James Walsh Yoga

Tuesday, August 23, 2022, It's 5:22am as I type this, and it's time to begin... Part II: It's 7:29am as I type this.....no time to dilly-dally. Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Friday, August 19, 2022, It's 5:16am as I type this.  It can seem difficult to get back into a routine if you get out of the groove.  I could not calculate the beneficial attributes I have as a direct result of my practice yet, when I get out of my routine (for whatever reason), trying to get back into it is difficult.  The alarm sounds at 4:15am (as usual), and my brain says, " don't......there's no point......it's not worth it.....sleep...." .  I know that to be a lie, but I comply with it anyway, at times, and snooze the morning away until I have to get up. Enough chit chat.......the quickest way to re-instate a routine is to re-instate the routine (and not gum-flap about it)  Time to begin.... Part II: It's 7:16am as I type this, and it's time to enter the world, but the title of today's post came from one of my prayer books that I reference each morning; before I begin my physical practice, I spend 10-15 minutes in prayer and meditation.  Them...

Wednesday, August 17, 2022, Was ill for nearly 2 weeks (totally unable to practice), and then went on vacation for a week. All this to say, I've been away from my mat for 3 weeks. That's a long time.  It's 5:23am as I type this, however, and it's time to rebuild....  Part II: It feels good to practice (as always).  Time to enter the world.  Namste

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, For whatever reason, my sleep pattern got knocked around over the weekend, and I couldn't get up at my normal 4:15am yesterday or Monday (I hit the snooze on my phone on Monday morning and didn't get up until an eye-watering 7:30am........that leaves almost no time to "thaw" from your sleep and collect yourself, let alone incorporate any kind of yoga practice. All that to say, I got up at my usual 4:15am this morning, and it's 5:17am now as I type this...it's time to begin... Part II: It's 7:04am, and it's time to get ready for the day.  Today's practice was weak and unfocused, but still a practice, and I'm still better for getting on my mat.  Namaste

Friday, July 22, 2022, I've said it many times throughout the 5+ years this blog has been maintained; on some days one feels enlightened, inspired, perfected, in-tune, etc.......and, on other days, one doesn't feel any of these things.  Feelings, on the whole, should be recognized and observed but, ultimately ignored.  How one "feels" on any given day will change with the wind.....one's blood sugar.....the spicy-chicken-sandwich one at Uninspired work: it's still work.  Do your job(s) and know that you're still completing your tasks even if it's not the most innovative/creative day in your life.  Uninspired talk: it's still talk.  Don't force anything that doesn't come naturally....it'll seem odd if you're smiling and trying to seem overly-happy in a disingenuous way. Uninspired << fill in blank>> : No matter what you're doing, you can still do it if it's un-inspired and unexceptional. The point in all of this is...

Thursday, July 21, 2022, Up at my usual 4:15am, and on my mat at my usual-ish 5:23am.  Nothing profound to say (if I've ever said anything profound), and it's time to begin... Part II: I can't seem to end on time for some reason.....I target a 6:45am completion, and it's 7:17am as I type this. Great practice, however, and it's time to shower up, and enter the world.  Namaste

Wednesday, July 20, 2022, Monday's post was about being consistent......here I am, on my mat for only the second time this week (having slept in yesterday like a lazy thing).  It's 5:18am as I type this, and it's time to begin.....

Monday, July 18, 2022, Did I only practice Tuesday and Wednesday of last week?.....seems like it. Be more consistent.  It's 5:29am as I type this, and it's time to begin today's practice.   Part II: Groggy and foggy......didn't do anything out of the ordinary last night, but feel a little out of it today.  Had a warm up, and a very light practice.  Tomorrow's another day.  Namaste

Wednesday, July 14, 2022,  On my mat, at 5:31am, which is grossly behind schedule.  No time to dilly-dally....time to begin.  Part II: It's 7:14am as I type this, so I'll be brief.  Physically, I spoiled myself with a way longer warm-up than usual (my warm-up where I simply roll-around, and let my body do whatever it wants, is usually 10-15 minutes long).  I let today's warm up continue on longer than usual due to the amount of kinks and other things that I've built up due to an increased running/jogging routine.   Mentally, my brain was all over the place this morning.  As one is supposed to, whenever I became aware that my attention had wandered off, I "brought my attention back" to my object of meditation/focus, and sat my focus back down "in it's chair" with a kind a gentle hand.  My "focus" would sit still for about 10 seconds of cooperation, before "getting up from it's chair" and wandering off again.  Ah well.... Ti...

Tuesday, July 12, 2022,  On my mat at the usual time; 5:16am. Time to begin... Part II: Post practice update.  It's 7:12am.  I need to be getting off my mat closer to 6:45am but, C'est la vie. I've been training for a half-marathon in October and, due to the increased running, there's quite a bit of kinks to iron out in my back and legs.   Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Wednesday, July 6, 2022 Good practice but, as usual these days, I'm grossly behind schedule.  Time to enter the world.  Namaste

 Thursday, June 30, 2022, It's 5:20am as I type this, so I'm a bit behind schedule, and will keep this brief..... There are 5 tenets of Tae Kwon Do.  Of these 5 tenets, I believe that self-control is the most important.  Read through the image connected to today's update; the other 4 tenets cannot exist without self-control.  It is the first, and largest, "Domino" that must fall in order for the other 4 tenets to be engaged.  Self-control is, unfortunately, not always "fun", and "entertaining", so it rarely gets any time in the spotlight.  Furthermore, self-control is a continual journey, and a continual practice; it cannot be gained quickly.  Even beyond that, self-control is incredibly difficult, as it encompasses ones non-physical parts (your feelings, your emotions, and your thoughts). There are probably many ways one can exercise self-control but, I am here to tell you, that a yoga practice will help you gain this control......not only con...

