Redefining Rest: An Invitation to Do It Differently
What could be considered perhaps THE most non-negotiable part of any yoga class?
Savasana. The pause, the exhale, the place where everything integrates.
It’s SO powerful, according to the oldest, wisest yogis, you could practice it alone and still have a complete practice.
But somewhere along the way, rest became another thing to perform—one pose, one shape, one way.
Is it actually possible to find true, deep rest only by lying flat on your back?
And who wants to embody a corpse (not trauma-conscious language, by the way) anyway?
Not me. But I’ve done it, and I bet you have too.
There’s value in that traditional shape, but there’s even more in agency, choice, and individualization. Resting is deeply personal. Every BODY craves its own way of doing it—and that changes from day to day.
There are no rules for resting
Whether you guide others or simply practice yourself, notice where you might still be following rules about what rest “should” look like.
Have you tried other ways to rest?
Have you given yourself permission to take a different shape, even when everyone else stayed still on their backs?
Savasana reminds us that we always have permission to listen to our own body first.
You don’t need anyone’s permission—but if you think you do, consider this it.
There are no rules for resting.
Rest can look like whatever you need it to look like in any moment.
And while we’re clearing things up—you don’t need to earn it, either.
The Many Ways to Rest
There are countless shapes of rest—on the back, belly, side, seated, supported, or suspended.
Yet in most yoga classes, you’re only offered one.
And while that one can be powerful, there’s no way it can serve everyone.
Just as there are countless ways to rest, there are countless ways to accept support through props. Bolsters, blankets, sandbags, soft music, even the steady presence of a pet to co-regulate with (thanks, Maverick).
What matters isn’t the pose or the prop, but how you feel within it. The intention is always the same: arranging your body in a way that feels safe, supported, and complete.
This series—Just Savasana: Resting, Reclaimed + Reimagined—will explore these shapes and how they nurture safety, agency, and healing for everyone in the room (yes, even the dogs!).
Creating Trauma-Conscious Rest
Rest, by nature, is relational. Teachers hold the container; students fill it with their truth.
If you’re guiding, offer options that honor different nervous systems and lived experiences—lying down, seated, side-lying, supported, or even standing.
If you’re resting, allow yourself to explore until something feels genuinely safe and comforting.
I hope you hear these words echo every time you move into your own Savasana:
“All ways of arranging YOUR body are perfect—lying down, seated, or even standing.”
“Find YOUR way, and if it feels safe, let your eyelids feel heavy.”
Then pause for a check-in. Could you be even one percent more comfortable in this moment?
Adjust. Fidget. Fix your hair. Add another blanket. Comfort isn’t indulgent—it’s regulation. And choice is the nervous system’s language of trust—for both teacher and student.
Embody + Reflect
When rest becomes an act of choice, it stops being an obligation and starts becoming a practice of trust.
So invitation to take a breath, and ask yourself:
What does rest mean to me when I stop trying to earn it?
What does rest mean to me when I allow myself to reimagine and reclaim it?
May those questions guide you back to your own definition of enough. Give yourself some time to embody the answers you find. Set a timer for five minutes or more and simply rest, your way.
Whether you teach, practice, or both, may this be your reminder: rest isn’t a reward—it’s part of being alive.
Continue exploring in the Just Savasana: Resting—Reclaimed, Redefined + Reimagined collection.
May you redefine rest in the way that most serves you in each moment.
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