As I was getting into savasana today, the instructor said something about letting our practice bake in, and, for some reason, it conjured up a really funny image in my mind of putting a cake in the oven. I immediately thought about the Easy-Bake Oven I had as a kid and how fun it was to mix up the cake batter with water and then put it into the oven to watch it bake. Believe me when I say this image was mild in comparison to some of the thoughts that dance around in my head during yoga class. Luckily, I didn’t dwell on the thought for long and was able to sink into a beautiful, relaxing savasana.
On my drive home from class, I really got to thinking about my early culinary adventures with the Easy-Bake and how savasana really is just like an Easy-Bake Oven. During a yoga class, we go through our practice mixing together different-flavored asanas with breath to prepare a delicious treat for our bodies. When we lie in savasana, that is the time we put our yogic batter into the oven or, shall I say, the fire our body creates, and let it bubble up and bake right in. Savasana is not a nap; it’s the necessary simmering time we all need to let the benefits of our asanas and breath melt into our internal organs and seal in the effects of our practice.
When I was a kid, it seemed like it took forever for those cakes to bake. I was one of the early Easy-Bake pioneers, so my oven didn’t have the benefit of a heating element. No, my cookies and cakes came courtesy of a 20-watt lightbulb! I’m sure I ate my share of half-baked treats, as patience was not my forte as a five-year-old (and regrettably it has not got much better with age).
The cool feature about my easy-bake yoga oven is that I have the power of more than a 20-watt lightbulb to do the cooking. I’ve got my mind to calm me and keep me present, my breath to soothe me as it moves through and cleanses every part of my body, and I’ve got the help of my teachers and the music to guide me into a blissful state.
Next time you lie in savasana, give yourself the time to fully bake. We all want that sweet treat at the end, but rushing through the process may not bring the results you desire. Instead, relax and let your mind release of all thoughts of the day, breathe deeply, and notice how delicious it feels when you let your easy-bake yoga oven do its work!
“It’s the most beautiful oven I’ve ever seen!”
Note the “Light Bulb Not Included” disclaimer – LOL.
love it- i so remember the easy bake… back in the day when i also made shrinky-dinks… remember those… that’s another yoga topic, I’m sure…
For a long time, I thought savasana was just the space between the last asana and “wiggle your fingers & toes”! Then one instructor invited us to let the benefits of our practices “soak” into our bodies, and the focus totally shifted. Great post!
Some of the best baking I’ve done in this lifetime was in my Easy Bake Oven, I never quite mastered baking beyond that! Except for savasana…now that’s baking I can relate to, yummy!
Cathy – I have to agree with you, I never quite mastered or took a liking to baking either. My forte is the pre-made Nestle Tollhouse cookies you buy at the store and just put on the tray to cook and I’m also good at scouting out the best bakeries in town!
I was at a party recently, and talk about the easy bake oven came up. We all talked about how impatient we were has children eating half-baked treats like you suggested. As I have aged, I have gotten better about waiting for baked goods but sitting and letting my practice, soak into me is still pretty difficult