1:1 Monday

This client is so amazing to me.  After just the simplest breathing exercise, her eyes turn bright and moist and blue again.  She arrived bummed cuz she had gained 6 pounds over the holidays.  So spontaneously, we ended up playing with some fun seated balances and standing poses to help her feel lighter.  

Opening

Supine over a bolster with attention to breath.

Sukhasana Forward Fold Both Sides

Sukhasana Side Bend and Spinal Twist Both Sides

Janu Sirsansa with Spinal Twist to Both Sides on Both Sides

Box Pose Forward Fold

Upavistha Konasana Side Bending

Upward Facing Seated Angle Pose Play

Transition to Standing

Uttansana

Hammock Pose Sequence Play

Triangle x 2

Half Moon at Wall with Chair

Down Dog on Chair

Down Dog at Wall x 2 (with leg lifts on second set)

Sirsasana with 3 Blocks x 2 (leg lifts on second set)

Vajrasana Meditation on 2 bricks

Bridge Pose x 2

Supta Padangushtasana with Twist

Legs up the Wall

Savasana

Monday 1:1

I love working with this woman.  We have so much fun and I am learning so much about allowing the space for another being to connect with themselves.

Supine Heart Opener with Breath Awareness

Sukhasana Forward Fold with Blocks

Side Fold

Elongating Spinal Twist

(Switch Legs and Repeat)

Janu Sirsasana Elongation

(Both Sides)

Janu Sirsasana with Twist Both Sides

Janu Sirsasana with Opposite Twist Both Sides

Box Pose Forward Fold with Blocks

(Switch Legs and Repeat Other Side)

Upavishta Konasana with Side Bending 

Several Times to Both Sides

Transition to Standing

Tadasana

Shoulder Rotation Awareness

Strap Work to Open shoulders More

Hallelujah Arms to Create Resistance Understanding (in prep for Headstand play)

Wall Work

Splat

Right Angle

Ujayyi Pranayama

Repeat Wall Work with More Breath Awareness

Standing Sirsasana 1

Down Dog @ Wall x 2

Dolphin @ Wall with Block 2x

Headstand Prep with 3 Blocks @ Wall

Bridge Pose x 3 with Toes @ Wall

(Putting legs up wall in between)

Note: by this time she was so aware of her shoulders in a whole new way.

Reclining Buddha with Prayer Shoulder Opener Both Sides

Savasana

1:1 Monday April 14

Client arrived alert and perky and 1/3 the way through she realized that she felt tired and shaky so tone switched dramatically. She has not had a cigarette in a week and feels great.

Her quote was, "I was tired of quitting, so I quit."

Calf Torture Pose
Down Dog
Uttansana
Roll up to standing

Uddiyana Bandha Play
Ujjayi Breathing

1/4 Suns
Modified Lunge Salutes

The emphasis today was on relaxing before going into the posture. Using the face as the main access point. It Worked. She felt a lot easier and steady as she went into crescent moon pose.

Warrior 2 sequence
Warrior 2 Dance
Lunge
Step Forward
Half Arch
Forward fold

Complete Sun to Standing

Repeat Otter Side.

Triangle Sequence
Warrior 2 Dance
Side Angle pose
Triangle
Side Triangle
Side Angle Pose
Down Dog
Step Forward
Complete Sun to Standing

After this is where she noticed she was tired. We completed the other side more softly and the changed directions.

Other Side

Legs Up Wall
Wide and BK
I assisted in the Opening.

Bridge Pose with Chair
(Just a small introduction on using chair to help lift up. I am working up to her doing Upward Facing Bow pose. I have a hunch that this will change everything. The combination of heart opening and lifting herself up will be radical.)

Thai Massage
I worked her legs, heart and arms

Constructive Rest Pose, or neutral Hip Posture
This posture revealed so many holdings.

Savasana

Note: Her eyes were the brightest blue and bouncy at the end of the session.

1:1 Monday, March 31

My regular Monday Client.
She went to a strong vinyasa class and could not do some of the stuff so I allowed that to guide our session. Helping her see how she could modify and tweak. She really enjoys when we work more vigorously. She can handle it and believes that it is what is helping her lose weight.

