Deep Body Relaxing

[Guest guest]

I used to teach Yoga classes in my early twenties to make a living.

After the Hatha Yoga sequence was done, students were led through

deep body relaxation in Shava Asana (the corpse pose where everyone

lies down and relaxes). After a while, it seemed to me that for many

people that was the favorite part of the class.

Over the years, I have come to feel that the best posture for

meditation is not the Lotus posture as many yoga traditions claim,

but simply lying down in Shava Asana. The sleeping posture is

universal and sets no high bar for anyone to have to overcome.

Therefore, it is the perfect posture for attaining Self-Realization.

Deep body relaxation can be mastered by anyone slowly and has immense

physical and spiritual benefits.

Of course, Hatha Yoga is important for many people and sitting in

meditation with a straight spine has its own health and energy

oriented benefits. For many people who cannot sit cross legged,

sitting straight on a chair with support for the elbows is helpful.

If one is serious about meditation and relaxation and practices it,

slowly one discover what postures and practices are the most helpful.

Deep body relaxation seems to be universally attractive, because it

allows for letting go. It is easy to learn and do and with experience

becomes natural.

Harsha

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[Guest guest]

Hi Harsha,

> I used to teach Yoga classes in my early twenties to make a living.

>After the Hatha Yoga sequence was done, students were led through deep

>body relaxation in Shava Asana (the corpse pose where everyone lies down

>and relaxes). After a while, it seemed to me that for many people that

>was the favorite part of the class.

 

When I begin with a new meditation class, I teach physical relaxation

first... then emotional relaxation and mental relaxation... laying aside

all the personality "bodies." I have had people come just to learn

physical relaxation... and having learned that, they say Thanks and leave

the group. )

> Over the years, I have come to feel that the best posture for

>meditation is not the Lotus posture as many yoga traditions claim, but

>simply lying down in Shava Asana. The sleeping posture is universal and

>sets no high bar for anyone to have to overcome. Therefore, it is the

>perfect posture for attaining Self-Realization.

 

I learned meditation while lying down, and I still prefer that when I'm

alone. I learned to meditate while sitting so I could meditate with a

group... sometimes the space is small, and there just isn't room for

people to lie down.

>Deep body relaxation can be mastered by anyone slowly and has immense

>physical and spiritual benefits.

 

The specific method I use for teaching physical relaxation is one I learned

from a modern dance teacher. She said 15 minutes of complete physical

relaxation is as good as a three-hour nap!

> Of course, Hatha Yoga is important for many people and sitting in

>meditation with a straight spine has its own health and energy oriented

>benefits. For many people who cannot sit cross legged, sitting straight

>on a chair with support for the elbows is helpful. If one is serious

>about meditation and relaxation and practices it, slowly one discover

>what postures and practices are the most helpful. Deep body relaxation

>seems to be universally attractive, because it allows for letting go. It

>is easy to learn and do and with experience becomes natural.

 

Lying down makes it easier for most of us to just relax completely and let

go of body awareness. Many people find that their temperature drops

noticeably in complete relaxation, so I suggest making sure the body is

warm enough, covered if necessary. I don't see any virtue in suffering

various discomforts while meditating. Make the body warm and comfortable,

tuck it in, and then forget about it.

 

Lying down also makes it easier for some to fall asleep while learning

meditation. But that will happen to some people, even if they're sitting

up in a noisy place! )) It just takes practice to get used to putting

the body to sleep and staying awake.

 

Love,

Dharma