Wednesday, June 29, 2022,  Wednesday yoga....nothing else to report.... It's 5:19am, and it's time to begin... Part II: As always, I write this Part II update post practice, after having completed my sequence. I'm still on my mat, having just come out of Corpse Pose/Savasana. I having nothing profound to say other than the future is bright.   Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Tuesday, June 28, 2022, The moment you wake up, and you realize that you're out of your dreams, the "monkey" inside your head begins to move around.   One of the best representations of the "monkey" inside our brains can be explained in the short, 1-minute video above.  I've posted this before, but the clip is too good to not share again.... In essence, our brains are going to run around wherever they want to go.....our thoughts are going to wander off in any direction they like (very often lead away by social media, "news", and any number of distractions).   Continual stimulation isn't good.  Your mind forgets how to sit, and be still (watch the video). If you struggle with feeling anxious due to the "terrible state of things in the world", watch the video. If you struggle with feelings of depression due to the "terrible state of things in the world", watch the video. In less than 1 minute, you can learn the basics of a tec...

Monday, June 27, 2022, A classic line that we've all heard (possibly too often, as its meaning can be lost or easily forgotten), " Do unto others as you would have then do unto you"; sometimes referred to as "The Golden Rule". In 2022 (which is the year this is being written), treating others poorly often comes in the form of words.  Those words are very often spoken in an online/virtual format.  However virtual these words may be, they're no less damaging than if they were spoken in person. It's important to keep this Golden Rule at the forefront of our thoughts, our actions, and, most especially, our words.  Don't add to the din of noise, disrespect, and ugliness that you see in the online/virtual world (however tempting it may be).  Do you want peace?  Then be peaceful.  Do you want kindness?  Then be kind. Do you want understanding?  Then listen, to understand, those around you.  Namaste

Friday, June 24, 2022, Woke at my normal 4:15am time for the first time since Monday.  Don't know why I kept hitting the snooze button Tuesday-Thursday, but I'm on my mat, and it's time to begin... Part II: It's 7:15am as I type this; two hours since I sat down on my mat (at 5:15am).   There was "noise" in today's practice.  Noise in my body (GI tract, muscles, etc.), and noise in my head (thoughts, hypothetical scenarios, inner monologue, etc.).  Ah well......practice when you feel good, and when you feel not-so-good.  It's always to your benefit.  Time to enter the day. Namaste

Monday, June 20, 2022, It's Monday, but it's also a day off of work for me.   I was out of town last week and, while I brought my mat with me, I never had a good opportunity to practice. I've learned that, even though one can feel bad after neglecting one's practice, one can quickly and easily begin the rebuild (as long as you can break through the initial blockage of, " ughh....I'll practice tomorrow" , as you hit your snooze button for the 12th time).  I'm drawn back to my mat because I like the version of myself that comes off of my mat when my practice is over.  Time to begin.... Part II: There will be days (or even longer periods of weeks, or maybe in a month or two), where you don't feel like you're good enough.  Not holy enough.  Not beautiful enough.  Not funny enough.  Not smart enough.  Not <<INSERT ADJECTIVE>>> enough. When these periods come in a persons life (and they come in every person's life), it's import...

Friday, June 10, 2022,  Woke up at my usual 4:15am this morning. On my mat, at 5:19am, which is technically a bit behind schedule.  I've re-incorporated running into my routine and, more than taking a hiatus from my yoga mat, running will do things to one's body that need to be "undone"; specifically, tightening up one's legs and back. Enough chit-chat.....time to begin.  I'll be focusing on meditation as I move through my practice today.  I noticed earlier this week that, when I allowed my thoughts to flit about, that my practice takes much longer.  Again....time to begin.... Part II: As always, the day is better when it starts on my mat.  No time to dilly-dally.  It's time to enter the world.  Namaste

Wednesday, June 8, 2022,  Getting back into a routine is an interesting little experiment in self-control. One's lazy and uncooperative body protest but one's mind continues to encourage and understand that the routine is healthy and good.   Between one's body and one's mind, which is superior?  I've written it many times (and the answer should be obvious), but one's mind is always superior.  One's mind tells one's body what to do (not the other way around); one's body is lazy, selfish, clunky and ugly.........don't ever let your body be in charge.  It's 5:13am, and it's time to begin.... Part II: For whatever reason, today's practice took much longer than yesterday's.  It's 7:19am as I type this and, even though I started at 5:13am, I feel like my brain was buzzing around in every direction while I warmed up, and practiced, and it stalled me out in certain areas.  I start thinking about XYZ or some other nonsense, and fully ...

Tuesday, June 7, 2022, Got back from a marvelous vacation last week where we ate, drank, and did nothing but lay on a beach. The last time I was on my mat was Thursday, May 26 (about 1.5 weeks ago).  Heaven knows what today's practice will look/feel like, but I want to begin pushing myself a little more, even if I don't feel quite ready for it.......I think I've been in 3rd or 4th gear for awhile, and I need to shift to 5th.  It's 5:17am, and it's time to begin.... Part II: On my mat, having just come out of Savasana.  It's 7:03am as I type this, and today's practice was marvelous.  There wasn't as much to work through as I thought, but my back is definitely a little out of whack....nothing a few more days of practice won't fix.  Delighted, as always, that I'm back in my routine.  Namaste