Introduction to Yogic Relaxation
In our modern life driven by doing, thinking, and working you need to counterbalance it with relaxation, rest, and reflection.
Levels of stress and tension are causing lots of psychological and physical health disturbance and therefore it is highly important to reach the state of complete letting go every day.
Even with 2 short relaxation poses per day (in the morning and the evening) with conscious tension release, you will see a significant improvement in your life quality in terms of how you feel with yourself and others, how productive and focused you are, as well as how well you sleep at night.
In this article, we will focus on effective yogic relaxation techniques and explain 3 simple asanas that you can easily do at home to find inner calmness on daily basis.
Yoga Relaxation Technique (Awareness of Breathing and Body Scan)
To benefit fully from the relaxation pose stay in it for a minimum of 10 minutes up to 30-60 minutes.
To make the mind quiet and peaceful in a yogic relaxation get into the pose and scan the body with your awareness to release any kind of tension.
- Start with the facial muscles (focusing especially on the area around the mouth and the eyes)
- Go through your neck and shoulders
- Carry on through your right then left arm from the shoulders to the tips of the fingers
- Next scan your trunk from top to bottom (chest, back, abdomen)
- Then visit your buttocks and pelvis
- Follow it with a scan of your legs from the buttocks to feet, firstly the right leg then the left
- End up with your feet to the tips of your toes.
After scanning, follow your natural breath.
Watch the effortless movement of your breath without influencing it, without getting involved, and without judging it.
Observe the breath as it is and make it your indicator of whether you are relaxed or not. With each following exhalation you can let go more and more of any tension that disturbs your breathing.
FOR A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE REFER TO THE ASANAS EXPLAINED BELOW – POINTS “IN THE POSE” SECTION OF SUPTA BADDHA KONASANA TECHNIQUE
Stay Warm in the Relaxation Asanas
When you go into deep relaxation your body cools down like in deep sleep. It is very important to keep your body warm, not letting any part like the trunk be exposed to air.
Tuck your shirt in, wear long trousers & sleeves, or use a blanket to cover yourself. If you are practicing in a cooler environment remember to wear socks & gloves.
Supta Baddha Konasana – Yoga Relaxation Explanation
Benefits of Supta Baddha Konasana Relaxation:
A neutral pose that puts the body in its rightful place. It is an essential pose during menstruation as well as for healing any problems in the lower abdomen and the genitals as it opens and relaxes these areas.
Foundations of Supta Baddha Konasana Relaxation:
The back body resting on the ground.
Props for Supta Baddha Konasana Relaxation:
1 blanket folded 4x as a pillow to support the head and neck, non-slip mat
Modifications in Supta Baddha Konasana Relaxation:
Tightness in the groin area, lower back ache, or menstruation – bolsters or bricks to support the thighs at the hips
Lower back ache – rest the feet higher than the pelvis
The Technique of Supta Baddha Konasana Relaxation:
To go into the pose:
1. Place the blanket in the center back of the mat.
2. Sit in the middle of the mat.
3. Bring the soles of the feet together in the midline of the body and close to your perineum.
4. Stretch the toes to be aware of the mounds.
5. Make sure the mounds & the heels are touching each other evenly so that the feet are in line with the center of the body and none of the feet is more forward.
6. Hold the big toes with the thumb, index, and middle fingers and pull the feet as close to the body as it still feels comfortable in the legs, the groins, and the lower back.
7. Set the hands on the ground beside the buttocks. Lay down, supporting the body weight on the hands and then the elbows.
8. Press into the feet to raise the buttocks. Tilt the pelvis towards the feet taking the buttock’s flesh away from the lower back to elongate the lumbar area.
9. Tuck the shoulders under to open the chest and check if you need to elongate the lower back again.
10. Raise the head to look if the feet are still in the midline of the body and if both knees are at the same height.
11. Raise the head again to elongate the back of the neck.
12. Pull the blanket so that it supports the head and neck. Make sure that it doesn’t go under the shoulders, shoulder blades are grounded on the mat.
13. Take the arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Lift them off the ground and roll the shoulders under stretching the fingers to the sides.
14. Rest the arms on the sides and then relax the hands.
15. Slowly rest the back of the head and the neck on the blanket, keeping the back of the neck long.
16. If you experience pain in the groins or the lower back, or if you are menstruating, place bolsters or bricks under the thighs close to the hips to support the legs. If you still feel discomfort in the lower back, place more height under your feet.
