• Check in, centering, balanced hatha yoga set considering contraindications, relaxation (with imagery as appropriate),
• Balanced pranayama considering contraindications, meditation/centering.
• Include at least one suggestion from Karma, Bhakti, Raja, or Jnana Yoga tailored for this client.

Practice: Dirga Swasam - use hands to connect with parts of the body that you have not been feeling/sensing. Try to let go of judgements and expectations. Keep an attitude of playful curiosity and compassion for yourself.

Practice: TRE. Keep rounds to 5 minutes, resting 3-5 minutes between rounds. You never have to do more than one round in a session - use the rest period to do a mini awareness practice, and decide if another round is appropriate for the practice - or not. No more than 3 rounds of 5 minutes each. No more than two sessions this week. Notice (and maybe take some notes) about how you feel afterwards.

Read: The two short write-ups on the 5 types of mental modifications, the vrittis. Highlight anything that stands out, jot down any thoughts or questions that come up for you and we'll discuss them next session.

Check In

Awareness Practice

Pranayama: Dirga Swasam

Raja Yoga: Sutra 1.2 - general discussion of the fact there are different types of vrittis (right knowledge, misperception, delusion/fantasy, memories, and sleep)

Introduction to TRE

3 rounds, 5 minutes each

Shavasana

Client presented rajasic - especially in her thoughts, speech, shallow and somewhat rapid breathing, physical tension in her body. She reported some "drama" with her ex-husband and father of her children, who do not want to see him. Shared she'd been feeling a lot of anxiety from interacting with him (and that she had not felt that much anxiety since she left her job). She described the situation with him as "triggering," and I asked how that felt in her body: "tightening up, crawling out of my skin, panicky" - and clenched her fists and pulled her shoulders up towards her ears, pursing her lips.

Guided her through an awareness practice, after which she reported tension in her upper back/traps as well as quads from being in the seated posture for the practice - but she shared that she did not feel an urge to move or adjust. She was also experiencing a tension headache, which she "woke up with" following the initial contact with her ex-husband, as well as throbbing in her left shoulder from an injury/rotator cuff (first mention of this). On the manomaya kosha she reported feeling anger and rage which has been "coming up" for her, but she "pushes down."

With the rajasic energy in her body, decided to shift focus and introduce her to TRE, which she was very excited to explore. Guided her through the practices, encouraging her to use these movements as an opportunity to pay more attention to the sensations in her body that she usually doesn't notice. After the first round where she experienced some mild tremors in the adductors, client reported reduced tightness in the front of the right hip (which is "always tight").

Offered an extended time of Shavasana and Yoga Nidra, after which the client reported feeling calm and grounded.

Based on how client presented, being much more rajasic than I had anticipated, I adjusted the plan to today being the day we worked with TRE. It allowed her to get out of her head and more into her body. Especially during the first round, she shared she felt herself "fighting" the tremoring - I encouraged her that it was great she noticed that tendency, and then guided her back into her body. The TRE practice seemed to help her more deeply understand what it means to shift out of her head and into the experience of her body.

Check In

Awareness

Pranayama: