Community & Government, Wellness
Restoring Your Mind
Lesson time 10:13 min
Learn steps to restore the natural balance of your body and your mind.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: Corpse Pose | Savasana • Yoga as a Life Practice
Teaches Yoga Foundations
Renowned yoga instructor Donna Farhi teaches you the most essential physical and mental elements of creating a safe, sustainable practice.
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- More and more people are leaving out relaxation as a part of their yoga practice and maybe because there's this perception that when we lie down to rest that nothing's happening. But in truth, when we come to the end of a practice and we allow our body to descend into this deep relaxation, all of the effects from our active practice can begin to saturate, not only in the body, but in our minds, in our emotions, and our connection to our spiritual self. So make room for your relaxation, whether it's at the end of your workday or the end of your yoga practice. Corpse Pose or Savasana is a posture of complete relaxation typically done at the end of every yoga session to let go of the active practice that came before it and to feel yourself completely at ease. Christina is using a towel to lift, give a little bit of support to her neck and head. And I would say, for about 50% of the population, having the legs extended is not the best option for relaxation. So one of the first ways we can make this more effective is by taking a bolster and placing the bolster underneath the lower thighs and the knees. A few cushions of a couch or a chair will do the check. And here, I'm going to raise her lower legs as well. One of the simplest ways that you can maximize your relaxation is to cover the eyes so that the eyes are not receiving any information. Your eye pillow could be black or dark. This is a lighter color but it has a little bit more weight to it. Now once you're here, commit to staying for at least 10 minutes, preferably a little bit longer than that. So what I do as a discipline for relaxation is I set a timer so I don't have to be thinking, this is seven minutes up, have I stayed long enough? And I commit to that time to being there for the whole 10 minutes or 15 minutes in the relaxation. Now before you begin, cultivate a quality of mind that is curious. Consider that anything that's arising in your experience is simply useful information and listen to what that experience might be asking you to do. First of all, notice all of the sounds outside your building, your home. Might be the sound of traffic, could be the sound of people talking. And you may even give yourself the tasks, as soon as you hear a sound, wait for the next sound, and find another sound. So you're training your attention to listen, to orient, to what is happening right now, not in the past, not in the future. Then bring your attention into the room and start to notice the sounds in your room. Could be the clicking of a clock or the buzz of your refrigerator. And then bring your attention to the sounds inside your body, so that gradually you're reorienting from what is happening around you to what is happening inside you. And then feel into your physical body the sheath of the body that is fed by food, water, air. And then make a mental note. Ah, I had a little tension in my hip today, or I could feel something uncomfortable in m...
About the Instructor
With nearly 40 years of experience, Donna Farhi is one of the most sought-after yoga instructors in the world. Now the “teacher of teachers” is sharing her approach to creating a safe, sustainable yoga practice with students of all levels. Whether you’re looking to realign with the heart of traditional yoga or are just getting started, learn postures, foundations, and philosophies to guide you on your journey.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Donna Farhi
Renowned yoga instructor Donna Farhi teaches you the most essential physical and mental elements of creating a safe, sustainable practice.
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