Class Theme: “Bloom in the Moonlight” – A Journey Through the Pink Full Moon

Class Mantra: “Shine softly. Bloom boldly.”

Topic 1 – The Moon Was Never Meant to Be Pink

Reflection:
The “Pink Moon” isn’t really pink—it gets its name from the pink phlox wildflowers that bloom this time of year. It’s a reminder that beauty often arrives quietly, in ways we don’t expect. We look up and expect a spectacle—but the real miracle is happening underfoot. On the mat and in life, we can miss our own blooming when we look only for the obvious. Tonight, notice the subtle growth. Trust the quiet shifts.

Metaphor:
Like a garden that slowly turns green after rain—not all transformation is loud. Some change blooms beneath your awareness, until one day you look back and realize you’ve grown.

Quotes:

“The flower doesn’t dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes.” – Mark Nepo

“Do not seek the light. Just become still. The light will find you.” – Unknown

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” – Emerson

“The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast.” – Tahereh Mafi

Topic 2 – Dancing with Darkness

Reflection:
We often wish away the dark—whether it’s struggle, grief, doubt, or confusion. But darkness isn’t the enemy. It’s the canvas on which we see light. The stars need the night. The moon needs the dark to shine. We too grow not just in light, but in our wrestling with the shadows. Let your breath be your candle tonight—steady and present, even when things feel unclear.

Metaphor:
Imagine a photographer in a darkroom. It’s only in the dark that images develop. In that same way, our inner clarity often comes in our quiet, hidden moments.

Quotes:

“What would be the power of the stars, if there were no night?” – Unknown

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” – Leonard Cohen

“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction.” – Rumi

Topic 3 – Balance Between Sun and Moon

Reflection:
The sun energizes, the moon soothes. One gives action, the other reflection. The Pink Full Moon arrives during spring, when the Earth is balancing day and night. In yoga, we seek the same harmony—between effort and ease, discipline and surrender, doing and being. Your mat is your laboratory for this. Feel the solar strength in your poses, and the lunar softness in your breath.

Metaphor:
Like a tightrope walker who stays balanced not by stiffness, but through constant, subtle adjustments. Balance is dynamic—it’s not about being still, but about being aware.

Quotes:

“The dance between darkness and light will always remain.” – Unknown

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – Bhagavad Gita

“Balance is not something you find. It’s something you create.” – Jana Kingsford

“Sometimes it’s not about pushing harder, but about softening deeper.” – Unknown

Topic 4 – Let Your Inner Light Bloom

Reflection:
Even when things feel murky, the full moon teaches us this: you are never without light. You may not always feel it, but it’s there—like moonlight reflected from a hidden sun. Every breath you take, every mindful moment, is a small act of inner blooming. Wildflowers don’t wait for perfect conditions. They rise when it’s time. And so do we.

Metaphor:
Think of glow-in-the-dark paint—it needs darkness to be seen, and a little light to be charged. You too carry that glow. Don’t be afraid to step into the dark. Your presence is the light.

Quotes:

“Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

“You were born to shine—especially in the dark.” – Unknown

“Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn.” – John Wesley

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny.” – John O’Donohue

Topic 5 – A Season for Gentle Courage

Reflection:
The wildflowers of spring aren’t flashy—they’re humble, often overlooked, and yet courageous in their timing. They bloom regardless of who notices. That’s real courage: showing up, again and again, in your authenticity. Tonight’s full moon is an invitation to do the same. Move with intention, not perfection. Be like the phlox—vibrant, grounded, and blooming quietly.

Metaphor:
Like a violinist playing in a busy subway—most people won’t notice, but the music still fills the air. Your practice is your music. Let it play.

Quotes:

“Be a voice, not an echo.” – Albert Einstein

“Your courage will bloom where your fear once lived.” – Unknown

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” – Mary Anne Radmacher

“May you bloom in the way only you can.” – Unknown

Closing Reflection: The Candle in the Cave – A Story of Seeing in the Dark

Long ago, in the time of the Buddha, there lived a young monk who was terrified of the dark. Whenever night fell, fear would tighten his chest, and even in the safety of the monastery, he could not sleep.

One day, the Buddha noticed the monk’s restless mind and invited him to meditate in a nearby cave—alone. The young monk hesitated. “But Blessed One, I am afraid of the darkness.”

The Buddha smiled gently and handed him a small candle.

“This light is not to chase away the dark,” the Buddha said, “but to teach you to see within it.”

The monk went to the cave with the flickering candle, expecting his fear to rise like before. But something was different this time. He stopped trying to fight the darkness. Instead, he allowed it to be there, and let the candle’s glow guide only the next few steps.

