• 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 the Awareness Practice

Practice Asana per capacity

Practice Pranayama every day per capacity - you can explore both Nadi Shodhana and Brahmari breath (shanmukhi mudra only)

What are some of your favorite scriptures?

Check In, Homework Review

PSS & PEG - current week and estimate from beginning of our work

Goal Review

Awareness Practice

Bhakti & Raja: Panchakosha model and Luke 10:27, Matthew 22>37

Asana: Virabhadrasana II review, Vriksasana review

Pranayama: review of Nadi Shodhana, introduce Brahmari Breath

Shavasana and Yoga Nidra

Client presented more sattvic, and reported feeling "rejuvenated, energetic and happy." I shared with her some of the information from the article in the Complementary Therapies in Clinic Practice review, Yoga for COVID-19: An Ancient Practice for a new condition - A literature review, specifically that a large majority of the sample did not feel fully recovered after 1 year. In doing I told her this was meant to be an encouragement, in that it's ok if she still has some days where she wakes up and doesn't "feel like herself," or has lower energy - it does not mean that she is not healing and recovering. I also shared how the article affirms the benefits of asana at appropriate capacity, and mentions the benefits of Anuloma-Viloma (or as a kriya Nadi Shodhana) and Brahmari, both of which we would spend time with during the session.

Client completed PSS & PEG for the current week - PSS score: 6/40, PEG score: 5/30

Client also completed PSS & PEG estimating where she was at our first session - PSS score: 32/40, PEG score: 19/30

Client shared that she has been practicing the Awareness Practice every day, and had an epiphany - realizing "it was different every time," and noticing "more fluidity, connectiveness" as she paid attention through her koshas. She found herself noticing "this is what it feels like to be present." She also practiced the TVA march, the clamshell variation, and the abdominal massage, reporting that it "felt good."

Following the Awareness Practice we reviewed Virabhadrasana II, and client reported that during her practice this week she felt some "achiness" in her right hip, which she attributed to a combination of the weather, and finding the appropriate level of challenge when practicing the asana with the right leg as the back leg. We also revisited Vriksasana, during which client noticed feeling some appropriate "heat" and reduced external rotation in the right hip when the right leg was the "branch" leg. When switching sides, client reported feeling tightness around ASIS and possibly QL, while also feeling engagement of the gluteus medius. We talked about how her body is learning how not to "brace" and find true inner strength, which she described as "awareness of 'this is where I'm at - how do I go from here?"

Next we explored a supine variation of Dandayamana Bharmanasana, using a block held between the same side thigh and elbow, and making the movement ipsolateral with the extension of the arm and leg (instead of contralateral). The client completed 3 reps on the left side, feeling her lower abdominal muscles engaged, but feeling tension "about the size of an egg...pushing out" on her right lower abdominal region - also the location of her mesh. The client completed 4 reps with the block held on the right side.

With pranayama practice we reviewed Nadi Shodhana. The client shared that when we practiced previously, she was more "focused on the performance - wasn't engaged with it." Following this practice the client "noticed an almost immediate shift... a chill down," feeling both "calm and energized."

In introducing the client to Brahmari, first showing her the variation using the "helmet mudra." Slaughed the first time, but enjoyed the practice. She took three breaths, exploring different pitches, then sharing "that was so weird... I never experienced it before." She found the sound of it comforting, but also felt vulnerable "but not sure why." Next we practiced the breath with the traditional shanmukhi mudra, after which the client shared she felt "like a kid...childlike," enjoying the "playfulness...internally hearing the hum." She shared that she felt more "at home" with the shanmukhi mudra, and noticed that she was able to exhale longer and with more ease using that mudra. She found the first mudra to feel more "raw... primal-ish," and just something about it that wasn't comfortable - so I advised that she only practice using shanmukhi mudra.

Following Shavasana and Yoga Nidra, the client shared "That was cool... I felt everything in the moment." As I guided her through the Integral Yoga Nidra scripting she felt some physical sensations when going through the physical body - "felt a pain in the lower left abdomen..like a spark...then felt a spark in the right side of my back..I was aware of it but not worried...then a spark at the top of my left ankle... then mild head pressure," all of which subsided when she shifted her awareness to following the breath. The client shared feeling "peace...calm...serenity" when she rested in the Vijnanamaya kosha.

I really enjoyed this session with Kimberly - I felt very present, grounded, and prepared to talk about our work so far, and where she would like to make any adjustments with our four remaining Capstone sessions. It felt good that she responded to the discussion with "Thank you for bringing this up."

To bring more focus to the Bhakti aspect of her yoga toolbox, I asked her to review her favorite passages of scripture, and bring them to our next session. I shared that I was going to compile a list of scriptures we had talked about in connection with exploring some of the yoga sutras.

Check In and Homework Review - specifically what are your favorite scriptures?

PSS & PEG

Awareness Practice

Bhakti and Raja: review of verses we've explored and their reflection of teachings of the yoga sutras

Asana:

Pranayama: review of Nadi Shodhana and Bhramari

Shavasana and Yoga Nidra