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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
 
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Okay, this one is for you Bruce:~)
Seriously, I would like to know some do's and don't's & other's experiences are where Savasana is concerned. Like for instance, unlike Bruce, I really want to lie there for a long time, I love it! Sometimes I fall asleep sorda or what I call a halfway sleeping state of resting. There is always something nagging me telling me NO don't fall asleep because Savasana is not about sleeping, but if I didn't have that inner nagging telling me that, I really could sleep for hours. Then on the other hand, do I really need to use the word sleep, is this about going deeper into an almost sleep state of being, and if so, how long can you stay in Savasana and do you need to monitor yourself and not go to sleep?? Does this make any sense at all?? Also, I mainly practice Bikram and I am referring to the Savasana at the end. But hey, Savasana is Savasana as far as I'm concerned, right? |
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| Have you every tried a Yoga Nidra experience? That is really amazing - you lie still and listen to a guided meditation (Bruce would HATE it!). People think that they've fallen asleep, some even start snoring! But, because your consciousness is functioning on another level, they actually still hear the whole process subconsciously. I have never had to awaken anybody, they always come out of it when I tell them it's time.
Same with savasana, sometimes people snore real loud but they never once miss an instruction! I've never done Bikram, so I don't know if it's the same as any other class, but it sounds like most types of yoga end in savasana. It's important to let your body integrate all you have done/learned during class (hear that Bruce?). For my beginning students, I talk them through a little scene-setting, then a brief guided relaxation, followed by a few minutes of silence. Then of course, stretching and waking back up. For my intermediate students, they know what to do more quickly, so I can pretty much shut up. When I have to teach in a loud gym, I try to have them concentrate on counting breaths, because otherwise its nearly impossible not to get distracted.
I used to hate savasana when I first started practicing yoga too, I would be real antsy, and my mind was all over the place: "What time is it? How long have we been laying here? I'm hungry. Can we go soon? What's everyone else doing? What is the point of this?!?!" I don't know exactly when the change took place! Now I get fussy if I don't have enough savasana time, I'm like "HEY I'm not done yet!" One of the only DVD's that allows enough savasana is Shiva Rea's Shakti Yoga. Mmmm, that one's super nice. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Well, I think so...that is when I go to class. (me being a home practitioner mostly I have to monitor myself). The instructor I go to always does something similar like you mentioned. However, one time I went to a class where another woman did some talking and then she said something like "being angels and coming back down to earth and know that you are loved"..when I heard those words I just went nuts with thoughts like..."well, I never left earth, and I do feel loved". That was kinda hoky poky for me (Bruce would appreciate that one!). But anyway, how can I do a Yoga Nidra experience at home with a CD?? I would love to have something really good that would take me on a 20 minute or more Savasana, and then bringing me back. Although, I'm not much for alot of talking in my meditations or Savasana..I like the silence with some background music and perhaps a word or two that is neutral and realistic. I think that would be kinda cool for a different experience.
You reminded me, I recently purchased a Tibetan Bowl Bell Chimer for my telephone. It doesn't ring the standard phone ring anymore...horray!! It is so charming to have this Tibetan Bowl chiming and whats so cool about it is that it is actually the Tibetan Bowl and it has a clicker on it. I could use it I suppose, set it on the timer. I also have this Zen alarm clock from the same company. It's really cool when your in a deep sleep and when it goes off, its very subtle and only chimes once. Then it repeats every 3 min, then 2 mins and then it goes off every minute and then so many seconds. Its suppose to help you with your dreams and not wake you up so violently. So nice rather than those annoying alarm clocks that drive me crazy!!! I think I just found another use for these Zen tools.
Edited by Cyndi 2005-03-14 10:10 PM
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| To tell you the truth, the only one I ever did (aside from the relaxed feeling I get from reading my own) was by my teacher, Joseph LePage. I actually tried it with a couple of my friends during lunchtime at work, and at the end he started saying stuff like "Feel the knees smiling" and everybody was cracking up.
My brother actually composed a beautiful piece of music for Yoga Nidra that makes me instantly go to LaLaLand. This past weekend we recorded my voice reading a couple of classic Yoga Nidra texts, and I should have copies available for sale next week on my website. I'm thinking of putting a pre-order button on there tomorrow morning. I also may put the 30-minute piece of music up there for sale, for other teachers to use or for people who don't want to hear my voice yapping over the top!  |
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| FYI, the Yoga Nidra I like to use doesn't do any of that airy-fairy stuff really. I don't like that either. It takes you through basic relaxation, then setting an intention, then a rotation of consciousness that syncs up your body & mind. Then there is breath awareness, and once your mind is fully integrated with your body & breath, there are some visualization exercises. Once that is complete, you restate your intention, then slowly come back to consciousness, sit up, and go about your day. I'm told it feels very much like a 2 hour nap, even though it's only 30 minutes!
I guess I will get my chance to try it first-hand as soon as my brother sends me the master copy. But, since it is my own voice on there, I suspect I will be very distracted thinking "Oh, I almost tripped over that word . . . boy my voice sounds nasal when I say that . . . ugh, I should have paused longer after that section." If I can get my inner critic to go on break for a half hour maybe I can get something out of it! |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Thanks I'll check out that website too. The Tibetan Bowl phone ringer came from a company in Bouler, Co. Now and Zen. Here's the link: http://www.now-zen.com/ I have the digital zen alarm clock and the phone ringer. Be prepared to be shocked...they are not cheap. But, the quality is very good and I love mine. Recently a new age store in my area went ot of business. The lady marked everything 40%. I knew she carried these and immediately called her and told her to hold them for me. What a deal. I can't wait to use the alarm again...right now I'm having to deal with a barking new puppy dog at 6am...its so hard to go back to sleep. It is really cool to be a in a deep sleep and have that sound. It is so mellow and soft. Some people would say they can't wake up to it..but you would be so surprised. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Okay, I just purchased through Amazon the Experience Yoga Nidra Guided Deep Relaxation CD. It has a picture of a waterfall with Trees on it. There was another one called Yoga Nidra Meditation CD- Extreme Relaxation of Conscious Deep. Both by Swami Janakananda (who is American by the way) Anybody know anything about these cds and what the difference between the two are?? The reason I chose the one I did was because it actually had 2 sets of meditation and they were exactly the time frame I was looking for...the other sounds like it might take you on a trip outside of this world...maybe out of the earth like the girl in the studio that day was talking about,  |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
  
| Yes. Savasana is important to make the transition from one state to another. for example, one would do Savasana after asana and before pranayama so I would think it would be the same for meditation. |
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Savasana Do's and Don't's
