James Walsh Yoga

Thursday, January 31, 2019 Woke at my usual 4:30AM this morning.  No milk/half&half for coffee and no sweetners. Cry me a river..... It's 5:42AM as I type this, and I'm feeling much better than I was yesterday physically, but less motivated mentally.  There's no rhyme or reason to it, it is what it is. I've blogged before that, unless I have something I'm looking forward to in my future (a run, a vacation, a fun work activity or challenge, a personal activity, etc.etc.), I can get lazy and ask " what's the point of going to my mat?" .  That sounds like I'm sad as I think those thoughts, but I'm not; I'm simply indifferent.  If nothing else, I believe it's important to always have something to look forward to on the horizon to keep spirits up and keep motivation at the forefront of what you do. That's quite enough from me.....time to warm up. Thursday January 31 2019 (Part II) It's 7:08AM as I type this.  I'm...

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 While the "polar vortex" is coming down into my native St. Louis, I'm up at 4:30AM to a warm home and warm coffee.  I'll be thankful for that, to start. Secondly, I'm thankful for many other things that I'll focus on in my practice this morning. Mentally, I'm feeling good.  Focused, determined, and strong.  Physically, I'm a bit tired, as I practice Tae Kwon Do on Tuesdays and Thursday nights.  The morning's after are always a bit of a drag. Looking forward to waring up on a cold January day. Wednesday, January 30, 2019 (Part II) It's 6:58AM and I started this practice at 5:30AM.  That's an hour and a half of warm up, meditation/prayer, and Asanas. I need to quicken the pace or I'll never be able to post a robust post-blog status! Feeling marvelous. Namaste

Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Woke at 4:30AM this morning for an hour of coffee and contemplation (#strangerthings). I'm on my mat at 5:42AM as I type this, ready to warm up.  I'm always better when I've started my day with my mat; things brush off of me, I'm energetic, but can focus my energy, I'm looking for opportunities to grow and I'm actively taking on the day instead of being reactive to things that come to me. Physically, I'm feeling wonderful.  My strength and flexibility are almost back to my standard base-line.  I'm still working through some of my "holiday weight"; that annoying little reminder every time you put on some of your clothes that fit normally 2 months ago that now feel a little too snug. Mentally, I'm feeling in charge.  I'm feeling strong and resilient. Time to meditate and pray, and warm up. Tuesday, January 29, 2019 (Part II) It's 7:07AM as I type this and I'm on my mat having just come out of ...

Monday, January 28, 2019 Woke at a slightly earlier time than usual.  4:30AM. I usually get up at 4:45AM and, even though that's only a 15 minutes difference, it will allow me to gain a bit more time for blogging before and after; all of my post-practice posts this year have been brief, picture-less, and hurried.  I want to provide more than that. Physically, I'm feeling good.  Ate a perfectly clean diet last week until Friday night hit, and that went out the window.  Saturday and Sunday were equally shameful, as far as clean diets are concerned, and now I'm on my mat on Monday morning, bloated squeezed into all of my clothing, torn between shame, self-loathing, and " you deserved it....no shame".  Circle of life... Spiritually, I'm feeling eager to accomplish something today.  I'm proud of the physical/real-world work that I've accomplished this past week, and over the weekend, and I want to reap some of the stress reducing benefits of it by te...

Tuesday, January 22 2019, Woke at 5:00AM this morning having neglected to set up alarm. I may not go through my full series this morning, and instead, go through my meditation/prayer routine and warm-up.

Monday, January 21, 2019 Starting the week off on the right foot by forcing myself up at my usual 4:45AM for a 5:45AM trip to my mat.  I may begin to set my alarm 15 minutes earlier, for a 4:30AM rise and a 5:30AM trip to my mat as I've noticed I don't have much time to post after my practice.   Physically, I feel good this morning.  I ate junk food all weekend, and didn't do anything physical, but that's what the weekends are for.  I'm a bit sore, but that's to be expected.  Mentally and spiritually, I'm feeling fairly well grounded and connected.  I don't have too much in the way of scary, intimidating, anxious thoughts flitting through my head but, since I don't have much to begin with, I'm going to focus on some of my classic standards of eliminating fear, allowing forgiveness (to myself and others), being thankful and grateful, and humbling myself. Monday, January 21, 2019 (Part II), Practice was great but, as I write this, ...

