Shavasana, corpse pose, or Mrtasana, is a basic asana in hatha Yoga and more popularly used as meditation, occasionally used as exercise too. It’s the traditional pose for the procedure of data meditation. This pose is usually performed with the legs crossed and the flat of the back pushed upwards. With the wrists in Vastu, or on an upward plane, the upper arms form the elbow and shoulders.
The benefits of this pose are numerous. The spine, the heart, the lungs, the stomach, the kidneys and other organs are cleansed. The posture expels mental stress and restores emotional balance. The corpse pose is also good for spinal alignment and for strength and flexibility.
There are many styles of Savasana asanas or positions, and different poses in the corpse pose yoga sequence. In Ashtanga, or power yoga, there is a sequence of six poses: Bandha Sarvangasana (standing forward bends), Kriyasasansana (extended supine straight arm pose), Trikonasana (triangle pose), Bikram Yoga, and Hatha Yoga. Other styles include Kundalini, which has seven poses: Sarvangasana (back bend), Bikram Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa and Tai Chi Chuan. In Raja Yoga, there are three main sequences: Patanjali’s Trikonasana (Triangle poses), Yogasansara (Mountain pose), and Ananda Vinyasa (upset walk).
In Savasana, the torso is straight, the mind and eyes set apart from each other, the arms at level with the sides of the body, the palms of the hands are relaxed, and the spine straight. The mind may be open or closed; quiet or still. In corpse pose, the upper torso is erect, the legs are crossed on the floor, the head is lifted high and the buttocks flat. This yoga pose is ideal for those who want to experience strength and flexibility.
To practice Savasana yoga poses, a student needs to sit as straight as possible, without raising or lowering the hips. The knees should be slightly bent. The chest should not be touching the anus. The entire body should be comfortable; tense or tensed muscles should be relaxed. The student should breathe deeply and slowly from the diaphragm, keeping proper breathing through the nose and releasing the air from the mouth.
After inhaling, the student should breathe into the nose… With a steady and strong diaphragm. Inhale with the stomach and the chest… While exhaling, the back should be relaxed… the entire body should feel it being stretched and pulled into the stretch. After that, the student should go slowly out… the breath leaving the body in a gradual, even flow.
At first, the inhalation and exhalation may be very difficult… and the slow exhalation may seem like an intrusion. However, this part of the yoga sequence is meant to be very natural and is part of the overall process. After several tries, the inhalation and exhalation will become much easier. Gradually the entire body will become aware of the movement of the breath… and will come to expect the breath as part of the body’s movement.
When you begin practicing Savasana yoga sequences, you should remember that you are not trying to force the pose. You are using your breath to create the posture. As long as the breathing is gentle and consistent, you will find that the pose will come naturally. As long as you are in good physical condition and practice the pose often, you will reap the many health benefits that arise from performing it. Above all, you can expect a greater sense of wellness and relaxation after each regular practice.
Like most yoga sequences, if you wish to improve your balance, flexibility, and strength, you must first learn how to sustain your balance and strengthen your body with the help of the breath. In most cases, this is achieved through inhaling and exhaling. Savasana yoga teachers are experts at teaching students how to breathe properly, so this step is easy.
In the next step, you will move from simply inhaling to exhaling, then to maintaining the correct rhythm while breathing. Once you have taught yourself these basic steps, you can move on to learning the other movements of the yoga sequence. For example, many yoga teachers will teach their students the sun salutation. This step uses the same principles as the inhalation and exhalation, but uses a different breathing method so that you will end up working the entire body instead of just the face or head area.
Finally, you will learn how to slow exhalation. To do this, you will not exhale while you are bending over, but you will maintain the perfect timing between each breath. Since you are not trying to draw air in through the nose like you would with the inhalation and exhalation methods, you will be able to accomplish this without drawing too much air out of the lungs. Once you have learned how to maintain the proper rhythm, you can move on to learning how to relax your entire body.
Types Of Yoga Poses
- Lotus position Yoga –
- Adho mukha svanasana Yoga
- Handstand Yoga
- Shavasana Yoga
- Balasana Yoga
- Bhujangasana Yoga
- Kapotasana Yoga
- Tadasana Yoga
- Bakasana Yoga
- Vajrasana Yoga
- Vrikshasana Yoga
- Trikonasana Yoga
- Dhanurasana Yoga
- Shirshasana Yoga
- Chaturanga Dandasana Yoga
- Ustrasana Yoga
- Uttanasana Yoga
- Sarvangasana Yoga
- Navasana Yoga
- Bhekasana (Mandukasana) Yoga
- Mālāsana Yoga
- Halasana Yoga
- Paschimottanasana Yoga
- Sukhasana Yoga
- Chakrasana Yoga
- Gomukhasanab Yoga
- Baddha Konasana Yoga
- Virasana Yoga
- Utkatasana Yoga
- Garudasana Yoga
- Ardha Chandrasana Yoga
- Marjariasana Yoga
- Matsyasana Yoga
- Mayurasana Yoga
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana ( Bridge Pose) Yoga
- Salabhasana Yoga
- Viparita Karani Yoga
- Virabhadrasana I Yoga
- Utthita Parsvakonasana Yoga
- Matsyendrasana Yoga
- Janusirsasana Yoga
- Dandasana Yoga
- Siddhasana Yoga
- Hanumanasana Yoga
- Makarasana Yoga
- Natarajasana Yoga
- Pincha Mayurasana Yoga
- Supta Baddha Konasana Yoga
- Simhasana Yoga
- Upavistha Konasana Yoga
