The Corpse Posture Working

[Mnemosyne]

The Corpse Posture Working
-By Mnemosyne
Copyright 2006-2007

This Working is a deceptively simple Working that can be used for a variety of purposes. One of the simplest and most basic uses is as a mental clearing and focus meditation that I refer to as “entering the inner Darkness”. For Vampyres, use of this practice will be reveal itself as beneficial to the maintainance of a clear, calm and focused mind and a energized body that exudes the presence of Vampyric Control.
The corpse posture is a traditional meditation posture used in various yoga practices. Its Eastern name is Savasana or Mrtasana.Sava and Mrta both translate to mean corpse and the word asana translates to mean posture. (Of note: The English words mortal and mortuary are both etymologically related to the Saskrit Mrta).
The usefulness of this particular posture is that it completely relaxes all areas of the entire body and allows full and unblocked freedom of flow to all of the chakras (energy centers) of the body including those of the hands and feet.
For the Vampyre, the Corpse Posture Working is a good way to clear the mind and balance the energies within us that at times can become over-stimulated due to the intensity and sensitivity of being Vampyre. The heightened sensitivities of being Vampyre can at times, leave one prone to burn out or excessive discharge of personal energy reserves with accompanying mental, physical and emotional fatigue. This Working is one of the occult realities to be found behind the [1] mythological tales of a vampire “going underground” to rest and recharge after the stresses and demands of life become too overwhelming (in myth, perhaps for centuries). Even as in the myths, Vampyres will find that they rise from this practice refreshed and renewed with more energy and clarity available than before. Unlike the myths, this “going underground” can be done whenever convenient or needed. One does not need to wait for centuries in melodramatic despair until a poetically dramatic and tragic event drives the vampire to finally rest and recharge for a time.
This Working should be done frequently and even once a day if it can be managed. It is a deeply peaceful and re-energizing type of rest for the physical, mental and subtle body. It is said in the Gheranda Samhita, ii, 19, “Lying flat on the ground (on one’s back) like a corpse is called the Mrtasana. This destroys fatigue and quits the agitation of the mind”.

The Working

Part One: The Posture
To perform the Corpse Posture Working you really only need two things. One is a place to lie down flat on your back with your arms and legs slightly extended. Two, you need enough time that you will not be disturbed for the duration of your Working. Although it would not seem to be the best place, lying on the floor itself (perhaps with a blanket under you for a little cushioning) is actually best. The room you do this Working in should be comfortable and warm. If needed place a light blanket over you but do not cover your face or neck. Do not use a pillow. Doing this Working in or on a bed is NOT recommended as being on a bed has a tendency to habitually put one in a frame of mind that it is time to sleep. The object of this Working is not to end up falling asleep. Rather, it is to be in a highly peaceful, relaxed, yet alert and focused state. Sleep should be avoided when doing this Working If you find yourself drifting off while doing the Working get up and go to bed. Don’t get into the practice of associating this Working with simply relaxing and going to sleep or it will be nearly impossible to achieve some of the advanced uses of it later on. To that end, do not do this Working when you are overly tired or drowsy to begin with, or at a time or place you normally associate with going to sleep. To perform Mrtasana:
[2] Lie flat on your back with your hands at your sides, extended just a little from your body and with palms upward. Fingers should be limp and will naturally slightly curve upward. Stretch out your legs, although not rigidly, with your feet slightly apart, letting them flop slightly and naturally sideways. Your head will tend to flop a small bit to one side or the other but should not go too far from center. Close your eyes and concentrate on each area of the body, starting from feet and moving slowly upward to forehead and scalp area, letting go of all tensions in of each part of the body.


Part Two: Prana/ breath/ Life-Force observation:
Once you have relaxed completely into the Mrtasana, begin this second part of the Working. This is the basic counting of breaths of observation of the Life-Force or Prana in its most essential form in two major energetic centers of the body. Surprisingly, Although I have seen this practice detailed time and again in Eastern techniques and knew instinctively that it was useful for Vampyric purposes, [3] I recently ran across it described somewhat in the book _ I, Vampire_ by Micheal Romkey and began to understand the larger implications of this type of practice in regard to the Vampyre. The technique is performed by counting your breaths and a focus is given to observing the rising and falling of energy in the Svadhisthana and Manipura energy centers of the subtle body. To do this, first begin by trying to do a count of ten. Each in-breath and subsequent out-breath should be counted as 1, then the next in-breath and exhalation set counted as 2 and so on. While counting the breaths/prana you should not allow any thoughts to distract you. If thoughts begin to enter into your mind, gently but forcefully return your focus to the breath/prana. While you are doing this you may feel your body growing progressively lighter until it has no weight or real substance. If you begin to feel as if you are floating do not allow that to distract you or worry about it, just keep focus on the breath/prana. This breath should be visualized (and felt) as residing and moving in the 2 afore-mentioned areas. These areas are located with the first being a few inches below the navel (Svadhisthana) and the other being about 2 or so inches above the navel in the solar plexus region (Manipura). The first or lower center is more directly related in consciousness and energy to the gross body and the second center is more directly related in consciousness and energy to the higher parts of subtle body. Focusing on the two of them together, as well as their energy manifestation, provides concentration on the energy of two vitally important and connected parts of the entire gross, subtle and causal aspects of the body complex.
When doing this Working a goal of sorts would be to be able to count without distraction first to ten, then later to 20, then finally to 50. Most will find that keeping complete focus while observing the prana to the count of ten is challenging enough for a time. If you become overly distracted, begin your counting at one again each time. Once you are proficient with this Working you can begin by counting and then leave it behind while remaining in a focused and attentive observation of the Life-Force (prana) movement and exchange in the described energy centers.
This Working is an introductory practice that will act as a support for a variety of other techniques including energy manipulations of various sorts and sending and receiving of energy .On a basic level the Working strengthens Vampric Control and should be mastered slowly and completely before attempting to rush into explorations of the more advanced aspects (which are not detailed here).

A Variation:
A variation of this Working can be done by going into the corpse posture and instead of having the arms to the sides, you cross the arms over your chest/ heart area “pharaoh” style. This is the classic Vampire with crossed arms in the casket you see in Dracula movies. The benefit of having the arms in this position is that it blocks off the Anahata energy center (located at heart) and helps maintain focus on the two lower centers mentioned in this Working. Keeping the arms folded across the chest in this manner also has the added benefit of requiring a little more focus in maintaining the posture so there is less chance of getting too relaxed and falling asleep. This variation on position should be used when doing the Corpse Posture Working to mentally explore something. After doing a ten or twenty count of prana observation, a question of any type can be brought to the mind to gain a detached, yet highly focused insight on. A notebook should be kept in the Working area to write down impressions from any inquiry done in this manner. Do not disregard any of the images, thoughts or impressions gained in this manner (no matter how odd) as they may reveal themselves as important (or not) later on.


Inspirational References in Working:

[1] : The Vampyre Lestat by Anne Rice. “Going underground “ myth references.

[2]: The Yoga Directory by Linda Doeser . Basic description of corpse posture.

[3]: I, Vampire by Micheal Romkey. Part IV, pg 268-270, Rasputins Tale- breathing through the “hora” and training to be a daywalker.

Other sources:
Kundalini, The Arousal of the Inner Energy by Ajit Mookerjee

The Complete Yoga Book, The Yoga of Breathing, Posture and Meditation by James Hewitt

The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga by Georg Feuerstien PH.D.