. Spin your right foot out 90 degrees. Then lift your back heel, pivot on the ball of your foot, and spin your back heel back about four or five inches. Next, rotate your hips and chest in the same direction as your right foot. Don’t force your hips to square with the wall you are facing. Instead, allow your left hip to turn slightly toward your back leg, but square your head and your torso, from the navel on up, with your front foot. Maintain a straight strong back leg throughout.

Now, release your arms to your sides and turn your palms to face each other. Keeping your palms facing each other, inhale your arms forward and up. If your shoulders are tight, don’t worry about your arms being exactly vertical. But do keep your arms parallel—don’t try to bring your hands together. On your next exhale, bend your front knee so it is directly over your ankle joint. Do not lean forward or back, but keep your torso directly over your pelvis.

As you breathe in the pose, encourage your outer outer shoulder blades to lift with your arms, while keeping the upper inner corners of your shoulder blade moving down your back (so the sides of your neck are relaxed and long). Keep your arms active and bring your awareness to your elbows, making sure they are not bent, and reach through both sides of your elbow joints. Stay in the pose for 30 seconds and gradually work up to longer periods of time.

To come out of the pose, inhale and straighten your front leg. Then exhale and release your arms to your sides. Pivoting on the balls of your feet, bring your feet back to neutral as your turn your head and torso to face the long end of your mat. (See Featured Pose: Warrior 3 for more information.)

9. Reverse Namaste (Pashchima Namaskarasana), 1 to 2 minutes. For version 1, start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet hips-distance apart. Bring your palms together into Prayer position (Namaste) in front of your chest, and press your palms together firmly. Take a moment to assess how flexible your wrists are in this position.

Now bring your arms behind your back, with your fingertips pointing toward the floor and elbows slightly bent. Then move your hands a few inches away from your lower back and spin your fingertips up toward the ceiling. Allow the pinky side of your hands to lightly touch your lower back. At this point your elbows are bent and your upper arm bones are turning in quite a bit. Carefully wiggle and wriggle your hands up along the line of your spine as high as you can comfortably go or until your palms come completely together. If your palms can come together, try to bring the thumb sides of your hands closer to each other (as they tend to get pulled apart).

Stay in the pose for approximately 30 seconds, working up to 2 minutes. To come out of the pose, carefully wiggle your hands down your back at least six inches or so before you release your hands down by your sides.

If you attempt version 1 and are unable to turn your fingertips up and keep them together, there may be too much tightness or tension anywhere from your shoulders to your wrists that prevents you from doing this safely. Choose version 2 instead (see Featured Pose: Reverse Namaste ).  

10. Bridge Pose (Setubanda Sarvangasana), 30 seconds to 1 minute. From Constructive Rest position (on your back with knees bent and heels about four inches from your hips), establish the normal, slightly arched shape of your lumbar spine. Then lift your hips straight up as you push down into your feet, like an elevator going up a few floors, maintaining the neutral arch of the lower back. Once in Bridge pose, bring some focus to your arms. Press the upper back of your upper arms (right where your arms meets the shoulders) down into the floor firmly while actively lifting the lower tip of your breast bone up to the sky. Then press your arms, which are lengthening towards your feet, down firmly into the floor as well. This will begin to encourage extension of your shoulder joints. To come down, lower your hips straight down, like an elevator returning to the lobby floor. Rest for a moment in Constructive Rest position, and repeat one more time.

11. Upward Plank Pose (Purvottanasana), 30 seconds to 1 minute. See Featured Pose: Upward Plank for instructions on how to practice this pose.

Rest briefly in Constructive Rest pose (on your back, with knees bent, soles of the feet on the floor about hip-width apart, and knees dropping in toward each other) and then repeat the pose.

12. Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matseyendrasana), 1 minute per side. Although this twist is one of the most complex to get into, I’m including it in this sequence because from my experience it’s one of the most effective all-over twists I’ve ever practiced. Yes, it just feels so good!

We don’t yet have full instructions on how to practice this pose, so for now I’ll just be brief. But I will say that the best way to get into this pose is to break it down into two phases: first, set up your leg position and, second, move into the twist.

Unless you are very flexible, sit on the edge of a folded blanket or another support, and then bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the floor. Now bending your left leg even more, bring your left foot as close as possible to your right sitting bone. Then step your right foot over your left knee, with the toes of your right foot a few inches in front of your left knee.

Now get ready to twist to your right. Inhale and lengthen your spine, from sitting bones to the crown of your head. Then, instead of moving from your head, initiate the twist from your lower spine and the portion your abdomen that is just above your navel, while keeping your lower abdomen relaxed. As you move into the twist, bring your left arm either around your right knee or bring your left armpit over your right knee and move your left forearm and hand into an upright position. Allow your neck and head to complete the twist only if that feels comfortable for your neck.

