Why do I need “relaxation” during yoga?
Relaxation during yoga is needed for the same reason as you would need it after any strenuous activity or gym workout. Yoga is an intense and deep workout for your entire body and mind and your body need to relax after it is over hence you need to practice the various relaxation poses. After you finish practicing your yoga asanas or postures your body need to cool down and relax fully in order to absorb the beneficial effects of the yoga asanas or poses and to get back to doing the normal daily activities, hence you need to practice relaxation techniques after each session and some times even in between certain yoga sessions. The best asana or posture in yoga for total relaxation is the Shava asana or the corpse pose. As the name suggests it involves lying down like a corpse with no movement at all except for your breathing. Shava asana or the corpse pose can be practiced as follows:
Lie down on a flat surface, the floor preferably on a yoga mat and do not use a pillow. Keep your spine, neck and tailbone straight and aligned in a relaxed manner. Your hand would be by your sides slightly away from your body with your palms facing upwards so that your fingers are curled in. allow your shoulders to sink into the mat as you relax them and let them move away from your ears. Relax your hips, thighs, and legs so that they become loose and takes the strain off from your feet and toes. Once the entire body is relaxed and in a properly aligned position, slowly make each part of your body stiff and then relax starting from your feet. Keep doing this for every part of your body as you move up from your feet to your calf muscles, knees, thighs, hips, abdomen, hands, shoulders, neck, face and then finally the entire body at last. Then fully let go off all the strain and feel your body sink into the mat. Breathe slowly while you focus on the way you breathe and feel the stress melt away.
Shava asana or the corpse pose is excellent to fully relax and rejuvenate every single part of your body. You can practice this any time you feel tired or stressed whether it is after your regular yoga sessions or at the end of a tiring day.
