A Guide to Final Relaxation in Yoga
Although it looks delightfully easy, Savasana, or the Corpse Pose, is one of the most difficult asanas to perform because final relaxation in yoga is not so much a pose as a journey. It facilitates an ongoing process of loosening the body, mind and spirit into its natural state of relaxation. In addition, it symbolizes the philosophy of letting go instead of holding on to things that do not serve peace of mind and wellbeing.
The Importance of Savasana
What goes on in the mind is what will manifest in the body. Positive, loving thoughts and emotions create a healthy and energetic body; whereas thoughts of worry and stress cause disease, sickness and ailments. Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese researcher, validated that a person’s emotional energy and vibrations can actually modify the physical structure of water. If the human body is composed primarily of water, then the healing effect of a positive mind on the body is limitless, not to mention miraculous.
Stress manifests in the body in different ways. Some people may hunch their shoulders or constrict their necks; some may inadvertently clench their jaws; and yet others may carry stress in their forehead or between the eyebrows. Yoga, particularly the practice of Savasana, brings awareness to where these areas of tension are and teaches the body to consciously let them go. With regular practice, the mind subconsciously enhances this control to also include complete relaxation of the body’s systems, internal organs and involuntary muscles.
The Benefits of Savasana
It is said that just a few minutes of deep and complete relaxation is more restful and healing than a full night’s sleep. Proper practice of Savasana supports the relaxation of three essential realms of being: physical, mental and spiritual.
- Physical: releases both conscious and subconscious tension in the body
- Mental: eradicates the mind of negative thoughts and vibrations
- Spiritual: detaches the yoga practitioner from the confines of her/his/their own ego
Reducing stress and relieving physical tension are its principal benefits. But this pose also preserves the body’s energy, promotes deeper sleep, increases mental clarity and instills a state of calmness and peace that lasts through the ups and downs of day-to-day life.
Moreover, it encourages the breathing and the pulse rate to slow down. As a result, there are fewer breaths to take and fewer pumps for the heart to beat. If each person has only a certain number of breaths and heartbeats in a lifetime, this logic concludes that the regular and consistent practice of Savasana actually prolongs life!
How to Practice Final Relaxation
Savasana is practiced several times within a basic session of Sivananda Yoga, but most profoundly at the end. During final relaxation, the body’s muscles have already been stretched and strengthened and are more receptive to welcome and absorb the benefits of complete relaxation.
Some people find incredible worth in using music during Savasana as it easily settles the body and mind into a place of stillness and heightens the state of consciousness. Others may wish to practice in complete silence as it allows the thoughts to be heard loud and clear. Both methods have their advantages and either one can be used depending on the practitioner.
- Begin by lying down on the back with the feet mat-width apart and the arms comfortably at the sides of the body.
- Be sure to position the body into perfect symmetry. A symmetrical position makes optimal use of the body’s space and creates a proper balance between the right and left energies.
- Gently rotate the legs in and out a few times before letting them fall outward to the sides while keeping them symmetrical. Do the same with the arms. Allow the feet to fall open and keep the palms facing upwards.
- Turn the head slowly from left to right a few times before letting it finally settle at the centre.
- Lengthen the body from the heels to the crown of the head. Keep the shoulder blades down and ensure that the back is wide and flat on the mat. The nape of the neck should be long and plenty of space should be allowed around the ears and neck.
- Bring the focus onto deep, steady and rhythmic abdominal breathing.
At this point, it is essential to consciously relax the body. But in order to know and appreciate what relaxation feels like, it’s necessary to know what its opposite feels like. Hence the next process of first tensing, then relaxing each part of the body.
- Start with the feet and legs. Lift the right foot an inch off the floor, flex and tense the entire leg, hold, then let it drop completely. Do the same with the left leg.
- Move to the right arm. Lift the hand an inch off the floor, make a tight fist, tense the arm, hold, then let it drop completely. Do the same with the left arm.
- Clench the hips and buttocks and lift it about an inch. Hold, then release and relax.
- Tighten and lift the back and chest. Hold, then release and relax.
- Lift and hunch the shoulders up around the neck. Hold, then release and relax. Pull each arm down and away from the ears to lengthen and allow more space around the neck.
- Tuck in the chin, tense the jaw and muscles of the face, make a frown, and pull the eyebrows together. Hold, then release and relax.
