As a writer and editor, Deborah Quibell believes in the pure magic of words. She is deeply interested in what inspires and moves us creatively. She sees writing, not only as way to tap into our true voice (and bring our unique messages out into the world to touch others) but also to discover un-accessed parts of ourselves. A lover of mystery, poetry, imagination, and language, she lives for moments of captivation and is mesmerized by the human heart—our capacity to love, connect, and express. She works, as a writer, healer, and teacher, towards creating a world re-enchanted and re-ensouled. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Depth Psychology, with an emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute, and teaches meditation, yoga, and pranic healing. She now resides in Amsterdam, where she writes columns for various publications and plucks away at her dissertation. She can often be found with a cappuccino in one hand and a green juice in the other.
Slice: DISCOVER THE VALUE OF SAVASANA
When we move into savasana, or corpse pose, at the end of our yoga practice, usually one of two scenarios emerge:
- I loooooooove this pose. There is nothing better than laying on my back and doing nothing. It is my favourite part of the class. Bliss. Can I lay here forever? Yes.
- I haaaaaaaate this pose. There is nothing worse than laying on my back and doing nothing. It is the worst part of the class. Boring. What is the point of this anyway? No.
Which one are you?
Regardless of whether savasana is your best friend or worst enemy, there is great value in ending the class in this posture. Here are a few of the benefits, regardless of your personal relationship to the pose.
*It allows your body to integrate the benefits of the physical asana practice you have just performed. Your muscles relax, your heart rate drops, and your bodily functions and systems become stimulated and revitalised.
*It calms the nervous system. In our modern world, we are very used to operating in the ‘fight or flight’ stress-mode. Savasana creates space for the ‘rest and digest’ healing-mode connected with the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps restore the body and reduce anxiety.
*Creates space for conscious relaxation and rest. Usually, the only moments we allow ourselves to fully relax is when we are sleeping. Savasana creates a state of relaxation while remaining awake. This helps us to observe our thoughts and our mind, as we do in meditation, often creating much needed perspective and balance.
*On a deeper level, we get a chance to ‘practice’ death—to let go, surrender, to detach from our ego or identities, and give in to the call of our more essential nature or being. Mastery over death is the true lesson of savasana.
Author: Deborah Anne Quibell
Author: Deborah Anne Quibell
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