Start Supine
Hip Rotation and Spinal Extension Work

Transition All Fours
Cat/Cow
Barrel Roles

(We use blocks under her hands so she can step through more easily).

Plank
Dog
Lunge
Dog
Lunge
Dog

Rest and Look at Side Plank (one of her ?s)
We looked at the bent knee on floor variation and this proved to be successful.

Standing Pose Sequence from Dog
Lunge
Side Angle
Triangle
Prasarita Padottanasana
Warrior 2 Dance
Lunge
Dog


Play with Up Dog (tops of feet hurt, so we stayed on toes)
Rounding from Dog and From Plank, Chaturanga.
This was, as expected really tiring, but now she has a sense of how to approach it in a class.

Standing Poses on the Other side

Dog
Step forward
Uttanasana

Her physical therapist told her that her balance was not "normal", as in not in the normal range. From what I have seen, she seems to be totally normal as she is showing such quick and fast improvement once she focuses. My understanding is that the shaking is from the nerves re patterning. But I could easily be wrong. Several of the medications she is on supposedly make balance difficult.

Toe Lifts
Little Tree
"The Dean Potter"

Transition to Floor

Navasana was a another ?

We approached it like this:
Pinup Pose
Table Top (this was incredibly difficult)
Navasana Stage 1 with knees bent and hands under knees. Draw chest up and allow toes to lift from floor, balancing. (She went right up and was delighted).
Rest and Rounding
Navasana Stage 2 with hands under knees, shins parallel to floor and then legs straight
Rest and Round
Navasana Stage 3, moving from bent knees to straight and then releasing hands. She nailed it.


Cross Legged Forward Fold
Repeat Other Side

Slumpy Swami Twist Both Sides
Hands in Belly Forward Fold
Revolving Head to Knee Pose

Upavishta Konasana

Bridge Pose
Upward Facing Bow Pose Play (Just to start to create the "memory" of moving towards it so it would not be new in a class).

Legs Wide Up Wall
Baddha Konasana Up Wall
(I pressed on her thighs to create more opening)

Supine BK Rack Stretch

Savasana

1:1 Monday, March 24

My Monday Morning Client.
She has lost over 5 pounds, but more importantly she looks completley different. She is brighter, sunnier, laughs more easily. We have so much fun together. She has inspired me to start teaching more difficutl and challenging work to the beginners. She shows me how much I have been holding back cuz things are hard.


Supine.
Hip Rotation Understanding.
Eye of Needle
Half Happy Baby
Half Happy Baby Variation
Rock the Baby
Half Happy Baby
Supta Padangusthasana A, B, C
Rest

Repeat with Other Leg

Transition to Standing

Uddiyana Bandha Kriya
Om Chanting to Lengthen Breath
A-U-M individually
and the OM with the 1/4 Suns

Wall Work
Splat
Right Angle

Sun Salute Play with Blocks
Lunge Salute
Lunge Salute to Dog
Lunge Salute Pattern Full Round with Plank and Sphinx/Cobra

Warrior 2 Geek Out
Attention to the Bowl of the Pelvis. Attention to the alignment.
Note: When we first met, she could not balance here. Now she can balance and work with details.

Looked at the possibility of half handstand at wall.
I knew we would not "get into it" but I got the hit to look at it.
She is 200 pounds and feels like she cannot hold herself up, but I feel she is really close.
Her planks are strong. So, combination of getting her comfortable with her weight and understanding the fear around supporting herself.

Standing Sirsasana Prep
3 Block Method @ Wall

She was suprised and delighted at how good this felt.

Note: Childs pose is more of a burden and discomfort than rest cuz her butt does not touch her heals and her belly gets in the way.

Cobra with Bolster
Dhanurasana with Bolser and Strap 2x
Rocket Cat
Dog

Slumpy Swami Spinal Twist
Lengthened Spinal Twist
Upavishta Konasana

Savasana

1:1 Monday, March 3

Regular Monday Client.