After this process, make any adjustments needed to keep the body as long and symmetrical as possible. Then begin with mental repetitions of relaxing each part of the body, particularly those problem areas. Start with the toes and continue all the way up to the crown of the head:
“I relax my toes. I relax my toes. My toes are relaxed.
I relax my feet. I relax my feet. My feet are relaxed…”
Never become impatient, disappointed or angry when part of the body subconsciously tenses up or when the mind starts to wander elsewhere. This is normal and some days it may happen more often than others. Respond by patiently bringing the mind back to the present moment and continue to scan the body while practicing deep abdominal breathing.
Eventually, relaxation allows gravity to do its work, inciting a pleasant sensation of lightness, expansion, and blissfully melting into the earth. Each inhalation should feel like the entire body is being nourished with fresh oxygen; each exhalation should allow the tension to melt away.
- Spend at least ten minutes in Savasana.
- Gently bring life back into the fingers and toes with slow movements.
- Roll over onto the right side to keep the heart free of pressure and the body’s energy calm.
- Pause, then take as much time as needed to gradually sit up, give thanks for the practice and end the session.
Remember to preserve a sense of Savasana throughout the day and throughout life. You’ll find that the physical, mental and spiritual state achieved during this invaluable yoga pose not only bestows gifts of abundant energy, healing and good health, but also becomes a sanctuary of peace, serenity and repose that is always there when needed.
Very interesting… I’ve never heard of this before, as I haven’t yet tried to get into yoga.
But as a busy Mom of two, I’m always interested in learning ways to feel refreshed and relaxed – my sleep is often interrupted. You wrote “It is said that just a few minutes of deep and complete relaxation is more restful and healing than a full night’s sleep”… do you think this is true?
Absolutely. Stress indeed exists very potently at a subconscious level. It may be surprising to know that people who carry tension in the body, mind or spirit can still get a full eight hours of sleep without relaxing at all. So it’s very important to pay attention to all realms of the being, not just physical.
I have done Yoga before and skipped over this part at the end of the session because I thought it was unnecessary. I did not understand the importance of this. I guess I only appreciated the physical aspect of Yoga but neglected the spiritual and mental aspects. I definitely will not skip this part of my next Yoga workout and appreciate it. Thanks for this article!
You’re welcome Lindsey! And happy practising!
I always used to skip Savasana because I always thought it was just a waste of time. I found though, that my practice never felt quite complete and I would feel “off” for the rest of the day. This is back when i practiced yoga at home, but when I finally went to a class and was almost forced to complete the savasana, I was so relaxed and could actually concentrate on relaxing my mind and muscles after such an intense workout.
This article is great, I think it is so important to emphasize capping off your practice and understanding why you decided to do yoga that day. It helps you relax, and feel your body and mind connect.
Thank you!
I couldn’t agree more, Brittanie. Thanks!
This was very helpful article to read. I am just getting back into doing Yoga, and I did not focus much on the final relaxation process. Now I have a whole new set of information to take into account!
Thanks for this. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Darcy!
Thank you for a great write up on Savasana. I practice karate, and each session we perform Makso where we do a brief meditation. I believe some of the points you illustrate here could be applied to my training. We all need to take the time to meditate!
I look forward to reading more of your articles.
Glad you found this useful to your own practice of martial arts, Tim. Happy practising!
This could be very useful in reducing stress! I can totally see how this could prolong one’s life, it just makes sense to me. I like your detailed instructions on this pose and i’ll have to give it a try
Let me know how it goes Dan!
I love Savasana! It is my favorite pose. I always wait for this great relaxation time after yoga exercising and stretching. I noticed that the more intensively I practice the more I enjoy the Savasana at the end. It’s like the tired muscles can finally relax and my whole body can melt away the stress and relax fully.
Exactly! Glad you’re getting the most out of your practice!
Thanks for putting this together Andrea! I want to incorporate more practices like this in my day. How much time do you recommend putting aside to get the benefits of this practice?
It’s all about quality, not quantity. Five minutes of dedicated deep relaxation is more effective than an hour of distracted attempts!
Start out small and eventually you’ll find that instead of timing your practice, you’ll naturally and subconsciously engage in it for just as long as your body and mind needs.