• 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 practice of Dirga Swasam - goal of 2 minutes/day. Can explore at different times of the day in different positions, but one that might be helpful is supine, in bed when preparing for sleep.

Check In

Awareness Practice

Dirga Swasam - first seated, then supine supported

During the awareness practice, client began weeping. She had previously shared that allowing herself to feel emotion was something with which she struggled, so I encouraged her not to try to stop her tears or control the emotional release.

I introduced Dirga Swasam, which the client practiced seated for about 2 minutes. She explored some self-touch with one hand on her abdomen and the other on her chest to connect with the movement. She indicated she would like to try it lying down, so I arranged bolsters to support her legs and offered support for her head and neck until she felt comfortable. During the practice, the client began crying again. I invited her to add sound to her exhale if she felt comfortable, which she did - at some points it was more like a sigh, at others more like the cry of a small child.

During the practice I would ask how her hands and her feet felt - specifically if there was any change in temperature, sense of size or weight - she described her hands as being very tingly and she was feeling a bit lightheaded. (These can be signs of dissociation and overload of the ANS). I encouraged her to rest.

I guided her through a practice of Shavasana, offering five minutes of silence, then gently guided her through bringing awareness and movement back into her body, and slowly returning to a seated position. She spent a few minutes seated before slowly making her way to standing.

In closing discussed signs to watch for to evaluate of the practice was just right or too much for her nervous system.

While I had other practices planned for this first session, I do believe it was the right choice to focus on breath awareness and Dirga Swasam in this session. The client is very committed to learning to love and care for herself, and this will be a much slower and gentler process that I realized. I feel very honored that she is trusting me to walk with her on this journey.

I loosely have a plan to introduce the wall-supported Embodied Lord's Prayer Surya Namaskar. Will see at Check In and during Awareness Practice how the client is.