ŚAVĀSANA (CORPSE POSE)

ŚAVĀSANA (CORPSE POSE)

Śavāsana, also known as corpse pose, is the final resting pose after a yoga practice. It is the time to integrate all the benefits of the practice, and allow the body and mind to relax completely. It is a vital part of the yoga practice and should never be skipped. It allows the nervous system to relax, thereby relaxing and rejuvenating the entire body.

Lie down on your back. Keep your legs slightly apart with the toes pointing outward. Keep the arms apart at a 45 degree angle away from the body. Turn your palms so that they are facing up. Make sure that your head is in a straight line with the rest of the body. Gently tuck the shoulders under, bringing them away from the ears. Close your eyes and allow the eyes to roll back into their socket. Keep the lips slightly apart to relax and unhinge the jaw. Rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth. Now start at the toes and work all the way up to the top of the head, relaxing each and every part. Using auto-suggestion, begin by mentally repeating “I relax my toes. I relax my toes. My toes are relaxed”. Then go onto the next body part, “I relax my feet. I relax my feet. My feet are relaxed”. Continuing in the same manner until you reach the hips, there after relax the lower back, the middle back and the upper back. Then coming to the front of the body, relaxing the pelvis, the abdomen and the chest. Relax the shoulders, the arms and hands. And finally, relax the neck, throat, face and head. Allow the breath to be natural throughout, without placing any strain on it. Once you feel ready, after having spent at least 5 minutes in the pose, gentle wiggle the toes and fingers; bring some movement into the body. Then bend the knees, and turn over to your right side. Rest your head on your upper arm, to keep the neck aligned with the spine. Whenever you are ready, slowly come up into a comfortable seated position, with the eyes closed. You can finish with a mantra chant, or simply rub your palms together and place them over the eyes. Then remove the palms and slowly open the eyes.

If you have any back pain, you can keep a bolster under the knees. This allows the back to be completely rested on the floor and can eliminate any stress on the back. If you have neck pain, you can keep a blanket under the head to allow for a slight elevation.

Śavāsana is a deeply relaxing pose. It nourishes the entire body and relaxes each and every part of the physical body but also the subtle body. It integrates the benefits of each asana and gives the body a chance to absorb it. It helps to release tension and stress, rejuvenates the body and relieves fatigue.

The contra indications are back pain and pregnancy. If you are pregnant and after the first trimester, you can lay down on your side, with one pillow under the head and another between the knees.