• 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.

1. Five rounds of Deep breathing with positive affirmation
2. Extended exhalation throughout the day, especially when there is an incident that triggers stress response.
3. Pay attention to how she feels physically when being active (golfing or gardening). Take a break as needed, no push through pain.
4. Chair/floor yoga: 3-5 times/week
5. Deep relaxation - spend a few minutes on your back.
6. Alternate nostril breathing 5 minutes - inhale positive thought and exhale out negative/stress

The client has been diagnosed with arthritis of the right hip and osteoporosis. The asana practice targets building strength of muscle around the hip joint and joint mobility. Weight bearing asanas also help with balance and strengthen the bones. Subtle practices and yogic philosophy focus on mindfulness (body scan, meditation), stress management (pranayama) and positive affirmation.

• Centering – body scan
• Breath awareness and extended exhalation
• Warm up – head & neck movement, seated cat-cow, side bend, shoulder rolls, hip circle
• Sun salutation with support of a chair
• Warrior 1 – chair support
• Warrior 3 – chair support
• Cobra
• Gentle bridge with a block between the thighs
• Supine leg squeeze (lie down on her side and lift the top leg)
• Seated leg lift
• Seated forward fold
• Twist
• Deep relaxation
• Deep breathing
• Alternate nostril breathing
• Meditation

Client has been doing chair yoga regularly. She still struggles with pranayama. We talked about the importance of breathing and how that will help her manage the pain. I recommended breath awareness followed by extended exhalation. She tried to not take pain medication at night, but then could not sleep. I discussed experimenting with skipping pills other times of the day and noticed how she felt. She has limited time working in the garden. We discussed non-attachment – the garden does not to be perfect (e.g., weed free) or no need to complete 18 holes of golfing.

The client is motivated in practicing asana, but not on subtle practices. I mentioned to her that yoga would not reverse her arthritis, but it will help her manage the pain, especially the subtle practices. For the next sessions, I will work with her on how to remove obstacles that prevent her from doing subtle practices – perhaps incorporate them into her daily activities, instead of a formal practice.

Restorative yoga while turning attention inward (pratyahara) and toward breathe. Per Inside the Yoga Sutra by Reverand Jaganath Carrera, ‘one benefit of pratyahara is to cultivate non-attachment by replacing transitory sense satisfactions with the deeper, more satisfying contentment of the sattvic mind’.