By Marlene (Matrikaa) Gast, Yogaratna

When life gets hectic, and it’s time to go-go-go, Shavasana is my go-to pose.  

I take the time to set up my blanket stack with a carefully rolled blanket on top.  With my knees supported thus, I feel my lower back lengthen, spread, and settle into the floor.  The effect on my mind is so sweet.   

Worry melts into random thoughts.  They soon dissolve into simple clarity and gratitude for rest.  I feel my upper back receive the support of the floor.  With the back of my hands resting into the floor, my fingers soften.  They release the urge to hold on to anything.

Sometimes I silently repeat our Guided Awareness, which I know by heart.  In sequence, I find every part of my body, from my toes through my head, front and back.  This deepens my access to inner peace.

In my current process of relocating, I’m finding Gurudevi’s “Experience Shavasana” recording to be essential.  While uprooting myself, what I hear in her voice and words is transporting in a different way.  This takes me inward to the discovery of new dimensions within myself.  

Being in Shavasana, I am thoroughly grounded in the expanding awareness of Ultimate Reality and Eternality.  Bit-by-bit, my body rests ever more deeply into my blankets and the floor.  Guided in being aware of my body, I feel each area in turn filling with aliveness.

Afterwards, I rest in silence and stillness, my back evenly spread, securely supported by the floor.  The Shavasana blanket stack and roll cradle my knees.  Any previous pressure in my low back is gone.  With calm and energy at the same time, I feel whole — ready to effectively address whatever arises.

By Valerie (Atmananda) Light Trautlein, Yogaratna

Right now, my favorite pose is Swastikasana.

I love this pose because it supports my spine to be so upright in meditation. The “envelopes” of my thighs and calves are wonderful supports for my feet. Props for my knees give my hips and spine support.

They rest in alignment with each other. The support of blankets and my own body allows Kundalini to rise up my spine. Any blockages are cleared.

This support allows me not to work so hard at meditation. As I sit in the pose, I feel my body as one unit. This sensation of wholeness supports the truth of experiencing the One Reality as I sit.

I can remember a time when I could not sit in this position for long periods. I would experience hip and knee pain towards the end of meditation. So I decided to focus on deeper spinal release poses in my home practice.

The deep, consistent spinal release opened up the tight parts of my body. This of course addressed mental tension too. This focus created lasting change. It gave me the ability to enjoy sitting in this pose without pain. The whole thing got much easier.

The name of the pose, I find, really describes the gift of the pose. Swastikasana means auspicious sitting. Also, one translation of the Sanskrit name Shiva is “auspicious.” When I sit in Swastikasana, my body is aligned in a way to sit as my Self auspiciously with ease.

I receive support from the blankets as well as from my own body. Outside and inside work together with one goal. Sitting as Self.

By Nirooshitha Sethuram, Yogaratna

The sweetness of sitting is found in Sukhasana, one of my favorite poses. The name says it all. Sukha in Sanskrit means happiness, pleasant, ease, joy or bliss.

Sukhasana gives me all these experiences, and more, especially when well aligned with an upright spine. Then I settle into myself.  I find the balance point in my torso and use the natural support of my spinal column. 

I also use props to make myself comfortable.  Rolled blankets under my knees keep my thighs level, front to back. When I am well aligned with props, my head stays where it belongs, and my sit bones are leveled.  Then this relaxing, gentle pose helps ease any low back and knee pain. 

My whole spine lengthens from my tailbone all the way into my ribcage and neck.  I feel my hips opening. This spinal release unravels tension in my knees and ankles as well.

Then I can sit in Sukhasana for a longer time.   I simply abide in my own Self, settling into stillness, outside and inside.  I often sit in Sukhasana when I am listening to my Guru’s discourses and other teachings. I meditate in Sukhasana all the time.  The simplicity of this pose makes it easy for me to teach, meditate and pray.

Most of all, this pose soothes and calms my mind and grounds me inside.  It provides the physical support that allows me to experience a sense of inner peace and calmness while remaining completely present.  It fills me fully and brings contentment.  

Sitting in Sukhasana invites my mind to come inside, sit and stay. It also gives me the pillar of support while practicing Ujjayi Pranayama. I can accustom myself to the inner energies that are balancing and flowing up my spine.  My mind is quieted and my awareness turns easily inward.

This is all possible by the blessings of our Guru, Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati, whom we lovingly call GurudeviJi. I am forever grateful to my Guru and the practices she has blessed us with, so gracefully.