Digestive issues make your busy week heavy and slow. Constipation can lead to pain and inconvenience during the day (and eventually, pelvic dysfunction). Bloating and cramping can cause discomfort and embarrassment. Marichi’s Pose offers a way to incorporate digestive functionality into your yoga sequence. It’s a pose that represents wisdom in the practice (it’s sometimes called the “Sage’s Pose”), and for the modern working person, it represents wisely adapting to the trials of troublesome digestion.

Marichi’s pose gets your organs moving but also stimulates and stretches other areas for a host of benefits. Read on to learn what Marichi’s Pose or Marichyasana III can do for you and how to perform this pose the right way.

 

Benefits of Marichi’s Pose

Marichi’s Pose gives you a good stretch in your shoulders as it stretches out your spine. This makes your back stronger and can relieve minor backaches and stiffness in your hip. Anytime we stretch the spine, we get all kinds of therapeutic benefits. Since digestion and other processes are keyed into your nervous system, you can stimulate healthy processes by getting your nerves under control. This pose has been nicknamed for a sage because it promotes wisdom. Who knew that it could help you poop?

Those suffering from constipation love this pose because it gets things moving. The action of opening your shoulders and stimulating your internal organs also relieves asthma and fatigue, as well as other digestive issues. Those suffering from menstruation symptoms and sciatica will also appreciate the opening and stretching action you feel in your hips during Marichi’s Pose.

Now that you know why you’re doing this pose, let’s get into how to do it right.

 

How to Do the Pose

Staff Pose begins a lot of sitting sequences, as you may know. It’s no different with Marichyasana III. Begin with your legs straight in front of you, your hands behind your hips, and your back straight. Bend one of your legs towards you and move your heel close to your hip, as close as you can. Rotate your straight leg in and push your weight into your heel.

For the leg you have pulled up, press into the ground through your foot and let your inner thigh loosen. This will help you keep your spine long and strong as you twist it and keep you from hurting yourself.

As you breathe out, twist your torso towards the direction of the bent leg and loop your opposite arm over it. This is so you can hold your thigh in place as you press your hip into the floor. With your arm, press the tips of your fingers into the ground behind you so you can get a little lift as you twist.

You should feel your abdomen lengthening with your inner thigh on the side of the bent leg. Make sure your other leg is straight and your bent leg has a firm amount of weight in the foot. Feel your spine lengthen every time you breathe out as you hold your thigh steady against your abdomen. Bend your back and turn your head away from your legs to get the full twist in your back and spine.

Don’t overdo this pose! Your spine loves to be energized but hates to be over-twisted. Stay in this pose for a half or whole minute as you steadily breathe out. Release slowly as you breathe out and do the same with the opposite legs.

 

The Takeaway

Marichi’s Pose or Marichyasana III offers its users relief from digestive issues, more regular bowel movements, and strength in their backs. It’s a wise pose to add to any floor sequence and can help you balance your hips, open your shoulders, and calm your mind.

Be careful not to twist too hard and don’t attempt this pose if you have sustained a back injury recently. For the rest of you, practice Marichi’s Pose to add a literal twist to your sitting sequence.