{"id":1255,"date":"2022-09-06T06:04:57","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T06:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samadhiyogaashram.com\/blog\/?p=1255"},"modified":"2026-05-15T09:24:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T09:24:56","slug":"why-you-should-learn-how-to-do-savasana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samadhiyogaashram.com\/blog\/why-you-should-learn-how-to-do-savasana\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Do Savasana: Benefits, Steps & More"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019ve spent sixty minutes sweating and performing multiple asanas<\/em>. Your heart is pumping, and your muscles are warm. Then comes the instruction every yogi waits for (and some secretly dread): “Slowly make your way onto your back for<\/strong> Savasana<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Savasana<\/strong> is a deliberate, conscious act of letting go. The one that happens to carry more physiological and psychological weight than almost every other yoga pose in the practice. Here, we cover what Savasana is, why it\u2019s harder than it looks, what it does to your body and mind, and why skipping it isn\u2019t the smart shortcut most people think it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is Savasana? Why Is It Called Corpse Pose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Savasana<\/strong>, or Corpse Pose<\/strong>, is a yoga pose done at the end of the session in the supine position (lying down) to calm the nervous system. It is a deeply relaxing and restorative asana <\/em>that involves slow and purposeful stillness of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Savasana <\/strong>(pronounced sha-VAH-suh-nah<\/em>) comes from two Sanskrit words: ‘Shava<\/em>‘, meaning corpse, and ‘Asana<\/em>‘, meaning pose or seat. In English, it is called the Corpse Pose<\/strong>. Some texts also refer to it as ‘Mritasana’, from the Sanskrit word mrita<\/em>, which means death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word ‘corpse’ is not meant to be morbid. In yogic philosophy, death is not an ultimatum or an ending.  It is a return to the state before life begins. In each yoga routine, yogis work through active, effortful postures and then dissolve into rest. Savasana is the same dissolution. It is the moment when everything you developed in your session finally finds its place (settlement).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also a question of spelling. <\/em>Savasana <\/em><\/strong>and <\/em>Shavasana <\/em><\/strong>are the same pose. The “sh” in Shavasana reflects the Sanskrit pronunciation more accurately. Both are widely used, and both are correct.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is Savasana The Hardest Pose In Yoga?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ask a beginner, and they\u2019ll say Handstand is the hardest. Ask a master, and they\u2019ll say it\u2019s Savasana<\/strong>. Not because of anything physical, the part that struggles most in the Savasana pose <\/strong>is the mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Because in our modern world of constant notifications and hustle culture, we have forgotten how to be still without being asleep. Most of us are addicted to doing. When we lie down in the Savasana <\/strong>pose, the “monkey mind” starts to scream. The difficulty arises not in the muscles, but in the nervous system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While every other yoga pose gives the brain a job to hold an alignment, track balance, or breathe through a stretch. In Savasana, there is no task, no correction, no effort to make. And the brain, which is conditioned to always process something, finds that genuinely hard and uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neuroscience suggests that when the mind has no external task, the default mode network activates. That is the brain’s internal chatter disguised as thoughts and visuals. In Savasana<\/strong>, you are supposed to let that picture vanish and the chatter be quiet. This is the task that makes the Corpse Pose<\/strong> the hardest yoga pose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 Savasana Benefits: Why Should You Practise The Corpse Pose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While it may feel like a break, your body is undergoing intensive maintenance and reformation during the 10 minutes you practise Savasana<\/strong>. The benefits of the Corpse Pose <\/strong>are not conceptual. Each one has a physiological or psychological basis. Here is what happens under the surface when you lie in Savasana<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Cellular Recovery: Savasana <\/strong>creates the same physiological conditions that make cellular recovery possible, as sleep does. It allows the body to redirect energy toward repairing tissues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Reduced Cortisol: <\/strong>Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone. Savasana<\/strong>, when done properly, qualifies as one of the most effective forms of deliberate relaxation available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. It lets the Body Absorb the Practice: <\/strong>Ending class without the corpse pose is like closing a document without saving it. Savasana pose <\/strong>is the window where micro-changes in muscle tension, circulation, and the nervous system get integrated after practise. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. The Mind-Body Connection: <\/strong>Lying still and concentrating on the body builds body awareness. Over time, this awareness transfers off the mat, into your daily lifestyle. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Quality Sleep: <\/strong>Regular Savasana <\/strong>trains the nervous system to move into deep rest more easily. Practitioners who include it consistently report better sleep onset and fewer disruptions through the night.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Anxiety Reduction: <\/strong>Moving attention from one part of the body to another and consciously releasing tension is one of the most well-established benefits of the Corpse Pose<\/strong> for stress reduction<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Focus Enhancement: <\/strong>After a proper Savasana <\/strong>practice, the mind is genuinely clearer. The chatter that was active before practice tends to be quieter. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. The Nervous System Shift: <\/strong>Within minutes of lying still in Savasana<\/strong>, the heart rate drops, breathing slows, and the blood pressure eases. The body shifts from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Lesson on Letting Go: <\/strong>The ability to release effort, stop controlling, and simply be present is a skill that connects to how you handle tough situations in daily life.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If you want to realise <\/em>Savasana <\/em><\/strong>benefits\u00a0at a<\/strong><\/em><\/span> depth that most modern classes do not reach, traditional yoga environments offer time, guidance, and silence that allow the pose to actually work. At <\/em>Samadhi Yoga Ashram<\/em><\/strong><\/a> in Rishikesh, we treat <\/em>Savasana <\/em><\/strong>as a complete practice in its own right, encouraging students to stay for the last ten minutes, where the magic happens.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How To Do Savasana (Corpse Pose)?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Savasana yoga<\/strong> has no alignment cues in the traditional sense. But how you set it up initially determines how well it will work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Steps to do Savasana (Corpse Pose):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Lie flat on your back on the mat. If the floor is cold or hard, place a thin blanket underneath you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Let your feet fall open naturally; there is no need to hold them together. Roughly mat width apart is alright.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Move your arms slightly away from your body, palms facing up. It allows the shoulders to drop back rather than rounding forward.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Close your eyes; if closing your eyes feels uncomfortable or creates anxiety, keep a soft, downward gaze.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Take three deep breaths to settle in. Then let the breath return to its natural rhythm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Systematically release tension; start at the feet and move upward. Most people carry tension in the face without realising it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Once the body scan is done, simply rest. If thoughts come, notice them, but don\u2019t follow them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    8. Stay for a minimum of 5 minutes; traditional practice recommends 15\u201330 minutes. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    9. To exit: deepen the breath, gently move the fingers and toes, roll to your right side, and pause there before pressing up to be seated. Do not sit up suddenly, as it spikes the heart rate and undoes the calm.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Modifications to Use When Lying Flat Do Not Work:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n