Marichyasana I

Sanskrit Name: Sage Marichi

Good for: Hips, hamstrings, shoulders, abdominal organs

Benefits

•     Provides elasticity to the hips, hamstrings and shoulders by stretching them
•     Stimulates the abdominal organs for better functioning
•     Encourages digestion and metabolism by regulating abdominal organs
•     Cleanses and purifies your system
•     Opens up the shoulders
•     Relieves mild backache
•     Aids hip discomfort
•     Strengthens and stretches the spine
•     Helps in toning of the waist
•     Augments the flow of prana all the way through the abdomen, nourishing and massaging the pancreas, kidneys, stomach, small intestines, liver, and gallbladder
•     Stretches the intercostals (muscles between the ribs) improving the flow of breath in the ribs
•     Alleviates menstruation discomforts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guidelines

•     Start in Dandasana
•     Bend your right leg into a squat, bringing your right inner heel to the outside of your right sitting bone
•     Hug your squatting leg with your right arm to increase the fold of your leg as you simultaneously ground down through your heel
•     Notice the completion of your exhalation
•     Keep your tailbone rooting down and slightly forward toward the left heel
•     If your body proportions and flexibility allow you to go further without strain, drop your torso just inside your right leg
•     Place your left hand on your right ankle, and pull your torso forward
•     As you exhale, pull your chest forward so you can get your right armpit as far down your right shin as possible without gripping your neck, face, or breath
•     Wrap your right arm around your right leg, getting your right wrist and hand up over your right buttock
•     Swing your left arm around your back and clasp your left wrist with your right hand
•     Draw your arms into their sockets as you firm your shoulder blades against your back
•     Widen your collarbones and propel your chest forward as if you were in Chaturanga
•     Look forward to further open your chest
• “Your squatting leg will be deeply compressed like the tight coil of a serpent. Your right knee will move forward over the toes. Your arms squeeze the folded leg as the shin pushes forward against the armpit. This will help move your chest forward toward the left leg.”
•     Gazing over your nose into the world, feel the rise and fall of your breath
•     Find a sense of repose within the pose
•     Stay for 30 seconds to a minute
•     Come out of the pose mindfully by imagining you are going deeper into it before you release the clasp
•     Come into Dandasana, then repeat Bharadvajasana II toMarichyasana on the other side
•     After a minute or so, move into SuptaBaddhaKonasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) and stay for three to five minutes with your knees supported, which will return your lower back to its natural curve
•     To finish lie back with your feet as wide as your mat and drop your knees together
•     Wrap your arms around your torso like you’re giving yourself a hug
  “This is constructive rest, and it is a wonderfully balancing and cooling pose to do after Marichyasana I.”

Good to know

•     Don’t forget to warm up your body before attempting this pose
•     If it’s challenging for you to squat deeply, then stay here and don’t try to bind the arms
•     Don’t get frustrated trying to bind if the bent leg doesn’t fold deeply yet
•     The Zen teacher ThichNhatHanh says that the past, present, and future are all in the present moment
•     Avoid this pose if you suffer from hypertension, migraine, headache, insomnia or diarrhea
•     Try to remain firmly grounded during the entire pos
•      Do not lean towards the right and make sure your weight is spread evenly on both your sitting bones
•     Do not attempt the full pose if you are a beginner because it can distort your spine and can cause some other major problems

By : Natural Health News