As a yoga teacher I’m curious as to what students like during shavasana.
Do you like quite, soft music, teacher doing healing triangles or a yoga nidra or what? Share your thoughts!
Namaste!
I do like some soft music, I confess. I asume it’s shavasana done at the end of the class.
you might find this thread relevant http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/post-savassana-bliss-6126.html
As a student I try to steer clear of what I “like” just as I try to steer clear of what I “dislike”. I find the former fosters raga while the latter foster dvesha (for me). So what I find useful for the deepening of my practice is an external environment that does not draw me there but instead allows me to go inside. After all, the practice (for me) is one of shifting from being externally referenced to being internally referenced.
It is for this reason that while I love music dearly, I don’t play it during my practice. I have once or twice over the years merely to prevent a militant perspective from settling in. But generally I keep them very separate.
I appreciate an appropriate adjustment in the pose if necessary as that (for me) facilitates a more powerful flow of energy through the channels of the body.
I’m a musician and I love a bit of classical or meditative music. The part of my brain that normally starts worrying about the bills or whatever can latch on to deconstructing the music. Perhaps that’s no different to worrying about the bills but it feels better.
One teacher I had played Pacobel which I adored.
Sometimes I like releasing/relaxation.
Sometimes I like gazing at the ceiling . . .
Sometimes I like fixing the prana.
[QUOTE=Hubert;33535]I do like some soft music, I confess. I asume it’s shavasana done at the end of the class.[/QUOTE]
Yes, shavasana done at the end of class.
The class I go to does it at the beginning and end. It’s a guided meditation. I do it at home with some nice eastern music, or just the natural ambience of the environment around me.
I don’t notice music unless it has singing - I don’t want to listen to singing, as it’s offputting.
I really liked when one of my teachers used to put oil on her hands and come round and make adjustments. She’s gently touch our temples and ease the tension from our shoulders at the start of shavasana. Lovely!
One of my yoga teachers has a really hypnotic voice, which is lovely but unfortunately it makes me tune out, rather than in. Zzzzzzzz
I don’t like it when I can hear the next class waiting outside, or when it feels rushed in any way. But I guess that goes without saying.
Light music is fine. I don’t like anyone speaking as it breaks down my shavasana. By that I mean, during shavasana I want to be in that place between awareness and oblivion. Just as I do not want to fall asleep, I do not want to be drawn outward either.
[QUOTE=lotusgirl;33513]As a yoga teacher I’m curious as to what students like during shavasana.
Do you like quite, soft music, teacher doing healing triangles or a yoga nidra or what? Share your thoughts!
Namaste![/QUOTE]
Ask you students! Yesterday I asked do they prefer guided or non-guided shavasana… Most people like guided one. Those who meditate for long time like non-guided better.
Personally, I dont like music during shavasana. Music is another thing that make the mind wander.
[QUOTE=lotusgirl;33593]Yes, shavasana done at the end of class.[/QUOTE]
Some prefer to do it in the beginning 
What I usually do with my students is either a guided shavasana like the Healing Triangles (they love this) or a Yoga Nidra. I usually don’t use music during relaxation. I agree with CityMonk that music tends to allow the mind to wander. What has been the most effective for my students is Reiki. I am currently a Level II Reiki Practitioner and incorporate Reiki on the head and shoulders. Of course this doesn’t work well with larger classes and with those I use guided relaxation. It is truly amazing to feel the students shoulders open and drop. Cupping the ears with my hands also induces further relaxation and is one of their favorites. Reiki is normally done on a table, so it is challenging for me, at times, to get in a comfortable position. I limit my hand positions to 4 and normally hold that position for 1 minute. Sometimes my intuition guides to to hold one position longer. I carry hand sanitizer to cleanse in between students. This is by far their favorite and all have shared that it has produced deep relaxation.