After 55 minutes of sweating and sighing, Savasana seems like holy grail. But, it’s ironic, that while practicing Naukasana or Bakasana. All our focus is on holding the asana and taking deep breaths. While, in Savasana after the first few breaths, the mind tends to wander or sleep.

Significance of Savasana

Savasana is not a napping pose. It is a practice of gradually relaxing one body part at a time. Thus, conditioning the body to release stress and exertion. While improving one’s sense of physical and emotional well-being.

We practice Savasana at the end of a class. Because, after asana pranayam practice, our prana levels expands. And to center the energy Savasana is important. Or else, our energy gets scattered in things we do; while loosing our focus.

The Challenge of Savasana

The Challenge of corpse pose is that either the mind tends to wander, worry or sleep.  Whereas, savasana helps in training the mind; to observe and be aware of the stillness inherent in each and every moment. Thus, finding stillness, silence and awareness is the challenge of Savasana. 

Learning how to do nothing is a skill; that can help, one become more productive when they need to be.

The next challenge is, that as soon as the practitioner becomes still and silent. Thoughts from the subconscious mind come to the surface. The best way to handle them, is to be an observer. Without getting engaged into them.

Finally, some people in the name of awareness, focus too hard. Thus, the muscles become tense and there is no room for relaxation. Mindfulness is not equivalent to intense focus that may create tension in the body or mind. Mindfulness happens best when there is peace and stillness.

Besides, when we create space through mindful movement and stillness practice. We are able to view our thought patterns more objectively and create new paths in our minds.

Mindfulness is a necessity of Savasana. Which puts the practitioner in touch with their body and spirit beyond the imagination. Practicing Savasana is as important as sirsasana or mayurasana. As repeated practice builds new pathways in the brain.

A regular practice of Savasana trains in the art of relaxation. Which is an essential quality for meditation and a true experience of yoga. 

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