The key teaching was using the five koshas to address osteopenia (chronic condition) and digestive issues (acute condition), possibly irritable bowel syndrome or gluten sensitivity.

Since we were given permission to use ourselves as the client for the Human Body: Ease and Dis-ease TCA, I worked with myself daily for two weeks. I used 40-min sessions which included gentle standing asana for bone health followed by restorative asana, pranayama, and meditation for stress-relief to assist digestive issues.

55-year-old female with diagnosis of mild osteopenia in lumbar spine and femoral neck; moderate osteoarthritis in both acetabula of hips, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine, and acromioclavicular joints of shoulders. She also has digestive symptoms suggestive of IBS or gluten sensitivity which was assessed by a physician during the course of this yoga therapy work. The client also reported low tolerance for stress and anxiety.

The five koshas were the framework for addressing the client's chronic and acute conditions. The physical body was assisted through working with gentle standing asana and restorative asana. The pranamaya kosha received attention through slow exhalations. A variety of meditation practices helped balance and purify the remaining three koshas.

Raja/Hatha Yoga provided the appropriate tools of asana, pranayama, and meditation for the client. The standing asana routine was especially useful for helping with osteopenia. Pranayama and meditation helped with stress relief which calms and balances digestion. Bhakti/Japa yoga was also used with mantra meditation on some days. These branches of Integral Yoga provided physical, mental, and spiritual support for the five koshas.

Since the client was me, and I enjoy being in solitude, having this time every day for two weeks was very useful for me physically, mentally, and spiritually. I found that I looked forward to having this time every day. I practiced in my living room which is where I meet with clients and also teach yoga online.

The main follow-up suggestion is to continue this type of practice every day, or at least five days a week. My life is very busy with teaching many group classes and working with a few private clients, so I really need to schedule time just to care for myself.

Yes, I applied the intended plan every day for two weeks by spending a minimum of 40 minutes practicing standing asana, restorative asana, pranayama, and meditation. Sometimes, I stayed longer in meditation when time allowed for this. The goal was achieved in the sense that I completed everything I wished to do and I am quite sure this was helpful for osteopenia and digestive issues. I also met with my physician, Dr. Laura Sample, who determined that a big part of the digestive issues was being caused by the statin I was taking to lower cholesterol levels. She changed my prescription to a different statin which seems to be helping. She also recommended Benefiber as a daily over-the-counter supplement. I also started taking over-the-counter Citracal for calcium and vitamin D for bone health.

I followed the intended plan every day but sometimes I spent more than the 40 minutes planned. I found that I really seemed to need the restorative asana and the meditation. I used a variety of meditation techniques depending on what seemed right each day. Sometimes, I used breath meditation and sometimes I used mantra meditation. On four occasions, I used online guided meditations either from iRest on Vimeo or Swami Satchidananda's yoga nidra available on our IYTh platform. I learned that it is important to pay attention to what the client actually needs at each session. Having a plan is useful, but being able to modify the plan as needed is also important. Taking good care of myself felt wonderful! This helped me understand what my clients may be feeling after good sessions of yoga therapy.

If I faced the same situation in the future, I do believe I would approach it in the same or a similar way. I especially like working with the model of the five koshas because that model covers everything we need to be healthy and balanced in body, mind, and spirit. I believe this is a major reason clients choose yoga therapy: They are looking for a holistic modality to assist their health, whether or not they are also working with Western healthcare practitioners. Working with my personal physician during this time also reminded me of the importance of following-up with the client and/or their healthcare practitioner(s) regarding any treatments the client is receiving. The HBED module, in general, also helped with this.