What Your Mind Should Be Doing In Savasana (Relaxation)

So everybody knows how to do savasana. Corpse pose. Relaxation. Whatever.

Everybody relaxes, and our mind does... What? Every yoga teacher is doing a different thing.

Some have us breathing. Others, focussing. What should your mind be doing during relaxation?

Well, the answer lies in why we do corpse pose. You see.

We don't do corpse pose to just relax our body...

...we do corpse pose to see what happens to our body as it relaxes. Say what? Yep.

Here's the skinny...

During yoga we do a heap of warm up.

Then we bend, twist, extend, and compress our body, in every direction our body can go.

Do you not think that may actually put some stress on the body? It sure does.

Yeah, we're all loose and stuff. But here's the question...

What happens at the end of all that bending, stretching, etc? Does our body come back together properly. Now.

Some readers are gonna be scratching their heads, saying, "What does he mean. Like our body's not going come back together correctly?"

Yes. Now you've got it. You see.

Yoga's not as calm and tranquil as some would have you believe. It can bet a bit intense on the matt. In fact.

If it hasn't gotten a little intense on the matt...

...then maybe you don't need savasana. 

I kid you not. 

Skip it.

Savasana isn't something you tack onto the end of a practice, to honor yoga. Or to be respectful.

You do it, because it's a necessary part of the practice. You do it to make sure that your body is fully functional at the end. That's why we do savasana.

Now, what do you reckon your mind should be doing during relaxation?

Whatever best relaxes your body, so you can see if it's all good.

If a certain breathing pattern relaxes your body, so you can make sure it's all ok. Then breathe.

If focussing on one body part at a time, and relaxing it, best gets you through this process. Then focus on one body part.

The mind during savasana matters, only as much as it's helping you relax.

So, if you do a home practice that is pretty run of the mill. Not much effort. Sure skip savasana. I know, shock, horror. Whatever.

If, however, you spend an hour and a half back-bending. Probably a good idea to have a savasana to make sure you are good to go. 

...that all the bits are fitting back together properly in a neutral position.

CU in class, working hard for that savasana, J.