Sue Ransom Yoga

If yoga postures were days, savasana (relaxation pose) would be an old fashioned Sunday. The kind where all the shops shut and there was a break from daily routines. Permission to rest.

Savasana’s a beautiful transition from your daily activities into yoga practice; a chance to let go. It’s the foundation for all the supine poses. A few moments here between other postures allows you time to absorb physiological and mental changes. It’s a posture to linger in to conclude practice, and can be combined with guided visualisations, tensing and releasing the body, a focus on relaxing music…In savasana you simply lie flat. What’s there to think about?

In this symmetrical pose, body and limbs turn upwards. The primary curves of the back of the body rest on the earth creating the lowest centre of gravity possible. This means the postural muscles can relax because there’s nowhere to fall. You’re lying down and it’s easy to assume this equates with being instantly relaxed, but not necessarily. You may notice that, as you lie in savasana, if you’re able to surrender to the earth and let it support your weight, there’s a gradual softening as the muscles you hadn’t realised you were clenching have an opportunity to unwind. And as we unwind physically it can help us to unwind mentally…

Coming in, lying on your back, place soles on your mat and lift your spine lengthening your tailbone towards your feet before you place it down again. Let your feet be hip width apart and fall out to the sides as you extend legs. Invite the back of your neck to be comfortably long, chin tucked towards chest. Allow palms to open, fingers to soften and curl as the backs of your hands rest on your mat. Eyes gently closed…

Of course, we can modify to suit our own bodies and needs, and there are numerous ways to modify savasana. Resting palms on the abdomen you feel the soothing rhythm of your breath. A lovely way to rest your back comfortably is to roll up a blanket or place a bolster under knees, or bend  knees with soles of your feet on the mat if that feels better for your low back. A folded blanket or cushion under head can feel wonderful when you’re going to linger.

Side-lying savasana’s comfy. Try it with folded blankets or pillows under head and between legs and arms.

And downward-facing savasana (advasana) is good if you’d prefer to be on your front. The illustration shows placing your head on forearms, and resting forehead in palms is also nurturing. Or you could stretch arms overhead, palms on the earth. Alternatively arms by your sides, palms facing up, and head to one side feels delicious. Let your feet relax and feel heels flop outwards. Lie directly on your mat or snuggle a blanket under your lower belly if that feels hard on your back to prevent it arching too deeply. Place a rolled blanket or bolster under your whole torso if that’s temptingly comfortable.

I’m all for weaving yoga through everyday life. I watched an episode of Modern Family with my daughter, Cassie, where the extended family jetted off somewhere exotic. One couple made the holiday into a marathon to see and do everything before finally relenting and doing what they actually wanted. Lie on a lounger having a foot massage. Cultural pressure can make us feel that, in order to relax we need to save and fly away on holiday where we’re allowed to lie down on that lounger by a pool if only we can slow down long enough. Why can’t we just lie down at home and have a rest?

Savasana’s such a simple treat to build into a day. It may feel a little luxurious and decadent. Permission to be. Let the mat and the earth take your weight and support you, releasing and softening. Allow yourself a mini holiday. An old fashioned Sunday moment.

Try it for five minutes. For ten. Twenty. Try it to transition from work to home time, before going out for the evening, instead of scrolling. A good focus is to imagine you’re looking down on yourself, moving your way around your body. Begin visualising the left foot, calf, thigh, then the right ones, followed by the abdomen and chest, left hand, forearm, upper arm, then the right ones, and the face, picturing each for around twenty seconds.

Enjoy…

Best to check with your health care professional before practicing yoga. I share yoga in beautiful Tasman Bay near Nelson, New Zealand. Please contact me for more information about weekly group sessions, private sessions, workshops and to book.