“Your entire practice has led to this moment,” Runa Yoga Co-Owner Jessie Erickson encouraged her class into a final resting pose one Tuesday evening.
What was the pose? You guessed it: Savasana.
During the previous hour she instructed fellow yogis to move with their breath, explore their bodies, and welcome balance in poses from Crescent to Crow.
As the practice was winding down, the mood-setting playlist slowed and Jessie soothed her class in preparation for a final rest.
“Enjoy all the time you need in Savasana,” she reassured.
This is the moment when your whole practice comes together. But we get it - sometimes it’s so hard to lie down and relax! Before you decide to skip Savasana by dashing out of the studio or leaving the Zoom class, here are some reminders why Savasana is so delicious (like the secret sauce!) to your practice:
REST AND ABSORB - Savasana is a time for your body to nourish in all the goodness you’ve just worked through. You’ve inhaled, exhaled, held planks, risen to Warrior, forward folded, reached, and grown. Now, Savasana offers your body a chance to absorb it all and digest your practice. This time allows your body to grow stronger for tomorrow to meet the new limits you are seeking.
STATE OF CALM - Savasana adds a new twist to "Keep Calm and Carry On." It supports shifts in the human nervous system to release tensions and maintain a state of calm. Think fight, flight, or freeze responses. With the benefits of Savasana, you may begin to appreciate new relaxed, observing feelings throughout your day.
CLEAR THE MIND - Have you ever experienced brain fog? It’s the feeling that our minds are a little cloudy for whatever reason. Flowing through your yoga practice helps to prepare your mind to release this cloudiness in exchange for clarity. This happens in the meditative-like state of Savasana. You can practice shifting focus from thoughts of earthly worries or looming tasks to a state of mental release. Once you reawaken, you may roll up your mat feeling a bit lighter and more focused!
With all the love, effort, and progress you embrace through yoga, always remember your Savasana.