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In this day and age where focus is centered on aerobic exercise and an aerobic asana practice, the hard core exercisers often shun Shavasana, or corpse pose. Those who are driven to a dripping, sweat producing class, sometimes want to leave before the final pose. They think, "What is the value of this? I will sleep later tonight." Shavasana is one of the most valuable poses in yoga practice. When we work so hard to stir up our vrittis or mind stuff, to awaken the kundalini force within, it is optimal to allow the body and mind to rest, and for the kundalini, prana and chitti or consciousness to rest and settle in our other energy fields. Shavasana is useful not only on a physical plane , but it also works on the subtle levels. Shavasana is also, as with many Eastern practices, our way of preparing for death, not necessarily the death of the body, but the surrender of ego attachment, which prevents us from our own daily immortality. After asansa practice, whether mild or strenuous, the physical body has been twisted, stretched, challenged and vitalized. It is important to relax after this and allow the muscles to rejuvenate, to allow the physical body to reduce its tightness and the muscles to relax. In this pose, the spine is able to relax into its natural state. The pelvis is also able to relax. Breathing and heart rate slow down. The inner organs can relax in this pose and the breathing becomes unfettered. It is time to reduce the stress factors in our minds and bodies going back to the source. Although it does not take the place of deep sleep, Shavasana for five to ten minutes can reduce stress and fatigue and prepare the body and mind for other work as well as for rest. Shavasana, in spite of its' passive appearance is one of the most difficult poses to master. To put the mind and the body in a state of deep relaxation takes practice. It is important to allow this time for relaxation and nothing else. You have twenty-three hours and fifty minutes left in the day for thinking and engaging the capriciousness of the mind and the body. In this pose, it is important to try to become the observer of the breath, mind and body and not identify with it. This posture is a conscious sleep, not to be confused with real sleep. One should not allow oneself to fall asleep in this posture. In order to set up for this posture, one should lie on their back. The legs should be about eighteen inches apart. Symmetry is very important in this pose. The shoulder blades move down the back and the arms are out-stretched. the palms should be facing up and open and the fingers can curl naturally . If there is any pressure in the lower back, a rolled up blanket can be placed under the knees. The head and neck can be slightly elevated to aid in the relaxation of the spine. When one is first practicing Shavasana, it is good to relax each body part in a systematic way. Starting with the feet, working individually through each body part, one can mentally suggest each part to relax. For example, toenails and toes relax, soles of feet and heels relax, tops of feet relax, ankles relax, and so on, including the internal organs as well as the external body parts. After lying in the pose for a minute or so, it is good to sweep the body, to insure that all parts are relaxing, any tension impedes the value of the pose. After the body sweeping is mastered, other methods for deeper relaxation can be visualization, breath awareness, loving kindness, peace, forgiveness, selflessness, healing, etc. It is important, though, when engaging in practices of visualization that one keeps alive the concept of non-doing and non-striving so that it does not turn into wishful thinking or a goal oriented practice. When practicing Shavasana , we are working not only with the gross or physical body, but also with the subtle and eventually the bliss bodies. Shavasana is not intended to be a surrendering practice, in this way it is preparation for death, or rather for the smooth transitioning to your own immortality through non-identification with the mind and body. When peace and complete relaxation are garnered from Shavasana, it can be called upon at any time that you feel the need to calm yourself. | |
