Savasana made simple

“Savasana or ‘corpse’ pose is one of the most important poses in Yoga, allowing the body to relax fully. It is when the body and its internal organs are relaxed that they can function most efficiently. A relaxed body leads to a relaxed mind, so important to enable one to cope with the stresses of the modern world.
1 Sit upright on the ‘sitting bones’, knees bent and close together, the hands lightly clasping the knees. Concentrate on lengthening and relaxing the spine. Keep the head, neck and shoulders straight but relaxed.
2 Breathing out, very slowly and gently, under control, lower the body to the floor.
3 Try to count each vertebra in turn as you place them on the mat.
4 Complete the exhalation as the whole of the upper body rests on the mat and relax for a few moments, taking a few gentle breaths in and out.
5 Be careful to ensure the vertebrae of the mid-spine make contact with the mat, especially behind the navel where, very often, there tends to be a gap.
6 Bring the awareness to the spine and the contact with the floor. Breathe out deeply through the nose if there is any feeling of tension, allowing that tension to flow freely out of the body on each ‘out breath’.
7 Slowly and gently stretch out each leg in turn, keeping the feet two to three feet apart, toes relaxed sideways. Keep the arms a few inches away from the body, palms facing upwards, fingers gently curling into the palms. Dip the chin down towards the notch at the centre of the collar-bone to lengthen and relax the neck muscles against the floor. Gently close the eyes and draw the awareness inside the body...”

The article continues with a step by step guide to relaxation.