How to carry out savasana. The relaxation yoga pose.

HOW TO CARRY OUT SAVASANA

The final part of a yoga lesson is usually relaxation also known as Savasana.

Savasana or Shavasana is precisely the yoga position of final relaxation. In sanskrit, shava means “corpse” and asana “position”, for which shavanasa is translated literally in “the corpse pose” or “the dead position”.

This asana is usually practiced at the end of any session of yoga and serves to deeply Relax both body and mind .

Savasana also has the purpose to “crystallize” and stabilize all the benefits obtained during the practice, which can therefore be assimilated more easily and arrive in depth. Savasana seems easy but the reality is that not all of us are able to relax at the end of a lesson.

This position serves to connect us in a new way, deeper, with what is around us, completely relaxing our body and mind.

Before seeing how to carry out Savasana we must understand what are the levels of relaxation, there are 3.

HOW TO RELAX AND THE LEVELS OF RELAXATION

There are 3 levels of relaxation:

Physical relaxation: is a progressive method that provides a muscle relaxation from the tip of the foot up to the head and the auto-suggestion to let go of the tension of all the internal organs.
Mental relaxation: there is a decrease in the process of creating thoughts, the mind is brought into a state of complete calmness.
Total relaxation: it is the most difficult, to surrender to a total relaxation that is an actual spiritual relaxation; in this the practitioner should reach an inner space where there are no thoughts or identifications with physical and mental structures. The yogi becomes aware only of his innerself, pacific, powerful and joyful.

HOW TO CARRY OUT SAVASANA

Let us see how to carry out Savasana or Shavasana:
– Lie down on the mat with your belly facing up, straighten your legs and straighten your arms along your sides with the palms of your hands facing upwards. If you have back problems place a cushion under your knees, to reduce the arching (if you are pregnant, beyond the third month, you can relax on your side).

– Your chin must be at the same level or slightly lower than your forehead; to correct any problems of positioning, you can use a cushion or a folded blanket to slightly raise your head.

– Once you have found the right position try to remain absolutely immobile, since every movement could interfere with the deep relaxation.

– Close your eyes and at this point imagine that your body is becoming full of light, totally transparent. You can imagine that the surface underneath you is so soft allowing all your body to sink in.

– Now bring your attention to your body and, from the bottom upwards (from your toes up to the top of your head), relax it completely. At the beginning it is not easy but slowly you will realise that every part of the body will be relaxed.

– Relax completely your shoulders and jaw, in such a way as to separate teeth, and tongue. Allow your tongue to flatten itself so as to form a space between the palate and the bottom of your mouth.

– Stay in shavasana from 5 to 15 minutes .

– It is very important that while you relax in the position, you follow the rhythm of your breath. Do not control it, but note how, when you learn to let yourself go your breath becomes lighter.

Also exiting from this position is crucial. We must not stand up at once because if we took 15 minutes to persuade our nervous system to enter into a state of relaxation, standing up suddenly can produce a release of adrenaline, which will leave us very less relaxed.

Bring your knees towards your chest and then roll on the right side. Rest for another minute on your side and when you’re ready, put yourself slowly into a sitting position using your arm muscles without forcing your back; raise your head last.

For beginners is not easy but what we can tell you is: