• 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: Continue to practice the three standing asanas, with at least one instance of practicing each one during her school day.

Practice: Breath awareness - take at least one minute of breath awareness twice daily.

Read: Sutra 1.33 - whether the translations I shared, or any other translation you would like to explore.

We began with an awareness practice - I invited her to settle into whatever position she would feel comfortable and supported, and she chose sukhasana. Afterwards I asked how her that felt to take time for herself and simply be aware in the present moment. She found the practice enjoyable.

Next we talked about sutra 1.33, the locks and keys. I shared three different translations of the sutra, in order to highlight different ways to look at the fourth lock in particular:

Swami Satchidananda - “By cultivating attitudes of friendliness towards the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.” (The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, p. 51)

Jaganath Carrera - “By cultivating attitudes of friendliness towards the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the nonvirtuous, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.” (Inside the Yoga Sutras, p.80)

Nischala Joy Devi - “To preserve openness of the heart and calmness of mind, nurture these attitudes: Kindness to those who are happy, Compassion for those who are less fortunate, Honor for those who embody noble qualities, Equanimity to those who actions oppose your values.” (The Secret Power of Yoga, p.77)

I also highlighted a distinction raised by Rev. Carrera in his article for Integral Yoga magazine between practice and belief: "The focus is on practice and lifestyle rather than belief. Belief is a matter of accepting ideas. Practice and lifestyle are about self-transformation and direct experiences of realities of life and Spirit... We have come to understand faith traditions as emphasizing belief. Yoga, and all deep spirituality emphasizes practice. How we behave is much more important than what we believe." I felt it worthwhile to share this as Angela is someone who prioritizes putting into practice what she believes, and this sutra is a beautiful practice that will allow her to embody her faith.

From the Therapy for Christians article we talked about the differences between porous, rigid and healthy boundaries, using the graphics of a fence posts, a fence, and a gate as visual representations of the boundary categories. She identified her current boundaries - especially around client parents - as being porous. We then discusses the verses from Galatians highlighted in the article, with the idea of helping to carry the burdens of others that are the excessive and overwhelming "boulders", while modeling healthy behavior in carrying our own "backpack" and encouraging others to carry theirs. Angela really connected with these ideas, and seemed encouraged by them and willing to implement them in her current relationships.

We reviewed the previous asana, Tadasana, Virabhadrasana II and Vriksasana. She had practiced them a few times since our last meeting, and felt more grounded and stronger in each of the poses. We talked about ways should could practice each of the poses during the day at school, especially during the recess window when she gets to be outside with students, even inviting students to find their warrior when they need to feel strong and steady, or explore the challenge of physical balance and mental focus with finding their trees. In her own practice of tree today, she commented how she felt her left side more challenged with balance in the pose, yet she felt much stronger with tree than last week.

Angela arrived at the session in good spirits, ready to work and share from her experiences of the past week. She had spoken with the mom of her one client, D about her issue of not being paid yet and taking D to activities. She excitedly shared how she had allowed D to go with her to an open gym event, where she shot basketball for almost 15 minutes - a length of time she lacked the stamina for previously. She was off for the day due to a holiday, and was looking forward to a visit in the afternoon to see her niece and nephew.

Angela seemed to take to heart the encouragement of the locks and keys, as well as ownership in setting healthier boundaries without apologizing for the need for them. She is an inspiring woman who gives generously of herself expecting nothing in return. While serving others is part of her purpose, she seems committed to having healthy boundaries for herself, with the understanding that setting these boundaries will give her more freedom to serve others and take care of herself as well.

I feel like I offered a better balance today of hatha and raja yoga. I would like to bring in the McGill Big 3 core exercises as for her anamaya kosha they have proven benefit, while not traditional asana practice, and are within my scope as a certified personal trainer. I find myself struggling with that aspect sometimes, when I see non-asana practices that I know are beneficial, but are not integral yoga practices. To a great degree, can any movement practice performed with awareness of the breath and the mind be a practice of asana?

Review the asanas the client has been practicing

Guide the client through the McGill Big 3

Review Sutra 1.33