17. Close your eyes and relax.
In the pose (how to go into yogic relaxation):
1. Feel the whole weight of your body resting on the ground.
2. Concentrate on the feeling where the skin of your back body touches the floor.
3. Use this focus to draw your awareness within towards the bodily sensations.
4. Leave the external world for a time of relaxation. You may recognize that some sounds or impulses are coming from the outside, but when you are in the position just ignore them. Do not react to them and remain equanimous within yourself.
5. Prepare your body and mind for conscious relaxation by allowing yourself to sink into the earth with a few exhalations.
6. Notice how tremendously calming and quietening effect has the letting go with the exhalations.
7. Continue going deeper by firstly relaxing all the facial muscles – especially the mouth area and the eyes area – and then scanning every part of your body starting from the top of the head and ending on the tips of the toes. You may start with the head, then pass through your right arm, left arm, trunk, right leg, and left leg.
8. Go slowly through each of these parts of the body, i.e:
a. When you relax the head, start by feeling the skin on the skull – the top part, the back part, and the sides on the temples; then again the whole face – the front, the area of the eyes, the nose, the cheeks, the lips, the chin; then the mouth – the upper and lower palate, the gums & teeth, the tongue – allow it to rest; then the whole throat – inside and outside; then the whole ears – inside and outside; ending up on the whole neck.
b. When you relax your arm, start by feeling the shoulder with the inhalation and let it go with the exhalation, then the upper arm, the elbow, the forearm, the wrist, the palm, and the fingers ending on their tips.
c. When you relax your trunk, start from the shoulders, then the chest, the upper and lower abdomen, and the pelvis reaching the bottom of the perineum.
d. When you relax your leg, start with the hip, then the upper leg, the knee, the lower leg, the ankle, the foot, and the toes ending on their tips.
e. If you find it difficult to feel parts of the body, you may first focus on the back portion of each of them – the one that touches the ground. It will draw your awareness there and you will then also start feeling the front portion.
f. However much you feel, understand that growing awareness is a practice. With regularity, sensitivity develops naturally.
g. At the first stages of practicing relaxations (for the first few weeks or even months) you may feel that you are more aware of the surface of your body – the skin and the muscles right beneath it – but with regular practice, you will notice that you start becoming aware and able to let go deep within your body.
9. Passing through your body with awareness, let go of any tightness or any activity that you may encounter on the physical level.
10. Allow your body to become completely passive and restful, as if asleep, however, continue to be present on the awareness level.
11. Notice how letting go of your physical body brings distance to your thinking patterns.
12. Use the help of your natural breathing in the whole process. Notice how you become more aware of your body during inhalations and how you can better let go with the exhalations.
13. Do not change the natural flow of your breath by trying to make it deeper or longer. Accept your breath as it is.
14. As you complete the scan throughout your whole body notice again how this greater space within your physical and mental body earned by letting go makes you more and more aware of your deeper self.
15. Recognize the fact that the mind and the body are interwoven. By penetrating your body with the awareness and letting go of tensions you are penetrating your mind releasing it from deep-rooted psychological tensions. In the same relaxing the mind by letting go of thoughts you are allowing your physical body to become tension-free.
16. Recognize that in the mind you will be firstly aware of the superficial level of daily thoughts only but with regular practice, you will be reaching the most profound levels of your being as your relaxations become more and more meditative.
17. Go deeper and deeper into the state of relaxation, and silence the mind of thoughts and emotions by watching the natural flow of the breath.
18. Understand that the nature of life is that all things arise and then pass away. Your body belongs to nature and your breath represents the arising and passing qualities of the Universe.
19. Learn how to accept yourself by first accepting your breath without trying to modify it in any way.
20. Watching the breath coming and going, see that the nature of the thoughts is the same – they come and then they pass away unless you react and start to follow them or analyze their content. Do not judge but rather recognize what is. Perceive reality as it is and take it as the ultimate teaching.
