Savasana: More than a Siesta

Savasana, or as some of my students like to call it, La Siesta, is more than just taking a nap at the end of class – though the occasional snore heard around the Yoga Hall may argue to the contrary.

To the outside observer, it is true that Savasana appears to be an easy pose, or maybe not a pose at all. However,  let me clarify, Savasana, when practiced correctly, can be one of the most challenging of postures and one of the most rewarding.

The point of Yoga is to still the mind in order to know the soul. When the chaos of the mind becomes silent we are able to hear and come into tune with who we really are and what we really desire. Imagine your mind like a lake full of ripples. Imagine those ripples disappearing, one by one. Note how clearly you can see to the bottom of a lake once those ripples subside. The same principal applies to the mind.

The calming of these ripples is what each asana and round of pranayama practiced in Yoga prepares both the mind and body for. All that movement, focus and breathing is preparation for a state of silence both inside and outside. The final posture of Savasana is the blissful reward for that preparation; however, if we do not pay attention, the reward can become squandered and lost.

This is why I say Savasana is the most challenging of postures. Yes, even more challenging than perfecting Uttitha Trikonasana, a posture B.K.S Iyenger is quoted as saying can take up to 10 years to accomplish, which means perfecting the more challenging posture of Savasana is a lifelong pursuit.

While in Savasana one should try to let go of the mind while remaining alert. This takes time and lots of practice and this is the detail that is all too often forgotten. Those 15- 30 minutes at the end of each Yoga class gives us precious moments of reflection and peace that in our everyday lives most of us don’t normally get. Consequently, new realizations can come forth from this posture as does a wonderful sense of peace and wholeness. So the question is- How do you perfect a posture that can only be corrected by your internal guru, yourself?

My advice is the following, though I encourage trying out different techniques if you do not find this one useful.

The first trick is to pay attention. Listen carefully to the guided meditation. Allow yourself to feel each body part relax as your teacher guides you into a deeper and more relaxed state. Pay attention to how your body changes in weight, in temperature and let the breath go to wherever tension resides. Let it go with each exhale. If thoughts begin to creep in (and they will) let them come and go. Watch them like a movie. You are the spectator during this posture. Don’t get angry or annoyed with the thoughts. And don’t get sucked into them. Watch and pay attention to how these thoughts, can change the tension in your body. Be curious about it, but don’t get upset with yourself for letting them creep in. They just want to know that they are still important. Let me them know that they are and you’ll get back to them…later. Resisting thoughts will only bring them in stronger.  Listen to your breath. Feel it. Watch it. Focusing on the breath will help you exponentially to step outside of your head and into your body. As you do this, feel how you come into contact with something more than your mind, perhaps your soul? Continue to be the curious spectator and observe and enjoy how this  act alone will carry you forward into into the blissful peace of meditation.

Happy Savasana!

Om!

A Note on Breath

When I first started practicing Yoga I could not have cared less about the Breath. For me, all I wanted to do was get my leg and knee back into working order so I could start jogging again. At that moment in time, talking about Breath was unimportant.

But I was so very, very wrong.

Everything revolves around breath. Without breath, you die. There is no other way around it. The last moment of life is an exhale. Therefore, logically, the quality of breath is directly related to the quality of your fitness and of your life. Sound important now? I hope so, because if it doesn’t, than you are missing out on one of the more significant and rewarding parts of Yoga.

The discipline of Breath is called Pranayama. Prana means energy and learning to listen, retain and let go of that energy is key to any Yoga practice and key to your own life enjoyment. I love the look in my students eyes once they finally figure out ‘belly breathing’. They had no idea how much space they had there or how filling it with good air made them feel so..good! From there I then teach them to bring the breath up further from the belly to the chest. This is a full Yogic breath. This kind of deep belly breathing relieves all sorts of disorders from digestion to depression to nervous tension and aggravation. This is the first kind of breathing I teach my students. I advise them to focus upon this breathe in every posture, but to not beat themselves up if they forget. It takes practice. It takes time.  Furthermore, and you can try this out for yourself, right now, by focusing upon the breath you will be amazed at how much further you can go into a posture. Just imagine expanding your muscles each time you inhale and extending them each you exhale. Envision it in your mind and see what a difference it makes.

