James Walsh Yoga

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 Waking, with ease, at my 4:15am time, as usual.  It's 5:32am as I type this, so I'm about 15 minutes behind schedule. Time to begin...  Part II: Great practice.  it's 6:53am and it's time to enter the world.  Namaste

Monday, March 28, 2022, Since Thursday, March 17, I have been battling some kind of illness......I'm negative for COVID (both in the at-home test, and a test administered at a hospital), so that's good news, but I went from mild upper respiratory symptoms, to severe upper respiratory symptoms, to mild G.S. issues, to severe G.S. issues......all culminating with a trip to the E.R. last Wednesday in the early A.M. due to my inability to hold down any kind of liquid (medication, etc.).   Having said all of that, I'm back on my mat now with a bit of curiosity as to how today's practice will flow.....we'll see.... Part II: I'm writing this post-practice update on my mat, having just come out of Savasana.  A weak, but complete, practice this morning.  Time to enter the world.   Namaste

Monday, March 21, 2022 This past Thursday morning, I posted that I wasn't feeling so great, but that my practice was still a good one.  Little did I now that, just a few hours after that post, I would come crashing down into full blown illness.  I spent the latter half of Thursday afternoon, and the entirety of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, recuperating from full blown illness.  Head, ears, body aches....the kind of illness that can only be helped with doses of Dayquil and Nyquil. Today is the first day on my mat since Thursday, and I'm going to take it very easy....  Part II: A very light and easy practice.  My body is not ready for an physically taxing practice.  Even so, I'm always better off for having started my day on my mat. 

Thursday, March 17, 2022, Went to bed, and woke, feeling mildly unwell.  Weather changes, diet, sleep patterns, etc. can all lead to a light feeling of illness.  I will sweat it out on my mat, and feel better.  Time to begin..... Part II: I definitely moved around, and moved out, some of the illness (sinuses opened up, etc.), but going to take it easy.  Practice was lovely, as usual.  Namaste

Wednesday, March 16, 2022,  Monday's post was about Pixar's charming coming of age film, "Turning Red".  I won't belabor this pre-practice post, but everyone, myself included, "turns red" at one point or another.  I happen to be "red" at the moment, for some reason; everything irritates me.....irritation/redness and other angry emotions should be ignored (for the most part) and, like all emotions and feelings, they should be observed, but not paid any mind or attention (for the most part).  Emotions, and feelings (like anger and irritation), come and go with the wind, sleep, blood-sugar-levels, etc. In that vein, I shall practice what I preach, and burn out some of the "red" through a physical practice.  Part II: It's 7:14am as I type this and I am very late.  Great practice.  Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Tuesday, March 15, 2022, For the past week, I've been getting on my mat around my usual ~5:15am time every morning, but I've been writing sooooper long pre-practice posts and that's put my practice behind schedule.  I'm probably going to have to get onto my mat a little earlier if I want to keep a good start/stop yoga routine (which one should) and still have time to finish out the rest of my morning without blitzing around the house.  In that vein, it's time to begin.... Part II: It's 6:50am as I type this, and I'm on my mat having just come out of Savasana.  It's time to enter the world.  Namaste

 Monday, March 14, 2022, The image shown in today's post is from Disney/Pixar's delightful film, "Turning Red".  For those who haven't seen the movie, let me first say that it's one of the best animated films made in recent years, primarily for its non-sugary story line.  The main character learns that she has to keep her emotions (both good and bad) in check; if she doesn't, and she has a strong reaction to something, she instantly morphs into a red panda, and has to hide until she's calm again, when she morphs back into her human form.  While watching the movie, I was impressed by the film in how it showed the merit and values of restraint and self-control (very often, the message shown in children's movies is the opposite of this, and entertainment encourages children to allow their emotions to "flow" and be "free").  In addition to showing the merits of restraint and self-control, "Turning Red" also focuses on the ...

Thursday, March 10 & Friday, March 11, 2022 The title of today's post focuses on a ridiculous little "new age/spiritual" meme/illustration I saw yesterday.  The title of this ridiculous meme/illustration was " Religious Beliefs To Unlearn ".  The image was an illustrated person with seven thought bubbles coming from their head, with seven little anecdotes about things that the author of this illustration believes are negative lessons that religions teach. First, and foremost, in the ridiculous world that we live in, anyone can create a meme/illustration/cartoon, etc. and pair it with a statement (like, " Religious Beliefs To Unlearn "), and then spit it out onto the internet.  That statement (no matter how subjective) now seems like something wise, grand, and objective,  when it's really nothing more than one person's subjective thought.   It's tricky to stay vigilant against this (as these commanding phrases are everywhere in advertise...

Wednesday, March 9, 2022,  Fire is used in religious symbolism as a good, and bad thing.  Hell is very often shown as a place of fire and burning.  However, fire is also shown as a cleanser and purifier.  Nothing earthly can live in it.   Many religions of the world describe man being made from "clay".  My take on this is that it's referring to everything in the world that we can see and touch (everything that's made of of atoms, and has mass, etc., is made of "clay").  We exist in this world where everything is made of the same materials (in one way or another).....everything is "clay".  However, if you read into the creation stories of many religions, you'll see a common theme of divine beings that are made from "fire" (angels, for example, are described as being made of fire).  My take on this is that this simply refers to beings that are not made from atoms, molecules, and do not exist on the same plane as us, the planets, and the...

Monday, March 7, 2022,  On my mat, with not much to say.  Time to begin..... Part II On my mat, having just come out of Savasana.  Nothing much to say .  Namaste

Friday, March 4, 2022, Following up on the theme from yesterday, I shall constantly remind myself that the "piece of cake" I have, is marvelous.  So marvelous, in fact, that I'm going to incorporate it into my prayer and meditation routine.  Time to begin by slowly going through all aspects of my life, and being thankful and grateful for them..... Part II: It's 6:56am as I type this, and there's no time for an insightful post-practice update like there was yesterday.  Time to skidaddle. Namaste

Thursday, March 3, 2022, In the more developed and affluent areas of the world there isn't much, if any, lack of necessity and physical comforts.  At reading this, many would bristle and cry foul, and say, " that's not true.....there's underserved communities....something-something-1%..... ", etc., but the truth is that people do not die of starvation in the developed/western countries of the world; there are base-line, foundational systems in place to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and clothe the naked. What people can become sick with in developed and affluent areas of the world, is complete dissatisfaction with their lives.  Dissatisfaction can come from many things, but a primary driver is an unhealthy curiosity and interest with the lives of others (almost always shown through social media, which is a part of the entertainment industry).  Curiosity, fixation, and unbalanced interest in the social media of famous celebrities inevitably leaves the cons...

Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Otherwise entitled "Fat Tuesday".  The last day of celebration before Lent.  I'm on my mat at 5:23am typing this, and I'm going to begin..... Part II: It's 6:50am, and I'm just finishing my practice.  Time to enter the world.