To come out of the pose, release the twist and bring your torso and head back to center. Then, one at a time, step your feet back into your starting position and repeat the pose on the other side.

13. Relaxation Pose (Savasana), 10 to 20 minutes. Practice any form of Savasana you like, either the classic version flat on the floor or any supported variation (see Savasana Variations). The important thing is to be entirely comfortable, so discomfort or pain doesn’t distract you from being able to relax completely. Then chose a mental focus for the practice. A mental focus is crucial because if you just lie there and fret about the past or worry about the future, you won’t trigger the Relaxation Response (and besides a mental focus is what makes Savasana, Savasana and not just lying there). See Savasana (Corpse Pose)for complete information on how to practice Savasana.

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Savasana: Silent or Not?

by Baxter

One of our readers recently sent us this topic idea for a post:

I am usually ready to cry in class when the teacher insists on talking throughout Savasana. I had one class where the teacher literally droned about how important silence was for >10 minutes. If silence was so important, why couldn’t she have given us some?

There is more to this question than meets the eye, or the ear in this case! Some of the challenge is that modern Savasana (Corpse pose) is taught is so many ways by so many teachers, and different modern yoga traditions often have different recommendations on the best way to do it and what the purpose or focus should be.

One option is that Savasana is just another body position in which you can meditate. If so, getting yourself or your students into a comfortable Savasana and then letting yourself or your students use whichever the meditation technique they are presently practicing for the remainder of the Savasana time is all that is required. So there would be the potential for the room to be quiet for a good part of the pose (that may not be the case with your mind, of course, but that is what you are working on!). In a mixed level class, I feel as a teacher that I may need to talk for a few minutes on how to enter the meditative practice, especially if I have newer students in class.

There is another option of Savasana being used for a guided mediation, such as a simple body scan (see Audio Tracks for a free recording) or a more elaborate yoga nidra practice (see Audio Tracks for recording of a short version), in which the practitioner is guided by the voice of teacher for most of the time in the pose. I find for students with very active minds who get more busyness in their minds when the room is completely quiet, these guided meditations in Savasana actually quiet their minds and bodies more effectively than a silent personal meditation.

In some traditions, Savasana is also used as a spacer between more active poses, where the practitioner goes into Savasana between every other pose done in a particular practice. That is a lot of Savasanas! But in these classes, it is only held for a minute or so, and can be an opportunity to reflect on the effects of the previous pose done or just to rest.

Historically, Savasana, translated as “Corpse” pose or “Death” pose, was likely nothing like it is today. After all, who in their right mind would name a pose after death if they wanted to appeal to a modern audience! This is probably why a lot of teachers rarely mention the real translation and instead call it “Relaxation” pose. In has book Original Yoga Richard Rosen notes:

“We know for sure that some schools of Hatha [Yoga] encouraged members to frequent graveyards and to meditate there on the transience of life while perched on a corpse no less—quite literally a Shavasana, “corpse” seat.” 

Why on earth, you may ask yourself, would they want to do something like that? Richard explains:

“Death, too, had a different meaning for these men; it stood not for the much-feared end of worldly life, but for the death of their limited ego identity and their final release from existential suffering.”

Richard has more to say about this important pose in his book, and I highly recommend the book for those of you who don’t already have it!

So, to our reader, I’d encourage her to find a teacher that offers the Savasana experience she is looking for, or push the boundaries of her understanding of Savasana and try out many types of Savasana with an open, curious mind. 

For more on Savasana, see Savasana (Corpse Pose) for instructions on how to practice Savasana, Savasana (Corpse Pose) Variations for information on supported versions of the pose, and Friday Q&A: Savasana vs. Seated Meditation for a conversation between Nina and Timothy McCall about the difference between meditating in Savasana vs. seated meditation. 

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Savasana (Corpse Pose), Rerun

by Nina

Of all the hundreds (or thousands?) of yoga poses, there is a single pose that has been called the best antidote to the stresses of western civilization. And anyone can do the pose, regardless of age, physical condition, or yoga experience, because all it requires is the ability to lie down and be still. This is Savasana (Corpse pose). And while Savasana is often taught as the last pose in yoga class, you can do it on its own, at any time you need. All that’s required is a firm surface to lie on and 10 to 20 minutes, and you’ve got a surprisingly effective anti-stress medicine that has absolutely no side effects and if you become addicted, well, that’s a good thing.

