If you have attended one of our Yoga classes or any yoga class you might be familiar with Savasana more commonly known as the “corpse” pose. Traditionally, this marks the end of your practice when you lay on your back and simply do nothing with the goal of resting. Why does this often seem so much more difficult when you have the time to rest and relax yet you can’t?
We live in a world of MORE. We are rewarded for our accomplishments and for how much we can do and how much more we can give. There is a longing to have a superhero attitude toward adversity and what we can take care of in our life all by ourselves. More than ever, people need personal time and meditation,especially if you are athlete and use your body more than the average person.
Ask any athlete what the hardest part of training is.. they will probably say rest. However, downtime can increase overall performance and give you the edge over your competition. If lying down still seems challenging, mantras and visualizations can be done to help transition a task-driven brain into the ease of doing nothing.
Benefits of Savasana Pose:
- A set time practicing being still with the support of the floor.
- Personal time devoted to visualizing strategies or mental performance.
- When done out doors, looking up toward the sky helps remind us to expand our perspective past current stressors or challenges.
- When done before bedtime, it can help the brain balance serotonin and melatonin for a better night’s sleep.
How to Do Savasana:
- Clear a six-foot circumference on a clean floor
- Lay a blanket or yoga mat down.
- Lay on your back on the blanket or mat.
- Lay your arms 1-2 feet away from hips, with palms up and arms extended.
- Separate knees 2 feet apart, with legs extended.
- Use pillows or other props to support you and make the pose more comfortable.
- Breathe deep into the belly.
While lying in Savasana, begin with allowing your mind to wander. After a few minutes or ten deep breaths, focus on the spaces between the thoughts or introduce a personal intent or meditation to trick the intellectual brain to shut down. Do what feels natural and right for your body at a given time. I know that when I do this pose, I am in initial sleep mode and fall right asleep. Might be the ONLY time I can just calm my mental circuits.
If you tend to quality of what you do instead of how much you do and you might find greater joy and appreciation for the tasks and/or athletic endeavors you. Explore being still and practice being dead before it actually happens and we might all appreciate living more. Allow your brain and nervous system down-regulate from discipline, ambition, and overcoming limiting beliefs and just practice stillness. Find the quiet in the hustle and bustle of life and Savasana your way to a healthier mind!
reference:
http://breakingmuscle.com/mind-body/savasana-isnt-just-for-dead-people
