In Sanskrit, Shava means a ‘dead body’. In this posture the body resembles like a dead body, hence, this asana is called Shavasana. As the name suggests, this asana takes the person away from tension; reduces stress and is relaxing to the body and the mind.
Let us perform Shavasana by following the steps given below:
1. Lie flat in supine position.
2. Keep the legs straight with feet at 8-12 inches apart. Keep heels inside and toes outside.
3. Keep the palms facing upward slightly away from the body with fingers in a semi-flexed position.
4. Take deep breath and simultaneously close the eyes. Feel complete relaxation in your body. Try to relax all parts of your body.
5. Breathe normally and concentrate on the flow of breath.
6. To come back, open your eyes and come to the starting position.
Remember the following points:
| Dos |
Don’ts |
| Withdraw attention from external surroundings. |
Do not tense the muscles of body. |
| All parts of body should be relaxed. |
Try not to sleep. |
| Try to be aware of the internal happenings. |
|
Benefits
- It removes stress and tension.
- It is useful to reduce high blood pressure.
- It relaxes the body and mind.
- It removes fatigue from the body.
- It is beneficial in the cases of insomnia as it helps to induce sleep.
Limitation
- Do not practise if suffering from low blood pressure.
