• 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.

Continue: practices of Awareness Practice (use the audio recording), Netra Vyayamam, and Waterfall Breath

Practice: heart coherent breathing, finger compressions with dirga swasam, and nadi shodhana. You don't have to explore all the practices every day. You might focus on one practice per week - try it at different times of the day, in different contexts/situations. Notice how you feel before and after the practice.

Check In

Homework review

Awareness Practice

Raja: Sutras on the vrittis (overview), Sutra 1.12 - practice and non-attachment

Pranayama: focus on calming and balancing practices

- Heart coherent breathing
- Finger Compressions with Dirga Swasam
- Nadi Shodhana

Client presented tamasic in physical and mental energy. Stated she had an eventful week - filled with challenges as well as celebrations. The project she had been hired as a contractor for finally went live this week, and was being well-received - but it made for a time intensive and demanding week. She described herself as being a "potato" this weekend, staying home and not going to the gym, focusing her energy on small home projects. She also excitedly showed me her "self care space," an area near the front door marked with a heart-shaped rug that read "self care time", in front of a mirror with affirming phrases she had placed around the edges. I celebrated her creating a space that allowed her to pause and check in with herself before she leaves home as well as upon her return. She can also use it as she works from home, taking time to pause and check in at the start of her workday as well as to mark the end of work and a return to home.

As she had cancelled last week due to a severe migraine, she had practiced netra vyayamam and waterfall breathing when she physically felt up to it. She had not done any TRE practice on her own following our session, but shared that she was continuing to have childhood memories that she had not thought of in years "pop up... all good memories, but I was not aware of how much I had suppressed."

She also shared that she would be going out of town Friday to a writing retreat in Maryland, then would be heading down to Alabama to help sort her late father's belongings, have a mini-reunion with her cousins, and bring her mom back home for a visit. Her facial expressions and somewhat shallow breathing indicated she was already feeling anxious about the physical, energetic, emotional and mental demands of the trip. I asked her what practices she felt that she needed today. She reflected on it for a moment, then said she would like calming and grounding practices. I asked if she would like to focus on wisdom practices and pranayama.

We talked about Sutra 1.2, and how yoga is really the "modification of the mind-stuff," and the "mind-stuff" or vrittis are seen as being groups of thoughts that can be painful or painless: right knowledge, misperception, imagination, sleep and memory. (Again very basic introduction). I then introduced briefly sutra 1.12 - practice and non-attachment.

First I introduced an equal-ratio pranayama practice, Heart Coherence Breathing, which she practiced for several minutes. After she reported feeling calm, and that she was able to "disconnect" from the anxious thoughts she had been thinking. Next I guided her through Finger Compressions with dirga swasam, encouraging her to connect with the movement of the breath in her body and the sensations in her hands. She practiced several minutes, and after working with compressions with the individual fingers, at times explored compressions with two fingers together, then three, then all four, returning to working with the fingers individually. After the practice she described the experience as being very "meditative," focusing on the repetition of the movement, the rhythm. She shared that some thoughts that had been moving around in her mind where she had been searching for a solution, she found that "easy solutions popped up." Also during the practice there was a brief but intense hail storm outside, followed by the sounds of sirens. She shared that even though she was aware of the sirens, she did not experience a panic response like she often does. Then she explored Nadi Shodhana, spending several minutes with the practice. After she reported feeling "deeply relaxed" and "very clear."

I asked her if she had considered what other practices might be supportive during her upcoming time in Alabama - how she might ground and calm herself when sorting her father's possessions, or preparing for time with her cousins, as well as her mom and brother. She shared that there are a few places she really enjoys going, with a focus on getting outside and being in nature. As she talked identified and listed four places she would like to visit that ground and restore her: "ditty's landing," going out in nature in the North Alabama land trust, exploring a cave, and visiting Mary's, a local crystal and antique shop she enjoys.

We ended the session with Shavasana and Yoga Nidra (Integral scripting), after which she continued to feel calm yet aware.

I decided to change the plan I had for this session - instead scheduling one more session for 14 September and saving the practices for that session. She was not physically up to asana practice, and I didn't feel kapalabati was an appropriate pranayama for her today. With her upcoming travel as well as mine in early September, I felt that focusing on the pranayama practices would give her tools to explore over the next few weeks with her travel.

It was surprising having a hail storm - and losing power during the session, but at the same time it was encouraging to see how the pranayama practices allowed her to remain calm and relaxed despite the circumstances.

Check In & homework review:

Awareness Practice

Netra Vyayamam

Jaw Release - palpating layers

Asana: exploration of poses with consideration of scoliosis - balasana with blocks, virabhadrasana II, surya namaskar at the wall

Pranayama: gentle kapalabati

Shavasana & Yoga Nidra

Japa: mantra meditation