Savasana - The Corpse Pose

"Sava" means "dead body" in Sanskrit. To practice this asana, one should lie motionless on the floor like as dead body in order to secure complete relaxation of all parts of his body and remove tensions, both physical and mental.

Sequence:

1. Select a quiet and well-ventilated place.
2. Spread your carpet on a firm and flat surface.
3. Wear only minimum clothing.
4. Lie flat on your back at full length.
5. Rest your head in a comfortable position with the face turned upwards.
6. Stretch out your legs at full length.
7. Legs should be kept sufficiently apart.
8. Keep the knees slightly flexed.
9. Extend the arms fully and rest them lightly on their respective sides with the hands about a foot away from the thighs.
10. Palms should be turned upwards and fingers slightly curled.
11. Allow your mouth to fall open slightly.
12. Drop your chin and let your lower jaw sag a little.
13. Allow your teeth to part a little.
14. Close your eyes gently.
15. Breathe naturally through the nose and do not attempt to regulate your breathing.
16. Lie perfectly still like a corpse and persuade all your muscles to relax completely.
17. Relax your mind by freeing it from immediate cares, conflicts, worries and fears.
18. As you relax, allow your mind to run over every part and organ of your body from head to toe. Get a picture of each part in your mind and 'let go' without any conscious effort.
19. If there are any parts of your body that still feel taut, relax them by releasing the muscles.
20. Be aware of only your breath and follow its rhythm until you lose consciousness of your body.
21. As you regain consciousness of the body, take a few deep breaths.
22. Join your legs slowly and bring back your arms to their respective sides.
23. Open your eyes gently.
24. Stretch your limbs and get up slowly to the sitting position and then to the standing position.


Caution:

* Do not practice under glaring light.
* Always relax on a firm and flat surface.
* Do not yawn at any stage of the practice.
* Do not keep your hands under your head or on your chest.



Benefits:

* Savasana, rightly practiced, pacifies the body and quietens the mind by discharging muscular, nervous, mental and emotional tensions almost immediately.
* Persons who are tense by temperament and who find it hard to relax may do it whenever they are restless or agitated and they will gain stability and balance besides feeling more rested.
* The debilitating effects of anxiety, frustration, fear, insecurity and restlessness, both physical and mental, are minimized.
* Fits of depression and emotional conflicts which are the consequences of stress will be eliminated gradually and inner peace regained quickly.
* The restful repose of Savasana imparts new vigor to the body and mind simultaneously. The whole body gets conditioned and the physical and mental capacity is considerably increased.
* Rest and calmness and the sense of well-being by Savasana repair the overworked parts of your body and they start working again more vigorously as they are recharged with energy. Your reserves of energy make good the losses resulting from the stresses of everyday life. Efficiency in work improves.
* A regular practice of this asana will enable you to strike a balance between rest and work.
* Conscious relaxation in this posture between spells of work in office or at home will counteract fatigue and refresh the tired limbs quickly and completely. It gives the maximum renewed strength in the minimum time.
* Relaxation in Savasana when you are mentally fatigued after prolonged work will improve concentration.
* Savasana enables you to overcome fatigue in a few minutes. After playing strenuous games, doing intense physical exertion, or long-distance walking, you may do this asana till your breathing resumes its normal rhythm and your heart regains its normal beat. This will eliminate fatigue and you will feel refreshed since the exercised and overtaxed parts and muscles of the body are given adequate rest and thorough relaxation.
* It is imperative that this asana is done both at the beginning and at the end of every yoga session: it should also be interspersed with other exercises to get the best benefit. If it is practiced for a brief period between any two strenuous asanas or a group of asanas, it will work off the pent up tension in the muscles and revitalize the limbs. You may also round off a session of yogic exercises by relaxing in this asana for about ten minutes to cool down the body.
* Persons who are tired after a sleepless night will feel refreshed if they do this asana for a few minutes at frequent intervals during the day. They will sleep well at night as deep relaxation helps to promote sounder sleep.
* A few minutes of psychosomatic relaxation in this asana is more beneficial for the body and mind than many hours of restless sleep.
* If Savasana is practiced for longer spells during the day at frequent and regular intervals, the hours of sleep during the night could be reduced. The need for daytime dozing will also decrease.
* By practicing this asana, any difficulty in going off to sleep can be overcome and the need for sedatives can be gradually reduced and finally eliminated as this asana is a natural tranquillizer.
* Savasana provides relief form various aches and pains.
* It gives relief during giddiness, nervousness and irritability.
* It alleviates headache, angina pectoris and dyspepsia.
* Relaxation in Savasana tames the mind and makes it calm and alert.
* It helps withdraw senses from their objects and makes concentration and meditation easy.