Contents of 22 or savasana?

Wrapping up the session of a particular yoga video I watch, the instructor says “savasana,… I’m sure you’ve probably said before that you want peace and quiet… now you have it…” as her asana partner lies flat on her back, heels spread as wide apart as the edges of the mat “be with it… give yourself this gift of doing nothing, of pure rest…”

She and her partner keep still in that pose for the remaining few minutes of the session - about 2.

Savasana, I thought, the first time I heard it, “what’s that? 22?” I didn’t look it up that day.

But day after day, each time I do 22, I can’t help noticing that my favorite pose (or asana) is typically (or corresponds to) a “savasana”.

Is 22 then savasana? Therefore, isn’t 22 one kind of yoga?

Is 22 savasana?

Hmm.

From what I’ve so far studied and practiced and known about savasana, I’m eager for yes - 22 is savasana. But… not exactly. Well, it helps to look at how both practices are similar and yet different to get why not exactly. Plus, yes, you can savasana at 22 but you can have a few more thinks (real mental activity that still leaves you restful) at 22.

22 & savasana

Savasana	22
Lie and look dead	Lie and look dead
Total surrender, body to become slow and heavy, as if sinking into earth, as if to make an imprint in the surface	Total surrender, body to become slow and heavy, as if sinking into earth, as if to make an imprint in the surface
Deliberate rest, you can “power nap” with it	Deliberate rest, you can “power nap” with it
Total and relaxed stillness, no movement, no scratch no itch - no touching no tingling sensation	Total and relaxed stillness, no movement, no scratch an itch - no touching no tingling sensation
Assume release of consciousness	Assume release of consciousness (sometimes)
Before, between, after asanas	No yoga needed, can be taken anytime
You must stay awake	You may sleep, you may go into trance, feeling hypnotized
Hover between sleep and wakefulness	Don’t fight sleep, sleep if sleep demands. Really, 22 can be used to sleep
Just another yoga asana/pose	A way of life, imbibing calm, more to 22 than the few minutes of stillness
May be accompanied with music or mantra or guidance from a teacher	Best when not paired, just its own, just you, attention only to you or nothing - you learn to be then you go be
Insists on nothing every session	You’re allowed to have one think during session. 22 can be used to build knowledge, making sense of realities.

* * *

So, is 22 savasana? Yoga? No and no. But it can be practiced as yoga.