the "easiest" pose: Shavasana

When you hear it is time for shavasana, what kind of feeling does that invoke in you? Do you look forward to it? Or does it bring about a feeling of unease?

It surprises people when I tell them that shavasana can be my most challenging yoga pose - and it does feel kinda silly to say it. When I say challenging i’m not referring to the physical aspects of the pose - laying on the spine and breathing, that’s easy! For many it's super relaxing, so relaxing they could just drift off for a second... zzz. :)

The difficult part for me is resting my mind. I have had times along the way where I would actually dread coming into shavasana. It felt really confronting to ‘be still’ with my thoughts and observe the breath. It's confronting when a big part of my day is spent trying to avoid that stillness, trying to distract myself from feeling anxious, avoiding the feeling of my heart beating faster, chest tightening and shallow breathing.

I can recall a couple of times I had worked myself up into such a state that I felt I needed to leave in the middle of shavasana - literally running away which is my ‘fight or flight’ mechanism in full swing.

Like many things in yoga… and in life; finding stillness in your mind takes practice and commitment. Our brain is like a muscle, and just like training our muscles to be stronger, the same can be done for our mind. Our brain is very good at remembering repeated behaviours (the good and the bad!) like searching for distractions, which is why it can be hard for us to find stillness as we may have been *unknowingly* training our brains to be constantly distracted or stimulated! In a world with soooo many distractions… there’s no wonder that when we find ourselves in a quiet space with little or no external distractions, we feel kinda uncomfortable.

If this sounds a little bit like you I have some techniques to help us sit with the stillness and give us something to focus on as we are training our minds to embrace shavasana...

1. Count to your breath

Count your breath in, and count your breath out, counting to yourself in your mind. See if you can begin to lengthen out your exhale by adding 1 extra count to it e.g. breathing in for a count of 4 and breathing out for a count of 5. By lengthening out the exhale, you will calm the body and the mind further which can help with a busy, over-active mind in Shavasana.

2. Sanskrit Mantra's

There are so many beautiful mantra's we can sing or speak to ourselves, a mantra can help us to stop focusing on the distractions of the mind and instead focus on the words and the vibrations of the mantra. What makes mantra’s so special is each word in the Sanskrit alphabet has a corresponding vibration with our body, each vibration we feel it's energy. Each soft vibration of the sanskrit language invokes and raises our own energetic vibrations, calms our nervous system and allows us to honour the teachings of Yogi’s before us.

The Gayatri mantra was practiced with my yoga teacher training school as part of our studies. It’s a gorgeous mantra that has an inspiring english translation, and will be forever imprinted in my mind.

ॐभूर्भुवःस्वः

तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं

भर्गोदेवस्यधीमहि

धियोयोनःप्रचोदयात् ॥

Om Bhuur-Bhuvah Svah Tat-Savitur-Varennyam Bhargo Devasya Dhiimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Pracodayaat ||

The vibrations of this mantra awakens the chakras and centres in the brain, encourage the process of learning and help acquire meaning in life. It can be used to increase creative energy for the body and the mind, as well as increase pranic energy.

a basic translation is...

We meditate on the adorable sun of spiritual energy

May it inspire our higher intelligence

CLICK HERE for a beautiful article explaining more about mantra's and helps you to find your own mantra too.

3. Mala Beads

This is a beautiful option if you can be a bit fidgety in shavasana, rolling the mala beads through your fingers one by one is a beautiful and meditative way to keep yourself in the present moment without taking too much of focus. Mala beads are known for keeping us focused in meditation with the repetitive movement of your fingers across the beads anchors you to the present.

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For those of you that practice yoga and meditation at home or in a private space, you could also try:

• Incorporating music with sanskrit chants through your shavasana, my favorites: Om Mani Padme Hum 3 - Jane Winther Devi Prayer - Craig Pruess & Ananda Shakti - Shantala (feat. Tina Malia & Steve Gorn)

• Listen to a guided meditation, these can be found for free on YouTube or I have come across some beautiful ones on the Headspace app.

• Play singing bowls / chimes as part of your shavasana, at the beginning and/or end

Shavasana is a fundamental part of any yoga practice. It gives the body and mind a chance to soak up and receive the benefits of the practice. It’s also an important practice for the nervous system to recalibrate and reset, which is so crucial in our busy and stressful lives.

I hope that you find something in amongst here that helps you with your shavasana and meditation practice, or if there is something that helps you that I haven't mentioned I would love to hear about it.

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Each time we arrive on the mat, lead with an open heart and an open mind.

There is endless opportunity for growth. ♡