Lecture
Ch. 7 • Swimming In Shiva: Finding the Essence of Shavasana & Restorative Postures
The Fish Who Found Water
Once upon a time, in the vast expanse of the ocean, there was a little fish who couldn’t understand what all the talk about "water" was about. Though she lived in it, swam in it, and breathed through it, to her, the world felt like nothing more than empty space. "Where is this water?" she often wondered, searching endlessly.
One day, the little fish met a wise old sea turtle who had lived for ages. "You seem lost, little one," the turtle said gently. "What troubles you?"
"I’ve been trying to find water, but no matter how far I swim, all I see is empty space. How can something that is everywhere be so hard to find?" the fish asked in frustration.
The turtle nodded and said, "Come, sit quietly and follow your breath." With curiosity, the little fish stilled her movements, closed her eyes, and began to focus on the rhythm of her breath, letting it rise and fall naturally.
As she settled into this stillness, the turtle softly recited from the Vijnana Bhairava: "Imagine spirit simultaneously within and around you until the entire universe spiritualizes."
The fish began to feel a shift. Her body relaxed, and as her breath grew deeper, her awareness expanded. She could feel her heart beating, and then, as if from the center of her being, a space of warmth began to fill her from the inside out. The empty space around her suddenly felt different—full, expansive, and boundless. A sense of peace washed over her, what the yogis call "happy for no reason."
“Is this water?” she asked, sensing something deeper than she had ever known.
The turtle smiled warmly and responded, “Some call it Shiva. As the Guru Gita teaches, ‘tad-ejati tan-naijati tad-dure tat-samipake | tad-antar-asya sarvasya tadu sarvasya bahyata ̨ || This truth moves and does not move. It is far and near. It is inside all of this, also beyond everything.’ This life force that some call water, some call Shiva, some call the truth, is both within us and as far as the eye can see. Often, we only notice it by the bubbles that float up through it, but those bubbles are not the water—they are our thoughts.”
The little fish listened intently as the turtle continued, “As my sea turtle teacher once taught, we can only find water through the practice of surrender. You can’t think your way to it, or even feel your way to it. You have to let go over and over again, and then you’ll realize it’s been right here all along. As Sri Shambhavananda teaches, ‘Mostly, surrender is being able to empty out your mind. If you can’t empty it out, at least observe it coming and going without attaching to its thoughts. Sometimes, brilliant thoughts rise up from the unconscious, but they are just old samskaras. You let them come up, you let them go, and that’s how you find your true self. If you attach to the emotions, illusions, and desires that bubble up, you continue down the same road.’”
The little fish closed her eyes again, feeling the vastness inside and around her. She wasn’t searching anymore. She didn’t need to. She realized she had always been in the water. It was there—within her and all around her, in the space that had once seemed so empty. In letting go, she found what she had been seeking all along.
With a deep breath, the little fish swam away, no longer chasing the water, but fully immersed in it, at peace with herself and her place in the ocean.
Many of us have heard this story before, but in reality, it still rings true. How do we find this ‘water’ that seemingly surrounds us? This concept is at the heart of our practice, being able to use a technique while staying relaxed and receptive so that eventually that technique can bring you into the present. Of course this is at the heart of every practice in the yogic tradition, but there is a very unique moment in every yoga class that gives us a direct experience of accessing this ‘void’ like space of astral energy— the final resting pose of Shavasana.
Shavasana, or corpse pose, gives symbolizes the ultimate surrender that occurs during this final rest on our mat. We don’t just let go of some things; we let go of everything, much like we will when we eventually leave our bodies. Shavasana is an opportunity to practice a profound form of surrender, giving us a glimpse of our true nature.
Surrender can be understood through various techniques and experiences, but at its core, it is about casting off attachments and is thus devoid of all technique. It is a creative act, as Babaji often describes it. Like a musician who practices notes or a comedian who writes jokes, there is a quality of presence in their work during performance that defines its ultimate impact—they must practice, and then let go, to truly arrive. Swami Rudrananda taught, “You work really hard so you have something to surrender” (audio Satsang tapes). High levels of skill often encompass a high degree of surrender.
Take Joe DiMaggio, for example. As an incredible first baseman, he was so good that he made it look easy, leading people to think he was nothing special. His coaches even suggested he hesitate a little before getting the ball so people could see his skill. Similarly, Bruce Lee’s punches and kicks were faster than the film cameras could capture, so he had to slow down for people to perceive his speed. In the same way, advanced yogis like Sri Shambhavananda, Swami Muktananda, Rudrananda, and Bhagavan Nityananda seem to be almost relaxed outwardly, while internally, they are like nuclear reactors churning through their karma at levels few will ever experience. We have the unique opportunity to experience this for ourselves in every yoga class during Shavasana—a precious time when all our classwork culminates, a time to go beyond technique and experience our true nature directly.