21. Use the time of your relaxation meditatively to learn about the silence and peace within.
To come out of the pose:
1. Keeping the eyes closed start slowly moving the fingers and the toes to awaken the body.
2. Take the hands to the outer knees and bring the knees together.
3. Roll to the right side slowly with closed eyes and stay like that for some time.
4. Remain calm and steady.
5. Push up into a seated position, first with the left and then with both hands.
6. Keep your eyes closed and sit for a moment in silent meditation.
7. Continue watching your breath to remain more aware of yourself for the rest of the day.
Make sure that:
• Your feet are in the midline of your body.
• Your knees are at the same height and none of them is turning more to the side.
• Your shoulders are tucked under and your chest is open. Your shoulder blades are on the floor and not on top of the headrest.
• Your lower back is elongated.
• The back of your neck is long.
• Your face, throat, and abdomen are relaxed and soft.
• Your mind is quiet.
• You are consciously relaxing by letting go of any physical or mental tensions.
• You are watching the breaths and the sensations of your body equanimously without judgment.
• You are consciously going inward ignoring any sounds or impulses coming from the outer world.
Setubanda Sarvangasana – Yoga Relaxation Explanation
Benefits of Setubanda Sarvangasana:
Opening of the chest to counteract our tendency to slope forward curving our back in front of a computer. An easy and rejuvenating variation of the Shoulder Stand as well as a mild back bend. Menstruating women and yoga students experiencing extreme stiffness or weakness in their bodies can use this pose in place of the Shoulder Stand.
Foundations of Setubanda Sarvangasana:
The shoulders.
Props for Setubanda Sarvangasana:
One cushion with a blanket on it lengthwise, one belt, and a non-slip mat.
Modifications in Setubanda Sarvangasana:
Lower back pain and during menstruation – put the feet on a brick so that they are the same height as the back. During menstruation, the feet can also be placed wider than hip-width apart, with an additional belt around the middle outer feet to hold them in place and prevent them from rolling out.
The Technique of Setubanda Sarvangasana:
To set the props:
1. Place the cushion on the non-slip mat, a little more than one of your foot’s distance away from the edge of the mat.
2. Place the blanket/blankets lengthwise on the cushion to increase the height only if necessary. You may need more height to feel the opening of the chest if you are taller or more flexible.
To go into the pose:
1. Sit on the edge of the cushion.
2. Place the belt around the legs, four fingers above the knee.
3. Bring the feet together, roll the thighs in, extend the inner feet, and tighten the belt to prevent the feet and legs from rolling outwards in the pose.
4. Bend the legs and use the support of the hands and elbows to lie down so that the edges of the shoulder blades are just off the edge of the cushion.
5. Slide back until the tops of the shoulders rest on the ground.
6. Take the arms out to the sides at the height of the shoulders.
7. With bent legs push the feet down and raise the buttocks and the head to bring weight onto the shoulders.
8. Elongate the back of the neck and roll the shoulders under so that they are caught and held in place by the non-slip mat.
9. Squeeze the muscles of the buttocks, tilt the pelvis, and keep it this way as you lower them down. This movement keeps the skin of the lower back towards the legs and therefore elongates it.
10. Before placing the head down again elongate the back of the neck by taking the chin to the chest.
11. Straighten the legs slowly to avoid taking the weight off the shoulders. Just before you completely straighten the legs press the heels down to bring back pressure to the shoulders.
12. With active toes keep the thighs rolling inward as you move the feet away from each other so that the legs press against the belt and then relax.
In the pose:
1. Relax completely, surrender, and release the mind and body.
2. Follow points 1-21 of the “In the pose” part from the Supta Baddha Konasana technique.
3. Pay particular attention to relaxing the upper trunk and shoulder area allowing the weight of the upper body to sink into the shoulders.
To come out of the pose:
1. Keeping the eyes closed start slowly moving the fingers and the toes to awaken the body.
2. Bend the knees, loosen the belt, and with the eyes closed slowly roll to the right side.
3. Remain calm and steady.
4. Push up into a seated position, first with the left and then with both hands.
5. Keep your eyes closed and sit for a moment in silent meditation.
6. Continue watching your breath to remain more aware of yourself for the rest of the day.
Make sure that:
• You feel grounded through the shoulders.
• Your chest is open.
• Your elbows are on the sides at the same height as the shoulders.
• Your lower back is elongated.
• The back of your neck is long.
• Your face, throat, and abdomen are relaxed.
• Your mind is quiet.
• You stay aware of your breath.
• You are consciously relaxing by letting go of any physical or mental tensions.
