James Walsh Yoga

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (Part I),  For those who continue a 6 day, or even 7 day practice, good for you. For those of us that don't practice on the weekends, #badyogi, we come back to our mats with a body that needs work, but a mind that doesn't want to obey. With warmer weather here to stay (I hope), the extra heat will help reconnect my body and brain; currently they're not holding hands.... Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (Part II),  A strong, but simple practice today.  No time for yoga picz; Until tomorrow... Namaste

The man | The myth | The legend B.K.S. Iyengar   Thursday, May 21, 2020 (Part I) Align your body, and you will align your mind. It seems odd that a physical practice of something (yoga, running, tennis, Zoomba....whatever you do), can have an effect on your mind; " my mind and body are unrelated and unconnected" , one says.... Through a daily practice, which will be beautiful on some days and less beautiful on others, one starts to realize the alignment and control you can gain over your mind/thoughts through the alignment and control of your body and breath. A practice helps you discern between things that are real, and things that are fake; many fake things are in our own heads and our disobedient minds run around thinking, dreading, contemplating, fantasizing, planning, anticipating, etc.  A practice helps you stop the spiral of uncontrolled thoughts and emotions.  Control your thoughts, and you control your reality.  This doesn't mean only good things ...

Pranayama/Breathing Exercise Hands in Namaste with thumbs pressing gently in and up into the space between my eyebrows.  You'll feel your sinuses drain while doing this.  Complete a 4-count breath sequence (explained at right), while holding your hands in this position.  Change hands to be over your heart and press in/up while repeating the 4-count Pranayama technique.  Side-bar: if that mop keeps growing...we'll have full man-bun come summer. Wednesday, May 20, 2020 (Part I),  Like many, I was initially drawn to the visual side of a yoga practice. " Who are these yoga-bros",  I'd ask, " and how do I become cool like them, and learn how to balance on my head while juggling?". Like many, being interested in the physical poses/Asanas isn't a bad thing at all; however, there are Eight Limbs of Yoga   with the physical poses/Asanas, only being one of those limbs. You could study each limb of yoga for a lifetime, and only begin to scratch the s...

Adho Mukha Vrikshasana/Downward Facing Tree I can hold this puppy for about 10 seconds before allowing myself to fall out of it.  Always have space around you to fall; both forward and backward falls...don't practice this around your Christmas ornaments.... Tuesday, May 19, 2020 (Part I),  Pushing yourself to do something that makes you uncomfortable should be a daily goal. The discomfort you're bringing on yourself doesn't need to be Earth-shattering, and leave you in recovery mode for hours/days afterwards, but pushing yourself into doing something you don't want to do refines you as a person, and reminds your disobedient brain that you're in charge; not the other way around.  You control your thoughts and actions; they don't control you.  This means that, with practice, you can conquer fear, worry, anxiety, depression, dread, doom, malaise, you-name-it!.. I begin my mornings on my mat.  Very often, I don't want to begin my mornings this way; how...

Monday, May 18, 2020 (Part I),  I am a big believer that there are certain impurities that can only be eliminated through the action of sweating. Heat purifies things , as you can read about in the April 7, 2020 update so, when you're feeling like you need to "detox", crank the heat, put on a hoodie and a double layer of t-shirts, and become active.  You'll be able to retox afterwards! Do you ever "detox to retox"?  Weekends are meant to be celebrated, and enjoyed so, when Monday rears its ugly head, begin with a detox......soon you'll get to retox!! Monday, May 18, 2020 (Part II),  Today was the first practice since last Thursday.  I will almost never practice on the weekends (Saturday is observed as a day of rest in Yoga), but I have zero excuses for missing Friday's practice other than I was celebrating the day before!....in other words, I retoxed to detox. #notsorry. Today's practice definitely felt clunky, in that I was full or jun...

Thursday, May 14, 2020 (Part I),  Why does one have a practice? What keeps a person coming back to their mat, when they don't really " feel like it ", on any given day? In the time I've learned, studied, and practiced yoga, I've learned that there is a marked difference in the version of yourself that exists before you practice, when compared to the version of yourself that exists after you practice; this site's Part I and Part II updates can attest to that. Having said that, the version of yourself that exists when you wake up is uncultivated, unrefined, and raw.  That's a good thing, as it means you have the opportunity to make something beautiful out of yourself before you skooch out the door and into the fray, chaos, and discord of the world. Pickle Rick (Season 3/Episode 3) of Rick and Morty gets chastised by the family therapist as she explains why he would be bored senseless by therapy, as he would view it as maintenance, cleaning, a...

