Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Corpse Pose, Savasana, (shuh-VAHS-ah-nah)

corpse (shava) + asana (pose)

Also Known as: Final Relaxation, Mrtasana

Pose Type: Supine, Restorative, Stress Relieving, Headache

Difficulty: Beginner

Come to rest in Savasana and melt into your yoga mat

Corpse Pose Fundamentals

Savasana (Corpse Pose) is best enjoyed at the end of a yoga practice. Coming down to the earth and letting the physical and spiritual practice you have just embarked on integrate.

Savasana is not an afterthought, or a ‘cool down’, but it is a key moment for yourself and your practice. Taking Savasana can leave you with full body tingles, a calm mind, and a happy heart.

Having said that, it is often the stillest and simplest poses that can be the most challenging. Giving the mind permission to let go can be hard, and finding stillness in a racing mind can be difficult, or even uncomfortable.

Yoga is an excellent teacher. Over time, as you keep coming back to your Savasana practice, you’ll find it easier to settle and to quiet down. You’ll be able to notice your thoughts without attachment, feel the sensations within your body without having to reach over to scratch an itch or rearrange your hair.

You may even drop into a meditative state.

Take the time for Savasana. Take the time for yourself and for a moment to re set and re calibrate. Taking time to rest and be still will make your day all the richer and more intentional.

Corpse Pose Benefits

• Calms the mind

• Helps to relieve stress

• Relaxes the body, allowing you to let go of tension in the muscles

• Can help to overcome insomnia

• Can lower blood pressure

How To Do Corpse Pose: Step-By-Step

How To Get There:

1. Sit on your mat, knees bent, feet on the floor, leaning back don’t your forearms.

2. Inhale and slowly extend your legs out in front of you. Rest your head on the mat and keep your feet hip width apart.

3. Lift your pelvis off the mat, slightly tuck your tailbone in, and lower your pelvis.

4. Soften your lower back and create length in the neck by using your hands to lift the base of your head away from the back of your neck.

5. Reach your arms up to the sky, rock from side to side to broaden the shoulderblades and ribs. Release your arms back down to the mat so that they naturally fall away from your torso, palms facing upwards.

6. Mentally scan your body, releasing tension as you focus on different areas. SOften the skin of your face, your tongue, your neck.

7. Stay in Savasana for at least five minutes, breathing into your belly.

8. To exit Savasana, take it slow. Roll onto your side into a foetal position and stay there for a couple of breaths. Then press your hands into the mat and lift your upper body.

Tips And Tricks:

• To relax the eyes and block out the light, place an eye pillow or soft cloth over your eyes. It’s amazing how something so simple can enhance your Savasana so much.

• Play some soft music during your Savasana if your mind is racing. Use the music as an anchor. If music isn’t your thing, use your breath.

Corpse Pose Variation: Corpse Pose With Props

You are invited to use all the props in Corpse Pose.

• Swaddle yourself in a blanket,

• use an eye pillow,

• support your lower back by placing a bolster or pillow under your knees,

• ease your abdomen by placing a block, pillow, or folded blanket on your tummy,

• support a tired neck by placing a rolled up blanket behind the neck.

Use as many props as your heart desires, but make sure that you still feel the reassuring and supportive contact of your body on the mat. Be held by the earth.

Precautions & Contraindications:

Savasana is accessible to anyone who can find the space and time to relax. Use as many props as you need to create a secure and comfortable space to melt.

Related Poses

Preparatory Poses:

All poses and all practices prepare you for Savasana.

Counter Poses:

Savasana needs no counter pose. In fact, Savasana’s counter pose is the day that you have after your yoga practice.

For more in-depth asana resources, check out our free Yoga Pose Library. Here you’ll find complete guides to each and every yoga asana to deepen your yoga knowledge.

Each pose page features high-quality photos, anatomy insights, tips and tricks, pose instructions and queues, asana variations, and preparatory and counter poses.