Friday, January 18, 2019, I woke at my normal 4:45AM today for a 5:45AM start on my mat. I'm going to begin my meditation and prayer routine immediately and begin my warmup as well. Friday, January 18, 2019 (Part II) Great pracitce. Behind skedge. Hopping in the shower to enjoy the day. Namaste.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019, I'm waking at my usual 4:45AM but, for some reason, hitting my mat to refine myself doesn't sound appealing at all.... I'm feeling a little bit of "pointlessness" to my practice at the moment.  I believe everyone feels this way at times and, in moderation, negative/benign feelings like this can be seen as useful exercises in self-discipline and self-control. What I mean by that is I'm going to be focusing on those emotions and thoughts and, instead of being hell-bent on changing them, I'm going to ask if they're "real" or not, and try to burn through them.  I believe feelings of boredom and purposelessness are common and aren't any reason to panic. I'm going to begin my warm up and prayer/meditation routine. Tuesday, January 15, 2019 (Part II) Feeling great after my practice, but definitely need to start calculating more time in order to have a proper post when I'm done! Time to share this ve...

Monday, January 14, 2019, I guess motivation has been something that I've been lacking.  As in, " what's the point of waking up at 4:45AM and hitting my mat ever day?" . I'm happy to be awake and ready for another weeks' opportunity to change myself on my mat. Monday, January 14, 2019 (Part II), Like yesterday, I'm writing this the following morning, on my mat, getting ready for today's practice. Again, I'm getting up at my usual 4:45AM, but finding a little bit of "pointlessness" to life at the moment.  I believe everyone feels this way at times and, in moderation, negative/benign feelings like this can be seen as useful exercises in self-discipline and self-control. I'm going to begin my warm up and prayer/meditation routine. Namaste

Friday, January 11, 2019, Woke at my usual 4:45AM for the third time this week. This is still technically my first full-week back in the real world since the holiday break.  It's been going splendidly. It's 5:49AM as I type this, so I'm going begin my meditation/prayer and warm-up. Friday, January 11, 2018 (Part II), I'm actually writing this the following Monday before I begin this week's new practice. The three days I practiced last week were wonderful.  It's been slow-going with some of the benefits I expect from my practice, but the way I feel after I practice is enough of a reward to keep my going when I feel like I'm not advancing as quick as I'd like. Namaste

Thursday, January 10, 2019, More running means more yoga. It's very much still winter in St. Louis Missouri, so after-work runs aren't exactly the best thing ever, but my pre-work yoga sessions are.  Time to meditate and sweat it out. Thursday, January 10, 2019 (Part II) I'm writing this on my mat the next morning. My practice yesterday morning was great, but I ran out of time to post a follow up. I'll say that, while I'm still working through some of the sludge and junk that accumulated during the Christmas holiday (#noregrets), I can feel the sludge and junk being worn away in layers. I'm going to say that patience with oneself is definitely as important a virtue as diligence; I must be diligent in going to my mat each morning, but I must be equally patient with myself if I'm not seeing my vanity-driven results immediately. lol Namaste

Wednesday, January 9, 2019, This is only my second time posting in 2019, as I'm still getting back into the swing of things and becoming accustomed to waking up at 4:45AM again.  Some days its easy, and other days, it's impossible.  Physically, I'm incorporating running back into my life.  I typically run the St. Louis half-Marathon every April with smaller runs throughout the year, and I'm at my best with my running practice when I'm keeping things limber and fluid with my yoga practice; of the two, yoga has proved to be far better at making physical changes in my body, hard as that may be to believe. Mentally, I'm feeling wonderful today, and pleased that I've made myself get back into my routine.  I'm going to focus on burning (a common theme) in today's practice; fire is not bad.  Fire cleans things and purifies things. Enough of my nonsense talk.....time to mediate and pray and sweat it out.

Wednesday, January 2, 2019, The first post of the New Year, and the first post where I've gotten back into my daily routine of a 4:45AM wakeup call.  I'm on my mat as I type this, getting ready to practice, and I'm going to take whatever comes to me on my mat today and whatever comes to me off of my mat today.

