Mantra: “I release, I choose, I grow.“

Topic – 1: Clutter and Spring Cleaning—Clearing the Path to Renewal

Short Talk (Plain Language, Personalization, and Call to Action)
Spring reminds us that our lives, like nature, can be renewed. Whether it’s junk on the floor, outdated beliefs, or draining relationships, each bit of clutter represents a postponed decision. By letting these linger, we block our own forward momentum. Springtime is the perfect moment to release what no longer serves us and clear a path for growth.

Call to Action: Think of one item (physical, mental, or emotional) you’ve been avoiding. This week, make a plan—no matter how small—to either resolve it or remove it. Notice how freeing it feels to lighten your load and welcome in fresh energy.

Metaphor: The Old Library
A once-grand library filled with dusty, outdated books can’t make room for new knowledge on its limited space on the shelves. Sort through these volumes—keep the truly meaningful ones, and clear out what’s obsolete—to rediscover clarity and purpose.

Quotes to Reinforce the Message
“Clutter is postponed decisions that have to be dealt with.” — David Scott
“Clutter is the enemy of clarity.” — Unknown
“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
“The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.” — Marie Kondo

Topic – 2: Take the Reins—Breaking Free from Habit Energy

Short Talk (Plain Language, Personalization, and Call to Action)
We often move through life on autopilot, led by habits we barely notice. Like a runaway horse, these patterns can pull us here and there without direction. By slowing down and observing, we discover that we have a choice—we can guide our actions instead of letting our habits guide us.

Call to Action: Identify one unconscious habit—mindlessly scrolling your phone, slipping into negative self-talk, or anything else. Choose a small but concrete change to break that cycle. Remind yourself, “I’m the one holding the reins.”

The Story (Cleaned Up for Easy Reading)
A man gallops on a horse as though headed somewhere important. A bystander shouts, “Where are you going?” The rider replies, “I don’t know! Ask the horse!” This highlights how, without mindfulness, our habits (the “horse”) can direct our lives.

Quotes to Reinforce the Message
“Your habits are the reins—be sure you’re holding them, not the other way around.” — Unknown
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.” — Buddha
“He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty.” — Lao Tzu
“Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open?” — Rumi

Topic – 3: Embracing the Beautiful Mess of Change

Short Talk (Plain Language, Personalization, and Call to Action)
We often wish that change were tidy and predictable, but real transformation can be wonderfully messy. Whether letting go of old mindsets or stepping into new possibilities, it’s normal to feel uncertain. That very messiness, however, is often the first sign of true growth.

Call to Action: When chaos feels overwhelming, pause and take three mindful breaths. Ask, “What can I learn from this?” Then take one small step—no matter how small—toward embracing the shift rather than resisting it.

Metaphor: The Rebirth of a Forest
After a forest fire in the Everglades, the land looks devastated. Yet the ashes enrich the soil for new growth. In the same way, a period of upheaval can clear a path for renewed vitality in our lives.

Quotes to Reinforce the Message
“Change is never painful, only the resistance to change is painful.” — Attributed to Buddha
“You can’t step into someone else’s idea of who you are. Find your path by walking it.” — Thich Nhat Hanh (paraphrased)
“Out of the hottest fire comes the strongest steel.” — Chinese Proverb
“In the thick of the mess, new possibilities are often quietly taking shape.” — Unknown

Topic – 4: Nurturing the Heart—The Power of Self-Compassion

Short Talk (Plain Language, Personalization, and Call to Action)
During personal growth, it’s easy to focus on goals and forget kindness toward ourselves. Self-compassion isn’t a luxury; it’s the nurturing force that keeps us going when challenges arise. By meeting ourselves with understanding instead of harsh judgment, we build a stable foundation for true transformation.

Call to Action: Offer yourself a simple act of self-kindness today. If a critical thought appears, pause and replace it with, “I’m doing my best, and that’s enough.” Notice how this shift can soften your approach to everything else you do.

Metaphor: The Soft Blanket
Imagine wrapping yourself in a warm blanket on a cold night. It doesn’t remove the chill outside, but it eases your discomfort and helps you feel safe. In the same way, a gentle attitude toward yourself won’t erase hardships, but it supports you as you navigate them.

Quotes to Reinforce the Message
“Be gentle first with yourself if you wish to be gentle with others.” — Lama Yeshe
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Attributed to Buddha
“Compassion for others begins with kindness to ourselves.” — Pema Chödrön
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind (to yourself too).” — Unknown

Topic – 5: The Hidden Strength in Our Wounds

Short Talk (Plain Language, Personalization, and Call to Action)
Sadness and tears can feel overwhelming, but they shine a light on the places in us that most need healing. Emily Dickinson wrote, “A wounded deer leaps highest,” to show that our greatest pain can lead to incredible resilience. Tears can also cleanse our vision, making room for growth and deeper understanding.

