Featured Pose: Marichi's Pose 3 (Marichyasana 3)

by Baxter

Like Easy Sitting Twist, Marichi’s pose 3 (Marichyasana 3, named after the sage Marichi) is a basic seated twist that is generally accessible, though some will be a bit more challenging due to the leg and arm positions.

Also, like Easy Sitting Twist, Marichi’s pose 3 helps to maintain and improve your twisting flexibility, which you need for everyday actions such as grabbing something off to your side or turning to look behind you as you drive. The pose also strengthens your diagonally oriented muscles, including the abdominal obliques, as well as the small muscles between your ribs and close to your spine. While some of these muscles are shortening in the twist and others are lengthening, by twisting in both directions, you will both strengthen and stretch them all. Additionally, as your small spinal muscles pull on your spinal bones in the twist, they actually stimulate thin bones to strengthen over time, so a simple twist can help strengthen the bones of your spine (although those with osteoporosis/osteopenia may need to be careful not to overdo twists). And moving your spine through its full range of motion helps nourish the spinal joints to keep them healthy.

The leg position provides the additional benefits of stretching your outer hip muscles on the bent knee side and your hamstrings and inner thigh muscles on the straight leg side.

I prescribe this pose for:

• Improving the twisting ability of your spine, from your tailbone to the top of your neck
• Stretching outer hips, hamstrings and inner thigh muscles
• Addressing some digestive issues, such as sluggish digestion and elimination as twisting seems to help these functions
• Improving sitting posture by strengthening back, front and side muscles that contribute to spinal elongation
• General stimulation of your body and nervous system
• Releasing physical tension from your body
• Counter-pose for backbends or forward bends

Cautions: Due to the asymmetry of the legs, this twist can be problematic for those with lower back pain and dysfunction as it can aggravate their symptoms. Those with wrist pain may need to modify the position of the back hand, as this twist brings more potential pressure into that area. And because this twist constricts the abdomen, women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy should do other more open twists (see version 4 of Easy Sitting Twist), as well as those with diagnosed osteoporosis.

1. Classic Version

Start by sitting in Staff pose (Dandasana), with your legs extended straight forward and your hands on the floor by your hips. Now bend your right knee and place your right foot on the floor near your right sitting bone and a few inches away from the straight leg. 

Place your right hand on the floor 6 to 12 inches behind your right hip. Keeping your right elbow straight, firm your fingertips or palm into the floor, and create a subtle, internal lengthening up from your hand to your chest that will support the lengthening of your spine. Next, reach your left arm up toward the ceiling. Then, on a exhalation, turn your upper belly and chest toward your right leg while bending your left elbow and bringing it across the outside of your right knee, pressing it back into your outer knee and leg. Either keep your head in a neutral position as shown the photo of the classic pose, or, if comfortable, turn to face your back hand, as shown for version 3. 

Although it may be tempting to use your arms to lever yourself aggressively deeper into the twist, concentrate your muscular action in your abdomen and spine instead of using your arms. Keep your sitting bones even side to side and your left leg strong and straight at the knee. As you inhale lengthen up from your tailbone to the crown of your head, and as you exhale gently encourage your spine and chest to turn a bit more deeply towards your right leg. 

Continue this subtle shift of inner attention and action from breath to breath for 30-60 seconds, gradually working towards longer holds of 2-3 minutes. To come out of the pose, release the twist and place your hands on the floor, and straighten your right leg to come back into Staff pose. Repeat the pose on the second side. 

2. Hand on Knee

For many practitioners—either due to general stiffness or larger body size, bringing the elbow to the outside of the knee can be problematic or even impossible. This variation provides you makes the pose accessible by providing an alternate hand placement.

To come into the pose, follow the same steps as the classic version, except when you bring your left arm over to the right, simply bend your left elbow and hook your left hand around the front of your right knee. From here, practice the pose as in the classic version.

3. Seated On Prop 

For those with tight hamstrings or stiff or rounded lower backs, elevating your hips a few inches off the ground on a blanket can allow you to do the pose while maintaining a straighter back and leg.

Start by folding a blanket into a narrow rectangle and placing it crosswise on your mat. Then sit down at the front edge of the blanket (on the thicker folded edge), and come into Staff pose. From there, follow the steps for the classic version of the pose, using either the arm position from either the classic or hand-on-knee versions. If you have trouble placing your back hand on the floor without leaning back, use a block to support that hand so your spine remains vertical and upright. From here, practice the pose as in the classic version.

4. Foot Crossed Over Leg

(sorry, no photo) 

This variation is for those who already have fairly open outer hips and want to increase flexibility in that area. 

To come into the pose, start in Staff pose, as described above. Bend your right leg and bring your right foot towards your right sitting bone. Then lift your right foot up and over your left leg, and place the sole of your right foot on the floor, just to the outside of the middle of your left thigh. If your foot can not easily remain flat on the floor or if your right sitting bone lifts way off the floor, you may not be ready for this variation, so you should return to versions 1-3 for now. Otherwise, follow the steps for the classic version of the pose, using either the arm position from either the classic or hand-on-knee versions.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook ° Join this site with Google Friend Connect