Savasana: Teaching Us About Time

Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is often the pose that people like to skip out on when practicing yoga. Because it’s the last pose of each class, many will say: “I don’t have time” or “Next time” or… “I’ll just do it when I’m getting ready for bed.” I’ve even been guilty of these excuses when doing a home practice. We associate lying down and closing our eyes as resting…and who has time for that?!

Judith Lasater’s article “Find Serenity in Savasana” points out the importance of taking the time to make Savasana part of your practice. It’s not simply about lying down and resting. It’s about understanding what it means to allow yourself to do this.

“There are many excuses for not practicing Savasana. Do it anyway! But first, you might need to reconsider how you think about time. The one thing most people say about time is that there is not enough. Here’s a radical thought: Everyone who is alive in the world has exactly the same amount of time each day. Some have more education, some have more wealth, some are in better health, but everyone has the same amount of time. It is how you use that time, and how you perceive the amount of time you have, that can increase or decrease stress.”

Try thinking about how you deal with your time, especially during this busy holiday season. Do you rush through the day, trying to accomplish as much as you possibly can? Do you feel guilty if you sit down…or (gasp!) close your eyes, even for a few minutes? Think about these resting moments as mini-Savasanas: restorative poses that will allow you to reshape your day and accomplish more. By giving yourself this gift, you will shift the energy within you and soon, your time will be YOUR time.