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Member
Posts: 5
| Hello, everyone! I'm pretty new to Bikram and so far find it very challenging but also very rewarding. I have pretty severe scoliosis and disc problems, and my Rolfer recommended Bikram once a week as an adjunct to my Rolfing sessions. But I've upped it to twice a week and hope to get to 3X a week very soon. I can already see improvement (after YEARS of trying "everything else").
My question has to do with the final savasana. I did read the thread on how long people take, but my question has to do with whether or not your studio "makes" you stay for at least 2-5 minutes. Of course, I use words like "enforced" and "makes" sort of tongue in cheek.
After reading about how important the final savasana is, I was surprised that, seconds after the instructor said, "Namaste," I could hear the door opening and people leaving. They did so quietly and respectfully, but I was surprised that the instructor didn't stay in the room for at least 2 minutes to make sure everyone got in at least that amount of time. Is this normal? I realize it should be up to each individual how long they want to stay, but isn't this one of THE most important parts of the practice?
Appreciate any feedback. I LOVE this forum.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 574
 
| Ask the teacher. Most teachers dont give the student the help they need to feel changes that occur in them before, after and during the class which is missing out on some of the important aspects of yoga-drawing attenion inward 'pratyahara', focus,improving sensory motor skills etc. Some teachers also just tell students to relax for 10 minutes at the end without much guidance or even explaining what relaxing is. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | It really depends on the teacher and the class. I've been to some where they simply say something nice at the end of a 2-3 min session and the teacher instructs everyone back into sitting position. I've been to some where I fell asleep and realized 10 mins later what had happened - great class!! Then there is the class where some jump up and leave and do whatever. No one has ever made a big deal about it though. It's really an individual matter - for myself, I love Savasana and that is actually my reward to myself at the end,  I loved the class where my teacher placed a cool lavender soaked towel over my eyes...that was the best class ever!! |
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| Oh yeah, final savasana is the best part of the class!
Your savasana starts as soon as you hit your back after final breathing, not when the teacher leaves the room. When I started teaching, I was really "strict" with myself about staying in the room for at least 2 minutes (counting from when the first student hits the floor) before saying "Namaste" and leaving. Lately I've adjusted to staying for a shorter time, probably just one minute, because I want to give everyone their space and I don't want to spend too much time going "blah blah blah"!
I spend a LOT of time TALKING about the importance of savasana - I always talk about it for a bit during the first long savasana, and then I talk about the importance of the savasana and how it works during a bunch of the short savasanas, too. Then at the end of class, I say something about how the really deep changes happen in savasana at the end, and I always tell them "again, my name is J and you're welcome to come see me with any questions you have, but please take your time here, stay as long as you like, and enjoy your final savasana." Most people hang out for a while after that.
Of course there are always special circumstances, too - there are people in class who have to run back to work, people who have rides waiting for them, people who are DYING to cool off from some reason, etc etc - so you can't judge people for leaving quickly! You never know what's going on with someone else. |
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New User
Posts: 1
| You make me absolutely pathetic!!!!!! |
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| thedancingj - 2010-10-05 6:43 PM
Oh yeah, final savasana is the best part of the class!
When a student studies hard and then goes to sleep, they will remember the information better the next day on a test than if they stayed up all night studying. This is because the brain (intellectual mind) needs down time to internalize and process information. Savasana is very similar in that the brain needs down time to internalize what the body has learned during your practice.
Also, you are strengthening your immune system, lowering your general pulse and blood pressure and encouraging your body to rebuild in Savasana. We have a sympathetic (fight or flight) and a para-symphetic (rest and digest) nervous system. When your sympathetic nervous system is activated, your eyes dilate and vision becomes more acute, your breathing becomes faster and more shallow, your heat rate and blood pressure increase, your digestive, reproductive and immune systems are repressed or turned off, you start pumping a lot of adrenaline for energy and you physically prepare to kill that tiger or run for your life. You do not care about long term building projects, but only staying alive for the next few minutes. Your para-sympathetic nervous system does the opposite. It is the system of rest, relaxation and long term building projects (like building new cells, new neural connections or babies). An appropriate balance between these two systems is crucial for health. Modern life is unfortunately far to much on the sympathetic side. We need to take time to engage the para-sympathetic side. |
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Member
Posts: 5
| Thanks for the responses, everybody. I agree that the final savasana is important, tho some people probably do need to run outta there. Man, I would LOVE to fall asleep during final savasana! I can almost see it happening, because the studio I attend has heated floors, and they feel soooo good on my back. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment and peace that comes over me after 90 minutes well spent. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | It doesn't really matter what anyone else does in final savasana, just what feels right for you. I'm usually one of the last to leave. I hang out there for a good 10 minutes. I really do like the Bikram angle on Savasana... that it's conscious rest. |
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Regular
Posts: 69
| Final savasana has always been mysterious to me as well. It's also not enforced at my studio and some of the first people that get up and leave are teachers! (who are taking a class.)
The teacher said something interesting today during final savasana : "Stay until you no longer have the urge to get up and leave - that is when you are ready to go." |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399
Location: Oregon | I find the not enforced aspect that is coming up here interesting. There's a pretty strong ethic to remain in the class for the whole 90 minutes. They can't keep you there longer. I mean, Bikram's is a pretty big time commitment, from the length of the class to the prep and clean up... it’s 2 hours minimum. People have jobs and such. But. Just because they don't "enforce" it, doesn't mean Savasana isn't important. |
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Final savasana not "enforced"?
