• 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.

Surya Namaskar at the wall

Bitilasana and Marjaryasana - using the green band, keeping the focus on sukkha/ease as you move with the breath

Virabhadrasana II - at the wall with a block between the wall and the shin

Ardha Chandrasana at the wall - maybe explore this as an alternative to the 3p coffee with sugar?

Gentle Kapalabati - try it at different times in different contexts. Maybe explore this as well as an alternative to the 3p coffee with sugar?

Dirga Swasam with finger compressions

Check In

Yoga Therapy & Raja Discussion - idea of our therapeutic relationship, overview of the limbs of Integral Yoga and the panchamaya kosha model, intro to sutra 2.46 - finding the balance between effort and ease, steadiness and sweetness in asana, pranayama, meditation, in every moment of life

Awareness Practice

Netra Vyayamam

Jaw Release (palpating layers)

Surya Namaskar - at the wall

Virabhadrasana II - at the wall

Ardha Chandrasana - at the wall (back to the wall, block for the supporting arm)

Bitilasana and Marjaryasana - using the green theraband to provide feedback to the anterior and posterior movement of the pelvis, focus on keeping sukkha as she moves with the breath, connecting to the natural rhythm between the respiratory diaphragm and the pelvic floor

Kapalabati - Gentle, 20 expulsions/round, 3 rounds

Dirga Swasam - with finger compressions

Shavasana with Yoga Nidra

Client presented sattvic and very content. Had a picnic at work and enjoyed socializing with co-workers, also broke down pallets (her job offers her a mix of desk/office work and physical activity, and she enjoys the balance).

During the awareness practice she noticed mild "achiness" in her hips (1 out of 10), and shared nothing else from the practice today.

Client really connected with Netra Vyayamam - stating "it really is yoga for the eyes!", commenting on the sensations and effort she felt with each movement. When performing counterclockwise circular movements, she felt the greatest challenge between the 3-11 range. Also guided her through the palpating layers jaw release, which she wants to incorporate as part of her self-care in working with her TMJ.

When I first told her we were going to explore some standing asana, she said "I know I need to do harder yoga," and it gave me the chance to talk a little more about sutra 2.34, and the ideas of steadiness and sweetness, effort and ease - finding the good space in every asana. She had never done asana with the support of the wall, and noticed many new sensations - mostly pleasant - in her body as we moved through Surya Namaskar. During Virabhadrasana II, she felt much more grounded and connected in her body using the wall than she had exploring the pose without that support. I shared the meditation focus from Judith Hanson Lasater, and after working with it, she said, "I'll never do Warrior II the same way again." When exploring the pose with the left leg in front, she felt a pull in the groin/inner thigh on the right side.

As she explored Ardha Chandrasana at the wall, on the right side she commented that it felt really good on her hip, while she still felt the groin pull slightly. On the left side of the pose she felt an enjoyable inner thigh stretch.

With Bitilasana and Marjaryasana, she felt the muscles of her low back getting "warm" as she focused on pushing the knot to the ceiling, and then letting the band win and draw down towards the floor. She shared it was the most movement that she had ever noticed in her hip tilts, and it was challenging to encourage the shoulder blades and thoracic region to stay steady as she focused on the pelvis, slowly moving with her breath.

The client loved kapalabati, describing the first round being "like my lungs did push ups... like the rush you get from exercise." She felt that her breath deepened, she felt the effort in the muscles of respiration, and a boost of energy like "oxygen therapy." I encouraged her to try it at least one day this week as an alternative to the 3pm coffee with sugar.

The final practice was Dirga Swasam with finger compressions, which reminded the client of a Japanese practice she had explored, which connected each finger with an emotion (? - I am not familiar with this but told her I will research it.) I mentioned that in the hand mudras of yoga, there are connections between each finger and the elements, the regions of the brain, and even the meridians of TCM.

I felt this went really well for our first session. A personal goal was to share more about the branches of Integral Yoga, something I want to be more intentional with going forward with each client (not assuming that they have any familiarity beyond hatha). I felt the pace of the work was appropriate - not too slow, not too fast, and it felt very much like a moving dialogue with the client the entire time.

Check In - find out how homework practices went during the week

Awareness Practice

Raja: introduce sutra 1.2, and what the 5 vrittis/modifications are: right knowledge, misperception, imagination, sleep and memory

Review wall asanas

Continue asana exploration with rotation at the wall: Trikonasana and Parivrtta Trikonasana

Japa: Mala meditation exploration

Karma & Bhakti: talk with client about Tikkun Olam - share with her what I've been reading, hear more about her practice (thinking next session she could guide me), and talk about connections/similarites with Karma and Bhakti Yoga.

Shavasana and Yoga Nidra