She announced hat she is down to 3 cigarettes a day. Amazing.
This client pulled out 3 big surprises this visit.
She has already taken to the yoga amazingly fast.
And her "progress" is so much fun to participate in.

Today she said that she has been "doing yoga without doing yoga". This is an advanced concept and eludes some of the most long time practitioners. So, wow. Then she popped herself into Lotus with ease and then she revealed that she had had a Kundalini awakening. She shared that there had been a sense of humility combined with immense suffering.

It is only in the last 2 months that I really had a sense of the possibility of reincarnation. But all of a sudden I feel like I am with an old yogini. The yoga is so available to her. It's barely covered. So most likely, she has been doing this for many lifetimes, it just got cloudy during this one.

Our Practice:

Supine
Breath Work.
Hip Rotation Awareness

Transition to Sitting
Sukhasana Forward Fold

This is where she revealed her Lotus Skills.
So we played a little bit with Lotus Opening on the back and sitting.

Transition to Standing

Wall Work to check in Breath
Splat
Right Angle
Uttanasana

Sun Salutations on Chair
Surya C Variation with Legs Lifts and Plank (no backbend)

Down Dog @ Wall
Down Dog into Center of the room
(This was wildly successful. I had been nervous about her wrists, but she did great)
We tasted stepping forward towards lunge, but her belly got in the way.

Triangle
Twisting Triangle
Twisting Triangle @ Wall (very successful)

Legs Wide up Wall
Baddha Konasana up Wall
(I pressed on her hips with my shins to create opening)

Transition onto Back

Bridge Pose with Strap x 2
Knees to Chest

Thai Yoga Massage

Pranayama.
Simply bringing attention to the breath and the parts of the breath.
Allowing them to lengthen.

Savasana

Quiet Sit.

1:1 Monday, February 25

This is my 5th time with this client. She is overweight, on medications, and until today a smoker. She announced today that she has stopped smoking. She continues to lose weight and is looking really good. She has been practicincg yoga from online videos in between our sessions. She claims to be taller and her blue eyes are sparkling. I have learned so much from working with this client. I am being reminded of the magic of yoga.

Start Supine
Breath Work
Pelvic Floor and Mula Bandha Awareness

Hamstring Stretch with Strap

Transition to Standing

Breath and Mula Bandha and Leg Lines Focus

Splat @ Wall
Right Angle Pose
with Breath Work Awareness

Surya Namaskar C with Chair at Wall
(Today we added Plank and a Cobra Variation)
This has been really effective and allows her to move rhythmically and safely.

Standing Hip Opener on Chair
Wide Leg Forward Fold on Chair
Side Squats with Chair

Walking Balance
Side to Side Balance

Static Balance x 2 with leg lifting in front of her

Supine
Wide Legs up Wall
Baddha Konasana @ Wall
(I assist in the opening by pressing my calves into her thighs)

After this, she got up and walked around and professed that she felt taller.

Bridge Pose x 3 with Strap for assistance
Rest

Thai Yoga Massage
I worked on her legs and arms and head.

Savasana

Quiet Sit.

1:1 Monday, February 18

Client: Same heavy woman, smoker. This is our 3rd session.

She arrived and announced that she had lost 4 pounds since we started. That she notices that her diet has changed and she feels better than ever. As I have mentioned, this has become my favorite client. She reminds me of the magic of yoga. I was inspired to share aspects of the sequence that Tucker had taught us during the "Yoga for Life" Training.

We work together for 90 minutes.

Opening
Supine
Tailbone Movement and Breath Awareness
Hamstring Stretching with Strap

Transition to Standing

Breath Awareness
(Emphasis on learning how to bring the breath DOWN towards the sacrum)

Down Dog on Chair
1/4 Sun Salutations
Lunge Salutes with Chair
(This is vigourous. But herflexibility is strong and a little heat is good for a heavy set person).
She felt amazing after the sequence.

