From the plethora of poses that are present in yoga’s kitty, there are a few poses that looks simple and easy on the exterior but when performed, emerge out to be harder than the hardest. In all the years of my learning of yoga, I have come across many such poses, which I thought were really simple to perform, but in reality it was completely the opposite and Savasana befalls under this category. I often read and hear people say, ‘Savasana is my favorite pose’. When asked why, they reply by saying ‘there is nothing to do in the pose. Just lie down and you are done’. But is the art of relaxation that easy? Well, I understand when such lines comes from a naïve practitioner, but the shocking part is, even the experts or advance yoga practitioners find Savasana as a ‘break’ or ‘rest’ pose. If you really go into the intricacies of yoga, none of the pose would look that simple.

I have struggled for a very long time in Savasana and used modifications for the same. Sounds weird? Modification for Savasana? Yes, there are modifications for this pose too with the use of props. And the complete pose only comes with deeper practice and inner work. The true benefits of corpse pose can be experienced with time, effort and practice. The fruits of patience in this case are sweeter than the rest.

The name

Let us first understand the meaning of the name and its implications. Every pose in yoga has a name, which is derived from the benefits or body parts involved or meaning of the pose. Savasana is no different. ‘Sav’ means corpse and ‘asana’ means pose, the corpse pose requires the practitioner to depict the characteristics of a dead corpse, hence there is no movement in the pose. Of course we understand that, but do we relate to it? No, we don’t. Does a corpse move to adjust itself? Does the corpse struggle with its back as it lies in the coffin or on the holy pyre? Can the corpse move its hands to ward off the mosquitoes or flies around? This pose demands complete surrender, unlike all the other poses. The soul of the pose is to relax in attention. It is okay to struggle initially in the pose, then lets opt for modification rather than going for the complete pose and struggling with it.

Meditation

The restful impact of the pose is like reaping the benefits of meditation. Only after immense focus and attention we can transcend into the meditative state. Same is the case with the corpse pose. One of the biggest obstacles while we perform the pose is, ridding the mind of the everyday clutter we fill it with. I always mention in my classes how yoga practice is like meditation, which is much deeper than the physical form. The art of Savasana goes into the deeper layers of the mind and prepares the practitioner towards Pratyahara or Meditation. As other poses demand physical attention, strength and dedication from us, this pose demands mental attention and involvement at the soul level. Since, the day I have started to perform the pose with a spiritual intellect, I find myself progressing towards the meditative state, in the lure of spirituality.

Maya – Cosmic Lure

A generic human tendency is to fill the mind with other’s ideologies and beliefs, which we witness everyday or receive as a legacy from our ancestors or cultures we are born in. These beliefs and ideologies works as a biggest hurdle in this or any other pose. With the will to excel, we copy our neighbor on the mat. Trying to do what she/he is doing or become like our teacher or someone else. All these desires, ego, beliefs are all a part of Maya. It is trap to keep us moving in the loop of good and bad, right and wrong and keep us judging rather than performing. Till the time we are trying to look at the other and perform the pose, we are always trying and not performing. When you perform the pose next time, try and do it alone in the comfort of your room. Free your mind of what your friend or fellow yogi does in the class or what the teacher/youtube video mentioned. Just be in the pose. Let the ego float away.

How to work with props?

Coming to how to perform the pose with props, you can keep a yoga blanket, cushion or bolster with you. Come and lie down on the mat and adjust your body. Starting with the shoulders, ensure that your shoulders are farthest from the ears. Rotate them once and they will be perfectly placed. This will automatically create an arch in the lower back. Our aim is to keep the lower back closest to the floor. Shift the hips further down to bring the lower back closest to the floor. Keep the feet 3 to 4 feet apart, hands by the side of the body, palms facing the ceiling. If this is not comfortable, you can bend your knees and perform the pose. The back gets relaxed in the pose. You can use a blanket too.

Roll the blanket and place it under your knees to support your back. You can place fold the blanket(s) underneath the lower back as well to reduce the gap between the floor and the back. You can place a stack of blankets or cushion or bolster underneath your head. Another way is, you can use a chair to rest the back of your calves on the chair or bed or couch. The entire upper body, in this case, will be on the mat, but the thighs are parallel to the wall, whereas calves are parallel to the floor (as they rest on the chair).

As you do this, feel your body is sinking in the floor and it is being sucked in the floor with all the tensions are leaving the body.

If you like what you read, perform the pose with the modifications and suggestions mentioned here and let us know in the comments what difference it added to your practice and overall well-being.