• You are watching the breaths and the sensations of your body equanimously without judgment.
• You are consciously going inward ignoring any sounds or impulses coming from the outer world.
Supta Baddakonasana Setubandha Sarvangasana – Yoga Relaxation Explanation
Benefits of Supta Baddha Konasana Setubandha Sarvangasana:
This pose can be called “open heart, quiet mind” because the chest is fully open by the push of the bolster (giving more space to the heart and lungs) and the back of the neck is elongated with eyes turned down (calming the brain). It is a perfect pose to prepare for meditation, an excellent pose for digestion, and for women during menstruation. It is also a good anti-depressant medicine.
Foundations of Supta Baddha Konasana Setubandha Sarvangasana:
The shoulders.
Props for Supta Baddha Konasana Setubandha Sarvangasana:
Bolster, belt, non-slip mat.
Modifications in Supta Baddha Konasana Setubandha Sarvangasana:
Tall people whose feet come off the bolster – use a second bolster or a brick to support the feet.
Tightness in the groins, lower back issues, heavy flow, or pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation – support the legs with bricks or bolsters.
Lower back ache – support your feet higher than the back.
During menstruation – women who feel comfortable with the stretch in the abdomen do not need to avoid it, thus extra support is only necessary if the pose creates discomfort or cramps.
The Technique of Supta Baddha Konasana Setubandha Sarvangasana:
To go into the pose:
1. Sit on the front edge of the bolster.
2. Bring the soles of the feet together in the midline of the body.
3. Put the belt loop around the sacrum, the inner ankles, and round the middle outer feet. Keep the buckle with the belt coming out of it towards you so that it is easy for you to adjust its length.
4. Tighten the belt to bring the feet closer to the body, but only as much as it feels comfortable.
5. Make sure the belt is tightened evenly on both sides so that your legs are not pulled more to the left or the right side. Make sure that the buckle is not touching the body but is between the foot and the thigh so that it doesn’t press into the flesh.
6. Lie down using the support of the hands and then elbows. Check that the feet are in the midline of the body and the buttocks are equally supported on both sides.
7. Check with your hands that your trunk is positioned in line with the center line of the bolster and touching the bolster equally on both sides.
8. Slide the body back so that the shoulder blades are off the bolster, the chest is open and the upper shoulders touch the floor.
9. Take the arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
10. Push into the feet, which are now supported on the bolster (or brick or second bolster if you are tall), to raise the buttocks, squeeze the lower buttock muscles and tilt the pelvis to elongate the lower back. This movement takes the buttocks’ flesh away from the lower back. It also puts weight on the shoulders.
11. You may have to repeat this step a few times to get the lower back elongated and the shoulders into the right place.
12. If you are not able to move your buttocks, loosen the belt and take the feet a bit further away from the perineum.
13. Roll the shoulders under to open the chest and keep the arms slightly bent with the elbows in line with the shoulders and the back of the hands on the ground.
14. Elongate the back of the neck.
15. Support the hips with bolsters or bricks if necessary.
In the pose:
1. Relax completely, surrender, and release the mind and body.
2. Follow points 1-21 of the “In the pose” part of the Supta Baddha Konasana technique.
3. Pay particular attention to relaxing the upper trunk and shoulder area allowing the weight of the upper body to sink into the shoulders.
To come out of the pose:
1. Keeping the eyes closed, bring the feet closer to the body, and with the help of the hands take one foot and then the other one out of the belt.
2. Bring the knees together supporting them with the hands.
3. With the eyes closed roll to the right side slowly.
4. Remain calm and steady.
5. Push up into a seated position, first with the left and then both hands.
6. Continue to keep your eyes closed and sit for a moment in silent meditation.
7. Continue watching your breath to remain more aware of yourself for the rest of the day.
Make sure that:
• You feel grounded through the shoulders.
• Your chest is open.
• Your elbows are on the sides at the same height as the shoulders.
• Your lower back is elongated.
• The back of your neck is long.
• Your face, throat, and abdomen are relaxed and soft.
• Your mind is quiet.
• You stay aware of your breath.
• You are consciously relaxing by letting go of any physical or mental tensions.
• You are watching the breaths and the sensations in your body equanimously without judgment.
• You are consciously going inward ignoring any sounds or impulses coming from the outer world.
