The Joy of Exercise

Savasana, or relaxation, is an internal workout, and it’s vital to come into Savasana at the end of your practice, allowing time for the body to absorb and integrate all your hard work.

Learning to relax is part of living well, but for some, this is one of life’s greatest challenges. In our busy and sometimes stressful lives, it’s hard to find the time to simply stop and be. Without being aware of it we are using up huge amounts of energy which can cause an overload on the bodily systems and create exhaustion. Then mental fatigue sets in and the body becomes tired and tense, leaving it vulnerable to disease.

To counteract this we need to set aside a time each day to rejuvenate ourselves. Even as little as five minutes a day is enough time to nurture ourselves, and use relaxation to recharge the body the way nature intended, and focus the mind inwards, developing self-awareness.

There is no more reliable measure of stress and fatigue than the quality of the breath. When the body and mind are stressed, the breath is laboured — short, hectic and rough. This irregular, fragmented sound is an indication of how ill at ease we are with ourselves. As we know, we use the breath to get in touch with the body and mind and form a connection between the two. So now take some time to sense the simplicity and quality of the breath as it feeds your body, and remind yourself that breath is the essence of life. Notice the rhythm of the breath when the body is relaxed and the mind is calm, and sense how the breath flows like a smooth, even, uninterrupted, silent stream of water.

One of the most common poses in Yoga is Savasana, which translates to the Corpse pose, meaning literally to lie as still as you possibly can. No movement, no fidgeting, no restlessness— nothing but stillness. At first you may find this challenging, but I promise that as you persevere, you’ll eventually find that every time you do this, you will move into a state of blissful stillness. It’s this moving into stillness that integrates mind, body and spirit, leading to a calmness which we carry through our lives, and enabling us to integrate holistically into society. And the end result? Perfect peace for body and mind.

The three following postures will relax and rejuvenate. They can be used at intervals during your practice, or simply practiced by themselves. These poses are also excellent tools for receiving feedback from your body, via the action and vibration of the nervous system. So allow yourself time to listen to your body and use them as such. It’s important to be warm during relaxation, as the body’s metabolism slows down, and although you may feel warm from your workout, your body will cool down quickly.

Savasana

Lying long along the floor, make sure your upper body is in line with your lower body. Place your hand towel under your head and a flat pillow under the knees, to align the spine. I find that a great way to surrender into Savasana is to use the vibrations of the voice — integrating the voice with the breath.

1. So, just take a deep breath in through the nose.
2. Exhale, open the mouth and say a deep, long, slow sigh — `AAAHHH’, releasing any tensions and relaxing the body as you do so. Sense the resonating sound of your voice as it vibrates through you.
3. Repeat 3-5 times.
4. To deepen your relaxation experience, imagine you are lying in warm soft sand — and each time you exhale, imagine yourself softly sinking deeper. Allow any tension in the mind and body to simply drift away — but not so much that you fall asleep. Discipline is needed to keep the mind alert in this soft and healing state of being, as the body progressively falls into a deep, relaxed state.
5. Relax the facial muscles —the jaw, forehead and crown of the head soft, with no tension in the face.
6. As we know, it’s just as important to relax the abdominals as it is to activate them. Take a deep breath in and redirect the breath down into the belly, blowing it up like a balloon. As the breath releases, allow the belly to go soft, like jelly.
7. Your body will tell you when this rejuvenating process is complete. The minimum time is at least five minutes; the maximum is up to you but try not to fall asleep. To come out of Savasana, start to deepen the breath, moving the fingers and the toes.
8. Inhale, lifting the arms up into the air.
9. Exhale, lifting them over the head to the floor behind you for a wake-up stretch, reach through the fingers and extend through the toes. Hold for a couple of breaths.
10. Inhale, lifting the arms back up.
11. Exhale, lowering the arms to the sides of the body.
12. Inhale, bend both knees and roll over onto your right side, resting in this foetal position, until you feel ready to come up.

The Yogis say, `Always roll onto your right side in order to protect the heart.’ Savasana is refreshing and rejuvenating, creating harmony between body, mind and spirit, and regulating the blood pressure by bringing all the systems of the body into a balanced state. The period of time you spend in this pose teaches you to be tension-free yet wide awake at the same time and regulates the blood pressure by bringing all the systems of the body into a balanced neutral state.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Relaxation, Perfect Peace for Body and Mind Healing— Savasana

• Yoga Exercise session or Workout Movement Principles part 2
• Relaxation, Perfect Peace for Body and Mind Healing— Savasana continue...
• Dynamic Stretching Vital Component to prepares Mind and Body for Relaxation (Lunge)
• Relaxation Exercises and the Power of Energy
• Developing Muscle, Performing Exercise, avoid Resistance
• Weight Training and Muscle Stimulation
• Physical Fitness, get over Muzzy Mind
• Exercise is a Fine Tool for Personal Growth
• 40+ Man Fitness Program, Intensity Exercise, how much Energy put into action
• Yoga Exercise session or Workout Movement Principles part 1

Category: Fitness, Workout

Tags: body, body and mind, breath, energy, exhale, lifting the arms, mind, nature, pressure by bringing, Relax, relaxation, savasana, society, state, time