Savasana (Relaxation posture)

Now, you are going to relax wholly. Whatever strain, tension, or exertion is in the body, that is to be eliminated completely in this posture which is called Savasana.

Savasana combines pose with meditation. It gives rest not only for the body, but also for the mind. It gives relief, comfort and ease. Relaxation is a very important factor in muscular exercises.

Savasana Relaxation Posture Yoga Guide

TECHNIQUE

Lie down on your back, keep your hands by the side of your thighs with the palms facing upwards. Keep the legs apart without touching one another. Close your eyes.

Concentrate on the toes of both the feet, slightly move them and then relax. Now, mentally disconnect yourself from that part of the body, i.e., give the auto-suggestion: ‘Let the toes go from my mind’. Feel that all the toes are completely relaxed. Then concentrate on the heels. The heavy weight of the legs will be resting on them. Relax the heels and relieve them of the weight, and feel they are relaxed. Concentrate on the calf muscles, relax them. Feel that up to the calf muscles both the legs are completely relaxed. Then concentrate on the knees which are nothing but heavy bones. The entire weight of the legs are resting on them. Relax the knees. Now feel that up to the knees both the legs are relaxed. Concentrate on the thighs, heavy muscles and bones and relax both the thighs completely. Then concentrate on the hip, heavy bones and muscles. The entire weight of the body will be resting on them. Relax the hips. Feel that up to the hip, the entire lower parts of the body are completely relaxed. Once you relax a particular part, you should not have any control over that part of the body. Now, concentrate on the vertebral column. The entire weight of the body will be resting on it. Relax the vertebral bones, one by one. Slowly relax up to the neck. Concentrate on the stomach and relax the stomach muscles completely. Feel the slight movement of the abdomen due to slow breathing. Concentrate on the chest. Feel that the entire weight of the chest is resting on the ribs. Relax the ribs and the chest. Breathe slowly and feel the harmonious movement of the lungs. Due to complete relaxation, feel that the entire chest region is becoming very light. Concentrate on the shoulders. The heavy weight of the body will be resting on the back of the shoulders. Relax the shoulders, biceps, elbows, forearms, wrists, palms and fingers. Feel that both the hands are completely relaxed. Now, concentrate on the neck. The heavy weight of the head is resting on the neck. Relax your neck. Slowly turn your head towards the right side. Slowly move it and bring it back to the centre. Turn your head towards the left side and slowly roll it and bring it back to the centre. Relax your neck completely. Concentrate on your head. Relax the head. Concentrate on your face and relax the face muscles. Concentrate on the lips, separate the lips slightly and relax them. Separate the two rows of the teeth and relax them. Just loosen your tongue and then relax it. Gently smile and relax the cheeks. Concentrate on the nostrils, breathe slowly and feel the slight movement of air through the nostrils. Relax the nostrils. Concentrate on the region of the eyes. Slowly and gently open the eyes partially, look at the sky (or roof), and then slowly close your eyes. The eye balls behind the eyelids may be gently directed downwards within. Relax the eyeballs. Let the eyes rest in perfect repose. Relax the eyebrows. Feel that the entire region of the eyes is completely relaxed. Concentrate on the forehead. Forget all other engagements. Have no thoughts in the mind. Feel that the entire forehead is relaxed. Concentrate on the ears. Hear the sound that come without resistance. Do not think of the nature, cause, etc., of the sounds. Be a witness to the sounds. Concentrate on the crown of your head. Feel a slight warmth there at the crown. Relax the head totally. Feel that the heavy weight of the body is resting on the planet earth. Relax your body totally. Breathe gently in and out. Let the diaphragm be relaxed. Feel that the body is becoming lighter and lighter and it is floating in the space, in the ether. Feel also that is nothing but a centre of consciousness moving in space. This is our essential nature. Relax in this pose for a few minutes.

Now, slowly inhale and feel that fresh oxygen is entering and rejuvenating all the parts of the body. Exhale and feel that all the impurities are going out of the body. Once again, inhale and feel that fresh oxygen is entering and rejuvenating all the blood cells of the body; and then exhale and feel that all the impurities are going out.

With a deep inhalation, raise both the hands and place them on the ground above the head. Stretch your body from the toes to the tip of the hands. Turn your entire body from the toes up to the hands towards right, stretch the body and look at the hands. Bring the body back to the original position. Repeat the same process towards the left side. Slowly bring the hands by the side of the thighs. Slowly get up and sit, for a few seconds. Then, stand up on your toes and fully stretch the hands over the head. Slowly bring the hands down and relax. This whole process constitutes Savasana or complete relaxation.

-Devotional India