This ‘empty space’ in a yoga class is directly connected to the profound understanding in Kashmir Shaivism that emptiness is actually Shiva. Whoever has ‘taken a dip or a bath’ in that ‘unstruck sound’ of the heart, as Dharana 14 describes, enters the Shiva State.
Restorative Yoga Postures and Shavasana
Restorative yoga postures offer us a chance to reach for the amazing depth of Shavasana in multiple poses throughout a class. In Shambhavananda Yoga we might place a restorative posture towards the end of class, and then take Shavasana after it. Restorative yoga becomes an even clearer pathway to the silent depth of Shavasana. There are many approaches to restorative yoga, and they all share a close relationship with the concept of Shavasana, as both practices focus on deep relaxation, restoration, and letting go of tension in the body and mind. Here’s how they relate:
Rest and Relaxation: Restorative yoga, like Shavasana, is centered around creating a state of rest and calm. In both, the body is supported (often with props in restorative yoga) to encourage deep relaxation and healing.
Passive Practice: Both practices emphasize stillness and passive poses. In restorative yoga, poses are held for longer periods, allowing the body to release tension gradually. Shavasana is often held for a similar length, serving as a deep reset for the body at the end of a yoga session.
Nervous System Regulation: Both practices work to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" state), helping to reduce stress and promote recovery.
Meditative Mindset: Shavasana is often used as a final pose in restorative yoga sequences, integrating the meditative mindset of restorative yoga into its most relaxed and surrendered form.
Healing and Restoration: Restorative yoga’s gentle, supportive postures are often seen as an extended practice of Shavasana, where the goal is to release tension from deeper layers of the body and mind, fostering healing, rest, and rejuvenation.
Shavasana, the pose of deep rest, can be seen as the culmination of restorative yoga's principles of calm, surrender, and introspection.
Uppayas: A Path to Emptiness
To better understand the silent and profound depth of Shavasana, it can be helpful to understand how the yogic tradition teaches we achieve such a natural state. For the yogic tradition, the most advanced practices are the most natural. Our work begins with a lot of technique and takes a lot of practice, but eventually that work becomes a natural extension of our being. The yogic tradition teaches this through the philosophy and structure of the Uppayas, which means “Paths”. Like the Koshas, we see that there is a trajectory of physical leading to subtle, leading to ever more subtle experiences. The Upayas describe the practices of yoga in three categories:
1. Anava Upaya: The most physical, including practices like hatha yoga, puja, and chanting mantra. These techniques are specific, repeatable, and help practitioners stay focused on their goals.
2. Shakti Upaya: Serves as a bridge between the physical and the subtle. While we may use the same practices as in the Anava Upaya, here we work with them more subtly. For example, mantra repetition starts as an Anava Upaya practice, but as the mantra becomes quieter and subtler, felt closer to the heart, it transitions into Shakti Upaya. This upaya represents the refinement of our practice and the ability to work more deeply and efficiently, akin to a musician improvising within a song’s structure.
3. Shambhava Upaya: Defined by its lack of external support, such as mantra, posture, or pranayama. The yogi must have a firm strength of awareness to maintain internal focus as technique is released. It is considered the most refined and advanced form of yoga, much like the state of Shavasana. After focusing on posture, breath, and calming the mind throughout the class, in Shavasana, we let everything go while retaining inner awareness, allowing the energy to complete its work. This is akin to the work of Shambhava Upaya—waiting at the doorway to our inner self, ready to merge completely when it spontaneously opens through Grace.
In the introduction to “Manual for Self Realization,” a student of Swami Lakshmanjoo reflects on his teaching of the Shambhava Upaya: “In this state, the yogi, maintaining unbroken thoughtlessness, is waiting at the threshold of universal consciousness. Having accomplished this much, there is nothing left for them to do. This state is significant because, up to this point, the yogi has depended primarily on self-effort. Swamiji tells us that, from this point onwards, the entry into universal God consciousness is automatic. Kashmir Shaivism holds that it is only by the grace of God (śaktipāta), in the form of the grace…that Lord Śiva is revealed. When the disciple, by maintaining thought-lessness, reaches the entrance of the śāmbhava state, they are said to be capable of receiving…grace. Here, Swamiji explains that it is this grace that carries the disciple to absorption in universal God consciousness.”
