The Healing Power Of The Savasana Yoga Pose And How To Do It Correctly

Introduction 

We have all heard about Savasana and possibly even tried it at least once in our lifetime. Most people today seek yoga for improving their flexibility, health parameters, relaxation and rejuvenation. Yoga is an ancient mind and body practice involving postures, poses, meditation, and breathing techniques. The savasana is one such posture performed at the end of a yoga routine. Let’s understand the true meaning, healing power and the best way to do it.

What is Savasana? 

Savasana or the Shavasana is the last yoga pose of a routine. It translates into ‘corpse pose in English, earning its name from stillness. It is common to mistake savasana for a nap or power nap towards the end of your workout routine. Savasana is a workout that relies on an active mind while completely relaxing your body. Savasana aims to attune your mind and body with each other. 
Savasana is more of a restorative asana that restores balance in your body and allows it to assimilate all the activities it has performed during the workout. 
Did you know that the first record of this asana is in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a 15th-century text?

How to do Savasana?

The savasana looks like a short pose to perform, and well, it is! Here’s how you can do the savasana yoga pose correctly:

1. Lie on your back in the most comfortable pose possible with your legs comfortably apart. Relax your feet and knees with your toes facing sidewards.
2. Place your arms along your body and open your palms, facing upwards.
3. Close your eyes and allow your attention and focus to go slowly to each part of your body. While doing so, relax your entire body.
4. You can bring your awareness to your right foot, to the right knee, up to your thigh, to the next leg, knee and upwards to your head. As you focus your attention on each body part, relax them.
5. Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. Allow your breath to relax you further.
6. Shut out all outdoor noises and distractions and focus on your breath and body.
7. Allow yourself to lie in this position for around 15 to 20 mins until you feel relaxed, rejuvenated and energetic.
8. As you gradually become aware of your surroundings, take deep breaths and slowly open your eyes.

The Healing Power of the Savasana Yoga Pose

Savasana is the resting pose after a yoga routine where one needs to lie entirely still. It is a common misconception that this pose is to relax and think about the following activity for the day, sleep or dream. Savasana, on the other hand, is way more than that. Did you know savasana is a healing pose, and a lot is happening in your body during this time?

1. After doing the workout routine, the savasana yoga pose engages the body’s various muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. 
2. The body’s active participation takes a back seat, and the parasympathetic nervous system’s ‘rest and digests’ mechanism takes charge. 
3. During savasana, our digestive and immune systems work efficiently. The mind becomes calm, clear, and positive.
4. Savasana is a type of meditation, and it may seem impossible to not think. However, while your body is healing and rejuvenating, trying not to feel and sense the body’s subtle sensations actively can help open your mind to different dimensions. 
5. While we continue to exist in our everyday lives, savasana can open doors for you to ‘live’ at the moment and thank our body and mind for all they do to keep us alive.
6. The entire experience is highly healing to us– mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically.

Why Is Savasana Therapeutic for Your Body and Soul?

Savasana is therapeutic for your mind, body, and soul. Here are some reasons why:

1. Relieves stresses built up during exercise: A workout or yoga routine can stress your body. Savasana helps restore homeostasis or balance in the body. Also, meditation forms like savasana help reduce blood pressure levels and boost immunity and lung function.
2. Creates a sense of calm: We rarely pause and observe during our daily grind. Our minds are constantly rattling with millions of thoughts, starting a sense of disarray. Savasana helps you achieve mental peace and calm, which lasts throughout the day and helps you make better, more effective decisions at work and home.
3. Helps inculcate exercise habits: Begining a workout routine is easy but maintaining it is incredibly challenging. Savasana at the end of a yoga routine is like a reward for the hard work done and helps one stick to their exercise routine.
4. Helps you build resilience: Excelling in Savasana, one of the most challenging poses in yoga, helps you build strength.
5. Keeps you happy: Savasana helps you stay in a positive frame of mind throughout the day.

Benefits of the Savasana Yoga Pose

After a refreshing yoga routine, most people tend to skip savasana. Here are some benefits of savasana:

1. It induces a deep state of rest in the body, which stimulates the repair of cells and tissues. Doing this yoga pose releases stress and brings about the positive effects of the yoga routine.
2. Savasana rejuvenates your body and is the perfect way to restore energy balance after your yoga session, especially if it is fast-paced.
3. The savasana yoga pose alleviates lifestyle conditions like high blood pressure, anxiety and insomnia.
4. Savasana is an effective way to reduce the Vata dosha in your body (or the imbalance of the air element).
5. This yoga pose is excellent for your nervous system. The savasana pose activates your nervous system at the end of your yoga routine.
6. Shavasana benefits the area of your brain associated with concentration. Doing the savasana pose helps sharpen your focus and improve daily memory recall.

Conclusion

Savasana is performed at the end of a yoga routine as it integrates all the benefits of yoga asanas and workouts. While one should hold the savasana pose for at least five to ten minutes, you may extend it to different yoga practices, especially Yoga Nidra. Some practitioners also encourage savasana as a resting pose for a minute or two between other asanas.
Savasana, known to stimulate the root chakra, energises the entire body while keeping it grounded. Performing savasana every day is good for your physical and mental health and boosts your emotional health, which helps in personal growth. So, savasana can help if you seek to improve your energy levels, productivity, increase your memory and focus. Moreover, it can also help patients with chronic stress, fatigue, headaches and sleeplessness. Incorporate the savasana in your regular yoga or workout routine and experience the changes it brings into your life.