rameswaram

YOGA

SHAVASANA                                                             1

The mind Body Relaxer

Unfortunate as it may be, you and I are immersed in a tension filled world. It is this very tension that forms the basis for psychosomatic disturbances. We are left asking ourselves what we may do about our individual tensions and what we may do about world tension, which after all is only the result of accumulated individual tension, Psychiatry offers tranquilizers, but HATHA YOGA offers drug less inner relaxation through the ancient practice of SHAVASANA.

The mind and body are linked, and whether happens to one will affect the other as surly goading one of two yoked oxen will force the other to move along with it. Knowing this, we may confidently proceed to use Shavasana  as an adjunctive therapy for such diverse conditions as old fashioned neurasthenia, early stages of mild to moderate depression, sleep onset insomnia, general anxiety and panic attacks (between attacks , not during ) and reduction of mild to moderate hypertension particularly the systolic or `high reading’.

Shavasana means `Corpse Pose’ or Dead Pose’.

Specific advantages:

1.       The nervous system is rested and rejuvenated.

2.       A transfer of nervous energy to the internal organs takes place.

3.       The BP is lowered (individuals with unusually low BP may suffer discomfort from practice of Shavasana), while at the same time heart beat and respiration are considerably slowed.

4.       A deep state of muscular relaxation is brought about.

The practice of Shavasana:

In the first stage you learn to relax the body as a unit and give in completely to the force of gravity

1.       Lie supine (face up) on the floor on a suitable mat. Loose clothing should be worn, and the room temperature ought to be comfortably warm.

2.       Place your feet about twenty inches apart. Allow your ankles and toes to relax to the outside.

3.       Place your palms up as we are trying to avoid stimulus to the sensitive tactile receptors underneath the finger tips, thus dampening the alerting responses in the brain. 

4.       Check that your shoulders are flat and that the small of your back is relaxed in to the floor.

5.       Adjust your head to a comfortable position

6.       Completely surrender your body weight to the floor.

7.       Preliminary rotation sequence: Tighten-lift-release-drop.

The following sequence commences on the right side of the body and progresses to the left, for both arms and legs and finishes with awareness of the all trunk of the body if necessary , you may repeat the routine several times before to the more classical step- 8

Right arm:

An inhalation (breathing  naturally ) make a firm first; extending the contraction up the arm to the shoulder, while  simultaneously  stretching your arm and rising your all arm a few inches from the floor up on exhalation, release the tension in your arm and let it drop to the floor.

Left arm:

Switch the search light of your mind to your left arm, mentally scanning from shoulders to fingertips; on inhalation, make a fist, stretch your arm from the shoulders, and lift it several inches from the floor. Up on exhalation, allow your arm to relax and collapse to the floor.  

Right leg:

Focus your attention down to your right leg (from groin to toes). On inhalation, bend your foot back pointing your toes toward your knee cap (stretching the calf muscle), and raising your leg several inches from the floor. With exhalation, relax your leg and let it drop to the floor.

Left leg;

Turning your concentration to your left leg, sense and feel it, repeating the inhalation contraction-elevation sequence, letting it drop to the floor.

Whole body awareness:

In this inhalation relaxation cycle direct your awareness to your spine and trunk , mentally traveling from your pelvis to the back of your head, cultivating a `melting’ sensation on exhalation.

Advantages:

This step begins elementary Shavasana proper, and basically is intended as a five part routine to commence the practice at each session.

1.       Encourages release of physical tension in the limbs by muscular contraction followed by flaccidity.

2.       The concentration – release phases increase proprioceptive, kin esthetic, and circulatory consciousness of the limbs.

3.       Both hemispheres of the brain alternatively become involved with the sequential firing of motor strips and sensory strips (Contrastive phase and relaxation phase) within each cerebral cortex. This becomes an automatic psycho physiological attention fixer for centering consciousness.

   

Step 8:

Commence concentrating up on your upper and lower extremities (the arms and legs) and witch each exhalation fell your arms and legs becoming heavier and heavier. Imagine you melting or sinking in to the floor.

It should be noted that the placing of the extremities permits the `individual to take maximum advantage of the natural pull of gravity. ` Hath yoga ‘teaches, as a fundamental tenet the use of natural forces such as gravity.

This exercise should be practiced for a minimum of ten fifteen minutes    and should be performed for a week before starting the second phase of Shavasana.

Focus up on a feeling of total sagging going with gravity, and simultaneously cultivate the imagined sensation that the ground or floor is moving up to meet you, rather like an elevator going up.

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