Our lives can be so very busy. So much so it can exhaust the mind and deplete the body of its vital energies. When we have no energy to re-charge with vigorous exercise, what else can we do?
We can do Yoga. We can do a single, simple Yoga posture that will effectively rejuvenate the mind and body. Where very little energy is required to get started, yet we’ll reap tremendous benefits from our practice as a result.
What’s needed is nothing in particular, other than the willingness to practice.
If you have a mat, that’s great. A small, soft blanket to go over the eyes and a larger one to ly over the body would enhance the experience, but is not necessary. Comfortable clothing without a belt is the way to go. No fancy Yoga outfit required.
There’s one Yoga posture in particular from this wondrous ancient tradition that’s very powerful. It’s the queen of them all in my book, as it’s so effective in changing how we feel and in deepening our relationship to our self.
It’s called Savasana, or the Corpse position. It supports the body and mind to rest deeply, by doing what appears to be nothing. It’s an effective way of rejuvenating the mind and body when we feel the drag of exhaustion.
And, it feels really good to do, too.
Here’s how:
- Find a quiet place to spend dedicated time with yourself. Where you can lie down on the floor, with your heels about two feet away from each other and the palms of your hands resting alongside your body, facing skyward.
- Get comfortable here, perhaps covering yourself with the larger blanket and placing something soft over your eyes. Settle into this quiet place, where you can turn your attention inward and be present to the most important person in your life, yourself.
- Allow yourself to spend 5 to 10 minutes here in Savasana*, with your breath rising and falling in your body in its own natural way, and paying attention to nothing in particular.
With this practice, we allow the restless mind to calm and settle as we restore the body’s vital energies. We can relax deeply here. It’s a welcome relief from the busyness of life.
When it’s time to end in Savasana we can do so, or consider staying a little longer. We can give our self what we need in the moment rather than being a slave to the clock. Whatever we do choose, it’s the perfect thing for us to do right now. Know this to be true.
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Sometimes, we may wish to take this practice of doing what appears to be nothing one step further, and use our time in Savasana to prepare for a breathing practice, where we deepen our experience by getting to know the breath in the body.
For the breathing practice:
- As you rest in Savasana, allow yourself to turn your attention to the breath in your body, as it rises on the flow of an inhalation and falls on the flow of an exhalation.
- Allow the length of the inhalation to be about the same length as the exhalation. Repeat this for 5-10 breaths (1 inhalation + 1 exhalation = one breath).
- Then, gradually allow yourself to lengthen the exhalation, letting the exhalation be about twice as long as the inhalation. So that you’re inhaling slowly, then exhaling a long, slow, smooth breath. Repeat this for 5-10 breaths.
This breathing practice is deceptively simple. It has the effect of slowing down the heart rate and calming the nervous system. It’s excellent for people living with the effects of psychological trauma, whose nervous systems can be revving on high what feels like all the time.
This breathing practice in Savasana is a powerful way of allowing Peace to emerge, as we rest in the Stillness of this beautiful, silent vibe.
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When you’re ready, allow yourself to let go of this practice of noticing your breath in your body. Simply rest here in this way for as long as you’d like, before coming out of this position, returning to the activities of your day, now rested and renewed.
* to begin, and up to 30 minutes for a longer practice.
PS Always use common sense when doing Yoga. If you feel uncomfortable in a posture in any way, do come out of it, rather than pushing through the discomfort.
