For something that can at times, look a bit like sleeping, it’s normal to ask “what is savasana?”
Also called mrtsasana, corpse pose or “final rest”, savasana is about adopting a quiet curiousness about the bodies physiological sensations.
After a particularly sweaty vinyasa or emotionally invigorating morning flow, settling down into a more passive pose can feel effortless some days and challenging on others.
Although not a physically active pose, it’s natural to experience difficulty in savasana - especially coming to practice with a lot on your mind.
Common roadblocks to self-care
A typical roadblock to really enjoying restorative poses is the (untrue!) beliefs that
1) we don’t deserve this time out
2 ) the poses aren’t as important as they aren’t as active
It’s a reason why it’s easier to buy massages for others than for yourself.
It’s a cause of burnout for a lot of people. Not being able to give ourselves the compassion that we afford others. In yoga, savasana is the act of synthesising what has been learned in the yoga practice.
What happens in savasana
So again, what is savasana? Online teacher Taylor Harkness described it as the (part of class where) “we culminate into a self of buoyant, floating surrender”. A beautiful description, although perhaps a little abstract if you’re trying to understand the why of savasana.
Savasana is about giving your body time to synthesise everything you went over in your practice. It’s also about allowing the body to be aware of automatic functions (breathing, heartbeat).
Tips for enjoying savasana:
Try to mentally arrive at each point of your body, observe the situation non-judgmentally, then let it go.
Allow yourself to be guided by the yoga teacher, should they offer a guided savasana.
Utilise the props! A bolster under your knees or lavender wheat bag over your eyes can be just the things you need.
Resist the urge to begin assessing your practice. This isn’t the time for a post-practice evaluation. This right now is still your yoga practice, enjoy it.
Try to be mindful of scheduling things too close to either side of classes. Although easier said than done, crowding your day might leave your time at class feeling “stolen”.
-Lastly, try to greet this final pose as an old friend. If you come at it from a place of apprehension and fear that you’ll get it wrong, you’ll not likely have a relaxing time.
So what is savasana to you?
When you practice yoga, do you find it difficult to wind down when savasana arrives? Or do you welcome it like an old friend? Using the steps from above, you can find yourself enjoying your practice more fully.
Your practice doesn’t expect you to show up happy. It asks that you be present. It doesn’t mind if you are put together, or if you are a mess. You can arrive with a jumbled mind and a heavy heart. Your practice couldn’t care less if you can touch your toes or meditate for hours. It asks simply, that you show up.- UNKNOWN
Renee Shaw the creator of This Anxious Mum, a blog about self-improvement and positive mental health for mothers and women everywhere.