Photo : BKS Iyengar
Shava : Corps, Asana – Posture. Also known as « Mrtasana« , Death, Asana – Posture
Shavasana is known as the hardest pose in all asana practice.
It is done at the end of a class, where the practitioner is recollecting the practice, a moment of deep relaxation without sleeping.
Savasana can be a guided meditation, during which we describe the relaxation of each limbs. It is also possible to guide as Nidra Yoga (the sleeping yoga), however the practitioner should be more in a relaxation state than in sleeping mode.
During Shavasana the teacher can be in a meditative state.
Filming your student, you will not do
Thanks to the social network, it is now very common to see « stories » on Instagram, in which the teacher has filmed his/her students during Shavasana.
The video is coming with a wisdom sentence, or sweaty smileys, even worst a selfie with the students in the background with the boomerang effect.
Because that is the very first thing the teacher is thinking. Filming students while relaxing.
It is to show how many students they were in the class, showing off.
Then what happened if one of the students just come up at that moment? How to explain why the teacher is holding his/her phone in his hand, filming without any consent…. Is the teacher asking before it? « Dear Students, I will be filming your relaxation, thank you for your participation »?
What if, one student do not wish to be filmed without knowing it?
During a TTC I attended in Brazil, one of the student took picture during our shavasana. We were 36 students at that time, and it creates a « huge » scandal. None of the participants did not wish to be taken in picture and ask all pics to be removed from the phone.
Nowadays social networks are becoming an integral part of our lives. Even after a 1h30 minutes class we can not get rid off them. Is it so important to film students during Shavasana?
Mea culpa, in Bali I filmed the relaxation taught by Trupta. At the end of the course we watched the video, and we took the decision to remove it.
We did not feel comfortable by stealing that moment from our students.
Why we should not do it?
Relaxation is a moment in which we are most vulnerable.
Anything can happen at this moment. Some of people can be agitated, others can cry. We should not be a silent witness of this kind of situation.
That is why during Shavasana, the teacher should either come out of the shala before coming back to « wake up » students, either stay on his/her yoga mat in a meditative state, motionless.
Giving massage during Shavasana ?
It also happens that the teacher wants to give massage during Shavasana. If there are only 5 or 6 students, then why not?
If you have a class of 20 students, it can become very complicated.
The teacher is then going from one student to another, touching the neck, the feet, the face…..
In case you want to offer this kind of thing, be sure to choose exactly which part of the body you want to touch. Because going from head to toe is anything but hygienic.
Also Shavasana last for 10 to 15 minutes. When the teacher approaches the first student, he has just returned to Shavasana, however last students are already in Shavasana for at least 8 minutes. Therefore there is an interruption of the relaxation.
Your students will not like you more or less, whether you are giving massage or not….
Essential Oils – Encens
I am not sure about essential oils. It can be very nice to have it during the relaxation, however adding oils while massaging during Shavasana, what if some of student are allergic to it?
Encens burning can be nice. If the shala is in a closed room however it can become toxic, if that is summer and the shala is in the city, you can of course open the window, hopefully the area will be soundless. If the class is outdoor then it will be perfect.
Shavasana is a relaxation
Shavasana is very simple. There is no need to sugar coat it.
Shavasana is Shavasana full stop.
If the yoga class has been well structured with asana practice, pranayama, meditation, shavasana will come naturally.
Be simple.
Dismount from Shavasana
The sound can bring back the student, tibetan bowls are really nice.
Singing one OM can also do, verbal instructions like « moving your toes, moving your feet, moving finger, hands, head. Bring the right arm back, bend at the left knee and roll on the right side of your mat, come back and sit in a comfortable position ».
Closing the class with mantra is also good but not mandatory.
3 Oms and 3 shantis you can do.
Also simply way, after having students into a sitting pose, just say thank you.
Namaste,