Friday, December 28, 2018 Still enjoying the marvelous holiday break from my normal routine. I still wake around a normal time, but I'm writing this pre-yoga-post at 10:06AM. I already feel the positive effects of my practice.  My mind, and its thoughts are more stable and reliable, I'm physically seeing changes in my body (even after two days), and, even though I'm still eating a fair amount of unhealthy food options, I'm not feeling as "sludgy" as I was earlier this week. I'm going to meditate, pray, and warm up before I begin my practice. Friday, December 28, 2018 (Part II) Three days. Three consecutive practices. Three completely different experiences. The title of today's post is "Rebirth and Regrowth" but I only really felt that way at the beginning/Part I of my post.  As I write this Part II section of today's blog, I feel very different from how I was before.  I feel solid and steady.  I feel like I'm galvani...

Thursday, December 27, 2018 I'm writing this at 11:08AM (nearly an hour after beginning my practice yesterday). Without an alarm to wake me back up to reality, I'm allowing myself to sleep in and recouperate from the all-cheese-all-champagne diet that I've been loving. I'm not terribly sore or stiff this morning, but I know that, when I do begin my Asanas (physical poses), I'll begin to feel the effects of yesterday's strong practice. Physically, I'm feeling great.  I feel strong and accomplished and ready for more self-discovery on my mat. Mentally, I'm feeling far more "cleansed" than I have in a long while; my thoughts are easy, kind, with no negative anxious fears flitting around in my head. I'm going to take a hot shower to prep myself for my mat, and begin. Thursday, December 27, 2018 (Part II) I'm writing this on my mat, having just come out of Savasana. Another marvelous practice this morning.  To draw a comparis...

Wednesday, December 26, 2018 So much cheese. So much champagne. So little yoga.... I'm writing this post at 9:52AM, way later than I usually ever start a post on a normal work day.  I'm lucky in that I get a wonderful holiday break all the way through to January 2. Yes, like most, I intend to "de-tox" after the new year, but I know that I'll be in much better shape for that de-tox if I go into 2019 with a strong yoga base.  Long story short, I'm going to use the time I have off to rededicate to my practice. Physically, I feel bloated, full, and sore.  I have over-indulged in food and drink for nearly two weeks now, and I feel like it's caught up to me.  I tire easily, I crave more junk food than normal, and my spirits are up-beat, but not very energetic.  I'm going to intentionally move with a good deal of strength on my mat today to sweat things out, but I expect to be blocked in several areas (forward bends, inversions, etc.). Mentally, ...

Tuesday, December 18, 2018 The time difference is my friend again, and I woke, bright and early, at 4:00AM. No coffee (ironically), and not much time before I begin my practice.  At home, I'd usually have at least an hour of coffee before beginning my practice. To replace the awakening affect of coffee, I take a quick shower/rinse to wake myself, and prepare for my practice. Having a wonderful time in Seattle, and looking forward to another practice. Tuesday, December 18, 2018 (Part II) Feeling fantastic after an abbreviated yoga session.  Went through my Sun Salutes, and then through my closing sequence.  Feeling marvelous, and ready for the day. Namaste

Monday, December 17, 2018 In my hotel room in Seattle for work. It's 4:39AM here but my Central Standard Time internal alarm thinks it's 6:49AM and that I've overslept. I naturally woke around 3:30AM (5:30AM CST) and I've showered and am ready to begin my practice.  Even though I'm not in familiar surroundings, I love bringing my mat on the road with me. Monday, December 17, 2018 (Part II) Feeling fantastic after a very long and leisurely paced practice.  While I took my time in poses, and added a few extras from my normal routine, I still had a highly focused physical awareness this morning, and moved with strength and intention. I'm feeling fantastic, and ready to go out into the world. Namaste 

Thursday, December 13, 2018 I'm naturally waking at my normal 4:45AM time now; a sign that my body is re-adjusting itself back to this "normal" wake/sleep cadence.  That also means that I'm getting tired around 7:00PM every night. lol I practiced Monday and Tuesday of this week but had to run early morning errands on Wednesday, and wasn't able to hit the mat. I'm back on it today. I'm going to move easily, but purposefully, and take whatever comes. I'll be focusing on burning through the standard "demons" today; anxiety and fear.  No fear, no anxiety; that will be my mantra on my mat.  Everything onto the pyre, everything offered up to God. Thursday, December 13, 2018 (Part II) I'm writing this on my mat having just come out of Savasana. I am feeling wonderful, and I'm going to take that out into the world to share. My practice was strong, focused, and purposeful, but I do feel like I need to put a bit more variety int...

Tuesday, December 11, 2018, Woke up at my usual 4:45AM this morning feeling good, but with little to zero enthusiasm for yoga. NBD.  I'm on my mat regardless about to warm up.