One of my favorite poses in yoga is the very last pose: Shavasana. Shavasana is also called the corpse pose and most yoga classes end with this pose. On the surface it’s a ridiculously simple pose. Lie on your back and let everything go. Just lay there. Eyes closed, relaxed, deeply breathing. The first trick is to lie as still as possible; I fidget a lot so this is very hard. The second trick is to not fall asleep; for me being still and being quiet is an instant recipe for sleep so this is very hard. The third trick is to not allow your mind to wander all over the place; my mind is like the LA freeway….so this is very hard. Shavasana may indeed be the most difficult of yoga poses.
Here’s what one yogi had to say about Shavasana:
We need Savasana because most of us desperately need time to be still and do nothing at all but breathe and notice. Time to settle down and get quiet without doing or producing anything. Even for 5 minutes….What I’m describing is very different from lying in front of the TV in a semi-coma or going to sleep. This is about learning how to be completely relaxed and conscious; aware of what is happening around you but not engaged by it….In shavasana we learn to let go, and also to observe from a calm, alert and pleasantly detached place.
When I think about shavasana, I can’t but reflect on Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”
I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, I think meditation is more than prayer. Sure with prayer we get an opportunity to bring our problems to God. Talk to him, ask him for help, and thank him for stuff. But with meditation, we get an opportunity to listen for God. We finally shut up and sit still long enough for him to get a word in.
Shavasana is an excellent way to create the space for God to speak to you.
