Marichyasana III

Translation

In Hindu mythology Marichi is the son of Brahma. He is one of the seven wise men (rishis) or lords of creation, who declare the divine law of the universe (dharma).  He is the great-grandfather of Manu, the Vedic Adam, and the "father" of humanity.  Thus Marichyasana is called the Sage’s Pose.

Pronunciation

(mar-ee-chee-AWS-ahnuh)

Marichyasana III is a deep and challenging yoga twisting pose, best done when the body is warmed up.  Twisting Poses help restore your spine’s suppleness and freedom of motion, cleanse your organs, and open the breath. This seated twisting pose penetrates deep into the body's core, squeezes the inner organs and rejuvenates the body.

In doing twists one should strive to create spinal length first, and then revolve around that extended and open spine.

Start by sitting on the edge of a folded blanket in Dandasana (Staff Pose).

Dandasana

In Dandasana your body should form a right angle so that a straight line perpendicular with the floor should be able to be drawn from the center of the ears through the outer shoulder and the outer hips.  The shoulders should stay relaxed down from the ears and the ribs should be lifted up from the pelvis.

Your pelvis should be balanced equally on the two sitting bones with extended spine and legs.  The pelvis and the spine should be perpendicular to the floor.  People with tight hamstrings will find that their pelvis is tilted backwards so that the side hipbones are not aligned with their “sit bones” at the base of the pelvis.  If you have this problem, sit on a support of sufficient height so that the side hip bones move forward until they are aligned directly over the “sit bones”.  A stack of neatly folded blankets, books or wooden planks are all workable props to achieve the needed height. 

Next bend your right leg placing the right foot on the floor with the heel as close to the right buttock as possible. Your left leg is actively extended and rotates inward to a small degree.  Pull your right kneecap towards your pelvis with your right upper leg’s quadriceps muscle.  Sink your right thigh into the floor.  Reach the right hand behind you with the fingers in contact with the floor giving you a little balance.

When doing any yoga twisting pose it is important to first achieve the maximum space between your spinal vertebra and then to revolve around the extended spine.  In the case of Marichyasana III the extended spine should remain perpendicular to the floor throughout the pose. 

You are now ready to begin the twist. 

Soften your inner groin area. Inhale and, as you exhale, twist your torso to the right and bend your left arm.  If possible, place the elbow of the bent left arm into the outer crook of the bent right knee.   If you can not twist enough to position the elbow in the outer knee without losing your aligned posture and extended spine hold onto the outer right knee with the fingers of the left hand. You can use pressure from the fingers of the right hand on the floor as well as from the left elbow against the outer bent right knee or the hand holding onto the knee to help in the twist.  

Twist by revolving the spine and turning your soft belly toward your bent right leg.   As you work in the pose, be mindful of your spinal extension and of your alignment.  Keep equal weight on the inner and outer foot of the bent right leg.  Do not allow the right leg to be pushed out of its original position, neither leaning the bent knee inward toward the opposite leg nor splaying outward toward the floor.  Keep equal weight on each of your “sit bones”. 

It's better to create as much twist in your torso as you can before using the force of your arms to help with the twist. Never force a twist by applying excess leverage.

We show the simplified version in the photo.

In the full pose you join your hands behind your back.  Bring the bent right leg’s upper thigh deep into your left armpit as you revolve.  Bend the left arm at the elbow and reach behind you with the fingers of the left hand. Extend the right arm fully at shoulder level and then swing it around behind you.  Clasp the fingers of the left hand with the right.  While keeping the hands clasped, work on extending the spine refining your alignment and using the arms to twist more deeply.  If your fingers do not yet reach but are close hold a belt or strap in the right hand and catch it with the left.  Then walk the fingers of each hand towards each other on the belt until the eventually they can clasp.

Attempting to assume the full pose before your body is ready can contort the body and cause you to loose the extended vertical spine.  Do not be greedy for the complete pose.  Instead work within the limits of your own body rather then trying to achieve the semblance of the completed pose at the price of distorting your posture and putting unhealthy pressure on the inter-vertebral cartilage.

Lengthen your spine on the inhalations and twist more on the exhalations. Turn your head and gaze over the right shoulder in the same direction as your torso is twisting. Or you can choose to turn your head in the opposite direction as the model in the picture does. Either way is correct; just do so gently and consciously.

Hold the pose working on lengthening and twisting, lengthening and twisting with your breath. When you are ready, return to Dandasana, and then do the pose twisting to the left, repeat the same movements.

Benefits

Internal organ massage
Shoulder stretch
Helps the back feel good
Loosens shoulders
Opens breathing
Spinal flexibility and strength
May relieve menstrual discomfort
Betters digestion
Relieves fatigue
Rejuvenation of energy

Contraindications / Cautions

Don’t do this pose if you have:

A back or spine injury or sacroiliac problems
Rib injuries
High or low blood pressure
Migraine
Diarrhea
Headache
Insomnia

Warm up your body before doing twists so your spine will be supple. Some do a gentle seated warm-up, some do standing poses, and some do the dog pose for more than a minute or two. Then move onto twists after you have done yoga to warm up.

Beginners Tip

Try to be grounded in the pose, planted firmly on the floor. Check back to make sure this is the case even after you are in the twist. Don’t round your back but have a long extended spine. Sit on the edge of a thickly folded blanket or something underneath you to lift your sit bones off the floor. Go slowly and mindfully in the pose. It is not useful to rush.

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