Case Study 2 - Brenda

Read the case studies and answer the following questions for each one.
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Case Study Two: Brenda

Brenda has just been diagnosed with adult onset (Type II) diabetes. This diagnosis has
left her feeling depressed. Brenda is 65, a widow with five children and three grandchildren. Before her diagnosis, she was known for her pleasant smile, calm demeanor, and a readiness to help and “do” for others, even at her own expense. Her pleasant smile and calm demeanor have been replaced by lethargy. Her family is worried because Brenda no longer has a desire to socialize with
friends and family, and lately she has been spending a lot of time in bed sleeping and
watching television. Her family is hoping that Yoga therapy will help Brenda with her depression and with managing her diabetes.


Questions:

1. What is your best guess for this individual’s Ayurvedic constitution and present
condition? Consider both their prakruti AND vikruti.

She sounds like a Kapha because of her pleasant smile, calm demeanot and readiness to help and do for others. She also sounds like a kapha because she is sleeping a lot.


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2. How do you see the dosha implicated in the individual’s health concern?

Depression - this happens when Kapha is out of balance

Diabetes - this is a common Kapha condition

Lethargy - this is a common Kapha condition

Asocial behavior

3. What specific Yoga tools (asana, pranayama, mudra, relaxation, meditation, etc.) would you recommend to address their health concerns? Why?

General Info
- In the Kapha practice the poses are heldlonger and focus on conenction to the physical body and the earth
- Kapha's have a lot of stamina which is good for a life time practice
- Kapha's want clear instructions and clear boundaries as well as repetition and consistency
- Kapha's are cheerful and non competitive or perfectionist
- Because Kapha's tend toward immobility it is important for them to have a regular practice with heating, dynamism and variety


Asana
- Asanas that bring awareness to the senses
- Sound and music
- An active and warming asana practice to stimulate metabolism and circulation
- Need to sweat
- Practice in the morning
- Use sun salutations, fluid vinyasa between standing poses, squats, standing forward bend, back bends and lion pose
- breath with emphasis or exhalation
- warming inversions (headstand and forearm balance)
- During asana breath should be deep with emphasis or gentle retention after exhalation
- smooth rhythmic breathing during sun salutations
- asanas that massage the chest and lungs (locust)
- warrior 1

Pranayama
- Kapalabhati and/or surya bhedanana (right nostril breathing) in the morning before breakfast
- Bhastrika
- Ujjayi
- Jalandhara bandha
- Agni Sara Dhauti
- Focus on exhalation
- external retention

Mudra
- Ratna Prabha Mudra

Guided Imagery
- Guided imagery using light and color
- Visualizations involving the chakras
- Solar or Space Visualizations

Mantra/Chanting
- Chanting mantras
- Kirtan

Meditation
- use of painting and drawing and coloring
- Visualizations involving the chakras
-  Practices that incorporate spaciousness and warmth (eye open meditations, standing or walking meditations)
- Yantra
- Kum Nye

4. Based on their dosha and their presenting imbalances, how would you recommend
they approach the practice of Yoga? Include time of day, season, age of the client, and where appropriate, the koshas, the five elements, and/or the three gunas.

AGE
- Client is in Age of Vata or Pitta/Vata depending on who you are following.  Yoga practice should focus on the spirtual.

GUNAS
- Brenda is in a tamasic (non-movement) state right now.  She has lack of movement and all she wants to do is sleep

ELEMENT
- Brenda seems to have an over abundance of earth element right now rooting her in the bed.  I wouldn't give her an earth practice I would give her a fire, air or ether practice/

TIME OF DAY
- It would be great if Brenda did an energizing yoga practice between 6 and 10am

SEASON
- In the Kapha season of winter and early spring I would especially advise Brenda to have her most energizing practice because of the over abundance of Kapha. But in Life Force Yoga I learned that we have to meet the mood so I would start slow and stable and try to get her energy up as the practice went on.