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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Drawing Inside and Quieting: Roger Cole on Savasana, Part 2

Drawing Inside by Melina Meza

Here is the second excerpt from the interview that Leslie Howard did in 2008 with yoga teacher Roger Cole. In this excerpt he talks about his own practice of Savasana, compares seated meditation with Savasana, and gives his recommendations for setting up and practicing the pose.

And speaking of Savasana, this will be our only post this week, as we're  on vacation. Even bloggers need to take a rest. —Nina 

 Leslie: Have you had any special experiences with the pose, either in your own practice or with students?  

Roger: Not really. There isn’t one that stands out for me. Restorative asana experiences—Ssavasana being one of them—many times I have had resting poses or Savasana in which I just really feel like this is exactly what I need and what everyone needs—everyone needs to do this sometime. Take the time when you would not ordinarily be sleeping, and lie down and just stop. It is different from seated meditation. Seated mediastion is wonderful in its own way. In Savasana and the other more reclining poses, the brain just shuts off. In the seated pose you are very, very alert. Seated meditation is really good for this deep realization in which you you see the connection between things. In Savasana it is more like you are drawing inside and quieting, and you are observing the quietness. There is a lot less activity in Savasana.  

Leslie: Do you always practice Savasana in your own practice?

Roger: Ideally, yes but in reality no.  

Leslie: When you take the time to do it, what is your preferred method?

Roger: First of all, I am very big on restorative poses and sometimes I will substitute a restorative pose for Savasana. Now ideally Savasana is the last pose because it is the most neutral; no part of the body is elevated over the other, nothing is particularly stretching, especially if you support the arms and stuff. So if I had the ideal Savasana, I would be almost completely neutral, with maybe a little elbow flexion so I could stay longer, maybe padding under the head not to lift the head but to make it not hurt. I personally don’t need padding under the knees but padding under the heels so that the heels don’t hurt. So I make it comfortable. 

The other thing that a lot of people don’t realize about Savasana and other restorative poses is that temperature is extremely important. You get cold. And if you get cold it is just not a relaxing experience. So I am very conscious of the room temperature, and if you need to be covered with a blanket in Savasana and other restorative poses, you need to cover the hands and feet. Don’t just cover the trunk and have the hands and feet sticking out. So in my practice of Savasana ideally it would be the last pose even if I do a lot of other restorative poses. But in reality there is a time limit so if I end up staying in another pose longer well than Savasana gets shortened. Same thing when I am teaching; ideally I would like to put it at the end of every class but sometimes I just run out of time.  

Leslie: Are there any special circumstances or conditions for which you think Savasana is particularly valuable? 

Roger: One of things is that Savasana is the quickest, most generic pose. When it comes time to relax, just lie down. You can do it on a bed, which is actually very important. Bedrooms are set up with a bed so you can lie on them. Of course they have blankets and such, but the availability of having a space to do it is extremely important. If you just lie down on a dirty floor you might not relax, or if its cold or too light or in a traffic area, the bed takes care of all that. Of course, it is a little soft but its there and its available. 

In a yoga class situation, with students that have never done yoga you don’t what to do some strange thing with them in Savasana, maybe with support under the knees because that is very non threatening and it’s very intuitive. So, it’s got a lot of benefit. It doesn’t have a lot of the problems of being uncomfortable or they can’t hold it or their knees hurt or whatever. But if you are going to put people in it a long time, you are going to have to prop them up. So I think it would be particularly valuable for quick relaxation. Also, some kind of relaxation is valuable, but it doesn’t always have to be specifically Savasana. 

You asked me if there were times Savasana should be avoided. So with some kinds of back pain, such as when people have a facet joint injury, it’s too much back bend, but you can modify the pose. Generally it is a pretty easy pose to do. Also if the nose is congested, prop them up and it can be used to drain the nose. 

What about emotionally? Emotionally if someone has had a trauma, like after an earthquake or something like that or a terrorist attack, people are often afraid to close their eyes, to lie there with their eyes closed is very frightening. Also I have had a couple of deaf students and they don’t like to close their eyes because once they close their eyes in Savasana, they don’t know what is going on in the world, although they will do it. They can hear enough through their hearing aid to know when there is shuffling around, but it’s a little tricky. 

So in those instances Savasana with eyes open is a good pose and if their eyes close, apparently they have gotten over it. 

Leslie Howard is an Oakland-based yoga teacher, specializing in all things pelvic. She leads workshops and trainings nationally and internationally, and is the director of the 200 hour Deep Yoga program at Piedmont Yoga. With a state certification in massage, she also practices cranial sacral therapy. To learn more about Leslie, visit: www.lesliehowardyoga.com.  

Roger Cole, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized, certified Iyengar yoga teacher trained at the Iyengar Yoga Institutes in San Francisco and Pune, India. He is also an accomplished scientist educated at Stanford University and the University of California, with specialties in the science of relaxation, sleep, and circadian rhythms. Roger has taught yoga since 1975. He has authored dozens of articles on yoga teaching, practice, biology and therapeutics, including Yoga Journal's Anatomy Column, Master Class Column and Ask Our Expert Column, Yoga International's Asana Solutions Column, and special feature articles on the prevention of yoga injuries, the physiology of stress, relief from back pain, and the science of keeping your balance. He has trained thousands of yoga teachers and taught yoga as a healing art to physicians, physical therapists, medical students and patients. He offers weekly classes in Del Mar, California, and conducts workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad. His specialties include yoga teacher training, yoga anatomy, yoga physiology, restorative yoga, and promotion of better sleep. See rogercoleyoga.com for more information.

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The Mind Coming Into Equilibrium: Roger Cole on Savasana

Circle of Light by Melina Meza

This week and next I'll be posting excerpts from yet another interview from the never-written book on Savasana that I was—at one time—working on with my friend yoga teacher Leslie Howard. Back in 2008, Leslie did a good long interview with one of my favorite teachers, Roger Cole,. Let’s start today with their conversation about the benefits and importance of Savasana.

And speaking of Savasana, this will be our only post this week, as we're on vacation. Even bloggers need to take a rest. —Nina 

Leslie: What is Savasana and how does it differ from just lying down? 

Roger: The first difference is intention. When you lie down, you intend to be conscious, be aware, and be present. Lying down the mind tends to drift. So with your intention in Savasana comes the alignment—you get your physical body set up so you can be still and consciously observe your thoughts. Your intention is a type of meditation.

Leslie: What are the benefits of Savasana and why is it such an important pose?

 Roger: Part of it is physical and part of it is mental. But let’s just talk about what happens in your brain. You are processing impressions—the mind is doing things, observing things, or observing the results of your doing things, or memories are already in the mind while minimizing new input or effort. When you are in Savasana, we actively stop actively working in the world muscularly, and if our mind is set right, we can observe what is in the mind. It’s not that we stop processing—the mind is always going—but it’s going in a way that doesn’t require this executive function in the brain (the part of you that says, now I must do this , now I must do that). It doesn’t involve “I” at all. It’s an egoless watching, and with that I think what happens physiologically is that information gets processed—connections between nerve cells that need to be strengthened, connections that aren’t used much tend to diminish—so we actually change the brain patterns or they change or reorganize themselves.

I like to think of the impression of a forest, an ancient forest. It has been there for so long—holding still for so long—that everything is sort of coming into its own balance without anyone directing it. And so our own mind—if we just leave it alone—will come into its own equilibrium. We stop pushing it around, adding things to it. So a lot of the benefit of Savsasana is allowing the time to for the process to take place. 

It's also restful for the body; you give your heart and your muscles a chance to recover. Internal recovery function is analogous to what is happening in the brain—think of cells healing themselves as an information process. The brain is organizing proteins, reestablishing them, getting rid of waste. So it’s a rest period for the body and a reorganization period for the body.  

Leslie: Is there an ideal time of day and duration for Savasana?  

Roger: If I had to give a number I would say 15 minutes AT LEAST, and I think longer is actually better. If you stay in classical Savasana for say more than 20 minutes, things start to get uncomfortable, the back of your head gets uncomfortable, your arms by being straight get uncomfortable and possibly also the back, depending on how tight your hip flexors are. It tends to arch the back.. Judith Lasater will set up Savasana with the arms bent, support behind the head, knees slightly flexed, and leave you there for an hour. If you can stay in Savasana for an hour, that takes you to a whole other level. Which is a wonderful thing to have happen. Now, we should talk about sleep because I am a sleep scientist. So I have my particular point of view on sleep in Savasana. Regardless of the intention to stay awake, people do drift off to sleep. If the conditions are set up for sleep, people will fall asleep. The primary condition we all suffer from is not enough sleep in our daily lives. So we are all running around in a “sleep debt.” It’s like if you are hungry, you are going to eat, and when you are sleepy, you are going to sleep. It is an involuntary process. Almost any adult that is put into a dark room and told to lie in bed for 40 minutes and stay awake will fall asleep. I think a lot of sleeping goes on in Savasana, so even a small amount of sleep refreshes them enough so that they can actually practice the Savasana well. Of course, it’s also possible to go completely out.  

Leslie: When you have a student that is sleeping do you let them sleep, and if you have to wake them up how do you do it? 

Roger: My feeling is they need to sleep. Sleep first, then do your Savasana. To avoid this, firstly, get enough sleep or take a nap and then do Savasana. Don’t do Savasana right after getting up due to sleep inertia (left over sleepiness). Usually 10 or 11 in the morning is an alert time a day for most people where they haven’t been awake long enough to really get sleepy.

If you want an alert Savasana practice it in the morning; if you want to fall asleep in Savasana do it in the afternoon. In the evening it is a mixed bag because on the one hand you have been awake all day. On the other hand you have been awake all day and your body’s clock is alerting you. So your body clock has its strongest alerting effect in the evening, and if you have had enough sleep that usually overcomes the sleepiness and you are wide awake at 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening. But if you have a sleep debt, then you are going to fall asleep. The evening is a mixed bag but mid-afternoon most people will fall asleep in their Savasana. So if someone falls asleep in a class situation, and they are not snoring or disturbing everyone, I just leave them. If they are disturbing the class then I will have them rollover and do something face down or a forward bending posture because people are less likely to sleep in one of those positions. 

Leslie: When you are approaching someone that is disturbing the class, how do you wake them up without startling them?  

Roger: I try not to startle people. The first thing I do is walk past their head and often they hear me walking. That sound is a subtle noise and that often wakes them up. If that doesn’t work I might try just tugging their blanket. I try whatever I can not to jar them. 

Leslie: Do you always talk your students through Savasana?  

Roger: No, I usually don’t. I usually put people in the pose and then let the pose do the talking. Now I do have a story about that. I had a student once that came up to me and said I’m fine in Savasana until you stop talking and then I essentially start to freak out. When you are talking I go along and relax, but when you stop talking then I go to a place in my mind that I really don’t like and it’s very disturbing. So probably if one person told me that there are likely others that have had that experience and haven’t told me. But I am pretty non-directive. My whole approach with asana and Savasana is the postures are designed to create an effect. And if you do the postures well, the breathing that you need to do comes in the posture and the Savasana just comes naturally. So my ideal savasana doesn’t need any instruction.  

Leslie: Is that presupposing that the student is more advanced? 

Roger: No, it's not. It is not presupposing anything about the student except that they are human, because my belief is if you get the right sequence of postures for that person at that time, the right posture set up the right way. The intention is still there. So I say we are going to lie still now with initial instruction. Or, if the people have been coming to my class for a while, I may not even give instructions because they know my instruction intention is that they are going to lie there and be awake and very, very relaxed and whatever happens happens. And you are free, your mind is free to think of whatever you want without anyone’s directions. The only thing that makes it this practice is that you are going to stay there in the pose.  
Leslie Howard is an Oakland-based yoga teacher, specializing in all things pelvic. She leads workshops and trainings nationally and internationally, and is the director of the 200 hour Deep Yoga program at Piedmont Yoga. With a state certification in massage, she also practices cranial sacral therapy. To learn more about Leslie, visit: www.lesliehowardyoga.com.  

Roger Cole, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized, certified Iyengar yoga teacher trained at the Iyengar Yoga Institutes in San Francisco and Pune, India. He is also an accomplished scientist educated at Stanford University and the University of California, with specialties in the science of relaxation, sleep, and circadian rhythms. Roger has taught yoga since 1975. He has authored dozens of articles on yoga teaching, practice, biology and therapeutics, including Yoga Journal's Anatomy Column, Master Class Column and Ask Our Expert Column, Yoga International's Asana Solutions Column, and special feature articles on the prevention of yoga injuries, the physiology of stress, relief from back pain, and the science of keeping your balance. He has trained thousands of yoga teachers and taught yoga as a healing art to physicians, physical therapists, medical students and patients. He offers weekly classes in Del Mar, California, and conducts workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad. His specialties include yoga teacher training, yoga anatomy, yoga physiology, restorative yoga, and promotion of better sleep. See rogercoleyoga.com for more information.

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Yoga Relaxation Techniques: They're Not Interchangeable (Rerun)

by Nina

Patterns in the Sand 2, by Brad Gibson

Okay, I admit it. It’s probably my fault. I’ve been going around saying that you can trigger the Relaxation Response (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga) using any of the following: restorative yoga, inverted poses, Savasana, pranayama, meditation, and yoga nidra, etc. as if all those practices were somehow interchangeable. This has led to questions like the following comment left on a Friday Q&A: Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga, Meditation and Savasana:

It is very helpful to read the distinctions between these four practices as I try to practice all of them, but it's hard to find the time. I'd be really interested to get your thoughts on whether it's important to do all four? For example, if you do restorative while listening to a nidra CD, do you also need to meditate? I'm interested to know what the various benefits are of these four practices, or are the benefits all the same? 

Let me start by saying that what I said previously—that you can use any of these practices for stress management—still holds true. And it is also true that you can choose whichever techniques you prefer to trigger the Relaxation Response. However, these practices each have different roles to play in a balanced yoga practice. 

The role of meditation in a balanced yoga practice is particularly important. That’s why I asked Timothy to write an article on the purpose of meditation (see his absolutely wonderful post Is Meditation an Essential Par of Practicing Yoga?). Basically, although you can use meditation for stress reduction, its role in classical yoga is to quiet the mind to allow union with the divine or “liberation”: 

1.2 Yoga is the cessation of movements of consciousness.
1.3 Then the seer dwells in his own true splendor.

— from Yoga Sutras, trans. B.K.S. Iyengar

Meditation is also, as Timothy mentions, a “fabulous tool to study your mind and slowly gain more control over it.”

Pranayama is also an important component of classical yoga, which precedes meditation as one of eight steps on the path to samadhi (union with the divine). It is considered an instrument to “steady the mind” and a gateway to dharana (the first phase of meditation).  

“Pranayama removes the veil covering the light of knowledge and heralds the dawn of wisdom.

Its practice destroys illusion, consisting of ignorance, desire and delusion which obscure the intelligence; and allows the inner light of wisdom to shine. As the breeze disperses the clouds that cover the sun, pranayama wafts away the clouds that hide the light of intelligence.” — Sutra 2.52 trans. by B.K.S. Iyengar

On the other hand, the two types of asana I recommended for triggering the Relaxation Response, restorative yoga and supported inversions, are brilliant 20th century inventions, mostly developed by B.K.S. Iyengar, which are designed specifically to maximize physical relaxation and reduce stress. Judith Lasater, one of the most renowned teachers of restorative yoga, writes in the introduction to her book Relax and Renew: 

“The antidote to stress is relaxation. To relax is to rest deeply. This rest is different from sleep. Deep states of sleep include periods of dreaming which increase muscular tension, as well as other physiological signs of tension. Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort, and the brain is quiet.

"Common to all stress reduction techniques is putting the body in a comfortable position with gentle attention directed toward the breath.”

Likewise, yoga nidra is also a 20th century invention (though you may see some claims to the contrary) developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. The first sentence of his book Yoga Nidra defines the practice like this:

“Yoga nidra, which is derived from the tantras, is a powerful technique in which you learn to relax consciously.”

In yoga nidra, you lie in Savasana while the voice of a teacher (or a recording) guides you through a physical and mental relaxation process. So, like restorative yoga, yoga nidra is specifically intended as a relaxation technique, and as such does not replace meditation or pranayama in a balanced yoga practice. This would be true of any form of Savasana in which an external voice is providing instructions and/or imagery for you. Unlike other relaxation techniques, yoga nidra includes a sankalpa (an intention) that allows you to influence your subconscious (or so it is claimed). For example, “I will awaken my spiritual potential,” “I will be a positive force for the evolution of others,” or “I will be successful in all that I undertake.” So this may be something you wish to take into consideration when choosing your relaxation practice.

Unlike the modern restorative postures, Savasana is a much older pose. Based on what I’ve read about the original practice, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Savasana is a reclining form of meditation. For some traditional yogis, it was a meditation on death, hence the literal translation of the name Savasana is “Corpse pose,” and it was sometimes even practiced alongside actual corpses. To practice Savasana properly, however, you must actually do the work of meditating while you are in the pose (and make sure you don’t fall asleep). If you don’t actually meditate while in Savasana, then, well, you are simply relaxing. But that's okay, too, if that is what you are after.

So there you have it. Which of these practices you decide to adopt really depends on what your goals are as well as your preferences. If you’re just after stress management and better health, it doesn’t really matter which you chose. However, if your goal is the “liberation” that is yoga’s ultimate aim, both pranayama and meditation are essential steps along the path.

Sorry if I caused any confusion! 

Ultimate liberation is when the gunas, devoid of any purpose for the purusa, return to their original [latent] state; in other words, when the power of consciousness is situation in its own essential nature. —Yoga Sutra 4.34 —trans. Edwin Bryant

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Savasana Variations (Rerun)

by Nina

My post Savasana (Corpse Pose) describes in detail how to practice Savasana (there is so much more to it than just lying down!) This post shows some alternative positions you can for Savasana take if lying flat on your back in uncomfortable or even if you just want to rest in a position that’s a bit cushier and self indulgent.

The first Savasana variation is the simple addition of support under your head, a position that is good for people who are tight in the shoulders or chest and find it hard to rest their heads comfortably on the ground. Most people benefit from a bit of support under their heads, so check it out. Just make sure the support under your head is firm (not soft) and that your shoulders are touching the ground (not the support). Ideally in Savasana, your chin should be pointing slighting down toward your chest (not tipping back away from it).

Savasana with Head Support

The second of Savasana variation provides support behind your knees, a position that is good for people who have lower back problems or who simply want to rest their backs comfortably on the ground. Use a bolster (as shown below) or a rolled blanket behind your knees.

Savasana with Knee Support

The third variation of Savasana uses a chair to support your calves, which provides excellent rest for your lower back. It also creates a sight inversion (your legs are higher than your torso), which will help enhance your ability to relax (inverted poses is a topic I will address in a future post). Make sure that your legs drop comfortably onto the chair seat (if you are tall, you might have to stack blankets on the chair to make the surface high enough). If you can’t get your legs through the back of the chair, try turning the chair sideways instead.

Savasana with Legs on a Chair

The fourth and fifth variations are restorative versions of Savasana, with support under your torso and head. One version uses a bolster under your torso, and the other a stack of two folded blankets. This may be easier for you than lying flat on the floor or even deliciously comfy, and can help you breathe more freely in the pose as the support helps open your chest. When you do either of these versions, make sure that you sit on the floor (not on the bolster or blankets) before you lay back. The support should be under your torso, but not under your buttocks (a typical mistake I see beginners make!).

Restorative Savasana (Bolster Supporting Torso)

Restorative Savasana (Blankets Supporting Torso)

The sixth version is a Side-Lying Savasana, which is good for anyone who, for medical or other reasons, cannot lie on their backs (as well as for pregnant women). Notice there is support under your head, between your legs and between your arms—super comfy! You can use folded blankets or pillows, or any combination of the two.

Side-Lying Savasana

The last version is Crocodile pose (Makrasana), which is helpful for people who feel anxious or vulnerable lying on their backs and need the comfort of having their front bodies protected. If this pose is hard on your lower back, trying placing a folded blanket under your lower belly (below your navel) so your lower back doesn’t arch as deeply.

Crocodile Pose (Makrasana)

That’s it for now, but feel free to come up with your own variations to these basic versions or to use a version you learned in class or from a book. If you’re not comfortable in the pose, you won’t be able to relax, so take the time to set yourself up with whatever props you like. You can even get creative. I used to teach yoga in a room that had couches in it (don’t ask), and had my students do a pose I called “Legs on the Couch,” which was a variation of Savasana with legs on a chair. My students, who were busy graduate students or mothers of young children, absolutely loved it. (By the way, if you don’t have a yoga bolster, I recommend going ahead and splurging on one. You’ll be amazed at how much use and enjoyment you’ll get from it for years to come.) 

