RELAXATION POSE (SAVASANA)

Corpse pose – Savasana

Description

The relaxation pose, or corpse pose, Savasana (Sava = cadavre), puts the body in an anatomical position in which one can completely let go of the physical, emotional and mental tensions. Practiced between the postures and at the end of a session, it allows to free the muscles and nerves from any fatigue resulting from the exercises. One can then truly experience a deep state of relaxation at a physical and mental level.

Technique

1. Laying down on the floor, arms apart about 30 cm, palms facing upwards, legs apart, eyes closed.
2. Deep, soft and rhythmical abdominal breath.

Relaxation with auto-suggestion

At the end of a session, it is recommended to relax about 10-15 min., and to use the autosuggestion to access an even deeper state of relaxation.

• Place your awareness in the area you want to relax and repeat mentally 2-3 times:
  • “I relax my feet. My feet are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my ankles, my calves. My ankles, my calves are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my knees, my thighs. My knees, my thighs are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my pelvis. My pelvis is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my abdomen. My abdomen is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my chest. My chest is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my back. My back is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my shoulders. My shoulders are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my arms, my hands. My arms, my hands are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my neck, my throat. My neck, my throat are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my face. My face is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my scalp. My scalp is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my organs. My organs are relaxed.”
  • “I relax my nervous system. My nervous system is relaxed.”
  • “I relax my mind. My mind is relaxed.”

• At the end of this process, you will feel completely relaxed and recharged.

Notes

• When you repeat mentally “I relax my feet”, the instruction goes from the brain to the feet through the motor nerves.
• When you say ” My feet are relaxed”, the sensation goes back to the brain through the sensitive nerves, allowing you to feel the area relaxing.
• It is simply about focusing on the region to be relaxed and to observe and try to feel what is happening there.
• In the beginning, the feedback from the nervous system, through sensations, is difficult to feel and is not instantaneous.
• With practice, the nervous system becomes refined enough to be able to feel the sensations in any part of the body.
• The ability to relax the body parts functions is like a muscle that has not been used for a while and needs some exercise to work properly.
• At first, one can mainly feel gross physical sensations and gradually, one starts to feel the manifestations of prana, the vital energy circulating throughout the entire body.
• This step is very important because the practitioner directly experiences the existence of a subtle reality about which he was not aware at all.

Benefits

• Deeply relaxes muscles and organs.
• Facilitates the elimination of lactic acid accumulated in the muscles after an intense effort.
• Speeds up the recuperation process.
• Relaxes the central and peripheral nervous system.
• Calms down the mind by slowing down brain waves frequency.
• Allows to better manage stress through its action on the parasympathetic nervous system.
• Regenerates the organism.

Other Posture Practices:

Headstand (Sirshasana)

Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)

Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)

Plough (Halasana)

Peacock (Mayurasana)

Tree (Vrikshasana)

Triangle (Trikonasana)

Standing Forward Bend (Pada Hastasana)

Relaxation pose (Savasana)

Abdominal lock (Uddiyana Bandha)

Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

The Bow (Dhanurasana)

Locust (Salabhasana)