Sava means corpse in Sanskrit. The word sava though is derived from the verbal root Su, which means "to generate or to enliven".
As the visual poetry shows below, the cycle of life - from death comes life.
This poem found in Yoga Rahasya, vol 17, No 4, 2010 is by Arjun von Caemmerer. The word Savasana is meant to be a symmetrical cycle, with the letter O or number 0 in the centre to convey this cyclic nature of practice. It says that while we end practice with Savasana, it is equally a point of departure, a new beginning.
So, Savasana is the Corpse Pose or the Final Relaxation Pose. It is one of the hardest to perform as the physical body is meant to be as still as a corpse, yet the mind is kept passively active. It is not a state of sleep.
Most often this pose is done at the end of a yoga session, but it can also be done anytime the body, mind and nervous system needs to draw inward. When done properly the pose releases tension from the muscles and joints, the mind is quiet and the nerves relaxed. It has been described to me as a time when the intelligence from the asanas done can be incorporated into each cell of the body.
Light on Pranayama, by B.K.S. Iyengar gives very detailed instructions on coming into and out of the physical pose of savasana, and he also gives hints and tips on the internal aspects of the pose. It is definitely a worthwhile read.
He says there must be unity of the body, the breath, the mind and the intellect. The balance between these four brings stillness. To accomplish this the breath must be kept smooth, the ribs relaxed, with the breath touching the empty space of the nostrils.
The attempt is to achieve silence in all the five sheaths or kosas.
B.K.S. Iyengar's book, Light on Life, describes this cutting of tension, this relaxation as the loss of ones identity, which brings freedom, gives us the truth of who we are and who we are not. In a good savasana one feels present, yet formless, with a lack of specific identity. A few moments where one feels they are on a thin line of awareness, set only in the present moment, without movement or time.
In Mr.Iyengar's article, "Savasana: The Glimpses of the State between Jagratavastha and Turyavastha", he says often one will feel as though their skin and muscles are shrinking, drawing inward, while the bones feel like they are elongating. There is a pleasant feeling of heaviness in the body and a deep mental peace as the ego is surrendered. He states, "In forgetting oneself, one discovers oneself."
If your mind is not able to relax, if thoughts continue to race even though the body is still, this is not savasana. A fluctuation of the mind creates vibrations and hardness in the face and to the nerves. Try to keep the intelligence quiet. If this is difficult bring your awareness back to the breath. Keep the eyes downward so as not to disturb the brain. Just accept, acknowledge and let go of each thought, coming back to your breath, dropping the ego to the heart center.
So, it is o.k. if you sometimes fall asleep at the end of a yoga class..this is natural, but try not to skip your savasana as it is an important pose, and as B.K.S. Iyengar writes in Light on Pranayama, "it is the most refreshing and rewarding."
Namaste.
Pamela Nelson - Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor
http://www.plnyoga.blogspot.com
plnyogastudio@gmail.com
As the visual poetry shows below, the cycle of life - from death comes life.
This poem found in Yoga Rahasya, vol 17, No 4, 2010 is by Arjun von Caemmerer. The word Savasana is meant to be a symmetrical cycle, with the letter O or number 0 in the centre to convey this cyclic nature of practice. It says that while we end practice with Savasana, it is equally a point of departure, a new beginning.
V
A A
S O S
A A
N
So, Savasana is the Corpse Pose or the Final Relaxation Pose. It is one of the hardest to perform as the physical body is meant to be as still as a corpse, yet the mind is kept passively active. It is not a state of sleep.
Most often this pose is done at the end of a yoga session, but it can also be done anytime the body, mind and nervous system needs to draw inward. When done properly the pose releases tension from the muscles and joints, the mind is quiet and the nerves relaxed. It has been described to me as a time when the intelligence from the asanas done can be incorporated into each cell of the body.
Light on Pranayama, by B.K.S. Iyengar gives very detailed instructions on coming into and out of the physical pose of savasana, and he also gives hints and tips on the internal aspects of the pose. It is definitely a worthwhile read.
He says there must be unity of the body, the breath, the mind and the intellect. The balance between these four brings stillness. To accomplish this the breath must be kept smooth, the ribs relaxed, with the breath touching the empty space of the nostrils.
The attempt is to achieve silence in all the five sheaths or kosas.
B.K.S. Iyengar's book, Light on Life, describes this cutting of tension, this relaxation as the loss of ones identity, which brings freedom, gives us the truth of who we are and who we are not. In a good savasana one feels present, yet formless, with a lack of specific identity. A few moments where one feels they are on a thin line of awareness, set only in the present moment, without movement or time.
In Mr.Iyengar's article, "Savasana: The Glimpses of the State between Jagratavastha and Turyavastha", he says often one will feel as though their skin and muscles are shrinking, drawing inward, while the bones feel like they are elongating. There is a pleasant feeling of heaviness in the body and a deep mental peace as the ego is surrendered. He states, "In forgetting oneself, one discovers oneself."
If your mind is not able to relax, if thoughts continue to race even though the body is still, this is not savasana. A fluctuation of the mind creates vibrations and hardness in the face and to the nerves. Try to keep the intelligence quiet. If this is difficult bring your awareness back to the breath. Keep the eyes downward so as not to disturb the brain. Just accept, acknowledge and let go of each thought, coming back to your breath, dropping the ego to the heart center.
So, it is o.k. if you sometimes fall asleep at the end of a yoga class..this is natural, but try not to skip your savasana as it is an important pose, and as B.K.S. Iyengar writes in Light on Pranayama, "it is the most refreshing and rewarding."
Namaste.
http://www.plnyoga.blogspot.com
plnyogastudio@gmail.com
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