A Moment in Savasana
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Everybody in class is lying down. We are on our backs with legs and arms set out comfortably. Eyes are gently shut, hearts have softened their beats, minds are silencing, and muscles are melting into the familiar feeling of our yoga mats. This is Savasana.
Savasana (also spelled shavasana) is considered the most important pose in yoga. All the hard work put in throughout the entire class is deliciously absorbed by the body during this time of peaceful decompression. It is a form of Yoga Nidra, a deep sleep-like relaxation that is combined with awareness.
Yoga has become increasingly studied in the scientific world for it’s benefits. Savasana, in particular, has sparked interest on its own. In one study, three resting postures were compared: savasana, resting in a chair, and supine pose. Savasana was found to reduce the effects of stress in a significantly shorter amount of time compared to the other two poses. Another study found it to be positively correlated to cardiovascular health during exercise. Walter Reed Army Medical Center uses various types of Yoga Nidra as effective treatment for PTSD. They call this program iRest and have integrated its protocol into weekly treatments in VA facilities located in eight different states. Researchers at Walter Reed founded Warriors At Ease, a yoga and meditation teacher training program specifically designed for teaching military communities. The number of studies supporting the benefits of yoga are abundant and scientists continually produce more research with congruent findings each year.
Personally, savasana is the reason I practice yoga. Every challenging moment of class makes me look forward to that final release. The active practice of letting go completely and submitting to a moment that is purely and entirely mine. Sometimes I fall into the sweetest dreams, while other times my mind is so silent that I become unsure if I’m still connected to my physical body. It is bliss at its finest, love at its truest, and happiness in its most organic form. The rest of my day following time spent in savasana is never short of extraordinary.
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