Stages of Relaxation

Have you ever wondered what is actually happening when you are lying in Savasana (relaxation pose) at the end of your yoga practice? See if you can identify with the following five stages of relaxation as given in this information taken from The Healing path of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi. When you do your yoga at home, remember to include a devotional centering and breathing exercise at the beginning of your practice. At the end, lie down to enjoy the deep benefits and effects of your practice. Focus on your breathing as well as body sensations. By taking a few extra minutes to prepare yourself for your asanas (postures) at the beginning and receiving the full integration at the end, you may find that the "yoga" that you do directly transfers into increasing the quality of your day to day living.

Stages of Relaxation:

We are beings of multidimensional layers and it is necessary to relax all layers for complete healing to take place. Our minds are mirrored in our physical bodies and show our emotional state and mental focus/alertness. When we begin to relax, we gradually shed each sheath of our five bodies as we go deeper toward our essence, which is light and a sensation of deep peace. Like a labyrinth or spiral, we weave in and out, being occasionally drawn outward by a sensation or outward sound and then inward more and more as we let go of our coverings, one by one. As we retreat back inside, we wind our way to our center. As we return to the outside, we are somehow changed, more relaxed and aware in the everyday world.

Stage I - The Physical Body (anna maya kosha): This is the body as we know it, made up of bones, muscles, organs, nerves, blood - wrapped up in connective tissue with skin as a covering and hair and nails for decoration. This body is stressed by temperature changes, movements and posture against gravity, unequal amounts of rest and activity and the food and liquids we consume. As stress accumulates, the body shows the effects and we accommodate to these changes as a normal part of life; aching, stiffness and fatigue. By learning to relax and release tension from the physical body, our suppleness returns and with it, a feeling of youthfulness. In stage I, we become aware of each body part from the toes to the head and ask the mind to release the body through the breath and focused attention. The tension of the body gets squeezed out. The body becomes free from the tightness of the muscles, lets go, and becomes heavy.

Stage II - The Energy Body (prana maya kosha): This is the force field or aura that feeds the physical body and mind. It surrounds and moves through the physical body and is experienced through the breath. This body is subtle and its anatomy is experienced through the prana distributed to the space between and within the cells, organs and bones. With gentle guidance from the mind, we use the deliberate breath to invite the tension and discomfort to melt away. By taking deep full inhalations, we have the power to release stress through the exhalations. Each section of the body is relaxed separately and natural breathing is resumed between each part. The effects of stage I and II are a heaviness in the limbs and throughout the entire body, a letting go of tension of both the physical and energy bodies. You may want to practice only these two parts until you are able to experience the feeling of heaviness. Without letting go of the physical holding of the body, it is sometimes difficult to let go of the more subtle aspect in stage III.

Stage III - Body of the mind and senses (mano maya kosha): These are the thoughts and worries that arise in our minds that are located throughout the physical body. To access this body we call on the gentle and natural breath. The mind directs the easy breathing and we ask the mind to direct the natural breath to different parts of the mind-body where we store our thoughts, memories, pains and hurts. Scars of various physical and emotional traumas are in this mind-sense body in every cell at the sight of the past mental/emotional/physical injuries. When relaxation has a chance to penetrate, the scars are soothed and the injuries are encouraged to heal. In this stage you may experience different feelings and thoughts surfacing. Know that they are coming up to be released. All you have to do is to acknowledge them and let them go. In stage III we experience a feeling of lightness, possibly a floating sensation. Observe the breath as it comes into and go out of the body. In a deep relaxation the time of the exhalation is increased without any effort. This enhances a feeling of "taking your time" and completely letting go.

Stage IV - The Body of Higher Wisdom (vijnana maya kosha): is our intuition sometimes called Witness Consciousness. At this stage we pull back from the intellect and senses. We become aware of lightness of our being and detach from our physical body, even the thoughts and feelings of the mind. We experience a knowingness as well as a serenity of presence to the Higher Self. Body and Breath are still and deep. The mind is content. Little energy is needed and little energy is used. From this sense of weightlessness, we just observe the breath as it moves in and out of a still body. We are observing the energy of being. This energy of lightness and calmness takes over here and the mind becomes clear without our usual prejudices, hopes and dreams. We can then open to our higher knowledge.

Stage V - The Body of Joy (ananda maya kosha): is an internal place of stillness, peace and bliss. This place can be experienced while in nature or within a deep connection to self or other (gazing at a newborn baby, into the eyes of our love or into the being of our true self). Here we find a wellspring of healing energy. We are comforted and content. We are centered and surrendered to our own inner stillness. A natural drawing inward occurs and our deepest healing takes place. We completely rest in the experience of our own true nature. Sometimes, in this stage we have a fear come up that we might lose our identity or that we will travel out of our physical bodies and not get back in. We only need to take a few deep inhalations to stop this feeling of losing control. We will come right back into our physical bodies and again experience life as we usually do; from our thoughts, feelings and physical senses.

We usually work through the first, second and third stages to get to the fourth and fifth; yoga practice combines these three stages.

You can feed your prana (body of energy) by eating healthy food and drinking adequate amounts of clean water, paying attention to the breath through breathing exercises, being in natural sunlight, exercising your physical body and showing love toward self and others.

Ways to align all of the Bodies in harmony include: Being in nature, Giving love and doing selfless service with Right attitude, experiencing the senses and spending time in relaxation and meditation.

Brief relaxation (10 minutes at beginning of your yoga practice)

Focus on the various parts of the physical body; how each can let go and grow heavy. This helps you become more aware of the physical body. Then, focus on your breath, sending it to the various body parts and spaces inbetween. Notice how the breath can relax the mind and body. Next put these two awarenesses together and experience the integration of body, mind and breath.

Longer relaxation at the end of your yoga practice (20 to 30 minutes)

Briefly review the first three stages (as given above).

Then, allow a deepening of attention with a visualization/ imagery exercise including a focus on wisdom from the Higher Self. Allow quiet time for self-observation of the natural breath while promoting stillness of the physical body.

Next, just focus with stillness of the breath itself, the rhythmic nature of the heartbeat. Without thoughts and feelings or judgements/comments about anything you experience, just relax deeply into your own true nature.

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