Now you may be wondering, how can just lying down on your bedroom floor trigger the relaxation response? And how is this position that you take all the time in bed, on the grass under a blue sky, or on the warm sand of a beach qualify as a yoga pose?

Savasana triggers the relaxation response (see here) because you bring your attention to your body and your mind while you lie on the floor instead of just daydreaming or spacing out. And it qualifies as a yoga pose, because to practice Savasana properly, you:

• align your body
• remain still
• use a mental focus
• maintain your awareness as you come out of the pose

Here are details about these four aspects of Savasana:

Alignment. The first thing to do when you lie down in Savasana is to arrange your body—and that means every single part of you, including your arms, your legs, your torso and even your head—in a neutral position. This neutral position ensures you’re as comfortable as possible so you can relax completely without physical distractions (like having your legs go to sleep or getting a crick in your neck).

Lie down on your back on a firm surface, with your spine in its healthy, natural curves. If your head isn’t comfortable resting flat on the floor, place a folded blanket or firm pillow underneath it (but keep your shoulders touching the floor). Make sure you are dressed warmly; if necessary cover yourself with a blanket.

Place your legs eight to ten inches apart, turn your arms out so your palms face up and your hands are six to eight inches from the body, and position your head perfectly between your two shoulders, with your eyes about equal distance from the ceiling. None of us are completely symmetrical, but you can adjust your body so it’s as symmetrical as possible and the weight is even on both sides of your body. Now your alignment is close to what medical books call “anatomical neutral,” the position your body naturally assumes when no muscles are being activated. And when you are in this neutral position, you can begin to relax your body completely.

When your body is entirely supported by the floor, you no longer need to contract your muscles to hold yourself upright (or partly upright). You can simply let your body to completely drop with the force of gravity, so all your muscles can soften and melt, releasing their hold. 

For those of you who find you can’t lie comfortably in the classic position, don’t worry. You can use props to make yourself more comfortable (for example, if you are having back problems, you can rest your calves on the seat of a chair) and you can even lie in a different position (for example, if you are pregnant, you can lie on your side or if you’re anxious you can lie on your belly). I’ll describe these alternate versions in a future post (see Savasana (Corpse Pose) Variations).

Stillness. After positioning your body so you're aligned as symmetrically as possible, make a commitment to remain still. When your body becomes motionless, external stimulation is reduced to a minimum, allowing your nervous system to cool down and your mind to quiet. Normally when you rest on your bed or couch, you shift around unconsciously, fidgeting or wiggling around to find a more comfortable position. You probably even change from one position to another when you’re sleeping (if you’ve ever shared a bed with someone else, you know what we mean). In Savasana, keeping your body still allows you to relax completely because there is no need to contract of any muscles at all except those needed to breathe. In fact, we’re so used to contracting our muscles, even when resting, it may take some time for you to let go completely.

After you have stilled your body, you’ll continue to receive messages from your ears, nose, tongue, skin, and eyes. Even in a quiet room, there’s still a lot to hear, smell, taste, and feel, and you’ll continue to perceive the light (or lack of it) in the room even with your eyes closed. All these sensory impressions send stimulating messages to your brain. So after quieting your body, consciously relax your sense organs, letting your tongue rest on the floor of your mouth, allowing your eyes to soften back toward your skull and gazing with closed eyes under your cheekbones, and withdraw your awareness from the rest of your senses. With the withdrawal of your senses, your physical relaxation will increase.

Focus for the Mind. If your thoughts are busying while you're in Savasana—whether you're trying to decide if you should watch Law and Order to CSI: Miami tonight or considering something more momentous—you won't be able to relax completely or trigger the relaxation response. So after you've aligned and quieted your body, turn your awareness inward. Typically the focus for your mind in Savasana is your breath, the gradual relaxation of specific parts of your body (sometimes called a body scan), or a peaceful image (for example, you might imagine your mind is the surface of a lake whose ripples are slowly subsiding). Rather than simply letting your thoughts wander as they would if you were lying on the grass in your backyard, intentionally keep your mind focused on your object of choice. When you notice your attention wandering, gently return it to that object. For example, if your breath is your focus for your practice, continue to watch your breath for the entire practice, and each time you notice your mind wandering, gently bring it back to your breath again.

Maintaining a mental focus is how you stay alert in the pose, allowing you to reap the benefits of conscious relaxation, rather than simply falling asleep. It helps you stay aware in the pose by keeping your mind anchored in your body, rather than drifting off into fantasy. And it helps you stay present in the pose by keeping your thoughts in the moment, rather than dwelling in the past or racing into the future. 

