Savasana
by Lisa Longton
Savasana (Corpse Pose) does not rank on B.K.S. Iyengar’s 1-60 scale of difficulty in Light on Yoga. When asked why, he replied that on a scale of 1 to 60, Savasana would rank 1,000.
Savasana is not naptime but rather conscious relaxation. During Savasana you remain aware, with focused attention, while relaxing as completely as possible. “By remaining motionless for some time and keeping the mind still while you are fully conscious, you learn to relax. This conscious relaxation invigorates and refreshes both body and mind. But it is much harder to keep the mind than the body still. Therefore, this apparently easy posture is one of the most difficult to master”.
Mr. Iyengar is encouraging us all to practice Savasana as a separate practice, separate from any other activities, and put aside at least fifteen minutes for the practice. “The stresses of modern civilization are a strain on the nerves for which Savasana is the best antidote”.
Savasana, as difficult as it is, is a favorite pose for most people. Ah! You get to lie down and close your eyes! I’ll describe my own understanding of the pose, in the hopes that it helps you to deepen your practice.
Lie in Savasana, flat on the floor, using whatever props your body needs to be comfortable. Be warm, adding a blanket and socks if necessary. Use an eye pillow if you would like. Plan to stay for at least 15 minutes. Relax the body completely. Concentrate on your breath, focusing on the exhales to release more tension every time you breathe out. If the mind wanders, simply bring your attention back to the breath, and relax deeply.
The practice of Pratyahara is employed during Savasana, the practice of withdrawing the senses from the external world. In Sanskrit, Pratyahara literally means “to draw toward the opposite”. The eyes don’t just close, but we learn to let go of using the eyes. We learn to let go of using any of the senses. Release the use of your eyes, your ears, your sense of smell, hearing, and even touch.
The last sense of touch is a big key for me. I begin to retreat from the external sense of touch to an internal one. When I do this, the layer of skin becomes fuzzy, my perceived boundaries blur. Then, letting go even of this feeling of numbness, I continue.
Infrared goggles use thermal imaging to show us the heat emitted from people’s bodies. We will refer to that as the Energy Body. Our naked eyes cannot see the energy of our heat, but thermal imaging reveals it to us. When the body is physically relaxed, and even the sense of touch is released, then the concept of the Energy Body can truly be felt. No image is necessary. Just feel the energy of your own body. When feeling the Energy Body, notice there is not a specific boundary, no exact edge.
Allow your Energy Body to expand, beyond what your mind might try to design. Let go of the idea of a form, allow formless to be. Then, just be. It is at this point, if you ask yourself, “who am I” that a completely different answer will come.
Letting go of the last sense of touch allows us to be present, without form. Here, but not contained in any walls. Detach from even the perceived boundaries of your body as the definition of “you” and see what happens.