After an hour of yoga, most people would think that ten minutes of relaxation and meditation is a gift. Sometimes I feel like I go to yoga just to experience those last few minutes in final relaxation. It really solidifies the practice for me because in yoga we work to connect body and spirit. This can only be done by relaxing our entire body and finally our minds. But, shavasana doesn’t have to be a routine only performed at the end of a yoga session. We could, and should, try to incorporate shavasana into our every day lives. Because we live such fast-paced lifestyles, it’s hard for us to not only slow things down, but also to clear our minds from the clutter that we hoard. Now, I’m only a [very] amateur yogi, so all of the lingoes that my yoga instructor says often times goes right over my head. So, I’ve tried to simplify it to why we should practice shavasana more, whether you be a yogi, a stressed out student, a busy business man, or an on-the-go world traveler.

Benefits of practicing shavasana

1. Shavasana is a simple way to decrease stress. In shavasana we relax each body part individually, until we finally relax our minds, freeing ourselves from worries and allowing us to surrender to the present.
2. Shavasana allows us to connect to our breath. Our breath is our life long friend and companion. We can tell the state of our being just by our breath alone and practicing shavasana helps us really connect to our breath. In shavasana breathing is effortless and calming. It teaches us how to steady our breath and release the internal heat that we hold onto.
3. Shavasana shows us what areas of our bodies hold the most tension. We hold a lot of stress and tension in different parts of our body, and shavasana helps allude which parts of our bodies are tense and uneasy to relax.
4. Shavasana makes us realize what is important and what isn’t. This may seem very vague, but I realized that when I am fully in relaxation, and my mind is clear, I can see more clearly why certain things shouldn’t bother me anymore. I leave shavasana with a firmer mind, which grants me the serenity to deal with problems in a calm manner.
5. Shavasana is an easy pose that can be done almost anywhere and at anytime. The pose doesn’t require any preparation, since the pose itself is a preparation to empty the mind. It can be done at the end of the day, after a long workout, or even during the middle of the day. All it requires is space to lay out and an environment that is conducive to concentration. Shavasana can take as little as 3-5 minutes, making it a very convenient way to de-stress in the midst of a busy schedule.

Tips to a more fulfilling shavasana

• Use eucalyptus oil or other essential oils (like lavender or lemongrass) to help bring yourself into deeper concentration
• Have some type of white noise (i.e. a sound track of waves or rain) playing softly in the background
• If you are practicing in your own space and cannot dim your lights, turn off your ceiling lights and keep a lamp of low luminescence on
• If you can’t seem to bring yourself to relaxation, concentrate on your breathing. Breath faster if you begin falling asleep and slow it down if you find yourself thinking about other things.
• Place a rolled up blanket behind your lower back or knees if you feel discomfort in those areas

Finally, remember that you are your own guide in life. You can choose to spend your day stressed and busy, or you can spend a quick 3-5 minutes to yourself in relaxation.

“To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.”

—	Deepak Chopra