Definition of Savasana

Savasana -> Sava : Corpse -> Asana : Pose = Corpse Pose

Savasana is pronounced (sha - VAHS - anna)

In Savasana the body is lying on the back with both arms and legs at about 45 degrees, eyes are closed and the breath deep.  The whole body is relaxed with an awareness of the chest and abdomen rising and falling with each breath.  Any muscular tension is consciously released when found.  Savasana is the last pose of an Asana Practice which allows the body to recover from the anabolic to the catabolic state. *wiki

*Yoga Journal

Corpse Pose : Savasana

1.  In Savasana it's essential that the body be placed in a neutral position.  Sit on the floor with knees bent, feet on the floor, lean back onto your farearms.  Lift your pelvis slightly off the floor and with your hands push the back of the pelvis toward the tailbone, then return the pelvis to floor.  Inhale and slowly extend the right leg and then the left leg, pushing through the heels.  Release both legs, soften the groins and see that the legs are angled evenly relative to the mid-line of the torso, the feet should be turned out equally.  Narrow the front pelvis and soften (but don't flatten) the lower back.

2.  With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of neck and release the back of the neck down towards the tailbone.  Broaden the base of the skull too and lift the crease of the neck diagonally into the center of the head.  Make sure your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.

3.  Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor.  Rock slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and the shoulder blades away from the spine.  Then release the arms to the floor, angled evenly relative to the mid-line of torso.  Turn the arms outward and stretch them away from the space between the shoulder blades.  Rest the back of the hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the index finger knuckles.  Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly on the floor.  Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder blades are lifting diagonally into your back toward the top of the sternum.  From here, spread the collarbones.

4.  Quieting the physical body in Savasana is important to pacify the sense organs.  Soften the root of the tongue, the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, the skin of the forehead, around the bridge of the nose between the eyebrows.  Let the eyes sink to the back of the head, then turn them downward to gaze at the heart.  Release your brain to the back of the head.

5.  Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice.  To exit out of Savasana, roll gently with an exhalation onto one side, preferably the right.  Take 2 or 3 breaths, with another exhalation press your hands against the floor and lift your torso, dragging your head slowly after, the head should always come up last.