In short: corpse pose is lying flat on your back, legs a little apart, arms a little away from the body with the palms up, and letting the whole body go still. It is the resting pose that closes most yoga classes. It looks like the easiest pose in the book, yet staying still and awake while the body lets go takes practice.
Corpse pose is where a practice settles. After standing poses, backbends or a long yin session, a few quiet minutes on the floor let the breath slow down and the body come to rest before you get up and carry on with your day. Below we explain the name, how to set up so you can really relax, what to do if lying flat is uncomfortable, and how it differs from Yoga Nidra, the guided practice that is often done in this position.
The name and where it comes from
The Sanskrit name is Śavāsana (often written Savasana or Shavasana), from śava, corpse, and āsana, seat or posture (see what asana means). It is also called Mṛtāsana, from mṛta, dead. This is one of the few poses with a long written history: the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the 15th-century manual of hatha yoga, describes lying on the back at full length like a corpse and says it removes fatigue and calms the mind, and the Gheranda Samhita describes the same shape under the name Mṛtāsana. Those are the texts’ own descriptions; today most teachers simply present it as a time to rest and let the practice settle.
In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar describes the aim as imitating a corpse: staying motionless while fully conscious, and he notes that this apparently easy posture is one of the hardest to master, because the mind is harder to keep still than the body. The Sivananda centres use it before each session, between poses and for the final relaxation, and the Bihar School teaches it with simple breath counting.
How to make it work
The setup matters more than people expect. Lie down symmetrically, with the head, spine and legs in one line. Let the feet fall open, roughly hip-width or a little wider; the Sivananda centres suggest about 18 inches between the feet and the arms about six inches from the sides. Turn the palms up, which lets the shoulders roll open. Yoga International suggests checking that the chin is level with the forehead; if the chin tips up, put a folded blanket under the head.
Then give yourself something simple to do with the mind. Iyengar’s instructions focus on slow, fine exhalations and a loose jaw; the Bihar School suggests counting each breath in and out and coming back to the count when the mind wanders. Many people find a gentle body scan, from the feet to the crown, makes it easier to let go. Falling asleep now and then is normal, especially at first, but the aim is to stay quietly aware while the body rests. Stay at least five minutes at the end of a class, as Yoga Journal suggests; Iyengar gives 15 to 20 minutes for a dedicated practice. Our diaphragmatic breathing guide is a good companion.
To come out, deepen the breath, move the fingers and toes, roll onto one side and pause for a few breaths. Then press up to sitting with the head coming up last.
Side-lying rest
Side-lying rest (also called side-lying savasana) is the usual alternative when lying flat on the back is uncomfortable, and it is the standard choice in later pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises avoiding lying flat on your back for long periods during pregnancy, because the uterus can press on a large vein that returns blood to the heart. Lie on your side, usually the left in pregnancy, with a pillow or folded blanket under the head and another between the knees; Yoga Journal’s restorative version adds a wall behind the back for support. A bolster to hug in front of the chest lets the top shoulder relax. It is a modern descriptive name, not a separate classical posture, and it is simply corpse pose made comfortable.
Corpse pose is not Yoga Nidra
Corpse pose is a physical position. Yoga Nidra is a guided practice, usually a long recorded or spoken script of body awareness, breath and visualisation, and it is often done lying in corpse pose. You can rest in corpse pose without doing Yoga Nidra, and Yoga Nidra can be done in side-lying rest or even in a chair. The posture called Yoganidrasana is something else again: an advanced pose with the legs behind the head.
Precautions in plain words
For most people corpse pose is safe. If the lower back aches when the legs are straight, put a bolster or rolled blanket under the knees. After the first trimester of pregnancy, use side-lying rest instead of lying flat for a long time. Some people find lying still with the eyes closed brings up uncomfortable feelings or memories; keep the eyes open, rest a hand on the belly, or choose a shorter rest. If you feel dizzy getting up, take it slowly, especially after inversions or a hot class. This page is general information, not individual advice.
Before, after and where it is taught
Corpse pose usually comes last. Gentle poses such as wind-relieving pose, reclining spinal twist or happy baby are a natural way to arrive on the floor, and in a restorative class reclining bound angle or legs up the wall often come just before. You will meet it in every style, from hatha and Sivananda to vinyasa, restorative and yin. Browse more resting poses in the pose library.
