Alignment in savasana?

[Alix]

OK, this is likely going to sound bizarre so I hope someone has some answers for me. During savasana I often feel as though my body is slightly curved to my left. I have mentioned this feeling to my instructors in the past and they all report my alignment is perfectly straight. When I get to the point of total relaxation and I begin to drift I feel as though my body is curved and if I don't let that thought go I lose the drift and become bound back in my body and have to start all over. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Any idea why this happens?

Lately, I have also noticed that "letting go" from my heart center and up is more of an effort. Any thoughts or help?

[xela]

Alix,

That is so strange! I have the same feeling quite often (but not everytime) I'm in savasana. I too haven't gotten an explanation. Maybe we just stretched one part of our body more than the other! hehe

[Nichole]

I occasionally have this too! I sometimes think I am straight, but I am really off to the left. Maybe it is just a weird affliction of YogaForums moderators and admins?!? It is a definitely good lesson to not believe everything you think

I don't have a specifically Yogic explanation for it. I have witnessed Mukunda working with a clients and when he moves their necks, arms, or legs into off centered positions specific for them, they have experienced kriyas and energetic releases. Sometimes it is very little with just an audible sigh and sometimes it is a substantial release of past traumas.
From a neurological point of view, this is an issue of proproception. Our proproception is generated by our inner ear and the golgi tendon organ (GTO); it tells us where our body is in relationship to itself. This is the sense that tells us that our arms are here and our head is there and that we can tell these things even with our eyes closed. The GTO measures tension in our muscles (really our tendons) so maybe you are onto something Xela with the stretching thing.

Alix, do you get a hit on anything that has been offered?
I am looking forward to what the rest of the gang has to share.

Namaste*

[InnerAthlete]

Two potential answers for this.
The first is that we are often in our daily lives malaligned BUT think we are "straight" or aligned. In this scenario when we are truly aligned in Savasana on the mat the pose feels awkward. It feels awkward because it counters the daily malaligned condition our own ignorance has allowed us to perceive as reality (aligned). I mostly experience it with the alignment of my skull in Savasana.

The second is an energetic alignment that may be an outgrowth of the practice, sequence, chakras, subtle bodies et al.

[Alix]

The stretching thing sounds plausible to me. I notice my left and right sides are quite different in some poses. Mostly the balancing exercises and some of the twists. So it makes complete sense that my body would have an odd sense after correctly aligning myself. I'm quite relieved to hear I am not alone in this touch of weirdness (and maybe that was the link that drew us all to the moderating job huh? LOL)

OK, so if this is due to misalignment during the rest of my life, how do I correct this? More yoga?

I am still pondering this and look forward to seeing other replies.

[Pandara]

Hi All,

This may sound rediculous, but it might be one of your spirit guides pulling that side or trying to make you aware that it is there. It was the case with me when I experienced this a few years ago. The left side (moon, female) is more sensitive to these energies around us. I experience that most of my guides are usually on my left side as well.

Perhaps ask next time what they are trying to tell you or why they are there.

[Hubert]

Well, I don't know about you but I am perfectly straight.

[xela]

Originally Posted by Hubert

Well, I don't know about you but I am perfectly straight.

Well, aren't you just sooo lucky! LOL

[cyclezen]

Originally Posted by Alix

OK, this is likely going to sound bizarre so I hope someone has some answers for me. During savasana I often feel as though my body is slightly curved to my left. I have mentioned this feeling to my instructors in the past and they all report my alignment is perfectly straight. When I get to the point of total relaxation and I begin to drift I feel as though my body is curved and if I don't let that thought go I lose the drift and become bound back in my body and have to start all over. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Any idea why this happens?

Hi, newbie here on-forum and also not a very long yoga practitioner (ok, could use some advise on a better term for a 'practitioner', if there is one...) - I can relate to this.
Regardless of position, my internal 'image' of myself always has my leftside in sort of out-balance feel, whether or not it actually 'appears' that way externally. That's due to some serious injuries some 3 yrs ago and the skeletal-muscle structure changes it caused - most internal and not readily obvious from an external view.
I don;t believe that your feeling or mine is uncommon to many, for a myriad of reasons, not all physical. My experience, outside of yoga, as relates to years of 'visualization' in other activities is what one actually 'visualizes' one 'is' or is doing is different from what is exhibited externally. Its a bit like what you imagine your voice sounds like and what it comes back to you as when you hear a recording of yourself.
Which of these is the most important (external result or 'image') prolly depends on what you want to achieve at any point. Outside of yoga, often the 'result' or process of doing something a certain way is the consideration. Yet often the internal 'image' produces the result one really wants.
...which brings me to a Q of my own... which I'll consider and maybe post to get the thoughts of the more experienced.

As for the 'image' of myself, as being 'out of balance', it certainly is close to the physical reality. It offers some interesting 'imaging'; but really who cares? In savasana its really easy for me just to ignore that. Where I have a ways to go is ignoring discordant external stimuli, like noises, smells, skin sensations. I guess thats just part of learning...
my apologies if this seems 'forward' for a 1st post, but I'm just that kinda guy

[Alix]

Cyclezen, all comments are welcome, and you aren't forward at all. Welcome and I hope you participate often here. I would like to clarify a bit of your post though. You said, "who cares?" about alignment in savasana. Did you mean that you don't care or that you think no one should care?

Pandara, thanks for the thought about the spirit guides. I would think though that to feel a pull from a spirit guide, one would have to acknowledge their existence yes? I'm not sure I am open to that idea. Something to consider though, thank you.

Hubert, LOL, maybe you need to join us "left leaners" and "get bent"!

