Marichyasana (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi I) is the first of four poses dedicated to the sage within the Ashtanga primary series.PosesbyTypePosesbyBenefitPosesbyAnatomyTheYogaforYouPhoto:ChristopherDoughertyGetaccesstoeverythingwepublishwhenyousignupforOutside+.Marichyasana(PoseDedicatedtotheSageMarichiI)isthefirstoffourposesdedicatedtothesagewithintheAshtangaprimaryseries.“Marichi”meansrayoflight(sunormoon)inSanskritandisoneoftheoriginalseers(rishis)orlordsofcreation(prajapatis)thatBrahmacreated.Thisdeepforwardfoldstretchesyourback,shoulders,andlegswhileextendingyourspineandgivingyourorgansacleansingsqueeze.Likeallforwardfolds,Marichyasanacalmsthemindandreducesstress.Additintowardstheendofyourpracticeafteryou’vealreadywarmedupyourhips,hamstrings,andshoulders.Avoidroundingyourbackasyoufoldandaboveallelse,remembertobreathe.PoseDedicatedtotheSageMarichiIbasicsSanskrit:MarichyasanaI(mar-ee-chee-AHS-anna)Posetype: ForwardfoldTargets: LowerbodyWhyweloveit:“IconfessthattherewereseveralyearsofmylifewhenIwouldfeeltremendousreliefattheendofeachclassthatdidnotincludethispose,”saysYogaJournalsenioreditorReneeMarieSchettler.“Myshouldersandhipswerequitetightandseeminglyrefusedtobecontortedinthatway.Itwouldfeelterribleandwronginmybodywhenmyteacherwouldcrouchnexttomeandcreatethebindbetweenmyhandandwrist.Ilearnedinsteadtokeepmyhandsatmysideandquietlyshakemyheadwheneverthatteacherwanderedclosetomymatduringthatpose.Instead,IletmyselfsimplydowhatIinexpertlycould.Myarmswouldbeinanawkwardattemptatabindaroundmyback,myhandsatleastthelengthofarulerfromtouching,mykneesplayingouttotheside,andmychestcouldleanforwardanimmeasurablysmallamount.Itwasn’tanythingliketheintendedalignmentofthepose.Yet,itwaswhatIcoulddo.Mostimportantly,Iwasnolongerstraining,holdingmybreath,andmutteringcursesundermybreath.Slowly,withtimeandwithbenefitfromotherposesthatopenedtheshouldersandhips,Iwasabletocomeintosomethingmorecloselyresemblingthepose.Itstilldoesn’tfeelintuitivetome.Ican,though,experiencewhatIunder