Stillness often bothers many people. And I used to be one of those. Type A personas like me were often described as driven, competitive, perfectionist, career-oriented, and….stressed to the max. It was just the right type of personality for the accounting firm I worked for where most everyone worked beyond normal, reasonable hours, set lofty ambitions, and had nothing greater in mind than securing a senior management position or eventually moving on to companies offering very fat compensation packages and benefits.

Even after having left the labor force and becoming a homemaker, stillness eluded me. I began taking multitasking to a higher level. My computer was open to several windows, each with a different task and I would switch windows every few minutes. At the same time, I would be wrapping a book on my lap and if the phone rang, I learned to balance it on one shoulder with my head tilted to one side to keep it steady, while both my hands pounded away on the keyboard as I continued working. My idea of rest or break was to stand up and move to a household chore like cleaning the bathroom, mopping the floor, or rearranging my closet.

So when Savasana was introduced at our first yoga class, Pio was leading us through it with the lights dimmed but my mind was going at 100kph as I thought “so…what now? How long will this last? Do I just lie here and am I supposed to sleep with several strangers around me?”

Over these past months, as we got used to Savasana at the end of every class and as I read up on its purpose and effects, it became a pose I looked forward to (and it became THE favorite pose of all my yogini-mates after a particularly gruelling session with Pio). I began to learn how to let out my tensions in this pose from toes to the tip of my head. In my mind’s eye, I could even visualize myself surrounded by a white aura of light, much like a cocoon, healing me all over. It kept me focused on the present — not on the past or the angst about the future. It kept me grounded. Many times, I found myself drifting into sleep for maybe a few seconds and waking up to the tail-end of Pio’s instructions. Thankfully, I never overslept….or SNORED! Nakakahiya!

Savasana has even affected my sleeping habits. I used to be a strictly SIDE person when sleeping. But now, I find that position constricting to my breathing so I revert to savasana while sleeping. I have done away with pillows under my head and sleep flat on the mattress. Savasana in bed also allows me to continue doing the deep breathing we have been taught to do.

I still multitask. I still get stressed and feel angst depending on personal circumstances. But with the knowledge of savasana’s benefits, I can now catch myself, lie down on the bed in this pose, close my eyes, listen to the rhythm of my breathing, slow it down, take deeper breaths, focus and just LET GO and RECHARGE!!!

(Photo courtesy of Yoga Journal – www.yogajournal.com)