The Void State of Shiva
Shavasana might seem empty to those new to yoga. There are very few cues, purposefully designed to allow the practitioner time to truly melt within. But anyone who has practiced Shavasana knows that this space is anything but empty; it is a radiating vacuum of rejuvenation. According to the yogic tradition, empty space is really potential energy. Similar to the explanation of dark matter in physics, we may not be able to measure emptiness with any instrument, but we know it represents a majority of our reality. As astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson describes it, “Dark matter, which we can’t see or touch, accounts for more mass in the universe than all the stars and planets combined. It’s a profound mystery, waiting to be unlocked.”
The Vijnana Bhairava often refers to this space as ‘the void’ and simultaneously as “Shiva.” As Swami Lakshmanjoo comments in his discussion of Dharana 19, “To him, everything is a vacuum, only a vacuum. And whatever is a vacuum, that is Lord Śiva. Nothingness is Lord Śiva, because Lord Śiva is not this thing, not this thing. What is Lord Śiva? No-thing. No-thing is something, something which is not thinkable, [not] expressible, which is not felt, which can’t be felt, which can’t be imagined, which can’t be known, which can’t be sought. That is ‘nothing.’” For the yogic tradition, Shiva and the Void are one and the same. But how do we reach the void? How does a fish find water? Not as directly as we might like, because it is no-thing—we might not be able to utter a mantra as a void, but we can work our way there over time.
This is a primary teaching of Kashmir Shaivism, as Swami Muktananda often taught about repeating mantra from the heart: “At a deeper level, words exist in the heart. This is the third level of speech, Paśyanti, which corresponds to the causal body. Here, words are hidden, and what arises at this level is Matrika… The moment one understands the Matrika Shakti and its work, one is no longer a human being. When the Matrika Shakti expands within, in this very body one becomes Shiva.” (Nothing Exists That Is Not Shiva, p. 7-9).
This teaching is directly given in the 15th Dharana of the Vijnana Bhairava, which compels us: “Intone a sound, as a-u-m, slowly. As sound enters soundfulness, so do you.” In this Dharana, we are taught to use the mantra AUM not as a goal in itself, but as a stepping stone to experience the void state that follows. The fourth syllable of AUM is the silence after it, and this silence is a direct experience of Shiva, the void. As Swami Lakshmanjoo teaches on Dharana 15, “When You recite [AUM], in the end, you must concentrate on the voidness of that sound, where this sound merged in the end. The sound is finished afterwards, and there You must concentrate, there You must contemplate… and by that supreme awareness of voidness, [the yogi] enters in the transcendental void state of Śiva.”
You can try it now: take your time repeating the mantra A-U-M, feel the sound coming from the back of the throat, along the upper palate, and culminating in the lips. The final sound is that of silence, the void, that the mantra can carry you towards if you have the right focus. This empty space is so easy to overlook—because you are reading this right now and more in your head than you would be after a yoga class, that practice may not bear fruit. That’s okay; the next time you find yourself in a receptive space, try it then—let the sound of AUM carry you into the void, an overflowing space of resilient regeneration. Or, as the Vijnana Bhairava describes it, “This [liminal] state, which is absolutely pure and filled with universal consciousness, fills the whole universe with bliss.”
Do side lying restorative poses here, incorporate melting and growing and rocking. do we want to discuss people’s experiences here? what I
Studies Show, Empty is Full
Tirkonasana might teach us about the lateral line, and buoyant hip postures might teach us about the Deep Front Line, but Shavasana teaches us about Shiva. When we learn how to practice it correctly, it can become one of our greatest assets. Let’s take a few moments to explore how peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that this liminal space between activities is key to unlocking health, focus, and happiness—qualities encapsulated in the concept of “Sat-Chit-Ananda,” or our true nature, often mistakenly associated solely with activities themselves.
Consider Sat, which refers to being or vitality. Typically, we link improved health to specific exercises or supplements, and while “motion is lotion,” we often overlook the role that conscious rest plays in our routines. Physical exercise generally shifts our nervous system into a sympathetic state, marked by catabolism (breakdown), increased heart rate and blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, slowed non-essential functions like digestion and immune response, and a flood of adrenaline and cortisol. Shavasana, however, allows the nervous system to down-regulate, returning the body to its anabolic state, where digestion, hormone production, and muscle repair occur. Moreover, if you can relax after these activities, “your body is flooded with feel-good neurochemicals that help you sustain a good mood,” as Dr. Carla Manly, a clinical psychologist and yoga and meditation instructor, notes. The liminal space of Shavasana may indeed be the missing link to the energy you seek.