From there the art of Pranayama goes into other forms of breathing such as Bhastrika, Kapalabhati, Shitali, Sitkari and Nadi Shodhana as well as focusing upon the exhalation vs. inhalation. These breath exercises are done with a specific purpose in mind. The first two help to create heat in the body and are great in the morning or during the cold winter months. The following two are good for releasing heat from the body and I recommend this kind of breathing for strong Pita types or for those living or working in an environment where they find their body heat is quite high. The last, depending upon how you alternate the nostril, helps to regulate all the energies in the body. If you feel like you are extremely agitated one day, you might try just breathing through the left nostril, as this is activates the Yin, Shakti or Female energies. In science speak, this would translate to the parasympathetic system. Conversely, if you feel the need to wake up a bit, or perhaps get your blood moving or your digestion going, trying breathing through the right as doing this will active the Yang, Shiva or masculine energies of movement rather than the feminine energies of acceptance and relaxation.

There is much more to the breath than what I have covered in this brief summary, but I hope it was enough to at least peak interest in its importance and variety. If you would like to read more about breath and its many benefits I suggest the books, Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha, Yoga for your Type by Dr. David Frawley or checking out your nearest pranayama class or get personal instruction from yours truly and experience the joy of Breath for yourself.

Matsayasana

Matsyasana: The Fish Pose

Matsayasana also known as the fish pose because it kind of looks the way a fish does when it is flopping around out of water…but don’t let that discourage you from the benefits of this posture. Like Sarvangasana, this posture works on the thyroid but also opens the heart chakra while also helping to alleviate breathing problems such as asthma. The secret is to breathe deep into the belly and then the chest.

Rest in Savasana, and bring your arms under your body. Palms down and touching, elbows straight. Extend the arms and hands to the back of the knees. Inhale and bring your head up and come forward bringing the weight of your body onto your elbows. Let the head drop back and slowly allow it to rest on the floor. Use the muscles in your shoulder girdle to lift your chest up and remove tension in the neck. Breathe deep and attempt to stay in the posture for as long as you did Halasana.

Share Your Thoughts: Sex, Celibacy and Yoga

Being a feminist and an academic who was raised under very strict ‘guidance’ in the Midwest where puritan religions ruled and sexual education was a sin, I tend to get very defensive or agitated anytime I come upon a spiritual or religious practice that wants to start controlling sexual activity and desires.

I have observed, researched and had first-hand experience during my time as a counsellor of the pain and abuse that often arises from external constraints and regulations that dictate pure celibacy in exchange for communicating with divinity. I have lived in Ireland, worked with rape victims groomed and abused by clergy who claim to be holy but can’t seem to find the divinity within them to abstain from hurting innocent children. I have lived in Latin America and Asia where sex is supposedly constrained only to marriage and consequently labels women as dirty and demons of Satan if they have any kind of a libido. These are just a few examples. Suffice to say, lots of weird things start to happen when people are told to hide, disregard or ignore their sexual nature.

This is where my one big sticking point with Yoga philosophy lies and I would love to hear the thoughts of anyone out there on this topic. It is my understanding that in practices like Tantra, sex is okay, but that ultimately you need to let it go to reach communion with God . As for the Vedic’s those Rishi’s in the mountains, I don’t believe aren’t getting much action either.  Furthermore, I know teachers like B.K.S. Iyengar was married and had 6 children…and though I know Yogi’s can do some pretty amazing things, I am not about to start believing in the immaculate conception of 6 children. Also, from my own personal observations and experience, I think someone in a long-term intimate relationship is forced to stretch and grow a whole lot more than some Yogi sitting peacefully up in the silent celibacy of some mountain top.

What do you think? Sex? No sex? Something in between…?

Would love to hear your thoughts and responses.