• 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 chair pose with block or towel between knees, arms in cactus until intercostal strain is resolved

Have awareness to balance out excitable energy: Create a routine for start and end of day that includes meditation in the morning and a consistent bedtime routine.

Complete a list of Yamas/restraints and how you might practice these in your life. We will discuss them next time.

Intercostal stretching breath—practice 2x/day for three rounds on each side before morning meditation and before bedtime.

Centering- Guided Awareness with body scan/proprioception
Check In
Discussion of the Yamas from the Yoga Sutras and how these can be applied in her own life.
Gentle Hatha with adaptations and without twisting
Chair pose with a block or rolled towel between legs, without raising arms high up overhead because of intercostal strain
Cat/Cow on the floor
Intercostal stretching breath for intercostal strain/injury
Yoga Nidra with tensing and releasing
Mantra repetition mediation

This client broke up with her boyfriend before our last session. She said she realized that his lifestyle was disrupting hers and that she needed to do what was best for herself. She was pulled over by police for an expired inspection sticker and said she didn’t know that her license was suspended at the time. She said that normally this interaction with police would have been triggering for her, but that instead she employed the breathing practices that we’ve been practicing and was able to stay mentally present and calm. She said she feels like her boundaries are being reached/crossed but that she’s been applying the Locks and Keys to herself and other people and that this is helping. She appeared alert without being hyperactive, attentive, and appeared more balanced than she has in prior sessions. Client has been practicing Yoga Nidra daily before bedtime.

I was really glad to hear that the client has been able to employ breathing practices during some stressful, normally triggering moments, and that this has helped her stay present. I am also glad to hear that she recognized that the boyfriend’s lifestyle was harmful to her—in particular, staying up all night and the exposure to some decision he was making that could have impacted her sobriety was showing up in our prior sessions. She has been very sluggish and unable to complete homework or even to do some of the physical poses in a few of our past sessions, experiencing active flares in weeks where she doesn’t sleep consistently. I continue to have two plans when I meet with her because I’m not sure if the client will show up with energy or not,.

Centering: Guided Awareness with a focus on releasing
Check In
Discussion about Niyamas from the Yoga Sutras and how she can apply these in her life
Gentle Hatha with adaptations
Sun Salutations while standing or seated
Chair pose with block or towel rolled and between the knees
Cat/Cow on the floor
Reclined pigeon pose, bringing knees towards the chest
Intercostal stretching breath 3 rounds on each side
Yoga Nidra with tensing and releasing
Guided meditation with placing thoughts on leaves