Blog
Easy Ways to Enjoy Savasana
SMILE AND SINK IN
Are you looking for easy ways to enjoy savasana? Although shavasana (or corpse pose) might look like the most effortless thing in the world, many yogis struggle to find comfort in this challenging posture. Whether it’s a racing mind or a fatigued body, dropping into enlightenment can seem impossible. Have you found yourself impatiently waiting for the instructor break the unending silence? The crew at OM has a few suggestions to make stillness a little more accessible.
Grab a Bolster
It isn’t uncommon for yogis to experience lower back pain in shavasana – especially if they’ve been performing a lot of backbends. Although taking the time to warm up before performing backbends and learning to backbend safely can help ease lower back pain, sliding a bolster under your knees can do wonders to treat the occasional ache. Give the instructor a wave and they’ll bring you a bolster if you forgot to grab one at the beginning of class!
Snuggle up Under a Blanket
It’s not bedtime, but placing a blanket across your hips can make you feel safe, secure and in control. Pressure relaxes your sympathetic nervous system, encouraging your pulse rate to slow and your mind to mellow. (Bonus fact: you can achieve the same effect by receiving a long hug, but we don’t recommend trying this in shavasana.) Using a blanket can also be helpful if you’re feeling a little chilled after your body begins to cool down. Everything is better with a blanket!
Do a Full-Body Scan
If your mind tends to wander towards unhappy thoughts or endless to-do lists, performing a full-body scan during shavasana can encourage relaxation and keep you focused on your goal. Start at the crown of the head and work your way down, relaxing your jaw, neck, shoulders etc. while you pinpoint areas of tension. Once you’ve finished, focus your thoughts on your breath, heart rate and staying present. Soon you’ll find yourself wishing that shavasana was longer.
Roll up a Blanket Behind Your Neck
Do you struggle to keep your head upright in shavasana? Do you have neck pain? Do you like feeling supported? If you answered yes to any of these, then chances are that you’d benefit from the use of a blanket roll. Just open your blanket and roll it into a tube that is small enough to fit in the crease of your neck. If your head can’t touch the ground, your roll is too big. If your head feels as though it could flop to either side, your roll is too small. Try a few sizes and then bask in the beauty of stability.
Enjoy these juicy adjustments the next time you collapse into corpse pose and you’ll be sure to find a little bliss. If you have a list of your own ways to enjoy shavasana, be sure to share them with us! We’re always looking for new ways to make our students more comfortable.
