Saturday, November 21, 2009

Supported Corpse Pose ~ Salamba Savasana

Enjoy Supported Savasana Pose


I always conclude my Restorative class with Supported Savasana. I encourage my students to go nuts and prop themselves in all the ways that would support their body's comfort. This picture only shows a bolster under the legs and an eye pillow but you can get really creative with supporting yourself.

Here's some ideas for increasing comfort and adding support (you don't have to do them all - but you could try for fun):
  • A small roll under the low back for lumbar support
  • A small roll under each wrist
  • A small roll under the neck and/or a pillow under the head
  • A small roll under the ankles
  • Add a sandbag over the pelvis to encourage the hip flexors to let go
  • Add a sandbag on each shoulder to encourage releasing tension
  • Add a sandbag over the diaphragm to increase breath awareness 
  • A blanket over the whole body to keep warm

I'm sure there are more tips and techniques out there but this is a great place to start. Stay in Supported Savasana for as long as you like, encourage the mind to focus on the breath: the feeling of the breath in the body, where the breath is in the body, where can't the breath get to in the body, the feeling of the breath entering and leaving the nostrils or the feeling of the breath bellowing the belly and the belly falling back into the body on each inhale and exhale. Let the mind settle into breath awareness as the body settles into stillness.

Enjoy!

Read more about Savasana here.