• 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 journaling and the practice she has of chair asana, breathing practice and meditation. Review the Personal Meditation Routine sent with her summary and incorporate what she can.

When journaling look at what comes up in the following:
 Journaling as a way to guide our thoughts about ourselves and make the link between what you are being taught and your own personal experience.
 Going inward looking at our mind.
 Reveal and analyze our triggers.
 Journaling will reveal our personal patterns.
 Reveal our responses.
 Reveal reactions in different situations.
 Allowing us to analyze these things in us.

Centering, body scan, guided meditation with love, light and white healing light to the whole body and with focus on her right foot – the foot that has the broken bones, and a period of silence. (Client was late by 10 minutes so we had to skip chair asana).

Client has decided to start using nicotine patches. She does not want to have cigarettes around anymore and this is her next move. She doesn’t want to wean down on smoking, she just wants a way to stop. Although the Finger Compression practice has helped the client to substitute that for smoking it’s not always successful.

Client reports that she continues to do her asana and meditation every morning to set the tone for the day. Sometimes she has an hour to do her practice and sometimes she only 15 minutes.

In this session, client spoke about battling with being compassionate with her friend and setting boundaries. At one point Client said she “detaches” quickly from a situation. As she expressed herself, I could see that she is not being unattached, instead it seemed like what she was describing is shutting down. I clarified for the client that she is not unattached in the yogic sense, what she is doing is shutting down/out/avoiding. This is not working with herself, instead this is reacting to something. Client really appreciated the distinction and said she was going to journal about it.

I offered that she continue to identify her external and internal stressors and to write about them.

Client journals more frequently now.

I’m not sure if I can help this client with her desire to stop smoking beyond what I have offered so far. I feel that enough work has been done to help this client find a substitute for smoking.

I want to be flexible - we did not get to discuss the Personal Meditation Routine nor the wisdom teachings on desire and expectation, and I am okay with that as that is part of what I am working on.

Lead 10-20 minutes of asana, relaxation, pranayama, and meditation.

Discuss Personal Meditation Routine next time. Talk about obstacles to meditation. Teach Brahmari Breath as a way to change brain patterns.

Review and discuss the wisdom teachings on desire and expectation because we didn’t get to do it in session 7.