L E T T E R F R O M THE Y O G A S TUD I O
Many people ’ s favorite pose in yoga is savasana . Traditionally savasana occurs at the end of a class . The practice is seemingly very easy . You simply lie down in a comfortable position and allow your mind and body to relax . It is so popular , there are even T-shirts saying “ I ’ m here for savasana !”.
The root of this word comes from the sanskrit words for “ corpse ” and “ pose ”, and so I thought it would be a perfect position to focus on in October as we celebrate Halloween .
When guided into savasana , we are encouraged to surrender and let go . At first glance that might not seem appealing . After all , at our core , human beings want to be free and independent . Why would we want to surrender ? By taking a few minutes to relax in a reclining position on the ground , we integrate the teachings of our practice , eliminate fatigue , and promote a calm clarity in the mind . We are not surrendering to anyone or anything , we are merely letting go of any resistances that we might be holding onto .
Resistances drain our energy and hold us back from the very freedom that we seek .
Relaxation is only the beginning . It opens us up to be able to receive . In short , savasana is a state of receptivity . Why is this important ?
Eaglebrooke Newsletter 16