Tolasana/Scale Pose First put yourself into Padmasana/Lotus , then lift; can also be done on the knuckles.  T uesday, May 12, 2020 (Part I),  Second morning with the new 6:00AM wake-up routine being established. It's a chilly, cloudy, and somewhat dreary day in St. Louis Missouri today; I'll go through my normal routine/house-keeping/maintenance today, and will leave it at that. Time to begin.... Tuesday, May 12, 2020, (Part II), I'm writing this Part II update, post practice, as always. The difference in emotions, thoughts, feelings, and general demeanor before and after a yoga practice is remarkable. Before I practice, I don't feel bad, or good, or anything,....I simply feel flat.  There's something about getting your heart rate up, and sweating out the Doritos and wine from the weekend, that really makes you feel accomplished. I'm still rebuilding some of the strength, flexibility, and stamina that was lost from my impromptu vacation las...

Monday, May 11, 2020, (Part I, Janusirsasana/Head to Knee Pose Tuesday of last week, I posted a real lofty goal of " getting up every morning at the same time"..... what a dweeb... With absolutely zero apologies, I took an impromptu Spring-time vacation down to Southern Missouri the following morning.  It was a vacation with all the trimmings of good food, family and friends, and a completely unscheduled pattern to each day.   Today is the first day I'm on my mat since last Tuesday.  My body is a bit out of whack from jumping on a trampoline, and my digestion is a bit out of whack from the marvelous vacation/road-trip foods, so I'm going to let today's practice be what it wants to be.  Something to be proud of is that I set, and responded to, my 6:00AM alarm (as a former early riser who set the alarm for 4:15AM, getting up early usually makes me feel better about myself).  I had my hour of coffee and contemplation (#strangerthings), and ...

Vrischikasana- Scoprion Pose Tuesday, May 5, 2020 (Part I), Part of a good practice, and routine, is to maintain a consistent start and stop time. I am exceptionally guilty of breaking that rule, as of late. My normal routine, was a 4:15AM wake up; without fail.  I'd enjoy an hour of coffee and contemplation ( #StrangerThings ), with a 5:15AM start time, on my mat.  My current routine has me on my mat whenever the mood strikes me.... 9:30AM start time?....why not.... Vrischikasana- Scoprion Pose .  With slightly less bent knees... 11:45AM start time?...sure.....that's perfect!... 8:00AM start time?....maybe one more cup of coffee, and one more good meme before I hit my mat.... All in all, my practice continues, but I will be attempting to bring things back to a consistent start/stop time throughout this week.  That means a consistent bedtime, and a consistent wakeup time as well. I'm feeling a bit average this morning; not bad,...

Adho Mukha Svanasana- Also referred to as Downward Dog. A Fundamental Pose that can be a transition, or held for a five count breath. Monday, May 4, 2020, (Part I),  Why is a yoga practice unique? How is time spent on one's mat different from your jog around the block, your Orange Theory class, or any other type of physical work out? For me, I can easily say the incorporation of breathing techniques, and mind control, put a yoga practice into a completely separate category, elevating it far beyond any physical work-out that exists.  Today, I'm focusing on the fundamentals of a yoga practice: Breath Mind Control/Focus Correct Alignment A far superior Adho Mukha Svanasana/Downward Dog. Shown, by the master himself, B.K.S. Iyengar. #yogagoals I'll begin, as always, with 10-20 minutes of breathing exercises/Pranayama , prayer, and meditation; I never jump directly into my Asanas/postures , as I want, and need, to take "stock" of m...

Friday, May 1, 2020, (Part I), The weather in St. Louis continues to be lovely, and it's primetime to get outside, BBQ, lay in the sun, and enjoy warmer weather.  As I've mentioned throughout this week, I notice a marked improvement in flexibility, recovery, and general fluidity of movement, when it's warmer.  Upavista Konasana- The Wide-Legged Bound Angle Pose (complete with sun-burned thighs # Irish ) Most of us are staying at home these days, and aren't able to get to a class anywhere.  If you're feeling antsy, I would say that a yoga practice, is an excellent way to keep yourself in some degree of fitness.  This site is designed for a beginner, a novice, or an advanced Yogi.  This site is also designed to inspire someone who's never gone to a yoga mat before in their life.   Like many people, I was initially drawn to the physical side of a yoga practice; " who are these cool looking people doing all of these cool looking things?!?...

