In all four variations of Marichyasana, one leg is bent with the foot in front of your sitting bone and the knee up to the sky. After the vinyasa from janu sirsasana C second side, bend your right knee and place your foot about a fist distance in front of your right sitting bone. Lean forward over your straight left leg and you can either just grab the flexed straight leg foot or internally rotate your arms so the thumbs point down and “swim” your arms back to wrap your right arm around your right shin and bind behind your back grabbing your left wrist if possible (as David Swenson says, “the wrapper is the grabber”). You can also use a strap or a towel. Inhale look up and lengthen and exhale fold leading with your heart. Draw your shoulder blades down your back, reach your hips back and down and lengthen your spine. The Drishti for the pose is the toes but if your chin is on your shin gaze where it is comfortable for your neck. After five breaths, inhale look up, exhale release and vinyasa to the other side. Then for B, it is the same bind as A, but you start with your left foot in half lotus and then bend your right knee and proceed. Your right sitting bone may lift off the mat as you bring your left knee to the mat and that is ok, but energetically reach both sitting bones down to ground and find stability in your pelvis. If half lotus is not possible, slide your left foot under your bent right leg and keep your foot on the mat behind your right heel and then fold forward. The Drishti for this position is the nose. After the vinyasas and doing both sides, it is again the same legs as A, but this is a twist. With your belly button in and up and your pelvic floor lifted (bandhas engaged!), place your left elbow outside your right thigh, inhale lengthen and exhale twist and look over your right shoulder. Bind behind your back if possible or place your right hand on the mat behind your sacrum and bend your left arm, reach your left hand up, as you traction your elbow against your thigh or just hold onto that right knee and allow the twist to come from your belly muscles. Marichyasana D is the same legs as B and the same twist as C. This is one of the most difficult poses in the series with the half lotus, deep twist and bind. Getting your torso low will help you get into the bind or omit the bind and focus on the twist. Use your Bandhas and breath to help you get length in your spine and twist deeper. Listen to your body and be gentle with your knees. These variations open the hips, hamstrings, spine, and shoulders and improve digestion.