Sacred Savasana: The Benefits of Savasana
There is something sacred about savasana. It is not just self care, but sacred self care. Have you ever gone to a yoga class and thought to yourself half way through the sun salutations, “I can’t wait for savasana.” Savasana is such an attractive pose for almost anyone who practices yoga— but why is that so? The benefits of savasana on the mind, when practiced regularly, can be life changing. One of my teachers says that savasana is one of the easiest poses to do but one of the hardest to master. Savasana is meant to still the mind yet bring awareness to the temporality of our physical bodies through focusing on the natural rhythm of the breath to go inward. Through the stillness of the body and mind we are able to connect to our true selves and therefore we feel refreshed and rejuvenated when we come of out it. It’s as if we are washing our inner selves clean of the material energies so that our true self is no longer hidden. When we feel more connected to our true selves we feel at peace. This inner peace can then flow and ripple out to those in our lives and ultimately those around the world.
Living in New York City I see many people who are living fast-paced lifestyles without much self-awareness or self-reflection. These people then come to a yoga class and say, “I just come for the savasana.” Of course they do! In our busy, goal oriented culture many of us hardly ever have time to still our bodies or our minds except for during sleep. Sleep is a very different body-mind process than savasana. According to Leslie Kaminoff in Yoga Anatomy, “the body is completely at rest and its metabolism is freed of the demands of contending with gravity” in savasana. The fight-or-flight signals turn off and the parasympathetic nervous system turns on, allowing for the body to be at rest.
Unlike sleep, the body is at rest in savasana so that the mind can become fully aware of the natural rhythm of the breath. Through focusing on the breath and going inward we learn to let go of our controlling mindsets and just be for a few minutes. We get to connect to our true selves as we go inward and we practice letting go of our strong identifications with our bodies. In a way, we surrender to the fact that indeed our physical and mental bodies are here for only a temporary time.
Another benefit is that you get to take up space in savasana as you lie flat on your back with your arms away from your body, palms turned up and your feet as wide as the mat, flopping open. This position can sometimes create feelings of vulnerability. However vulnerability is often the seed that allows for personal growth, openness, and feelings of connectedness to others. I find savasana to be an empowering, almost rebellious act to practice in our culture that says being thin and taking up less space is more beautiful. It is a soft, gentle pose that allows for powerful meditations on the true self and breaking the identification with just this body.
How to get the benefits of savasana:
Lie flat on your back, arms away from the body palms facing upward, releasing the muscles in the fingers
Allow the feet to be as wide as your mat, flopping open
Part the lips slightly, bringing the tongue right behind the front teeth to release the jaw
Release the space between the eyebrows
Keep the eyes closed, or a soft gentle gaze up
Allow the body to feel melted into and supported by the earth, bringing stillness in the body and the straight spine
Breathing (from Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati):
Begin to focus on the natural, relaxed breath
Count the breaths backwards from 27 to 0
Mentally repeat, “I am breathing in 27, I am breathing out 27. I am breathing in 26, I am breathing out 26,” continuing down to 0.
If the next number is forgotten, bring it back to start at 27.
How long should one practice savasana? According to Swami Satyananda Saraswati in Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha, the longer one can practice savasana the more benefits they will accrue. However if time is limited even a few minutes will bring benefits.
A friendly reminder: if your mind wanders off or if you feel scattered simply bring your awareness back to the breath. Honor those thoughts or feelings that do arise in savasana and observe them. See what comes up for you. Often what comes up for us in savasana is what we have been prioritizing in our lives lately. Come to the savasana pose as its own practice, its own journey each time you are on the mat. Some days may be easier to calm the mind than others and that is part of the process. Thank yourself for showing up on your mat, in your body, and in your mind and for taking the time to go inward to connect to your true self beyond the material matter. Every small amount of effort toward a peaceful mind/body connection creates a ripple effect in your life but also in the lives of those around you. Savasana is sacred self care that blossoms into inner peace that shines outward to benefit others.
How have you felt before, during, and after savasana in the past? How do you overcome the chatter of the mind during savasana? Are there any particular meditations you use during your savasana practice? Let’s connect -- I’d love to hear your experience and/or challenges with savasana in the comments below.
Hari Om!
Photo credit: Amy Treasure