• 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.

Using some positive mantras/affirmations when stressed, anxious, or can't sleep. Exploring different forms of devotional music, like Trevor Hall, Krishna Das, Deva Premal, Worship music, or any other forms of music that have a powerful positive vibration. Continue with at least a few minutes of asana and pranayama daily.

This session opened with the client mentioning that his back has been bothering him when he has been trying to sleep at night. So, we started with a centering practice in constructive rest pose, covered with a blanket. I introduced him to the divine light invocation, which I modified by including guided meditation cues between repetitions of the invocation at the beginning.

After this, we went ahead with a brief mahaguna check in and stress measurement using the 10 item PSS, on which he scored a 24, indicating moderate stress, slightly higher than last session. We then began the main asana practice, beginning with a neck self-massage and movements, dead bug movements with a medicine ball to encourage stabilization of the core, cat cow into sunbird focusing on abdominal stabilization, single leg knee to chest for gentle decompression, dynamic supported low lunge with subtle glute activation, bridge posture with block between legs, supta baddha konasana leg lifts, gentle sphinx, supported fish pose for chest opening and neck health, side lying dancing warrior to stretch quads with strap, grounded high lunge, standing forward fold with a slow and gentle return to standing with a focus on core activation, wide legged standing gentle forward fold with slow pendulum movements, child's pose with QL stretches, gentle reclined figure 4 with subtle side-to-side movements.

dirgha pranayama, 4 count box breathing, introduction to kapalabhati / kapalabhati practice per request for a more energizing pranayama during mahaguna check in

savasana - yoga nidra

Bhakti yoga discussion about different concepts of Bhakti yoga: devotion, emotional transmutation, surrender, chanting, Omnipresent Divinity

5 minute silent meditation before closing with a few minutes of listening to Deva Premal's Gayatri Mantra chant.

This client continues to have ups and downs with his sleep, stress, and back pain. He is obviously not thrilled at the prospect of having a herniated disc and it is affecting both his stress and sleep levels in addition to throwing his mind off balance. We will meet twice next week (tuesday and thursday night) since both of us are available.

I felt pretty good about this session, I do feel that I have a strong rapport with this client and wonder how the sessions might be going if we weren't getting along so well.

Next session I will introduce alternate nostril breathing and we will get back into the yoga sutras, while adapting as necessary depending on what needs are immediately apparent for him.