Quiet Your Mind During Savasana
Quiet Your Mind During Savasana
One of the main reasons why we practice yoga asana (yoga poses) is to prepare the body for stillness and meditation to unite a blissful state of being. In yoga, we call this Samadhi, a state of intense concentration achieved through meditation. At the end of each class, teachers often offer what's called savasana, a short, yet powerful pose to help bring us into Samadhi. When we are in savasana our bodies are feeling the benefits from our practice while resting in stillness. We stay deeply connected to our breath and the present moment and can begin to fully experience the full effects of our yoga practice.
For me, when I first started my yoga journey, savasana was one of the most challenging poses to practice. I had trouble sitting still for five minutes, the small amount of time the teacher allotted us at the end of practice. My monkey mind was all over the place thinking about my to-do list, asking myself all sorts of questions, and/or just planning for the future, usually this would involve me thinking about what I was going to eat after class. I was unable to stay present. I was restless, anxious, and not allowing my body time to rest and heal.
As my practice has expanded, and I continue to experience the benefits of stillness within savasana, this pose has become one of my all time favorites poses, especially because I find it challenging to quiet my mind and need a moment of stillness now more than ever. If you are like me and you struggle with quieting your mind here are a few tips to help you move closer to Samadhi in savasana, and on and off your mat.
Even one minute of stillness is better than zero!
It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and sometimes, scheduling an hour of movement can send us over the edge. Often times, we feel like we never have enough time, but the truth is we do, we just need to remind ourselves that in order to seek balance in our hectic lives, we need to schedule a time for stillness, movement, and self-care, even if it's just for a minute!
If you do have time for a class, I find that savasana at the end of a yoga class is a nice stepping stone in helping me reach stillness, or Samadhi, making it easier for me to quiet the mind on and off my mat. But what if you truly don’t have time to take a yoga class? Perhaps the times do not align with your schedule. Give yourself 1-5 minutes every morning where you close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out, preferably before you even have to get out of bed in the morning, or in the evening before you go to bed. Make time to quiet your mind so you can become more aware of what your body needs from you, so you can listen and heal.
Does your mind stray? Find a mantra or one word that you can repeat over and over again.
Monkey mind is no joke. Do you struggle with random thoughts entering your mind? We all experience rapid thoughts from time to time and really have to work hard at quieting the mind and letting random thoughts go. Sometimes when we repeat the same phrase or word over and over again this allows us to focus our mind and our energy on that word or phrase instead of something else. We want these words and mantras to be a positive affirmation that also make us feel good. Some of my go-to's are as follows:
“I am”
“I am balanced”
“I am here”
“I am present”
“I am breathing in, I am breathing out.”
These are just a few, but feel free to create your own, something that resonates with you and brings clarity and a sense of calm to your being.
Connect to your breath, let it be your anchor.
Our prana, or breath, is our anchor. Without it, we would die. So it only makes sense that we would need to build a deeper connection to our breath. With each inhale, allow your entire belly to expand, this includes the ribcage and the chest. Invision space as you expand your breath, as if you are filling up a big balloon. With each inhale we nourish our body and with each exhale we are letting go, releasing, creating space for fresh air and new opportunities. With each exhale, allow your entire body to relax and see if you can extend them so that they are longer than your inhales. This will help bring you into a deeper state of relaxation and stillness. Pay attention to the natural flow of your breath, let it be your anchor when life takes you on a ride.
Allow yourself plenty of time to ease into the practice of stillness. Quieting the mind doesn’t come easy, but once you find a connection to the practice and a sense of relief, you’ll want to continue to breathe deeper, relax longer, and experience more.
Take the time to get comfortable with your quiet self, you deserve the stillness.
