Shavasana : one of the best relaxation technique.
Shavasana is one of the best asana
to relax your mind, body, muscles & nerves, it also calms your excited
nerves & refresh your energy & pave the way to more fruitful yoga
practice.
As difficult as it may be to find
time for daily relaxation, there are plenty of reasons to do it. Most
important, you’ll feel better. Just 10 minutes of resting with your eyes closed
can transform a problem, calm shattered nerves, and relieve sensations of
fatigue. But there are other benefits as well. With regular relaxation
practice, you’ll bring your best self to the day, including that meeting you
were nervous about, the morning you want to spend with your kids, and the lunch
you’ve been looking forward to with your best friend.
While managing stress, relaxation
methods offer you the chance to transform even the most stressful reaction into
one that is easier to handle. It’s a matter of systematic training, training
that begins with posture, because the posture you choose for relaxation will
have a profound influence on the process of relaxing itself.
Shavasana is the one of the best
posture for relaxation. It is also called as Corpse pose, because one have to
lie down & behave like dead body. It enhances the body’s innate ability to
heal & rejuvenate. To make the best use of this posture, however, you will
need to enter it methodically and learn to recognize the cues that signal
relaxation in both your body and mind.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Shavasana
First of all, lie on your back on a
firm, flat surface. Place a thin cushion under your head and neck, shaping the
cushion so that it supports the natural arch in the neck. Keep distance of 12 –
18 inches in both legs, adjusting the distance until the hip joints relax. Draw
the shoulder blades down away from the ears and slide them toward one another
until they seem to rest flat against the floor underneath you. Let the weight
of your upper body rest on the shoulder blades. Then release the arms to the sides,
placing them 8–10 inches from the body with the palms turned up.
Gently lengthen your lower back,
sliding the buttocks in the direction of the tailbone. The lower back retains a
natural arch, but this arch is not exaggerated or constricted. When you are
ready, close your eyes. Turn your head side to side a few times, gradually
resting it upright and in the center, nestled on the cushion under your neck.
Shavasana -
Now take a moment to survey your
body, adjusting it to make it as comfortable as possible. A bunched-up portion
of clothing that pushes unevenly against your body or a lopsided pillow can
distract you. Don’t ignore these small details; when parts of your body are
still asking for attention, they are not completely at ease and continue to
disturb the central nervous system.
Now turn your attention to your
breath. Inhale through your nose and be aware of the breath as it fills your
lungs. Your abdomen rises. Without pause, begin the exhalation, continuing to
breathe through your nose while allowing the abdomen to fall naturally as air
leaves your lungs. Relax and allow the rhythmic nature of the breath to take
over as inhalation and exhalation flow effortlessly into one another.
To make the best use of shavasana, you will need to enter it
methodically and learn to recognize the cues that signal relaxation in both
your body and your mind.
Soon the back of the body will begin
to feel a gentle warmth as it rests against the floor. Allow this sensation to
rise through the front of the body. Soften the face, the front of the neck and
throat, the chest, the tops of the shoulders, the arms all the way to the tips
of your fingers. Relax the rib cage and the area of your heart. The abdomen
softens as it rises and falls with the breath. The tops of the thighs soften,
and your relaxed attention flows all the way down to the tips of the toes. Then
move it back to the crown of the head.
As muscles relax, the nerve impulses
traveling to and from them decrease, and the brain calms down. A message of
relaxation spreads throughout the entire nervous system, and gradually the
tensions that have crept into your body and mind release. Maintain the pose for
about 10 minutes. You’ll begin to notice that distracting or stressful thoughts
are increasingly unimportant and fall away. You will be more alert to the
mental processes that disturb your relaxation. And as you recognize how these
thought patterns affect your body, you enable yourself to change—and to empower
your body’s natural healing properties.
