For centuries, India followed a natural, intuitive way of living — a lifestyle aligned with the body’s design, nature’s rhythm, and yogic principles. One of the most overlooked yet brilliant aspects of that lifestyle was the way we eliminated waste: we squatted, not sat. Today, digestive issues are rising — constipation, IBS, bloating, acidity, and gut-mind imbalance. Modern sitting toilets have brought convenience, but also a posture the body isn’t built for. And this is where Mālāsana (Garland Pose) becomes more than a yoga posture. It becomes a return to our biological roots, a reset, a remembering. Let’s explore why? The Body Was Designed to Squat, Not Sit When you sit on a modern toilet, the angle between your torso and legs becomes almost 90 degrees. This bends the rectum and puts a “kink” in the colon — making elimination slower and more effortful. But when you squat: The colon straightens naturally The pelvic floor relaxes The abdominal organs engage in downward movement The recto-anal canal opens fully This is the posture nature designed for elimination. For generations, Indian households followed this instinctively, long before anatomy books existed. The Indian Squat - a Yogic Design — A Daily Digestive Practice You weren’t just emptying the bowels. You were doing a mini Mālāsana every single day — a therapeutic posture that: Improved digestion Strengthened pelvic muscles balanced the Root Chakra Stimulated Agni (digestive fire) Released emotional tension in the gutv What we saw as “normal daily life” was actually built-in yogic therapy. Mālāsana: The Modern Way to Relearn Ancient Physiology Mālāsana — the deep yogic squat — recreates this natural posture without needing to change your toilet or lifestyle. Just by practicing it for 1–3 minutes daily, you achieve: Physical Benefits Eases constipation Mobilizes trapped gas Improves peristalsis Massages lower abdomen Stimulates liver, pancreas & intestines Strengthens pelvic floor & lower back. The posture itself acts like a gentle, natural detox. Energetic & Emotional Benefits (Yogic Psychology) Activates Mūlādhāra Chakra → grounding & stability Releases fear and stored tension from the pelvis Reduces anxiety-driven gut tightening Calms the nervous system Embodies “letting go” In ISCA’s approach, the gut is not just biological — it’s emotional, energetic, and psychological. Mālāsana supports all these dimensions. Stress, Gut & Squatting — The Missing Connection Modern lifestyle keeps us in sitting postures — chairs, cars, toilets, screens.This constant sitting tightens: hip flexors pelvic floor lower abdomen Tight pelvic muscles = tight digestion. Additionally, stress triggers the gut to freeze, slowing elimination. But squatting does the opposite — it grounds, opens, and releases. Mālāsana gently tells the gut: “You are safe. You can let go now.” This is why so many people experience instant relief from gas, bloating, and heaviness after the pose. Returning to the Basics — Without Changing Your Bathroom The beauty of Mālāsana is that you don’t need to return to old toilets. You simply return your body to a posture it understands deeply. Try This: Start with 20–30 seconds Build to 1–2 minutes Keep heels supported on a rolled towel if needed Focus on deep belly breathing Feel the pelvic floor soften. Over time, you may notice: better morning elimination reduced gut heaviness greater emotional grounding more digestive heat (Agni) calmer nervous system Your body remembers what our culture has forgotten. At ISCA, we see digestion as the meeting point of: movement breath emotions chakras lifestyle mind Mālāsana touches all these layers at once. It is not just an asana. It is a returning — to tradition, to instinct, to grounding, to release.