Corpse Pose
SavasanaThe closing pose of nearly every practice. Lying still with the body fully supported, deliberately releasing muscular effort and letting the breath return to its own rhythm.
- 01Lie on your back with the legs a little wider than the hips and the feet falling open.
- 02Place a bolster or rolled blanket under the knees if the lower back is uncomfortable.
- 03Rest the arms away from the body, palms up, shoulder blades settling evenly on the mat.
- 04Let the eyes close and the jaw, tongue and forehead soften.
- 05Stay five to fifteen minutes, then roll to one side and press up slowly.
- 01Support under the knees if the low back complains.
- 02Nothing to do — let the floor hold the weight.
- 03Cover up; you cool down fast lying still.
- 01Cutting it short, which skips the part of practice that lets the nervous system settle.
- 02Lying on a hard floor with an unsupported lower back, so the body keeps bracing and never releases.
- 03Getting up quickly at the end, which undoes the settling the pose just produced.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.