The Romance Novel plot pattern and Mirchyasana C have a lot in common.
Alice was reading the latest romance novel from one of her favourite authors. One of the things that Alice likes about romance novels is that they follow a predictable pattern. After introducing the main characters, the hero and heroine are at the hugs and kisses stage by chapter 8. By chapter 12 they are at the stop sign stage where they break up and then by the end of the novel they are in a full on relationship.
Strangely enough this pattern reminded Alice of a particular yoga pose that she has been working on lately. Marichyasana C moves through some of the same stages as a romance novel. The pose is introduced, then you move to the hugs stage. From there you move on to the stop sign stage and finally to the full on version of the pose.
Following the romance novel pattern it is time to introduce you to the characters. Let’s find out more about Marichyasana C.
What is Marichyasana C
Marichyasana is also know as Sage pose. It is named for one of the many seers of the Hindu religion.
This pose is part of the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga. It occurs near the middle of the series. Marichyasana C is one of four versions of the pose that are completed as part of the Primary series.
You get many benefits from this pose including:
- Massaging your abdominal organs, including the liver and kidneys
- Stimulating your brain
- Stretches your shoulders and
- Strengthens and stretches your spine
How to do Marichyasana
Marichyasana is a seated posture so we enter it from Dandasana. You start by sitting on the floor with your legs together and straight out in front of you.
From Dandasana you:
- Bend your right knee up into the air and draw your right foot towards your hip. The toes of your right foot should be beside your left knee and your foot should be about 2 hand widths or more away from your left knee.
- Turn your torso to the side. Bring your left shoulder in front of your right knee. Your shoulders will be in line with the long side of the mat.
- Wrap your left arm around your right knee and bring your left hand to the middle of your back.
- Bring your right arm around your back. Hold your right wrist with your left hand.
- Turn your head and look over your right shoulder.
- Hold here for several breaths before repeating on the other side.
Where is the challenge
The challenge is with the muscles in the back and shoulders. This particular pose requires a lot of flexibility in the back muscles and the shoulder muscles. They need to stretch a lot in order for you to turn your shoulders enough and wrap your arms around your knee and back and hold your hands behind your back.
Usually we all start out with tight and inflexible spines and shoulders. This pose will work on lengthening these muscles.
You typically work through three stages in this particular pose. They are know as the Hugs stage, the Stop sign stage and the Full on stage. Each of these stages requires more and more flexibility in your back and shoulder muscles.
Now that we know the characters and something about their background and challenges it is time to move on to the next stage of the romance novel pattern, the hugs and kisses.
Stage 1 – Hugs and kisses
Hug your knee in this stage of the pose.
Everyone starts with the Hugs stage. In this stage your shoulder is well behind your knee. You are able to wrap your left arm around your right knee and hug it into your chest. Your chest is turned to the side and your right hand is on the floor beside your hip giving you some support.
The stretching process has begun. Your back muscles and shoulder muscles will begin to gradually lengthen and you will slowly become more flexible. As the flexibility develops you will be able to move on to the next stage.
In the romance novel pattern you move from the hugs and kisses to the break up. In this pose you move from the hugs stage to the Stop sign stage.
Stage 2 – Stop sign – the break up
Make a stop sign during this stage of the pose
While you are in the Hugs stage, the muscles in your back and shoulders are getting more flexible and you will notice that your shoulder has moved from behind your right knee to beside your knee. Once this has happened it is time to move on to this stage.
You stop hugging your knee and you make a stop sign with your left hand by pointing your left elbow towards the floor and lifting your left hand up, turning your palm away from you.
Now that you have your stop sign in place it is time to make use of it to lengthen the muscles in your back and shoulders further. To do that you need to push your stop sign arm into your right knee and thigh.
At the same time as you push your left arm into your leg you work on turning your shoulders. The left shoulder comes forward and your right shoulder goes backwards. To continue working on the twist in the spine turn your ribcage bringing your left ribs forward beside your right thigh.
Once you have your Stop Sign firmly in place you will discover that you are gradually moving on from here, just like in the romance novel pattern, you never stay in one stage for long. It is time to move on to the final stage of the romance novel pattern, the Full on relationship, or in our case the full version of the pose.
Stage 3 – Full on relationship – The Makeup
Hold your hands behind your back in the full on version of the pose
You start to enter this stage of your relationship with Mirchayasana C when your left shoulder starts to gradually move in front of your right knee. At the same time your right shoulder moves backwards and your shoulders start to line up with the long side of the mat.
Now is the time to abandon the Stop sign stage and start working on the Full on stage. You do this by wrapping your left arm around your right knee and bringing your left hand to the middle of your back. The back of your left hand is against your back with your thumb pointing up towards your head.
Once the left arm is in place you bring your right arm behind your back as well. Eventually your left takes a hold of the wrist of your right hand. Now that you are holding hands you have entered the Full on Relationship with this pose.
Summary
It may take only 400 pages or so and a couple of hours to move through all of the stages of the romance novel pattern in the novel that Alice is enjoying. However it is going to take Alice a lot longer than a few hours to reach the Full on relationship stage in Marichyasana C.
Next Step
Your yoga teacher can help you to move safely from one stage of Mirchayasana C to the next. They will be able to give you guidance and suggestions and make sure that you do not injure yourself.
