Savasana -  corpse pose

    Savasana is a yogasana practiced since ancient times. The earliest mention of this pose is in the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika,  a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on haṭha yoga, written by Svatmarama. The name Savasana is derived from Sanskrit word Śava, which means "corpse" and Asana, which means "posture" or "seat.

Savasana is the most common pose for the practice of yoga nidra meditation, and is an important pose in Restorative Yoga. Yoga nidra is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping, typically induced by a guided meditation.

  Savasana is performed lying down on the back with the legs spread wide apart and arms resting on both the sides of the body, and the eyes closed. This yoga asana is typically practiced for 5–10 minutes at the end of an asana practice. Sometimes it can be extended for more time.

   The asana is released by slow breathing and flexing the fingers and toes slowly and gently reaching the arms above the head, stretching the whole body, and exhaling while bringing the knees to the chest and rolling over to the side in a fetal position, drawing the head in the right arm.

Health benefits

      Corpse Pose can help to de-stress like pranayama. This yogasana helps to manage stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and deactivating the sympathetic nervous system.

·       Savasana can lower or regulate your blood pressure  also.

·       It helps to relieve muscular tensions by relaxing the body as a whole.

·       Savasana is believed to stimulate the muladhara (root) chakra, according to yoga texts. It brings about the inner stillness and stability. It stabilizes your mind and body.

·       Savasana helps to increase energy and productivity.

·       It has great role in calming your nervous system and therefore improving memory, focus and concentration. Now modern science agrees with the fact that adequate rest and calmness to brain is necessary as in sleep hours for repair the damages from oxidative stress. Yoga and relaxation provides such a state stimulating the self- repairing potential of neurons of brain.

·       Savasana reduces stress, headache, and fatigue of brain.

·        Insomnia or sleeplessness is cured by doing savasana regularly.

How to do savasana or corpse pose?

Lie flat on your back with your legs spread wide apart and your arms by the body with the palms facing up.

Keep your eyes closed and start breathing deeply and slowly through the nostrils while your body is relaxed.

Start now focusing your attention on each part of your body, from head to feet consciously relaxing it before proceeding downwards from top. 

Remain in this pose for 3 and 5 minutes or longer breathing slowly in and out and keep on focusing your mind as described earlier.

 If you feel sleepy while practicing savasana begin to breath a bit faster and deeper.

Initially the beginners of yoga practice may do this savasana for at least 3-5 minutes.  

Return to this yoga pose periodically after doing yoga pose practices to relax and rejuvenate the body/mind and then conclude your session with at least 3-5 minutes more

Savasana research data 

A limited number of scientific investigations, carried out in India and abroad, of certain forms of meditation (yogic or transcendental) have indicated that these practices result in an equilibrium in the functioning of sympathetic and parasympathetic components of the autonomic system[5].That means this yoga practice helps to maintain balance of body and mind.

Another study revealed that the effects of stress was reversed in significantly shorter time in Savasana, compared to the resting posture in chair and a supine posture[6].Stress can have detrimental effects on human body at physical and mental dimensions. This yoga practice has crucial role in de-stressing and establishing equilibrium of body and mind. 

Do practice savasana or the corpse pose every day at least for 5 minutes to revitalize your body and mind and get rid of the strain of hectic life.  

References

1.    https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/6582/savasana

2.    https://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/yoga-poses/savasana-corpse-pose

3.    https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/corpse-pose-2/

4.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika

5.    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859207000058

6.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10874346/