Favorite Pose of the Month

Favorites, we all have them. This month our favorite yoga pose is SAVASANA (aka Corpse Pose). It’s for a good reason, not just because all you need to do is lie down. The weather has been downright mean- cold, rain on rain and then add a little more rain, wind, and mean mood. For Chicagoans we’re used to this, in the spring and winter. Not summer. Summer is our heavenly kingdom of food and music festivals, baseball games, bike rides along the Lake Front Trail, outdoor dining, trips to the beach, and SUP Yoga. We’ve all had to utilize our PMAs (positive mental attitudes) and make the most of the days as they are. This is where Savasana comes in…

Photo by: Jaclynn Kay Szczepaniec

Savasana is a pose that asks us to let go, to surrender. Let go of tension, stress, chatter in the mind, anticipation, expectation, fantasies, cravings, desires, and everything else. Surrender to that which you have no control over. It is the pose that teaches us to relax. It settles the mind, relaxes the body, and may even lower blood pressure. It’s exactly what we’ve needed.

So, do some savasana and learn to let that ish go. If you go to yoga class, please don’t skip it. You need it. You really do.

See below links to some savasanas you can do at your leisure:

Savasana with Adriene because she’s adorable

Savasana with the master, BKS Iyengar

Savasana – only 45 seconds long (for all you people in a hurry)

Savasana Benefits recap

  • Teaches you to practice calming the mind which inevitably leads you to calm the mind
  • Relaxes the body (especially if you tend to fall asleep in it)
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Establishes a greater connection between mind and body
  • Facilitates wellness by giving yourself permission and time…to relax and let go
  • Did we mention relax…yeah because it’s important. You turn your devices on and off when they glitch up; you need to do the same for yourself.

Savasana Contraindications (fancy medical term for DO NOT PASS GO or PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF YOU HAVE X, Y, Z)

  • Back injury or discomfort: Lay down on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor, hip-distance apart.  Take it further with a strap and bind your thighs so they are parallel to each other- make sure the heels are at least a hand’s distance away from the glutes (buttocks).  Or, screw all that and just grab a bolster and put your knees over it while laying down.
  • Pregnancy: Use a bolster under your head and chest. If you don’t have a bolster, use a block or roll up a blanket or towel.