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SAVASANA
Savasana is an invitation to let go. To soften and surrender.
It's a chance to 'be', and while resting, we get to truly listen in to what's there.
Explore the pose
Understand why we say what we do. Click on a cue and discover which yogic principle we are hoping you'll learn.
your jaw softens. there’s no need to wear any particular expression and we learn what does “resting” actually require? there's a difference between muscle tone, and active holding. here we learn the difference, we learn to release the effort and feel how gravity changes our muscles. muscles in our face are often the place where people hold on without realising, also the belly, shoulders, hands and back of knees. these are a great place to notice where we are holding and can let go. i love this cue because it reminds us this practice is for us, it's not a performance, but a chance to feel.
take on the role of the observer. this is more of a way of being, and it's a beautiful lesson to take through life. stepping away, i am not my thoughts. we practice in savasana, whether that's the beginning or end of class. the intention is to become wathcful, so we can notice our subtle body. our breath, the sensations in our organs, the thoughts passing through our mind. the distance we create allows us to practice pratyahara, the 5th of the 8 limbs, which teaches us to withdraw from our senses and look within.
allowing the feet to fall outwards teaches us that relaxing isn't something we do. it's an internal letting go, and a state of being. there is no perfect way to relax, and each time will be slightly different. it's a reminder that the one of the goals of savasana is to simpy explore rest, stillness and awareness.
our bodies are all inherently asymmetrical, and as we lie in savasana, we notice where we feel different left to right sides.
The Breath
Natural breath
in savasana we have the chance to practice to practice the most difficult breathing exercise of all: the act of being fully aware of—but not controlling—the breath’s movements. Like savasana pose itself, it sounds much easier than it is, and takes experience and persistence (tapas) to tap in to. Listen to this audio guiding you in to 'natural breath'.
Diaphragmatic breathing // Sama Vritti // Extended exhale
Deeper Meaning of Tadasana
Your Questions
Hands
What if my wrists are sore?
This is really common in table and plank poses as well. Knowing about discernment is important here. Is the pain sharp and does it increase when you move? or is the discomfort widespread throughout your hands and does it plateau as you breathe and sway? in the video i show you how best to support your hands and wrists. if you have some dumbells, you could try holding them, so your wrists are straight, if not, try making fists instead.
What if my hands keep slipping?
I often see 3 causes of this happening
1. you are straightening your legs too much and pushing all the weight forward see video
2. you are over extending your armpits, losing your hand support see video
3. your mat is genuinely really slippy or your hands are sweating!
what should i be feeling in my shoulders? (so try holding the edges of the mat!)
What do you mean about elbow creases?
the inside part of your elbow (beneath your bicep) can rotate towards the front of your mat see video
Shoulders
What do you mean 'wrap' my shoulders around?
The best way to feel this is with your arms up (see video), so you can experience it without being upside down.
Try this: reach your arms infront of you,
spread fingers wide and rotate hands to the right and left.
now switch on the muscles behind and underneath your shoulders.
then, slowly lift your arms above your head your head, wihtout losing that strnegth in your shoulders.
Why not stretch and open my chest?
There are safer ways to do this (fish, puppy, push the sky), and downward dog is great for strengthening the shoulders, especially in prep for chaturanga. Shoulder injuries are very common in yoga, and this is a common reason why.
What should i be feeling in my shoulders?
they should feel as if they are pushing the floor away, and as square and strong as possible. they shold feel like they are giving a wide support, and that they are sharing the weight with your hands and wrists.
Spine (and pelvis)
How do I get my spine straight?
It's not easy with your bum in the air! Practice straightening your spine in savasana, mountain and then sukhasana poses first. Visual feedback is great, so use a mirror, video yourself, or ask a friend or yoga teacher to tell you.
Do I lift my sit bones or not?
Yes and no... lift them to get in to the shape, then point your tail bone directly away from your spine. if you lift them too much (and your flexiblility allows), you'll arch your spine and we are here for the straightness.
Should i push my chest towards my thighs?
Yes, enough so that you straighten your spine, but avoid pushing past your hands as this will put pressure on your shoulder joint and can cause injury.
Knees (and feet)
How far apart should my hands and feet be?
A good measure is to go from plank, get your hips in line (ish) with your shoulders, and then transition to downward dog from there. you're aiming to feel a balance between your hands and feet so you're carrying equal balance.
How to know where my heels should be?
one common misconception is that they should be flat on the ground. however if we force them down it can overstretch hamstrings, feet and even your spine. so start with the spine, the arms and lastly work to dropping heels to the earth. in this cideo i show youw aht i mean.
What if my hamstrings feel very tight?
this is very common because we love to sit in chairs and sofas. take time to warm up your hamstrings before downward dog, and if it feels ok try slowly pedalling your feet while you breathe, i should you what i mean in this video.