Forgive me for the following cliché: we are human beings, not human doings. And yet, how often do we forget that in our busy days of checking items off our to-do lists? How many times do we attack ourselves because we haven’t “done enough with our lives”? Tuning into social media, finding the latest and greatest restaurant, simply running errands – our days are filled with comparisons, special events, new workouts, the latest fashions…… writing this list is almost as exhausting as living it.
It’s kind of refreshing to investigate ancient wisdom and find out that this isn’t an exclusively modern problem. Yogic philosophy often pushes back against the culture of busy-ism, reminding us to slow down and breathe. In fact, we end every yoga practice with a reminder to do this on a regular basis. I’m of course talking about Savasana.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the simplest pose of all is also the most difficult. Even the name is uncomfortable: we know this pose in English as “Corpse Pose” (ugh!), or as “Final Resting Pose,” a euphemism that makes the idea slightly easier to digest. Many people leave yoga class early rather than take the time for Savasana. All we’re doing, after all, is lying there. What’s the big deal?
Well, here’s one reason why Savasana is important: as a memento mori, a reminder of our mortality, it forces us to consider how we want to live out the rest of our numbered days. Do we really want to keep moving, avoid the uncomfortable, and then disappear? Or do we want to live with purpose, intention, and integrity? As a yoga practitioner, I assume the latter. The question, of course, is always: how?
Yoga classes are structured for a purpose: we warm up, move our bodies, and then give them time to rest and regenerate. It’s a formation akin to the seasons of the year, or the life cycle itself. It’s also a reminder that, as human beings, we have a choice: we can step back from what we’re doing, look at it from a different standpoint, and then decide if we want to keep going or make any changes along the way. That sounds so important, doesn’t it? Yet we resist it with all our might.
Think about the position we take in Savasana: it’s a supine form of Tadasana, or Mountain Pose. When we stand, we both root down and aim up, connecting our bodies with the earth and the heavens. In effect, we take our place in the universe. When we take this pose in supine form, we do the same, but from a different perspective. Savasana is the yin to Tadasana’s yang, and in doing both we encourage balance to our lives.
Rather than simply flop onto the mat, why not make a small ceremony of getting as comfortable as possible? I love to use an eye pillow for both the soothing weight and the help with pratyahara, or sense withdrawal. Arranging the mask over my orbs give me permission to let go and lie back. My husband puts a bolster under his knees. You may have a different ritual, but make it count!
Once in Savasana, it’s important to remember that we’re not either awake or asleep, but actually at the door to meditation. In anatomical terms, we’re allowing our bodies to rest but also slowing down our brain waves; in philosophical terms, we’re withdrawing from the physical world and spending time in liminal space. Savasana is a gateway to the sacred, one that we get to experience every time we practice yoga.
The original purpose of asana was to get our bodies comfortable for seated meditation. I sometimes “cheat” here by meditating while in Savasana rather than allowing my mind to drift. It’s a nice place to repeat my mantra silently; it’s also a time to check in with my breath. If I’m in a class where the teacher uses Savasana as a precursor to Yoga Nidra, I’m focused on following the instructions there. I think any of these are appropriate ways to heal the mind while in the pose.
Please don’t either skip or skip through Savasana. Take the time to savor the experience both physically and mentally. Give the pose its own ceremony and take it seriously. Note the relationship of the shape to both Tadasana – the pose of the living – and to the form our bodies will take when our spirits leave. Allow the pose to horrify, humble, and inspire you; this mixture is a form of awe. On so many levels, Savasana is essential.
Yoga Cielo Stellato 