The third of the five koshas (sheath) is manomaya kosha—the mind sheath. Our consciousness, thoughts, and perception are all linked to manomaya kosha.
By regulating the manomaya kosha using the technique of the sensory input (pratyahara), meditation, practicing non-attachment will bring calmness to the mind.

The goal is to create a program for my client to learn how to cope with depression, improve concentration, and energize the body and mind in the morning. The program includes learning of benefits of meditation, non-attachment, pranayama, and meditation. In the session, kapalabhati will be practiced. The program is reviewed after 3 online sessions.

Yoko is a 41-year-old male, separated from his wife and daughter. His alcohol addiction worsens when the pandemic started and spent to a city-run rehabilitation center for months. He made a progress and now he lives with his friend. He can only see his child once a month and is working as a temp staff. His goal is to live with his family, but it is very difficult at this point. He sometimes is depressed and feels lonely,.

I envisioned working with this client one in-person and two online sessions, at first session I talked about Meditation, Non-Attachment and Pratypaksha Bhavana. Those practices are great tools to make the mind calm, reduce negative feelings. I walked through the practice of joint freeing exercise, pranayama and yoga nidra at all three sessions. I combined the practice to be energized and calm the body/mind. And I mentioned that the best way to benefit from these activities is practice every day.

The branch of Yoga I used is Raja Yoga for the practice of pranayama and meditation and applying the teaching of Yoga Sutra into daily life. Yoga Nidra will help practitioners to withdraw senses and focus within.

This was my client’s first experience of yoga, meditation and pranayama, he heard of those activities of course, but he has never tried before. First of all, it was not easy to sit still on the floor, I tried a couple of things. I explained and demonstrated a couple of different seated position by using a blanket, a block. He was not comfortable even using the props, so the first session he sat on the chair. I asked my client to find if its possible for him to sit on the floor comfortably by next session. Same as meditation, he could not stay more than 5 mins sit still and closing eyes, so we agreed to start with 5 mins and gradually increase as he becomes comfortable. My client liked pranayama (Kkapalabhati) practice, saying “I feel my head is clear and more energy in my body”.

In addition to daily meditation, I would also advise practicing yoga nidra before bedtime because he said he felt better when he woke up the next morning. Also, I would suggest practicing hatha yoga to make his body to be flexible a little more so that he can stay sitting on the floor.

My intended plan was applied, and the goals were met specifically to how to sit, how to meditate and how to focus within. Also, his pranayama (Kkapalabhati) practice is improved. At the follow-up session, he said that “I can concentrate my tasks, and I can control my mind better than before.”

I learned that many people include my client do not sit on the floor unless they practice yoga or meditation. My client could not sit for more than 10 mins on the mat as he felt uncomfortable on the back. I demonstrated comfortable seated postures using props. My client’s first assignment was how to sit on the mat. As far as breathing practice, my client had difficulty to practice Kkapalabhati because he is one of many who had not exhaled forcibly before. I suggested practicing “HA” breath instead, this was easier for him to breathe. I changed the sessions from online to in-person a day before, so I was able to demonstrate and provide hands-on adjustments.

If I am faced with the same situation again, I will approach the same style but also provide additional information to my client. One of them is sending my client comments including the area that need to be corrected, the benefits of the activities extracted from books or research to help my client to understand those practices, and why continuous practice is beneficial.