Savasana - Dead Body Pose - For Beginners

We never fully realize what reservoirs of tension we are until we are given the seemingly simple instruction to completely relax. Your hands will twitch and your feet are full of as much nervous energy as are your hands. And how about the muscles of your legs, buttocks, pelvis and spine - especially your neck and shoulders - not to mention that convoluted gray mass called brain? Suddenly you notice how many parts of you want to be tight because they're used to it.

The object of this pose is to consciously let go of as much tension as you possibly can. But trying to relax each part of you separately is akin to plugging a weakening dike. The minute you get your fingers pacified, the tension will pop up in your toes; if you manage to relax the buttocks, you'll find that your calf muscles have tightened, and so on. You could lie there and chase the tension for hours on end and still not catch and contain it.

It is far better to concentrate on relaxing the body as a whole unit. Let the floor support you. Pretend that all the spark has left your body. You would fall through space like a chunk of a lead if the floor were not there, pressing upward, holding you easily. There's no need to worry, no need to be tense; the floor can do it all. Let it!

Benefits

The Dead Body Pose returns blood circulation to normal. It also teaches complete relaxation.

Read more about this poses benefits, pictures, video and tips from HERE

Drawings and info from "Bikram´s Beginning Yoga Class " Book, 1978.