• 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 3 part breathing

We met via zoom online. We introduced each other and the clients talked about their experience with yoga. Their goals and their limitations. We did a breath assessment and counted the number of breaths in a minute, this varies from client to client.
We talked about the Yamas and Niyamas and started with the first one of Ahmisa, non violence to their body, but also in their thoughts.
We decided on a mixed chair and mat class, most group members have no problem to get in and out of the chair. One member does and I showed her how to get up and down the mat with the help of the chair.
Started with 3 ohms
Bodyscan and centering
Shoulder rolls, neck rolls in the chair
chest openers, arm raises with twist and focus on breathing
modification for clients with shoulder problems instead of arm raises, cactus arms.
circles in the chair
forward bend and back ward bend in the chair
leg raises and hip mobilization in the chair
getting up from the chair
on the high side of the chair, tandem stand and tree pose
heel to toe movement for balance
forward bend with the help of the chair
pyramide pose with the help of the chair
on the mat
Savasana
windshield wipers with knee bend
chest to knee pose
guided yoga Nidra

S.K.her anxiety is sometimes high and she has trouble sleeping. She is waking up intermittently but is able to go back to sleep. Her mood is anxious and she avoids the news sometimes. She had a recent fall at work, when she tripped over her own feet and broke her hearing aide. Luckily there were no injuries. Breath count 13 per minute, shallow breathing, but able to breath deeper.

B.D.She has low back pain and shoulder pain. She is working on her pond in her yard, this requires a lot of digging, which hurts, but she states that movement helps. Her energy and mood is good. She is looking forward to improve her flexibly and strength. Breath count 9 per minutes, shallow but able to take deep breath.

L.C.Sleep is good, she is waking up but able to go back to sleep. Her mood and energy is good. Her mind is restless, she is really bothered by the recent political decision to freeze aid for immigrant children, since she is writing grants for a helping organization and this affects her work. She has joint pain due to estrogen inhibitors, movement helps.

L.M.Her sleep is good. She has arthritis in her left shoulder and back pain from DJD. She sees PT regularly and would like to be more flexible .Her mood is fair. Her job in the hospital is grant founded and she is really worried about the freezing of grants, because it is 90% of her pay. She is looking forward to help with balance and flexibly, physically and mentally.

Working with a group that has a variety of limitations is a little challenging, but I think that working with the chair and the mat can be helpful for this group. Due to high stress levels, anxiety and vata imbalance I will focus on grounding and forward bends.

I will continue to work with the mat and the chair in the next session.