The second quality, Chit, refers to consciousness or clarity of awareness. We often think of learning as acquiring data, techniques, certifications, or test results—as if learning were all about the material itself, rather than the space between thoughts. However, peer-reviewed studies show that breaks, such as Shavasana, significantly enhance learning and retention: “Scientists who study the learning brain observed that breaks and sleep between learning periods enhance learning and minimize forgetting. When you take a break from practicing, for, let’s say, 20 minutes, you allow for the maintenance or replacement of the receptors on the surface of the neurons. Taking a break helps them work better, enabling your neurons to transmit their nerve impulses more easily to other neurons” (from the article “Understanding Your Brain to Help You Learn Better,” source).
Finally, the third quality of our true nature is Ananda, or bliss—transcendental happiness that arises without any particular reason. Often, we associate happiness with objects or experiences, tangible things that we believe cause our happiness. Yet, yogis are clear that true happiness resides within us naturally, and its source is simply being present, regardless of what we receive, even on Christmas morning. A 2010 study conducted via text message with over 2,250 participants supports this idea, suggesting that the most significant factor contributing to happiness isn’t what we’re doing or thinking but simply “aligning our thoughts with our actions”—a scientific way of saying “being present.” Remarkably, this study found that we are only present about half the time, meaning we are half as happy as we could be. Shavasana can teach us how to be present in the liminal space between all the objects of our perceived happiness, potentially unlocking a much deeper experience of joy known as bliss.
Ways to Empty
So, the qualities we seek through “doing” also require that we “not do,” and that’s where Shavasana comes in. Believe it or not, “not doing” can be refined and practiced. A yoga class that focuses on sensation, slowing down, and feeling sets you up to surrender in Shavasana. Practices like melting and growing and backwards breathing help us remove the sense of doership, creating space in our practice repeatedly. Diaphragmatic, intra-abdominal, and balanced breathing practices ensure that we can sink naturally into a state of relaxation. Shavasana should not feel like a separate practice but a culmination of all your efforts. Even intense practices like power flows should not forget their ultimate destination.
forward fold restorative pose- melt and grow. backwards breathing
backbend- cue triple awareness and intrabdominal pressure
discuss people’s experience of restorative yoga and savasana
To support your experience of emptiness in Shavasana, meditating with a Dharana beforehand can be beneficial. The following Dharanas all focus on the voidness of Shiva and can help cultivate this unique form of inner awareness:
• Dharana 15: “Intone a sound, as a-u-m, slowly. As sound enters soundfulness, so do you.”
• Dharana 18: “Intone a sound audibly, then less and less audibly as feeling deepens into this silent harmony.”
• Dharana 19: “Imagine spirit simultaneously within and around you until the entire universe spiritualizes.”
• Dharana 22: “Consider any area of your present form as limitless-ly spacious.”
• Dharana 23: “Feel your substance, bones, flesh, blood, saturated with cosmic essence.”
• Dharana 24: “Suppose your passive form to be an empty room with walls of skin—empty.”
Preparing for Shavasana
Creating an ideal environment for Shavasana is crucial. Aim for a warm, dark, and quiet setting. Take the time to use props effectively; you may need to get up and down a few times to adjust them. Here are some suggested props:
• Head blanket: The chin should be below the forehead to avoid neck strain.
• Arm/hand blanket: There should be a soft bend in the elbows to prevent hyperextension and allow the humerus to gently “plug into” the shoulder socket.
• Eye covering: To encourage a deep state of relaxation.
• Leg strap: This can help fully release the adductors and provide additional support.
• Knee props: Position the props at the center of the knee joint, taking care not to place upward pressure between the femur and the acetabulum.
Everyday Shavasana
We don’t have to wait for a yoga class or the end of the day to reap the benefits of the liminal space of Shavasana; it’s right there in between every task we perform. For example, as a meal is digested, the act of doing the dishes becomes a reminder of this liminal space—chanting a mantra or singing kirtan while washing up can help sustain one’s internal awareness and enhance whatever activity follows. Getting ready for bed also represents a liminal space, existing between the day and sleep; by creating a simple bedtime routine and maintaining your attention inwardly, you promote better sleep. Your commute to or from work is another example of this in-between space; using this time to sustain an inward gaze can leave you more energized at work and unburdened by your day when you return home.
On an even smaller scale, the time spent in the bathroom often serves as a quiet ‘in-between’ space, which, when free from distractions, can be a time for mental and physical release. These are all recurring spaces that we can anticipate and prepare for, but there are countless more moments of ‘in-betweenness’ in our minds, between thoughts and tasks. Even something as simple as taking a sip of water can represent a moment in this in-between space—how can you sustain this internalized awareness in such moments?