As he sat, the candle burned low. Eventually, it went out. And yet—he remained. In the silence, in the deep darkness, something shifted. His breath became his light. The stillness became his teacher. He learned that fear is not in the dark, but in our resistance to it.

When he returned, the Buddha simply asked, “What did you see?”

The monk bowed and replied, “My own mind.”

Class Mantra: “Shine softly. Bloom boldly.”

The total solar eclipse serves as a profound metaphor for the transient nature of challenges in our lives. Just as the moon momentarily obscures the sun, casting a shadow upon the earth, it is important to remember that the sun is always present behind this temporary darkness. In Buddhist teachings, this reflects the concept of impermanence—everything that arises will also pass away. By observing this natural phenomenon mindfully, we can learn to embrace the ebb and flow of life’s difficulties, knowing that brightness and clarity will inevitably return after moments of darkness.

In ancient China, a solar eclipse was believed to be a dragon devouring the sun. The Chinese would bang pots and drums during an eclipse to scare the dragon away and save the sun.

The ancient Greeks believed that a solar eclipse was a sign of angry gods and that it was the beginning of disasters or destruction.

Korean Folklore: Eclipses were caused, according to Korean legend, by mythical dogs trying to steal the sun or moon. When people made loud noises to scare the dogs away, the sun or moon would be saved from being stolen.

The Eclipse of the Compassionate Sun

In a time long past, in a small village shadowed by the towering Himalayas, there lived a compassionate monk named Tenzin. He was known throughout the land for his deep understanding of the Dharma and his unwavering kindness to all beings. Tenzin taught that just as the sun shines upon everyone equally, compassion too should be extended to all without distinction.

One day, a prophecy spread across the village—a solar eclipse was to occur, and it was said to be a sign that the world was losing its warmth and compassion. The villagers were fearful, believing that darkness would envelop their hearts as it would the sky. They turned to Tenzin for guidance.

Tenzin meditated deeply on this matter and had a profound realization. He called the villagers to the ancient temple at the heart of the village and began to teach them as the sky slowly darkened with the approaching eclipse.

“Dear friends,” Tenzin spoke gently, “this eclipse is a powerful reminder from the universe. Just as the moon momentarily obscures the sun, our personal grievances and selfish desires can block the light of our compassion from shining forth.”

He pointed to the sky as the moon began its dance across the sun. “Watch carefully,” he instructed. “The sun is hidden but not extinguished. It remains bright and warm behind the shadow. Similarly, our inherent nature is to be compassionate and wise, though at times it may be obscured by our ignorance and confusion.”

As the moon fully covered the sun, darkness fell over the land. A cool wind whispered through the trees, and the villagers felt a stirring within themselves. Tenzin continued, “This darkness is not to be feared, nor is it permanent. It is a moment for us to pause, to reflect on what blocks our inner light, and to understand that these obstacles are impermanent.”

Slowly, the sun began to reappear, its radiant light spilling once more across the sky. The villagers looked around in awe as their world was bathed anew in sunlight.

“Like the sun, our compassion must be unyielding,” Tenzin said, his eyes sparkling with joy. “Let this eclipse be a lesson to us all that even in moments of darkness, the sun—our compassion—never truly leaves us. We must strive to let it shine forth ceaselessly, illuminating the darkness and warming all it touches.”

The villagers left the temple with a new understanding. The eclipse was no longer a sign of impending darkness but a symbol of the ever-present potential for renewal and enlightenment. Each year thereafter, they celebrated the Day of the Eclipse, a festival of light and compassion, remembering the teachings of Tenzin, the monk who showed them the true meaning of the solar eclipse.

“The dance between darkness and light will always remain— the stars and the moon will always need the darkness to be seen, the darkness will just not be worth having without the moon and the stars.” – C. JoyBell C

“What would be the significance of the candlelight, if there were no darkness? What would be the power of the stars over our minds, if there were no night?” – C. JoyBell C.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Love expands, fear constricts” – David Scott

“When you project love out into the world it travels, and it can touch people and reach people in ways that we never even expected. or intended”

When you brighten the paths of others, you also brighten your way.

“No matter how far away from yourself you may have strayed, there is always a path back. You already know who you are and how to fulfill your destiny.” — Oprah Winfrey

Every experience is a lesson and every lesson holds an experience.

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” — Alice Walker

“When you connect to the silence within you, that is when you can make sense of the disturbance going on around you.” ― Stephen Richards

“Being brave enough to be alone frees you up to invite people into your life because you want them and not because you need them.” ― Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass