Getting the most out of your yoga practice: Relaxation pose
A vital part of a yoga practice is the last pose: savasana, also called corpse pose. Many people enjoy this pose more than any other because it gives their body an opportunity to relax, something that is becoming more and more difficult to do in their everyday hectic lifestyles. But there are also a large number of people who neglect savasana – they have to dash off to work, run errands, car pool, etc after their practice – and by so doing, they are missing out on the most important pose of all. The relaxation pose represents the culmination of all other asanas. The energy that is created during the yoga practice is now replenishing the body in this final pose. It is the time when the body is replenished by the energy that has been created during the yoga practice. Like a meal, food eaten is now being digested. Doshas become rebalanced, especially vata and pitta which need physical grounding and rest and mental peace and stillness. The primary goals for practicing asanas are achieved through savasana: balancing vata, pitta and kapha doshas; improving and bringing flexibility to the body; reducing stagnation and circulating prana energy; revitalizing and calming the mind. Savasana should always complete a yoga practice and be done for at least ten minutes or longer, depending on the individual’s constitution and present condition. If you find that you have to leave a yoga class early, make sure you give yourself time to end with this pose of relaxation.
To balance vata
Practice savasana for at least 20 – 30 minutes, focusing on relaxing into stillness. Cover the eyes, place a small towel under the neck and under the hands to support the wrists. Place blankets under the thighs and knees to lengthen the lower back, and support the ankles with a rolled towel about 3 inches thick underneath them. Cover the body to keep warm.
To balance pitta
Practice for at least 15 to 25 minutes, surrendering into stillness with gentle, relaxing breaths. Cover the eyes, support the wrists and the lower back as with vata.
To balance kapha
Practice for 5 to 15 minutes, focusing on releasing and relaxing with natural breathing. Use supports or coverings if necessary to ensure that the neck is long and relaxed and the lower back is in a neutral position.
After completion of savasana, roll slowly onto your right side and raise yourself into a sitting position. Stay in a meditative seated position for a few minutes.
Note: You don’t have to be a yogi to benefit from this relaxation pose. Take time out during your busy daily schedule to lie comfortably on a mat or the floor to release all the tension from your body, and relax the mind and destress.
Leave a reply →