Savasana
The Corpse Pose
Benefits:
> Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression.
> Relaxes the body.
> Reduces headache, fatigue, and insomnia.
> Helps to lower blood pressure.
Cautions:
> Back injury or discomfort: Do this pose with your knees bent and your feet on the floor; either bind the thighs parallel to each other with a strap (taking care not to position the heels too close to the buttocks) or support the bent knees on a pillow.
> Pregnancy: Raise your head and chest on a pillow.
Technic:
This is one of the most important asanas in Hatha Yoga. It involves total relaxation while lying on the ground. The challenging part of this pose is that it is not easy to lie still.
> Lie comfortably on your back on the floor, and separate your legs so your feet are two to three feet apart. Let your toes fall out to the sides and close your eyes.
> Separate your arms so that each hand is two to three feet from your body, with each palm facing up. Roll your head from side to side, releasing the tension in your neck.
> Starting from your toes and ending at the top of your head, concentrate and relax all muscles in your body. Repeat your body scan until your body is completely relaxed.
> In addition to quieting the physical body in Savasana, it's also necessary to pacify the sense organs. Soften the root of the tongue, the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, and the skin of the forehead, especially around the bridge of the nose between the eyebrows. Let the eyes sink to the back of the head.
> Now bring your attention to your breath, just listen to it, do not try to control it. Every time you feel loosing concentration or falling sleep, increase the speed of breathing.
> Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice. To exit, start moving very slowly your fingers and toes, your hands and feet, your arms and legs, your head. Take 2 or 3 deep breaths and finally, stretch out your whole body to charge it with new energy. Stand up.