When you abide in the present moment you naturally become more aware of your own thoughts. As an impartial witness to your own experience, observe each thought as it passes through your mind without becoming involved in any of the storylines. Alert and aware, serene and detached, watch your thoughts—what’s on TV, should I cook ratatouille or paella, did I remember to feed the goldfish—as they come and go, come and go. There will be time for all that later. Then, like a pond that has been stirred up with a stick, allow your mind to settle down gradually until the waters are serene and clear.

Coming Out. Stay in the pose for at least 10 minutes (it takes 7 or 8 minutes to trigger the relaxation response). When you are ready to come out, take a couple of deep soft breaths, then slowly bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the ground. Next, slowly turn over onto your right side and rest there for a couple of breaths. Then slowly use your hands to push yourself up to a seated position, allowing your head to release downward until you are completely upright. Finally, when you are seated upright, slowly lift your head. (And, yes, do it all slowly.)

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Music for Savasana: A Gift from Baxter

by Baxter

One of my New Year’s Intentions the past two New Year’s Eves, 2010 and 2011, was to play as much music in the coming year as I possibly could. I had discovered how much joy creating and participating in music is for me on a more conscious level in the past several years, perhaps influenced by the quieting and reflective effects of my ongoing yoga practice. And I decided I wanted more!

And the last two years have definitely exploded with music for me! Playing with friends, performing at art openings, and even sitting in with touring kirtan bands. And even prior to the last two years, if you have ever attended one of my weekend workshops or week long retreats, you know how I love to play my violin for you at the end of class during Savasana. From the feedback I routinely get at these events, I’ve learned that yoga practitioners are moved by the presence of music during this time of rest, reflection and integration.

The asana and pranayama practice releases so much held physical and mental/emotional tension that yoga practitioners seem keenly receptive to the power of sound. I’ve heard back from listeners that it liberated long forgotten memories, touched and released emotions and deepened the experience of Savasana, which for many of us was an early reason we kept coming back to the yoga practice.

So, my intention this year is to record 50 minutes of music, broken up into Savasana-like morsels, all original works, for your enjoyment. As a kick-off, I have recorded a six-minute track for you to listen to here during your next home practice Savasana.

You can listen for free on this blog or from our Band Camp page. I made it six minutes so you can take three to four minutes after the music ends to drop even deeper into your Savasana, or you can make your rest a short six-minute one. I prefer a ten- minute Savasana personally, as it gives time for the Relaxation Response to take full effect. But however you chose to use it, I hope this music adds to the deepening of your practice in 2013.

And for those who would like to own a copy of the first of my recordings, there is a $2 dollar minimum donation to purchase from Band Camp. The proceeds go to Band Camp and to help us defray the costs of producing our blog five days a week. And if you are so moved, you can of course donate more than that!  Finally, a favorite poem of mine by Sufi poet Hafiz:

When the Violin

When the violin can forgive the past it
starts singing.

When the violin can stop worrying about
the future

you will become such a drunk laughing
nuisance

the Sun will then lean down and start
Combing you into its hair.

When the violin can forgive every wound
caused by others

your soul, your soul will start singing.

Translation by Daniel Ladisnky

Namaste,

Baxter

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Friday Q&A: Propping for Relaxation Pose (Savasana)

Q: I have been wondering something about Savasana: Aside from the fact that Savasana has not been all that great for me due to low back/SI joint issues which are lately resolving, I find that my knees feel like they hyperextend in the relaxed state with gravity's pull. Would that alone be reason to always place a support under my knees, or not necessarily? Additional information: I developed the habit of sleeping with pillows under my knees probably 15 years ago at the recommendation of a physical therapist I was seeing at the time for neck problems. Lately my back & SI problems are greatly improved so now I am noticing the feeling of knee hyperextension more as I try to back off of over-reliance on knee support during Savasana. Engaging the quads to ease that seems counterproductive to Savasana. I feel fine with props. I just don't want to overuse them if that would set me up for some imbalance elsewhere.

Thank you so much for your time and dedication to the mission of educating us!

A: I have studied with the foremost expert (in my mind and others) on restorative yoga, Judith Lasater, and her teaching as I interpret is that a restorative pose should feel WONDERFUL when you are in it. The aim of Savasana is deep relaxation, and sometimes we have to work a little to get the pose perfect. So if you need to prop your knees or arms, support your head or low back, or whatever, then that is what you need to do for YOUR Savasana to be inviting and nourishing. There is no one way to do any yoga pose, and that is the gift of yoga which is to find out what works for you.

Please allow yourself to explore and experiment in how you position yourself for the utmost ease and enjoyment. Yoga is not “one size fits all.”

Happy journey.

—Shari

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