Sunday Check‑In 5/3/26

(The full YouTube video is linked below, where I answer these questions in depth and share a mini art talk at the end.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLS5Gm5jLo

Another week has come and gone. I’ve continued working on the pad and finished caulking the spaces where the boards meet. I’m hoping to get it painted this week and then move forward with the fencing.

This Week on YouTube

Release Running Tension | Hips, Glutes & Calf Stretches  

A full‑length yoga class designed to soften the lower body and unwind stored tension.

This Week on Patreon

Tier 1 — Inner Circle

Behind‑the‑scenes from the Arivaca Lake trip is up.

• The class was already released and was filmed under a beautiful oak tree—one of my favorite settings so far.

• I also really enjoyed the “Strong but Soft” flow this week.

A homestead yoga class is coming as well.

• If you have requests for that class, feel free to share them.

Tier 2 — Exotic & Esoteric

This week’s somatic sensuality class will be a full sequence that lets us use all the glute isolations from last week’s tutorial.

Q&A

1. Hello. I found your channel about a month ago, and I’ve really been enjoying your Sunday Q&A videos, especially the way you discuss life, wellness, and personal growth. I wanted to ask a three-part question about your daily routines: Do you have any small morning ritual that helps set the tone for your day? Do you prefer having a structured routine, or do you like leaving room for spontaneity? And lastly, what’s your usual way of winding down at night?

   
   

I wake early but slowly. I write my dreams down in a journal, along with any reflections that want to come through. Depending on the season, I’ll spend time outside in the garden or milking goats—or both. Sometimes I practice yoga and meditation in the morning, but if I’m feeling especially stiff, I wait until the afternoon.

I enjoy having a routine, but I also need room for spontaneity. Whenever I try to follow a rigid schedule, it never works. So I keep a list of things that need to be done and choose based on how I’m feeling:

• energetic → outside tasks

• focused → planning or computer work

• flatlined → rest and procrastinate (lol)

Some things aren’t flexible—animals, dishes, watering plants. Even if I don’t feel like it, those tasks teach me the skill of doing what needs to be done without overthinking it. There was a time when dishes absolutely killed me. I had so many feelings about how long they took. Now I just do them. Same with housecleaning: don’t think, just do.

It’s like hiking a big mountain—if you burn yourself out thinking about how hard it’s going to be, you’ll be miserable before you even begin. But if you just put one foot in front of the other, it becomes a much better experience. Our minds can create misery before anything even happens, so the practice is stopping that train of thought before it spirals. How many of us dread the workday before we even arrive?

As for evenings, I’m not a night person at all. Once the sun goes down, I’m completely unproductive. I usually make dinner, watch a program, and go to bed around nine. I love a hot bath, so that’s often my wind‑down ritual around 8 p.m.

I know some creators have elaborate routines, but I find simple is best—and seasonal.

• Winter: fires

• Spring/Summer/Fall: milking goats

• Winter garden time is later; summer garden time is early

What routines help you in the morning and evening?

2. What is the difference between simply breathing deeply and practicing pranayama with real intention and awareness? If you're practicing deep breathing, is that pranayama or is there a process behind it that differs from regular breathing? 

Excellent question,  I would love to dive into this topic on a deeper level, so next Sunday, instead of questions, I will be doing a mini deep dive into Pranayama so you can understand what it is and how it differs from deep breathing.

What’s the difference between simply breathing deeply and practicing pranayama with intention and awareness? Is deep breathing considered pranayama, or is there a different process behind it?

This is an excellent question, and I’d love to explore it more deeply.

Next Sunday, instead of a Q&A, I’ll be doing a mini deep dive into pranayama—what it is, how it works, and how it differs from regular deep breathing.

3. I’ve noticed the paintings in your room and wanted to ask: how did you get into painting, and where do you usually draw inspiration for your designs? Do you usually have a specific image, mood, or feeling in mind before you start?

My paintings almost always come from the unconscious realm. I don’t plan them unless it’s for a specific project or someone requests certain colors. They emerge more like dreams than designs.

If you’re reading this on the blog, check out the video for the full art talk and visuals.