Call to Action: When sadness rises, place a gentle hand on your heart and take slow, mindful breaths. Acknowledge the pain, and quietly ask yourself, “What can this teach me?” Acceptance of your emotions paves the way for genuine healing and a clearer outlook.

Metaphor: The Pearl in the Oyster
A pearl begins as an irritant inside an oyster. The oyster doesn’t reject the discomfort; it coats it, turning a source of pain into something precious. In the same way, our sorrows can be transformed into strength and wisdom when we learn to work with them rather than against them.

Quotes to Reinforce the Message
“A wounded deer leaps highest.” — Emily Dickinson
“Only eyes washed by tears can see clearly.” — Louis Mann
“Sadness flies away on the wings of time.” — Unknown
“Nothing is more beautiful than a smile that has struggled through tears.” — David Scott
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” — Buddhist Saying

Happy Spring

“Clutter is postponed decisions that have to be dealt with. Not just the stuff on your floor but old ideas, unhealthy relationships, and bad habits. Anything that stands between you and a healthy life. Spring cleaning is a time to decide what doesn’t deserve to be in your home or life any more and then to make it happen.” – David Scott

“Clutter Is The Enemy Of Clarity” – Julia Cameron

SPRING CLEANING

As we gather in this space today, surrounded by the serenity and tranquility that yoga brings into our lives, let us delve into a concept deeply rooted in both the physical and spiritual realms of our existence—the idea that clutter, in all its forms, is postponed decisions waiting to be addressed. This clutter isn’t limited to the tangible mess that may occupy our living spaces but extends to the old ideas, unhealthy relationships, and bad habits that clutter our minds and spirits, creating barriers to the healthy, harmonious life we all seek.

In the wisdom of Buddhist teachings, we are reminded that everything around us, including our thoughts and relationships, is impermanent. Yet, we often find ourselves clinging to these aspects of our lives, even when they no longer serve us. This clinging not only creates suffering but also muddles our clarity, the very clarity that is essential for understanding the true nature of our existence and for walking the path toward enlightenment.

As we move through our practice today, let each posture, each breath be a conscious act of decluttering. With every inhale, visualize drawing in clarity and peace; with every exhale, imagine releasing the clutter—those postponed decisions, the old ideas, and the unhealthy patterns. Just as we create space in our bodies through stretching and strengthening, let us create space in our minds for new growth, possibilities, and a deeper connection to the present moment.

Spring, a time of renewal and rebirth, offers us a symbolic opportunity to undertake a form of spiritual spring cleaning. It invites us to examine what we are holding onto that no longer serves us and to make the conscious decision to let those things go. This is not about loss but about freeing ourselves from the chains of attachment that bind us. It is a journey towards finding true clarity, where the enemy of clutter is no longer able to cloud our vision or our hearts.

As we conclude our practice today, let us carry forward this intention of decluttering, not just on our mats but in our lives. Let us embrace the wisdom that clutter, in all its forms, is the enemy of clarity. May we find the strength and courage to address those postponed decisions, to clear away the physical and emotional obstacles that stand in our way, and to step into the light of clarity, peace, and mindful presence that awaits us. Let this be our shared path, our collective journey towards a life filled with purpose, clarity, and enlightenment.

Buddhist Story – Be the boss

A horse suddenly came galloping quickly down the road. It seemed as though the man had somewhere important to go.

Another man, who was standing alongside the road, shouted, “Where are you going?” and the man on the horse replied,

“I don’t know! Ask the horse!”

Explanation: The horse symbolizes our habit energy. The story explains the way we usually live, at the mercy of our old habit energies which have been established not by our intentional actions, but by our surroundings and mindless activity.

The horse is pulling us along, making us run here and there and hurry everywhere and we don’t even know why. If you stopped to ask yourself from time to time why exactly you’re running around so much, sometimes you might have an answer, but it’s never a very good one. You’re just used to it, it’s how we’re taught to live.

But as much as we run, it gets us nowhere. We need to learn how to take back the reigns and let the horse know who’s boss. You’re the boss, you’ve always been the boss, so start acting like it.

“Lord Buddha himself taught that basically, human nature is pure, egoless, just as the sky is by nature clear, not cloudy. Clouds come and go, but the blue sky is always there; clouds don’t alter the fundamental nature of the sky. Similarly, the human mind is fundamentally pure.” – Thubten Yeshe, Becoming Your Own Therapist

Smile, breathe and go slowly.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

“Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” — Chinese Proverb

“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast — you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” — Eddie Cantor

“The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” — Moliere

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.” – Rumi

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream.” – Paulo Coelho

“We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.”— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Learning to enjoy and flow with the tide without fighting with the ocean

“Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.” – Alan Watts

Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone. Alan Watts

“Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?” – Lao Tzu

“Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” – Bruce Lee

The principle of being like water, as beautifully articulated, encapsulates a profound philosophical concept deeply rooted in Buddhist teachings. This metaphor serves as a vivid illustration of the Buddhist principle of adaptability, fluidity, and the embracing of change. At its core, it encourages the cultivation of a mind that is open, flexible, and resilient, much like water that molds itself effortlessly to whatever container it occupies.

