- Category
- Reclining
- Level
- beginner
- Hold
- 5–15 minutes
- Type
- Asana
- Breath
- Completely natural — no counting, no control, just watching.
Corpse Pose
Savasana — "corpse posture (shava = corpse)"
Also known as: Final Relaxation
Lie flat, let everything go, and do nothing on purpose for several minutes. Corpse Pose is the simplest shape in yoga and often the hardest to actually settle into.
Step by step
- 1Lie on your back with your legs extended and your feet falling open about hip-width apart.
- 2Rest your arms a comfortable distance from your sides, palms turned up.
- 3Tuck your shoulder blades slightly under you so your chest feels open.
- 4Lengthen the back of your neck; let your chin drop just below your forehead.
- 5Close your eyes and let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
- 6Scan slowly from feet to face, releasing each area as you notice it.
- 7Stay still — when your mind wanders, come back to the feeling of your body on the floor.
- 8To finish, deepen your breath, roll to one side, and pause before sitting up.
Benefits
- ✓ Gives your nervous system time to downshift after practice
- ✓ Teaches you to notice and release habitual muscle tension
- ✓ Lets the effects of the preceding poses settle in
- ✓ Can ease you toward sleep when practiced in the evening
Make it yours
- · Place a bolster or rolled blanket under your knees to soften the lower back.
- · Rest a folded blanket under your head if your chin tips up toward the ceiling.
- · Cover yourself with a blanket — body temperature drops quickly when you're still.
- · An eye pillow or folded cloth over the eyes helps the face let go.
Take care
- In later pregnancy, lying flat on your back for long periods can feel unpleasant — rest on your left side or prop your torso up on a bolster instead.
- If lying flat bothers your lower back, keep your knees bent or supported.
This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.
Practiced in
Props that help here
- 8-foot cotton strap — Extends your reach in hamstring and shoulder work — the honest substitute for grabbing a foot you can't yet reach. Get 8ft, not 6ft. find one
- Yoga blanket — Folded under the hips in seated poses, under the knees in kneeling ones, under the shoulders for shoulderstand. A firm household blanket works too. find one
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