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The Practice of Savasana: An Interview with Tias Little by Leslie Howard

Down to Earth by Melina Meza

This week I'll be posting excerpts from another interview from the never-written book on Savasana that I was—at one time—working on with my friend yoga teacher Leslie Howard. Leslie did a good long interview with one of her favorite teachers, Tias Little, back in 2008. Let’s start today with their conversation about  how to practice the pose. —Nina  

Leslie: What is Savasana and how does it differ from just lying down?  

Tias: Well I think the real benefit of Savasana is the body is out of gravity. Gravitational pull—gravitational torqueing on the soft tissues—is no longer an issue so by taking the body out of gravity there is an opportunity to restore and to recover. So in that sense it is allowing the body to completely drop with the force of gravity. 

Leslie: But wouldn’t someone lying in bed or on the couch be doing the same thing? How do you think Savasana distinguishes itself?

Tias: Then, of course, comes the training in observing how the soft tissues do melt or release their hold while in the pose. So that observation piece is what separates it out from “couchasana”. So that, of course, is an art and a training to be able to observe the release and the unwinding as it’s happening. It takes careful observation and, of course, it is difficult to do because it’s easy to space out, it’s easy to disconnect. I think it is good to prop the head up initially simply with a blanket or prop up the spine—you could just prop the upper back—so you get the upper chakras up off the floor. That will provide, hopefully, more alertness. 

Leslie: So, in your opinion, is an elevated Savasana like you describe better?

Tias: I think so for a beginner because there is a cellular response if the person lies flat. Like “oh no I can simply be lethargic and passive”. So I think supporting the head serves to putting in wakefulness. Of course, you could support the pelvis, too. There are ways to do that. I kind of think of Viparita Karani as a Savasana, of course, as you know you can substitute that one, and so it would include that. 

Leslie: In what case might you do that in lieu of lying flat?  

Tias: I just taught this course on lymph system yesterday, and so to restore the legs and to bring more venous return to the heart—to nourish the heart—it is valuable to elevate the pelvis and the legs. That also would increase wakefulness. It is not easy to start zzzzzzzzzzing when your legs are elevated.

Leslie: Do you think there is an ideal duration for Savasana?

Tias: At least 3 minutes. I usually clock it 5 minutes for every hour of class time. So for a 3-hour class, a 15-minute Savasana. I think that is a good sort of landmark to go by. I suppose there is a risk if the student is in the pose too long; there’s a numbing or a dullness that can come in for instance. So there is a time to come out if there is a disconnect.  

Leslie: In your teaching, do you guide your students or are you silent?  

Tias: I like to guide. Of course, in the Iyengar system, often times the instructor talks the entire time, so the student doesn’t fall asleep or check out. So I certainly have taken that tack, and in my guided meditations I try go towards the place that Zen calls “no mind”. Which is also paradoxical because, of course, it is also about presence of mind. Guiding people to the “formless”.

Leslie: So do you—when you are guiding people in Savasana—have a certain way you do it, such as going from the physical to the energetic?  

Tias: I would work from the limbs toward the core. So if I really want to focus Savasana on the neck and the chest, then I would really dialogue the hands and the fingertips, the carpal tunnel flexors, and that. And to address the pelvis I would really speak to the release in the lower limbs, the knee, these kind of the things. So addressing the limbs before dialoguing the core. I mean obviously the limbs are the place of action.  

Leslie: What do you do when a student falls asleep?

Tias: I usually allow it, unless it’s like a table saw because there is a healing that happens. As you know people can’t sleep and have malaise of all kinds. Sleep in and of itself is really healing. I think the two most important poses are Savasana and Shivasana. I think—this is my own read—is that sitting meditation is called Shivasana and of course “shiva” and “shava” go together. If the Shivasana has the same quality of awareness and ease as the Savasana, and Savasana has the same quality of alertness that the Shivasana has, then it is really effective. So the image of the Buddha, for instance, the sitting Buddha, is always depicted and then there is the Parinirvana Buddha where he is lying down. He is in a kind of Savasana. In the Buddhist traditions there is walking, sitting, and lying down as the techniques taught by the Buddha. That would be an interesting thing to research. 

Leslie Howard is an Oakland-based yoga teacher, specializing in all things pelvic. She leads workshops and trainings nationally and internationally, and is the director of the 200 hour Deep Yoga program at Piedmont Yoga. With a state certification in massage, she also practices cranial sacral therapy. To learn more about Leslie, visit: www.lesliehowardyoga.com.  