Standing Hip Openers with Chair
Shoulder Work at Wall

Standing Postures
Triangle at Wall with Chair Stage 1
Standing Forward Fold with Wall
Triangle at Wall with Chair Stage 2
Standing Forward Fold with Wall

Balance Play
Walking Balance
Side to Side Balance

Half Moon at Wall with Chair
Resting in between Sides

Spinal Twist in Chair 1
Forward Fold Between Legs
Spinal Twist in Chair 2
Forward Fold Between Legs

Transition to Floor

Windshield Wiper
Bridge 2 x
Legs on Chair

Savasana

1:1 Monday, February 11

This is the third practice with the woman who first showed up on January 21.

She has become one of my most favorite clients. The work is so vivid immediately within her. And the joy the comes out of her is so real and clear.

Today we did this:

Started Supine
Apanasana
Hamstring and Inner Thigh Stretching with a Strap (Supine Hand to Big Toe Pose)

Tailbone Work with Baby Bridge Lifting and Rolling
(Her tailbone pops and cracks when we do this)

Transition to Standing

Spring Training Arm Circles
(Erich Schiffmann style)

Splat at Wall
Shoulder Rotation Awareness (Swmap Monster/Cactus Arms)

Several Shoulder Openers at Wall
Combined with Right Angle Pose at Wall

Triangle at Wall
3 times, increasing the difficulty each time
Forward Folds with Butt on Wall in between

Foot and Balance Work
Toe press and Point
Walking Balance Exercise
Side to Side Balance Exercise

Little Tree

(Her balance is 100 times more steady since the first session)

Breath Awareness
We spent a lot of time connecting the use of the diaphragm and belly with the breath
Ujayyi breathing

1/4 Suns
1/2 Suns

(Normally i put suns more towards the beginning of a practice, but wanted to create the breathing room with the side stretches and the concentration with the balance first today.)

Transition back to Floor

Paschimottanasna with Strap work and tailbone awareness. Play with strengthening the back and stretching it.

Pinup Pose Spinal Twist with Tailbone Awareness.

She is starting to develop a kyphotic curve in the back of her upper neck. So we worked with a restorative heart opener of a block under the shoulder blades for a bit.

For the last 10 minutes, I worked on her legs and feet with the thai yoga massage skills that I have recently learned.

Savasana

Quiet Sit.

1:1 Week of January 21

Client:
Heavy woman, smoker. Called herself "a wreck" and said that she couldn't breathe. Coming to yoga because she learned that "her heart hormones were off". She was told to exercise. She hates to exercise but remembered liking yoga from when she had done it before years ago.

Diagnosis:
My hit was that she had disconnected with her body. So my intent was to allow her to feel into her body again as well as experience some of the benefits immediately. I allowed enough time in between sides to rest and connect with the feelings of openness vs. tightness. It turned out that she was naturally flexible and started to feel better almost right away. She actually had great breathing with the ability to use her primary muscles of respiration. By the end, her eyes were brighter and she was lighter.

Summary:
This was one of my favorite 1:1 sessions ever. Most likely because I was relaxed and did not need her to like me. I just followed the guidance that was coming through.

Sequence:
Started Supine
(I worked her feet and legs a little with my new mad thai yoga massage skills).
Hip Rotation Awareness
(To dial her attention into herself and establish a common language).
Hamstring Stretching with a Strap

Transition onto all Fours

Cat/Dog with tailbone awareness
Childs
Half Dog
Childs

Transition to Standing

Spring Training Shoulder Circles
Stretching with Strap

Shoulder Opening at Wall
Splat Pose at Wall
Forward Fold with booty on Wall
Half Wall Dog
Wall Lunges
Forward Fold with booty on Wall
Half Wall Dog with Leg Lifts
(Because of her weight this was a big deal, but I knew that it would be effective in giving her confidence as well as set us up for balance work).

Heart Meridian Opening
(Tapping up the inside arm channels and down the outside)
1/4 Sun Salutes
(This was very effective. The gentle coordination of her breath and movement

Balance Play with moving towards a mild Warrior 3 and Little Tree.
(A very important part of the session).

Transition to Floor and onto Back.
Windshield Wiper

Bridge 2x
Low Back Release

Easy Spinal Twist

I did a little Thai Massage Work

Savasana with support under thighs and head.