Life in today’s day and age is quite hectic, to speak modestly of it. It is also probably safe to say that it can cause all kinds of difficulties and troubles for the human body if it is not taken care of. Sometimes, all you need is some time to refocus, calibrate, and recenter yourself to take life head-on and feel more alive while doing so. Thankfully, there is a very simple yoga position for that, which is quite ironically known as the Corpse pose or the Savasana.
Let's embark on a journey into the depths of this elegant posture, exploring the benefits of Savasana, unraveling a step-by-step guide on how to perform the Corpse Pose, delving into the anatomy of Savasana, addressing important considerations regarding when to practice the Corpse Pose, and finally, addressing common questions and doubts about Savasana that may arise along the yogic journey.
Savasana also known as Corpse pose is perhaps the simplest Yoga pose that one can do. This Yoga asana requires the student to lie down on their back with their limbs comfortably stretched out, allowing for their eventual cooldown. Interestingly, the corpse pose is also known as the final resting pose as it is usually done at the end of a Yoga session, much like how the corpse is the final resting state for any living being at the end of their life.
The main agenda of performing Savasana also known as Corpse pose is allowing the body to relax and cool down, but to say that it is the only objective would be a great disservice. We will learn about the several benefits of the Corpse pose in the following section.
There are a host of benefits that one can claim if he/she practises Savasana also known as Corpse pose. They are as follows:
Savasana Can Help You Unwind And Relax: Savasana is aptly known as a resting pose because it puts the body in a relaxing state. Loosening your muscles and limbs allows for the tension to leave the body, making you a much calmer individual.
Savasana Can Also Help You With Insomnia: The corpse pose essentially forces you to relax your body and focus on your deep breathing, which brings more oxygen to the brain, thereby reducing stress and anxiety to an extent and consequently helping those who are having sleepless nights because of it.
Savasana Can Also Help You Meditate: At its heart, as much as Savasana is about relaxation and restoration, it is also about helping you be able to collect your thoughts, clear the clutter in your mind, and make you a more self-aware person overall. One of the parts of this position requires you to refocus your mind on your own body and take stock of the status of all of your limbs. This task will put you in a meditative state if done for long enough, hence this pose is very beneficial for your overall mental wellbeing.
Savasana Can Aid Your Memory: One of the main parts of the Savasana is deep breathing, a task that improves the flow of oxygen in your brain, which helps it perform several cognitive tasks more effectively and efficiently, such as recollection from memory.
Savasana Can Help You Correct Bad Posture: Since you are required to lie down on your back and let it rest while doing the Savasana, gravity begins to slowly and steadily rectify issues related to a curved back, which is a by-product of sitting in a slouching position for hours at length, presumably on a desk and in front of your computer.
Savasana also known as Corpse pose is a very easy Yoga position, implying that executing it is practically a piece of case. A step-by-step guide for performing the Savasana with proper technique can be found below.
Savasana Step 1: Lie down on your back and across the length of your mat with your knees bent.
Savasana Step 2: Gently extend your knees and make them straight. Make sure that at the end of the motion, your toes are facing the ceiling. Make sure that there is a distance of about 2 feet between your feet. Additionally, ensure that you are not tilting your head in any direction.
Savasana Step 3: Extend your arms just like how you have done the same for your legs and make sure that your palms are facing the ceiling.
Savasana Step 4: Broaden your hips and shoulders gently.
Savasana Step 5: Let your throat, lips, cheeks, throat, and neck loose.
Savasana Step 6: Let your eyes relax.
Savasana Step 7: Stay in this pose for about 5 minutes. Make sure that you are focusing on each body part starting from the tip of your feet to the crown of your head.
Savasana Step 8: Exhale deeply and then slowly and readily exit the pose by turning onto one of the sides to complete one repetition.
Savasana does not require a great degree of flexibility, stamina, or strength, hence you practically can do it whenever you want to in isolation. However, if you are doing the Savasana as a part of a Yoga routine, we would recommend you do it at the very end of your session. In the case of the latter, since you will be doing a full-fledged Yoga workout, ensure that you have maintained an empty bladder and stomach for anywhere between 4-6 hours for optimal results.
If you have injured any of the following body parts, you must certainly avoid the Savasana:
Additionally, if you are prone to acidity attacks, you must stay clear of this pose since this position upsets the digestive system if it is susceptible to acidity.
Savasana also known as Corpse pose is a pose where you are required to fully relax without putting pressure on any of the muscles, as giving a workout to any body part is not the intention of this Asana. However, when you begin to do this pose, you will contract your glutes and hamstrings to an extent while bending the knees, but it practically stops there.
Why Is It Called Savasana?
Savasana is a Sanskrit term that translates to “Corpse Pose”. “Sava” means corpse and “Asana” means pose. The reason why the pose is named as such is because the student looks like a corpse while doing this Asana.
What Are The Techniques Of Savasana?
Some of the alternate variations of the Savasana are as follows:
Savasana With Bolster Under Your Knees: In this variation, the student keeps a handful of pillows underneath their knees in case they have knee issues, and extending them straight during the pose can cause them discomfort.
Savasana With Feet On Chair: This variation is usually done by pregnant Yogis to avoid any kind of pressure on their stomach while performing the Savasana during their term.
Savasana With Bent Knees: In this variation, you leave your knees bent instead of extending them as per the standard process. This variation is done by those who want to work their hamstrings and glutes to an extent.
Side Lying Savasana: In this variation, the student lies down on the side as some people are more comfortable in that position than lying on their back and this position is majorly about relaxing the body.
How Can One Get Better At Savasana?
One can get better at Savasana by trying out new variations with time and figuring out what iteration they are most comfortable in. In addition, one can also work on their mindfulness while doing the pose if in case the Yogi tends to get distracted easily.