Savasana

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A restorative yoga pose typically practiced at the end of a session, where one lies on their back with arms relaxed at the sides
2. It promotes deep relaxation and mindfulness while allowing the body to integrate the effects of previous poses
3. This posture is often used to calm the mind, reduce stress, and foster a sense of peace and awareness

Etymology: The pose's name is built from two Sanskrit words that sit awkwardly together: "śava", meaning "corpse", and "āsana", meaning "posture" or "seat", the word that also gives English "asana" for yoga postures in general. Put together, "śavāsana" means something like "corpse pose", a name that describes the practice exactly: the body lies flat and still, as the dead do, while the student stays conscious. The spelling "savasana" is a simplified romanization of the same Sanskrit compound, with the initial "ś" written as a plain "s" and the aspiration of the "h" in the common alternative "shavasana" dropped. Both spellings point to the same two parts, so a reader who sees either one can work out the meaning from the components.