July 7, 2017

This Savasana is a compilation of guided Savasanas used by various teachers over the years. I draw inspirations from those memoires and from the Savasana in Erich Schiffmann’s book, Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness and BKS Iyengar’s Light on Yoga. Enjoy reading the following script to a loved one, being read to or make a voice recording to play while you lie in Savasana.

(PLEASE NOTE: If it is uncomfortable to lie down flat, roll a blanket for behind your knees and place a folded blanket or small pillow behind your head. )

A Guided Savasana

Lie down on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Lift your hips up and scoop your tailbone to lengthen the lower back. Reposition your hips on the floor and slowly extend your legs straight out. Separate your feet as wide as your outer hips and let your feet relax open to the sides.

Take your arms away from the sides of your torso. Wiggle your shoulder blades underneath you so they are supporting the weight of your upper back. Turn your arms and hands so the palms of the hands face up.

Line the tip of your nose up with your navel.

Close your eyes.

Deliberately relax. Relax your feet and legs letting the weight of the legs and feet settle against the back of the body. Release your thighbones into the back of your legs. Allow your legs and feet to be supported by the earth under you.

Let go of your arms and hands. Release your upper arms bones into the earth. Relax your hands and allow your fingers to curl naturally in toward the palms.

Soften your belly so your abdomen is free of tension. Soften the skin over your heart. Relax your throat, swallowing to help with this as needed.

Separate your back teeth slightly to release your jaw. Simultaneously soften your inner ears. Relax your tongue and bring it to rest behind your bottom teeth. Part your lips slightly to release the muscles around the mouth and nose. Sink your eyes deep into their sockets away from the eyelids. Smooth out your forehead. Release your brain into the back of the skull.

Feel the weight of your body settling into the back of your body. Feel the back of your body expand effortlessly into the earth underneath you. Feel the front and sides of your body expanding into the air around you. Let the boundaries of your body melt so the lines that separate you and the world around you blur and become less distinct. Allow yourself to take up space. Enjoy the spaciousness inside you and around you. Feel the infinite connection you have right now to the world around you.

Breathe. Draw all of your sensory organs to the breath and follow the breath deep inside. Watch the waves of breath wash through your entire being. Let your entire body ripple with the waves of breath. Be present with yourself.

Continue to release tension until you feel wide open like the sky. Become thoroughly familiar with what it feels like to be open, relaxed, fearless, undefended, peaceful and still.

Stay. As you continue to watch the waves of breath, follow your breath to your heart centre. Feel the space of your energetic heart in its pulsating, expansive, peaceful state. Practice staying aware of this place in your body and this state of being. As you drift away and start thinking or “doing”, gently find your way back to your breath, to the space of your heart, to the pure conscious awareness that is you. Be there. Be with yourself.

To come out, savour the last breath or two before moving. Feel the spaciousness inside your body, inside your breath and inside your heart.

Slowly, begin to gently deepen your breath. With your next deeper breath, bend your elbows and place your palms down on your belly. Feel the softness of your belly free of tension and feel the movement of your breath.

Slowly one at a time bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Roll over to your right side, supporting your head with your right arm as you like. Then using your left hand, press down, uncurl bringing your head up last. Come to sit.

Sit quietly for a moment before standing.

Enjoy the renewal you experience from this short break. Namaste.