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 (Part I), Alternate Nostril Breathing- A Pranayama Technique When we think of "yoga", we typically think of physical postures.  We think of a zen'd out room somewhere where groups of people come to work out their bodies. The physical side of yoga is important, and is a vital element to a complete yoga practice.  However, physical poses, formally called Asanas , are only one limb of the Eight Limbs of Yoga . Pranayama is another limb, of the "yoga tree" and, before I begin my physical poses/Asanas, I dedicate the initial 10-20 minutes on my mat to meditation, prayers, and Pranayama . A person could study each limb of yoga through their lifetime, and continually find new ways to interpret their meaning, and their effects but, as today's update states, Pranayama, is a " fancy word for fancy breathing".  An easier way to think of it is that it simply means controlling your breath.  I've learned that, when you co...

Tuesday, April 28, 2020 (Part I) Another lovely morning with the slightly new routine. My normal yoga routine always had me waking up at 4:15AM (for an hour of coffee and contemplation), and then beginning my practice at 5:15AM-5:30AM.  This typically had me finished by 7:00AM. My new routine has me a bit less of an "early bird" and gets me on my mat later in the morning. While I went through a full practice yesterday, and put quite a bit of focus and energy into my closing backbend sequence, I do not feel any soreness or stiffness this morning.  It'll be a balmy 80 degrees in St. Louis today (that's 26 degrees Celsius), and I believe the heat helps muscles and bodies recover from physical strain......that's what I think but, if you've read this blog with any frequency, you'll know that I'm a terrible know it all. Enough chit-chat, time to sweat it out.... Tuesday, April 28, 2020 (Part II),  I'm writing this post-practice update having ...

Monday, April 27, 2020 (Part I), For the past week, I've allowed myself to "slip" into a sort of mini-vacation. I put quotes around the "slip" because there was nothing "slippery" about it; I was fully aware that I was putting my attention to other things, and creating a, somewhat, new routine with my mornings, and days.  That new routine didn't incorporate my yoga practice.  Why?...  Simply because I allowed my attention, my brain, my thoughts, etc. to float around a little bit in the mornings, and I allowed more than my normal "structureless" time in the mornings until it seemed futile to unfold my mat, and go though my practice. How did I feel in this 10 day yoga-hiatus?... Honestly, I didn't feel too bad, but I did feel a bit of shame that I wasn't starting my mornings with my normal routine. I'm back on my mat this morning, at a reasonable hour, and I'm committing myself to practice each morning of this week....

Friday, April 17, 2020 (Part I),  I woke at my usual 4:15AM this morning but, given that I have a day off from my normal routine, I slept in until 6:00AM, and then lounged casually sipping coffee and entertaining myself with Hulu, my phone, and even a neglected chore or two; such are the effects of caffeine..... Because this morning is atypical, and I have more time on my hands, and I showered before going to my mat. To the left, you'll see the first two branches of the eight limb yoga system; Yama , and Niyama , are shown at left.  As you read through them, you'll probably identify with much of these principles (as they're found in many religions), but today I began thinking about the Niyama of Saucha-purity of mind, body, and spirit.  There are conflicting theories on the practice of bathing/showering before your practice but, for me, I've found a shower/bath to be a great "wake up" if you're not feeling particularly motivated.  I wouldn't say...

Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (Part I), For whatever reason, I woke up Monday morning and Tuesday morning of this week, and hit the snooze button on my alarm.... Thankfully, that's pretty uncommon for me, as I'll get into a yoga-groove and begin to feel "odd" if I don't start my day on my mat.  While I did not begin on my mat Monday or Tuesday of this week, I did begin my mornings with loved ones, coffee, and light/easy conversations on the couch in our fuzzy robes, which is always a lovely way to begin a day; even a work-day. I have not gone through a practice in four days so I'm not quite sure what to expect from myself this morning.  It's 5:19AM as I type this, and it's time to begin.... Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (Part II), As the title of today's post states, today was an average practice......and that's ok. For whatever reason, I did not have great control over my mind today; thoughts were flitting around in my head, and I was going ...

Friday, April 10, 2020 (Part I), You'll notice that there was no yoga yesterday morning, as I witnessed a hit and run outside my house around 5:00AM (true story).  I'm sitting on my couch nursing my coffee and BAM!..... I jump up, peer out through the blinds, and see a car furiously backing up (making cartoon like tire-screeching noises), and then speeding off down the road.  My neighbor's car, which was parked on the street, had been smashed into. I immediately called 911 and reported it.  After all the hub-bub and fuss was over, it was already 6:30AM, and it was time to get ready for work. Enough about the melodrama of yesterday morning, however.... Today, I woke up at my usual 4:15AM and, as I type this it's 5:13AM; no hit and runs to report this morning, so I'll begin as I always do, with prayer and meditation before moving into my Asanas.  Physically, mentally, and spiritually, I am feeling calm, peaceful, and balanced this morning.  Time to begi...