James Walsh Yoga

 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

Thursday, May 26, 2022, Time to begin... Part II: Good practice but it's time to enter the world.  Namaste

Wednesday, May 25, 2022,  On my mat a bit later than usual (it's 5:34am and, if I'm to stay on schedule, I usually start at 5:15am).  Nothing profound or provocative to say.  Time to begin... Part II: A great practice.  As always, on my mat, having just come out of Savasana.  Yoga connects one to God.  That is its primary gift to the practitioner.   Namaste

Tuesday, May 24, 2022, Yoga helps to create a direct connection to God and to the divine part of your humanity.  On the outside, one will always be an ugly, smelly, evolved-chimp (with an ugly, smelly, evolved-chimp brain, strutting around thinking one is superior and intelligent).  Have you ever seen a pompous child/preschooler?.....I believe that is how we may look as we applaud ourselves with our ugly, smelly, evolved-chimp hands.  Time to begin... Part II: Writing Part II, as always, on my mat, having just come out of Savasana.  No time to delay....time to enter the world.  Namaste

Friday, May 20, 2022, Nothing to write about.  On my mat at 5:22am, with little inspiration, ready to begin my practice.... Part II: I'm writing this Part II update, as always, on my mat, having just come out of Savasana.  As I often say, the day ahead is always better when it begins on one's mat.  However, "inspiration" and "motivation" to practice are, very often, not there........and that's ok.  You go through the motions anyway, and you stay conditioned.  Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Thursday, May 19, 2022,  I travel for work occasionally and, even when I'm gone, I bring my mat with me.  Hotel yoga is just as beneficial as yoga at home, in my normal space where I practice.  No matter what my "call time" is to be ready for the day when I'm on the road, I immediately start walking back how much time I need to fit in a practice.  I practiced each morning last week, in my hotel and it always ensures I'm ready for the day.  This week however, when I got back home, I needed to dedicate time to my yard, and garden, and I've spent the last 72 hours shoveling dirt, and planting when I have spare time.  All this has done a number on my back, and I'm eager to go through today's first practice back at home.  Time to begin... Part II: The day is always better when it begins with a practice.  There's definitely some kinks to work out in my back (and legs....which I didn't notice before).  C'est la vie.... Namaste

Wednesday, May 4, 2022,  Nothing too inspiring to say this morning; and that's ok. It's 5:32am as I type this (I'm about 15 minutes behind skedge), and it's time to begin... Part II: Full practice.  Feeling great.  Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Tuesday, May 3, 2022, It's 5:20am as I type this.  I feel like, for the past ~week or so, I haven't been posting much content, as I've been focusing on my practice.  This is, actually, how it should be so, in that vein, I'm going to begin now..... Part II: Great practice.  Super late.  Namaste

Friday, April 29, 2022, Its 5:25am as I type this.  I noticed that, throughout this week, my posts have been brief, and have had titles/headers that simply have the day of the week and the word "yoga" in them.  I may be in a bit of a lull.  Physically, my practices this week have been strong and complete.  However, I've felt a little "under the weather/run-down" through out this week, and have been trying to be gentle with myself.  Enough chit-chat.....I can feel slight fatigue in my body.....and too much warmth in my face (this is generally a sign to me that I'm "run down"); knowing and saying that, I'm going to go through my normal routine this morning and let my body do what it wants.   Time to begin.... Part II: Full practice.  I'm late.  Time to enter the world.  Namaste

Wednesday, April 27, 2022, On my mat, at the usual 5:15am-ish.  Time to begin...  Part II: Great practice; time to enter the world.  Namaste

Tuesday, April 26, 2022, On my mat for the first time this week.  I will take things slow, and not push myself.  One's post-weekend body can be full of little kinks, soreness, and stiffness that weren't there on Friday. Time to begin... Part II Late, but did a full practice this morning.  Namaste

Thursday, April 21, 2022, Nothing to say....time to begin.  Part II: Full sequence this morning (including backbends), but I'm late!   Namaste