NSDR and Its Connection to Shavasana
But there’s more! Tap into Shavasana without having to take a yoga class through NSDR, non-sleep deep rest. The Benefits of Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) is a state of relaxation that allows the mind and body to enter a deeply restorative phase without falling asleep. NSDR practices, like Yoga Nidra and certain guided meditations, facilitate this state, offering many of the same benefits as sleep but in a shorter amount of time. Research shows that NSDR can help reduce stress, enhance learning and memory, improve focus, and boost overall well-being. This practice helps down-regulate the nervous system, moving from a sympathetic (fight or flight) state to a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state, which promotes healing and rejuvenation.
As the Huberman lab writes it, “NSDR has been shown to increase learning rates when practiced in 20-minute bouts following approximately 90 minutes of learning. Utilizing NSDR may involve body scan and breathing techniques that prime the brain and body for restorative processes, enhancing cognitive and physical performance 2. It has also been linked to neurotransmitter restoration, such as dopamine, which is involved in motivation and control 3” (https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/s0ymJf1B)
Shavasana, or corpse pose, naturally induces a state similar to NSDR. During Shavasana, we allow our bodies and minds to rest completely, letting go of effort and surrendering to stillness. This quieting of the body and mind facilitates deep relaxation and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, mirroring the restorative effects of NSDR. The more we practice Shavasana with awareness and intention, the more we train ourselves to access this profound state of restfulness, even outside of our yoga practice.
The following protocol was devleoped by Dr. Andrew Huberman and can be accessed via YouTube via this link:
The challenge, though, is that when the video ends you are rocked into an ad or another video, etc. Therefore its not truly an ideal setting for this practice. In any case, listening a couple of times will give you an idea of the pacing, and from there you can also use the following script adapted from his research.
Non-Sleep Deep Rest Protocol Script
Non-Sleep Deep Rest Protocol
Position: Lie on your back in Shavasana, use pillows for support.
3 Exhales to start: Three long, slow exhales to calm the nervous system.
Perspective: Visualize yourself from above to detach and scan body.
Body Scan Part 1: Start at feet, move awareness through legs, glutes, pelvis.
Pause: Visualize lower body sinking into the floor.
Body Scan Part 2: Shift to abdomen, chest, arms, neck, face, and head.
Whole Body: Feel entire body sinking and releasing.
Whoops: Falling asleep is okay, your body needs rest.
Reawaken: Gently reawaken with small movements, ready for the day
Begin by lying comfortably on your back, as you would for Shavasana. You might want to prop up your knees with a couple of pillows and support your head to ensure complete comfort.
Start with three long, slow exhales, breathing out as slowly as you can through pursed lips. Use these extended exhales as a way to downregulate your nervous system and bring yourself fully into the present moment.
As you settle into the floor, imagine standing over yourself, observing your body from above. This visualization allows you to cultivate a sense of detachment and objectivity as you begin to scan your body with awareness.
We will start at the soles of your feet. Imagine shining a flashlight of awareness on this area. You may choose to focus your breath here, taking one deep inhale and exhale through the nose, or linger for a few breaths if that feels right for you.
Next, move your awareness to the tops of your feet. Again, use your breath to anchor your focus, breathing in and out solely through the nose throughout this practice. Continue to illuminate each part of your body with this gentle, steady awareness.
Move on to the backs of the lower legs, focusing on the calves, then the shins, followed by the backs of the thighs and the front of the thighs. Bring your attention next to the glutes and pelvis.
At this midpoint, pause to visualize the entire lower half of your body illuminated by your awareness. With your next exhale, allow the bottom half of your body to sink more deeply into the floor, feeling a sense of release and grounding.
Now, shift your focus upwards. Move your awareness to the abdomen, then the ribs, the back, and the chest. Progress to the shoulders, arms, hands, neck, face, and finally the head. Take your time with each body part, using your breath and internal focus to illuminate it with your flashlight of awareness.
Once you've scanned the upper torso, take a moment to visualize your whole body bathed in awareness. Allow yourself to feel as though your entire body is sinking a few inches deeper into the floor, releasing any remaining tension.
It’s perfectly okay if you fall asleep during any part of this practice; this just indicates that your body needs rest. Feel free to try this throughout the day in five to ten-minute sections. Allow yourself to explore the practice intuitively, sinking in deeply to whatever arises.
After a few moments of deep relaxation, gently bring your awareness back to your physical body. Start with small movements of your fingers and toes, gradually reawakening your body. Feel yourself as the mindful director of both your body and mind, ready to carry this refreshed state into the rest of your day.