Radical Inactivity by Sabbi Lall
What does radical mean to you? To a botanist, it is a leaf or shoot that grows from a root. To a linguist, the root of language, to a chemist a free radical is an atom configured in a special state of high reactivity. Radical change is change that moves our very foundation. This year, I’m looking for something radical, a move toward internal settling of sands and an examination of roots.
I’m soon headed to India, traveling to follow the history, the roots of yoga. And I’m also embarking on an (by now) annual radical pilgrimage, a journey into Savasana. I’ve been making a point of practicing Savasana in January, favoring it above the other restorative postures and taking it every day (even when a seductive active posture or social media beckons instead). It’s not easy, but it pays off to sit with yourself, to look at your Self. Everyday. Even for 5 minutes, if that’s what life allows that day. I used to quietly smile, usually with an internal eye roll, when a teacher claimed that Savasana is the hardest asana. I’ve learned that though it doesn’t take core physical strength, it’s a practice that can move you to the mental core. One time after Savasana, there was a tear on my cheek, and I don’t know where it came from. To be clear, Savasana translates as corpse pose, not ‘ponies and rainbows’ pose. That said, there are big mental and physical benefits and the vast majority of times, Savasana leaves me floating, feeling refreshed, feeling balanced, feeling vibrant, feeling alive, and feeling receptive.
I’ll teach a different form of this wonderfully rich and varied posture each week in my January classes, so you can find one that works for you. And feel free to ask me after class for tips on Savasana, and about the infamous ‘bed of blocks’ Savasana (which involves 12 or more blocks). As you head into January 2020, here’s wishing you all that you could hope for and more, a year of pursuing your practice, whatever you choose it to be.
You can follow Sabbi in India on Instagram under @yoga_sabbi and her regular January Savasana practice was originally inspired by Judith Hanson Lasater.
