How can laying still virtually doing nothing be the hardest pose in yoga, and perhaps the most important? Savasana is also known as corpse pose, or dead body pose, and although it sounds morbid, it is actually a posture that provides so many benefits, both inside and outside of class. In the pose, you lay flat on your back chin slightly down to flatten the neck a bit, heels touching feet falling open to keep hips in alignment, and palms up. Stay there for a couple of minutes without moving, with your eyes open fully aware of your breath and practicing letting go of any distractions. For some, and many new yogis, this is the most difficult thing to do, not moving, not scratching, wiping sweat away, readjusting, whatever it is that keeps our mind running and causing a reaction.
This pose calms the body, allowing it to soak in all the hard work that was completed in the first part of class. It slows the heart rate down and gets you prepared for the second part of class. It also works to calm the mind even after class has ended and in a prolonged way if practiced often. During this posture, you are not just laying there doing nothing, you are training your mind to stay in the moment, focus, draw the mind way from distractions, and back to the breath. By practicing this pose in the studio, you may notice you become less reactive outside of the studio. There’s a change in how you handle stress and unfavorable moments because you have been practicing letting go of the distractions, disturbing nuances, or whatever it may be that comes our way in life daily. Make a point to improve your Savasana, your mind and body will thank you.