Buddhism emphasizes the impermanent nature of the world. Everything around us, including our own selves, is in a constant state of flux. Just as water adapts to its surroundings, flowing smoothly around obstacles or through the narrowest of spaces, Buddhism teaches us to recognize the transient nature of our circumstances, emotions, and thoughts. By adopting a water-like quality, we learn not to resist change but to flow with it, embodying the essence of non-attachment. This non-attachment doesn’t mean indifference but rather the ability to experience life fully, without clinging to the past or the imagined future.

Moreover, water’s dual nature of gentleness and strength mirrors the Buddhist path of the Middle Way, which advocates for a balanced approach to life, avoiding the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. Water can gently nourish and sustain life with its softness, yet it possesses the formidable power to carve through stone, demonstrating that true strength does not lie in rigidity but in the ability to adapt and persevere through challenges.

The metaphor of water also teaches us about the power of humility and the importance of being in harmony with our environment. Just as water seeks the lowest places, humbly nurturing life, we are encouraged to cultivate humility, recognizing our interconnectedness with all beings and acting with compassion and kindness.

In embracing the water-like qualities of adaptability, resilience, humility, and strength, we align ourselves with the flow of life, navigating its challenges with grace and wisdom. “Be water, my friend,” thus becomes not just a call to adaptability but a profound reminder of the deep insights offered by Buddhist philosophy on the nature of existence and our place within it.

“Everything in life that is worth achieving, requires risk and should scare you just a little bit.” – David Scott

“May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, May good luck pursue you each morning and night.” – Irish Blessing

“It takes courage to love, but pain through love is the purifying fire which those who love generously know. We all know people who are so much afraid of pain that they shut themselves up like clams in a shell and, giving out nothing, receive nothing and therefore shrink until life is a mere living death.”— Eleanor Roosevelt

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”— Rumi

“Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.”— Lao Tzu

“Love does not dominate; it cultivates.”— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle

“The greater the capacity to love, the greater your capacity to feel the pain.” – Jennifer Aniston

“You know it is love when all you want is that person to be happy, even if you’re not part of their happiness.”— Julia Roberts

“The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.”— Henry Miller

“From the day we arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun. There’s more to be seen than can ever be seen. More to do than can ever be done. Some say, eat or be eaten. Some say, live and let live. But, all are agreed as they join the stampede. You should never take more than you give. In the circle of life. It’s the wheel of fortune. It’s the leap of faith. It’s the band of hope. Till we find our place. On the path unwinding, In the circle, The Circle of Life” ― Elton John, The Lion King

Misc

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” -Helen Keller

Don’t look for someone who’ll solve all your problems. Look for someone who won’t let you face them alone.

“The humming bird only sits on the hand that does not try to grasp it.” David Scott

“A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return” – The Gita

“It’s so empowering to say “This isn’t serving me” and walk away in peace.

Today I refuse to stress myself out over things I can’t control.”

“Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Why do we close our eyes when we cry, dream, pray or kiss… The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched but are felt in the heart.” ~ Helen Keller

A Person’s True Character Is Revealed by What He Does When No One Is Watching. ~Sigmund Miller

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in.” – Haruki Murakami

“Be present as the watcher of your mind- of your thoughts and emotions as well as your reactions in various situations. Be at least as interested in your reactions as in the situation or person that causes you to react.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Avoiding triggers isn’t healing. Healing happens when you are triggered and you are able to move through the pain, the pattern and the story and walk your way to a different ending.” – Vienna Pharaon

“The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished.” – Deng Ming-Dao, Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony

“The goal of yoga and meditation is not to control your thoughts, but to stop them from controlling you.”

“Nothing glows brighter than the heart awakened to the light of love that lives within it.” – Guy Finley

“Real knowledge is to know and compassionately understand the extent of everyone’s ignorance.”

“Compassion is to look beyond your own pain, to see the pain of others.” Yasmin Mogahed

“Our sorrows and wounds are healed only when we touch them with compassion.” Jack Kornfield

“Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace”

“We don’t have to agree on anything to be kind to one another.”

“You can accomplish by kindness what you can not by force.” – Publilius Syrus

“When you understand that hurt people, hurt people, it’s a lot easier to offer them compassion. It doesn’t condone what they’ve done. It just makes it easier soften your anger and break the cycle of pain.”

“If I have harmed anyone in any way either knowingly or unknowingly through my own confusions, I ask their forgiveness. If anyone has harmed me in any way either knowingly or unknowingly through their own confusions, I forgive them. And if there is a situation I am not yet ready to forgive, I forgive myself for that. For all the ways that I harm myself, negate, doubt, belittle myself, judge or be unkind to myself through my own confusions, I forgive myself.”