Relationships are the basis of everything in our lives. Raja Yoga provides the tools that help us to understand how to have more control over our thoughts, feelings, and emotions so that we may improve our relationships, while the practice of these tools develops within us a reconnection with a deeper sense of self.

In 2-3 sessions, the goal is to help the client reduce stress by understanding and putting into practice Praktipaksh Bhavana and Vairagya, as well as using the breath to become more aware of self. For five minutes before going to bed practice in a quiet and still environment an affirmation crafted by client, followed by Meditation on The Breath.

Female, age 50. Experiencing stress due to personal and work relationships. Client gets headaches, she is pre-diabetic, has high LDL, inflammation, and some arthritis. Client wants to set boundaries and eat better. Currently experiencing pre-menopause. Client is a yoga teacher and practices 3 to 4 times a week including a Pilates class. She has a full-time job and runs a restaurant business on the side.

We met for 3 weeks. Intake was completed prior to first meeting. The following practices and activities where given as part of the client’s plan:
• Pre and Post Survey.
• Discussion on the Stress Response System, the impact of stress on health and how to manage stress.
• Discussion to understand Praktipaksh Bhavana and Vairagyam, and examples of how to use these.
• Discussion on understanding the process of meditation, specifically why the mind resists meditation and how techniques help us to control the mind.
• Plan included daily practice of Seegra Savaassna followed by Deergha Swaasam and/or Naadhi Suddhi leading into 5 minutes of meditation.
• Discussion on the usefulness of affirmations, how to craft and use affirmation.

Please note the abbreviation used for the following words below: Pratipaksha Bhavana, Vairagyam (PB,V); Meditation and pranayama (M&P).

Raja and Jnana Yoga were used to work on the manomaya kosha for the management of client’s stress. Client wants to change how some of her key relationships function in her life because they cause her great stress. We applied Jnana and discussed the Stress Response in detail so that she could understand how the mind and body respond to stress. And discussed how chronic stress produces several of the conditions which she already has such as headaches, inflammation and arthritis.

In order to help the client to understand how she must apply a reversal of conscious to change the circumstances of her relationships to reduce the stress, we read the Yoga Sutras and discussed examples of PB&V. Thus, learning through examples of how and when to use PB&V to regulate and control the thoughts and emotions to begin to have a new and appropriate sense of connectedness to her relationships.

Session 1: Client was receptive to learning about Stress Management and Praktipaksh Bhavana. Client requested that I forward to her the stress response process that we discussed including and how chronic stress impacts health.
Session 2: Client was not able to practice meditation nor pranayama (M&P). Client will put meditation on her calendar to help her remember. Practitioner suggested client make her Yoga practice meditative. Client reports she was able to practice PB ‘a little bit’ along with trying to feel compassion for her relationships.
Session 3: Client’s reports she was not able to practice any M&P. Client reviewed 3 scientific articles sent to her, she was most interested on the article on Telomere Stability. Client has begun to talk about compassion to others and especially when she teaches a yoga class in order to increase her awareness and ability to be compassionate.

Unable to make time for M&P in her life, I suggested she try to find ways to make some of her activities more meditative and mindful, such as when she is doing her yoga practice – make it meditative, and practice mindfulness while walking the dog, eating, doing dishes, gardening, and driving, etc.

I advised client that now that she has the knowledge/tools of PB&V, give thought to how to respond to incidents with her relationships. The recurring situations that we have need to be thought about to find ways to work them out in ourselves and change them. As she practices she will find her own way. These changes take time because they have been years in the making and the patterns are entrenched.

Additionally, to regard every stressful circumstance that happens as ‘gifts’ that will give her the opportunity to practice PB&V as well as compassion and non-judgement.

Yes, the goal was achieved, the client wanted to reduce her stress and was given the tools to be able to do that and she started to put it into practice right away as best as she could. Client has learned about the Stress Response, and this has been a huge incentive for her to try to change the stress she experiences in her relationships. Although the client has not been able to practice P&M, she is doing her best to make the changes considering her lifestyle, hectic schedule and limitations on time.

The client was unable to complete the Post-Survey due to time constraints. The practitioner only received the Pre-Survey. Thus, practitioner was unable to measure the progression of how helpful Yoga Therapy has been through a pre and post survey, but was able to see the progression from the verbal communications with the client and these have been included in this report.

I didn’t learn a new lesson but I did practice meeting the client where they are at and to adapt from there. I also practiced compassion for my client.

During the second session, I reduced the amount of time the client would spend in meditation from 4 or 5 minutes to 60 seconds every evening as the last thing she does before going to bed. Due to the client’s lifestyle and hectic schedule, she was unable to do even 60 seconds of meditation, nor was she able to practice pranayama. In order to help her to be able to find ways for interoception and also fit this into her existing lifestyle, I suggested she try to find ways to make some of her activities more meditative and mindful, such as to make her whole yoga practice more meditative, and practice mindfulness while walking the dog, eating, doing dishes, gardening, and driving, etc.

Yes. In the first session the Stress Response was discussed and this new understand helped the client realize that her behavior patterns affect her health. Equipped with this new understanding the client requested that I forward to her the stress response process that we discussed including and how chronic stress impacts health.

Additionally, although the client could only practice PB ‘a little bit’, she was able to see that she needs to change her mind set and patterns of behavior. Adapting the practice of compassion has been the tool that she has been able to connect with the most. The ability to practice compassion with her relationships has afforded her some ability to separate from her reactive thought patterns and observe her behavior.

Client also reviewed three of the scientific articles that were recommended, she was most interested in the articles on Diabetes, and Telomere Stability.

Finally, the client was advised to re-read the Yoga Sutras on PB&V monthly for the coming months. And to study the Yoga Sutras to progress spiritually, as well as take a class such as Raja Yoga or meditation to go deeper into the teachings of Yoga.

• Articles-Sent-to-Client.pdf
• 90-Second-Rule.pdf