Tias Little lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he directs his school, Prajna Yoga, with his wife Surya and is the author of three books, The Thread of Breath, Meditations on a Dewdrop and The Yoga of the Subtle Body, to be published by Shambhala Press in 2015. In addition to leading yoga workshops and teacher trainings throughout the US and around the world, Tias currently offers on-line classes through Yoga Glo. See www.prajnayoga.net for more information about Tias.

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The Value of Not Doing

by Richard Rosen

Enso by Torei Enji

I recently discovered in my files an interview I did with Richard Rosen in 2008 for a book I never wrote that was going to be all about Savasana (great idea, right?). As he always does, Richard had some wonderful things to say, so with his permission, I’m going to share them with you today. Because my questions weren’t particularly compelling and what Richard said was so beautiful, I’ve edited and reorganized the interview at tiny bit so it reads as a single statement. Thank you, Richard. —Nina

In my early years as a yoga student, I really didn’t understand Savasana, I thought it was a waste of time. I sort of tended to either cut it short or skip it completely. And I think a lot of classes—a lot of teachers—still tend to do that. They don’t really give time to Savasana in their classes. As I got older as a yoga student I began to appreciate the value of the practice at the end of a yoga session, and I spent 15 to 20 minutes in Savasana at the end of a practice, which is a good chunk of time relative to the rest of my practice.

Teachers want you to feel like you’re doing something. And a lot of people don’t understand or appreciate the value of not doing. But a lot of traditional yoga is just that. The idea is that you’re already doing something that is interfering with your self awareness, your self understanding. And that rather than doing something to fix it, what’s really necessary is to undo what’s getting in the way, which means a need for a surrender, a letting go. To a certain extent that’s what you get a taste of in Savasana. It’s just stopping doing, and letting what’s being interfered with come out. 

What comes out for me is, like Popeye says, “I am what I am.” I just get a feeling that I’m closer to myself. At my stage of yoga development, I feel very keenly that there’s a separation, that I don’t really know who or what I truly am, and that when I perform Savasana well that I get a clearer sense of the underlying truth of myself, the underlying being.

It’s a contrast to the way I usually feel, which is sort of there’s a lot going on in my head and I’m not exactly aware of the present, I’m not connected to the sounds around me, I’m not connected my breath, I’m connected to anything that’s really happening in the moment. There’s always a distraction of some kind. I’m thinking about this or that. I’m thinking about what I have to do. And so there’s a lack of presence. Whereas the experience of Savasana is a clearing away of all of that static. Like in the old days when the analog radios would have dial—a little bar that would move up a down a range of stations—and you would turn it. In between stations you would get a hissing sound, and as you approached a station the music or sound would come in more clearly. I also think of yoga asanas as being like tuners, where as you approach the essence of the pose, say, the static begins to diminish.

I think there’s a lot of static in the brain that interferes with your connections to your surroundings. It’s a distraction in a way. It’s like you’re trying to concentrate on something and somebody’s playing music outside. It takes you away from the direct perception of what’s going on. In Savasana, at least momentarily, that’s turned down, quieted. So I think the way I would describe my experience of a well-performed Savasana is that the dial gets a little bit closer to where the station actually is and the interference goes away and the music of the self comes in more clearly.

When I come out of a well-performed Savasana, I feel very quiet. My senses are more receptive. I feel more expansive. I feel bigger. Physically I feel taller. And when I walk out of my practice room after a well-performed Savasana, I feel more in tune with my surroundings. Colors are brighter. Sounds are clearer. I feel more alive.

Richard Rosen is a yoga teacher and writer from Berkeley, California. He is President of the board of the Yoga Dana Foundation, which supports Northern California teachers bringing yoga to under-served communities. Richard has written three books for Shambhala: The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama (2002), Pranayama: Beyond the Fundamentals (2006), and Original Yoga: Rediscovering Traditional Practices of Hatha Yoga (2012). He also recorded a 7-disc set of instructional CDs for Shambhala titled The Practice of Pranayama: An In-Depth Guide to the Yoga of Breath (2010). For more information about Richard and the workshops he teaches internationally, see http://www.richardrosenyoga.com/. 

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