Savanna is the last pose in a yoga class and often described as the most difficult! This post has 3 ways to help improve Savasana.
As with any exercise, it’s important to know why you are doing it. This is personal to you and hopefully more than ‘I was told too!’
Savasana is often a point when many skip out of the class. As a teacher, it is a difficult line as the exercise or asana that a student wants to skip is often the one, they need to double down on!
It’s a time of quiet and letting the body and mind recalibrate with has taken place in the last hour or as long as the class lasts. It’s a great tool for observing how busy your head is compared to other sessions and what thoughts pop into your head too!
It’s worth keeping in mind that it’s the last asana for a reason and it may have taken 90 minutes for your head to get into the right space to get the most out of this pose.
Low back tension
Even after an hour of yoga, you can still feel tension in your lower back which makes extending your legs out straight cause tension or pull on your low back. Depending on what resources you have around you, you can use a block or bolster to support a bend in your knees. If you have ever been for a massage, they do this when you are lying on your back with a pillow.
If you don’t have anything to hand, then bend both your knees with feet flat on the floor and then let the knees come together for support.
Try a different alignment
If this isn’t a comfortable pose for you today, turn onto your tum, and see how that feels.
For many it’s a significantly more comfortable position depending on where you are holding tension in your body
Busy head?
If you head is suddenly busy with ‘all the things’ you need to do, then give your mind something to that that helps it too slow down.
Deep breathing always helps, you may have had a breathing exercise at the start of the class you can go back too.
Or just simple deep belly breathing, counting your inhale, exhales and if you have a pause in between the two.
If I am at home I will often listen to a guided meditation. I love Kate Spencer’s meditations and you can download her free ones from here
YouTube is full of free guided mediations too or create yourself a wee list on spotify to help you mark the time!
Bonus
I’m not a fan of multi tasking while exercising! But Savasana is a great time to use an eye mask. This is one of my Deliberately Getting Older tasks that now need to do to keep my eyes healthy. I use this one which is easy to heat in the microwave as I prepare for Savasana. (This is an affiliate link I’ll receive a small percentage of sales if you wish to purchase.)
Top Takeaways
- How can you personalise this pose to support how you are feeling today?
- Your physical body
- Your thoughts and feelings
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