• 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.

For homework I encouraged her to continue exploring Dirga Swasam and Nadi Shodhana - but more importantly to follow up with her doctors on the episodes of feeling weak.

During check-in client reported recent episodes of feeling weak and light-headed, dizzy, usually following exertion (ex - swimming, long cycling). Thinks it could be a drop in blood sugar, but I strongly encouraged her follow up with her medical providers about this. She has been continuing her goal of moving every day, enjoying the early spring weather this past week with 13 miles on her bike Friday and Sunday, swimming other days, and taking Saturday as a rest day.

For her, swimming has become a form of moving meditation as she practices her side stroke. I asked if she had further explored mala meditation. Her feedback was that "every bead was a new thought," and she found her mind moving across all sorts of topics and themes. My thoughts: it sounds like physical movement allows her to quiet her mind while more sedentary meditation practice seems to encourage more movement of vrittis - at least at this time.

The client shared that earlier after her swim she experienced feeling weak and light-headed. She drank a smoothie and took a short nap prior to our session. With her feeling like this, for asana practice I introduced her to Netra Vyayamam to help with eye strain and screen fatigue.

For pranayama practice we continued exploration of Nadi Shodhana. limiting the practice to two minutes and using the "hands free" option.

For our imagery experience I guided Ruth through Belleruth Naparstek's Favorite Place Imagery scripting, including within it 5 minutes of quiet, allowing her to observe the peace within. After guiding her out from it, her first response was, "Wow...I was there." She described an open field, a gentle breeze that she could hear, on a warm day. She way lying in the grass, filled with purple clover flowers. The field was inspired by a book she had been reading, featuring the home of a Native American medicine man in Crow Point, Minnesota.

The client was engaged and in good spirits. I so appreciate her transparency in what she chooses to share, as well as how she naturally is incorporating practices and yoga philosophy into her everyday life - even connecting the dots, so to speak, between what she has learned in AA and growing up in the Christian faith and yoga philosophy.

"Every bead a new thought" - that is something that personally I have not experienced in my japa and mala practices. It was good for me to see how a practice that I find beneficial doesn't connect well for a client, and make it that much more important for me to look at all the possible tools of yoga for each client, including those which I have explored for myself but maybe not personally connected with.

The focus of the next session is relaxation. The client has experienced the short version of Shavasana often included at the end of a gym/fitness yoga class. Would like to offer Yoga Nidra using the Integral Yoga scripting and format.