The use of restorative postures with guided imagery with a client to aid the physical and mental emotional levels.

Our goal is to help the client relax and explore different positions at hip. 2-3 postures with slight movement between. As she is in the posture, I will use guided imagery and breath work to enhance her energy and relax. Assessing any discomfort, particularly at hip, at onset as well as an energy rating then reassessing the same at end of session.

Female, 60's. She was born with no left hip socket. She was at Shriner's and spent first year in a cast waist to feet. Most of her childhood was in braces for inverted legs. She also had multiple operations to create her hip socket and fix the inverted legs. Recently, she has had trochanter bursitis on L as well. She recently lost her dog, has a history of depression and overall low energy. She has a gentle demeanor and walks regularly and eats a healthy diet.

Restorative practice with pranayama at end, using 3 postures and guided imagery with each posture. We had one session outside and 2 more inside.
Resting Butterfly will allow me to see some of her hips ROM and strength as we come out, raising and lowering knees. The breath practice will help me to assess her breathing and help her understand the energy of her inhale and exhale being complimentary. The second posture is more of an exploration with her body in a slight inversion and twist, bringing movement into a posture that can enhance her disc lubrication and mobilize her spine differently. The imagery is to familiarize her with a safe and happy place in her mind re sadness. The third is relaxation and imagery to familiarize her with sensing the body.

The goals is for the client to examine her sensations and attitude while in the asana, to gain insight into her hip pain and abilities to move as well as rest in a position. I would say it is a kind of self-study svadyaya. The guided meditation may have led to some other kind of personal insights and breath awareness in the first posture are connected to dharana and dhyana. Hatha is part of this exploration as well as self-study through the movement, breath and stillness. Jnana, japa and bhakti yoga may be ignited by her yoga sessions.

First: Resting Butterfly, Propping L and R knee for respective comfort. Once comfortable begin breathing with increasing depth and length. Next breathe into chest feel ribs expand all directions, relax abdomen and let it expand. As exhale use lower abdominal muscles to gently contract aiding long slow exhale. Continue guided breath x6 then Let go of breath control and know O2 from plants is increasing your internal energy and with your exhale yu can feel supported like deep tree roots in the ground. Feel the earth’s energy at bottom of sacrum planted solid, you’re getting nourished by the earth’s soil. As return slowly and with very little movement lift knees together and apart a few time before rolling to your good hip side. Second: Elevated Twist (adapted to a folded blanket under hip to allow a slight elevation) Again 3 elongated deep breaths once comfortable in position. see addendum

Continue to work with her orthopedic and the bursitis. We discussed ideas for anti-inflammation involving cold and possibly alternating cold and hot after flaring it with exercise. She generally has a relaxed lifestyle. We discussed the breathing deeply and elongating inhale and exhale for a balanced energetics, which she enjoyed from the practice. We also discussed insight timer or other free ap for guided meditation, body scan and other kinds. She really liked that idea and has looked at a few of the aps. I encouraged her to do something like the final relaxation pose while she listens to her ap meditation to enhance her physical and mental relaxation.

The overall plan was not modified; however, the postures were adapted to suit her hip issue, (see below) which I expected but I was unsure particularly with the elevated twist how we would work with the modifications. The intention of providing a few postures for her to explore her hip pain and limitations or lack of limitations was successful. She gave feedback each session that helped her use terms like internal rotation and sensation terms vs just “pain”. She also achieved an understanding of the connection between her mental and physical fidgety nature that brought home the mind body connection. She felt uplifted and relaxed after the session. I felt the goals were met, considering it was three 40 min sessions.

Resting Butterfly one hip had less external rotation so we propped it higher, she also had the bolster under her back, moved inferiorly slightly away from spine, providing more comfort by decreasing the lordosis. Post pose I helped the knees come together and she open and closed from the closed knee position opening slowly and further with 5 repetitions. The elevated twist was modified by lowering hip and by opening chest more to rest weight away from hip. This modified the posture enough that she was able to get slight inversion with a mild twist. After first session she was more eager and capable with postures. In the first session I noticed fidgety hands and feet, the last session which happened to be after she had a walk, less fidgety. Either, the walk helped relax her and/or she knew what to expect. They made the connection, being less fidgety after walking. Also a role of caffeine.

Normally I teach a 10-20 min of movement with breath before using restoratives. The movement is easy and adaptable to all types. I do this to help warm and slightly fatigue muscIes in preparation for restoratives. I did incorporated the post butterfly movement and excluded a second movement after the twist, for time. Originally, I had a chakravakasana here for a balanced forward fold with breath. I would have liked to include it to bring the spine from a twist to a forward fold before lying in resting pose.
A simpler twist would have been more appropriate like supported spinal twist from Judith Lasater.
The imagery went well, her feedback was very positive, and she enjoyed the variety. The breathing was also a success, it reminded her to breath throughout the session, by emphasizing it upfront and gentle reminders throughout.