[cyclezen]

Originally Posted by Alix

Cyclezen... You said, "who cares?" about alignment in savasana. Did you mean that you don't care or that you think no one should care?

Ok, maybe wasn't a clarifying choice of words.
My take on savasana - the idea is to focus on ... nothing
to just be
to allow ourselves to exist, without concept or purpose, physically and mentally, for that all too brief time
in that frame, whether my left side feels like I'm Quasimodo is of no purpose - so "who cares". If I'm 'thinkin' about any part of me or anyhting else, then I;m not quite 'there' yet. Course I do think about 'releasing' (the neck, the cheeks, the tongue, and so on) as I start savasana, but eventually I need to leave all that behind.
My take is that the 'pose' of savasana is to best facilitate our release of everything. In that vein whatever way our body finds itself when we can become 'nothing' would be effective.
so yes, i don't care. Are they concerned about their practice of savasana? I wouldn;t know - it doesn't concern me.
Maybe I;m missin something, but it seems to work for me.

[Pandara]

Hi Alix,

Yes, you will have to acknowledge their (those beings around us, guides etc. whatever we want to call them) exisitence and their presence, if not comfortable with that, then it might truely be something else. My left pulling stopped after I acknowledge the Guide there and started to work with her.

Hope this doesn't make me too straight?

[Hubert]

Originally Posted by Alix

Hubert, LOL, maybe you need to join us "left leaners" and "get bent"!

I am sorry because I did not resist the temptation to make that dumb joke.
About your sensation of left leaning, no recent personal experience (I did autogene training way back, and I remind similar feelings, no clues, though). I like Pandara's example, but I admit it is hard to accept for "normal" people. I am afraid I am beyond that.
I can accept it mentally, (I can include them in my view of the world) but to experience things like this, was not given to me. Believing Pandara, as one who sees auras, I'd rather belive him than myself. (Like a blind man believes someone with an eyesight)

[Pandara]

Thanks Hubert, I had a sudden experience, felt like god, but just for a moment...too fast. )

[Hubert]

I am sure you also have people to look up to.

[Alix]

Oh Hubert, I hope you didn't think I was offended by your comment. I giggled out loud! I hope too you understood my "get bent" was just another giggle.

Pandara, never too straight! Thanks for the clarity. I am still looking for the answer that resonates best for me, not quite there yet.

Cyclezen, you must be more advanced than I in your yoga practice. For me, savasana is the ultimate in being both "in and out" of my body at once and enjoying the moment. I've never made it to nothingness, and I suspect I will not ever get there as I enjoy the drift too much. My issue is more that I notice this left curvature when I get to a certain point in my release and if I allow myself to focus on why it occurs I lose my drift altogether. Acceptance of it is fine, but I really would like to know why the sensation occurs at all. And why only to that one side.

Anyone with chakra knowledge that might be able to help here?

[cyclezen]

Originally Posted by Alix

Cyclezen, you must be more advanced than I in your yoga practice. For me, savasana is the ultimate in being both "in and out" of my body at once and enjoying the moment. I've never made it to nothingness, and I suspect I will not ever get there as I enjoy the drift too much. My issue is more that I notice this left curvature when I get to a certain point in my release and if I allow myself to focus on why it occurs I lose my drift altogether. Acceptance of it is fine, but I really would like to know why the sensation occurs at all. And why only to that one side.

Doubt that I'm more 'advanced'. Yoga does seem to present an interesting mix of needing to be 'aware' and often times needing to let go.
I really am a beginner at yoga. But have some years of 'meditation' and clearing and release. This certainly isn't exclusive to yoga.
As it happens, over the years of searching to 'release' I 'gravitated' to a savasana position, having tried a variety of others. And only lying down afforded the ability to release. I won't go into the details, but I got over the reluctance to lie down, often wherever, when I really needed to 'clear' myself.
Even now, after a yoga session/practice, in savasana, I'm not always able to get as 'clear' as it could be. But however I get is a wonderful place.

I'll side with you here, my mind loves distractions and needs to be stimulated. If I don't find a way to provide it with something, it will 'pick' something, even if I;m not interested.
Don;t know about you, but I need a whole bunch of time to really 'start' getting to a point of release in savasana. Of the 3 class type 'practices' I now do wkly, only one is structured to really allow me time to 'release'. That 'instructor', I believe, has over 35 years of yoga experience, and she has a way the others just don;t seem to (not that they're not good also). For savasana she allows a large block of time and speaks very briefly as we get into pose, then its quiet for an eternity. She'll lightly ring a chime to bring us back. She allows everyone to come back at their own pace. She's just the best. Actually, all my 'teachers' are great and have their special talents.

For years, well before I started yoga, I've done 'savasana' almost daily. My co-workers all eventually get used to seeing me on my back (if they happen on my special place - most avoid it now when they know i'm on lunch) and quietly move on.
If you don't do savasana outside of a yoga session, you might wanna give it a try more regularly. It doesn;t really need accompaniment (sp?). I usually do maybe 4-5 min of very light and simple stretches and folds before I hit the floor. Gotta say the rest of the day always goes way better if I can get 10 or 15 min (or more) on my back, at lunchtime.
Doing more often might be a way to get past the left curve thing...
can;t hurt

[Alix]

Thank you very much for your idea. I meditate regularly, and have for some years now. So, I don't think adding more would help.

I do notice though that it is only after a yoga class that I experience the left leaning. So perhaps xela is correct with the stretching thing and realignment stuff.

I suspect that I need to just be more at one with the left leaning thing and just accept it as normal for me. Isn't that really what savasana is all about anyway? Acceptance and integration?