Class Mantra
Shine, listen, leave a mark.

Topic 1 – Spark in the Vast Night

I remember, as a boy, chasing lightning bugs—tiny lanterns blinking on and off against the dark. That little flash proved even the blackest sky hides surprise. Our lives are the same: brief, brilliant signals against the endless backdrop of space and time. So rather than fear how short a lifetime is, let’s savor it. “All mortals must taste death, but not all will taste life.”

Call to action
Our rainy season is here. When the next thunderstorm rolls in, pause. Listen to the rain drumming on the roof, feel the thunder vibrating through the walls and your body and ask: “Where can I be less busy and more immersed in what lights me up?” Decide to stop, feel, and truly experience life in that area.

Metaphor
A single match struck in a vast cave; for one brilliant moment the hidden walls appear. Your life is that match—make it count.

Quotes

“Watching a lightning bug glow bright on a summer night, I realized that our lives are mere flashes of light…” – David Scott

“May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you’re going…” – Irish blessing

“To trust God in the light is nothing, but trust Him in the dark—that is faith.” – C. H. Spurgeon

“When you can’t find the light, don’t curse the darkness; become the light.” – David Scott

Topic 2 – Coloring Outside the Lines

Society loves tidy boxes, but your soul was sketched in watercolor. Labels are usually pencil marks someone else drew. Tonight, wobble if you must—try a variation, let your pose be messy. It’s okay to color outside the lines now and then.

Call to action
This week do something mildly outrageous but harmless—sing loudly while driving, wear mismatched socks, or eat dessert first—just to remind yourself the sandbox is still yours.

Metaphor
Like a lotus rising through thick, muddy water—its petals stay pure because it’s willing to push through the mess; beauty blooms where chaos once clung.

Quotes

“Normalcy is not interesting… it does not exist.” – David Scott

“Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart.” – Melody Beattie

“Every day contains a universe of potential; exhaust it.” – David Scott

“The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy.” – Unknown

Topic 3 – The Body: Your One True Address
Talk
The Buddha called the body a borrowed raft—essential for crossing life’s river yet never the final destination. Think of your body as the instrument through which every laugh, hug, and insight is played. It carries the fingerprints of your choices: what you eat, the miles you walk, the worries you release. Let each inhale polish that instrument, each exhale tune it. Notice ankles that pivot, spines that unfurl, lungs that blossom like lotus petals. Caring for the body isn’t vanity; it’s gratitude in motion—because without this living vessel, even the brightest dreams stay unwritten. As B. K. S. Iyengar said, “My body is my temple; the asanas are my prayers.”

Call to action
Pick one small upgrade—swap soda for water, go to bed 30 minutes earlier, or skip added sugar for a week—and stick to it.

Metaphor
A well-loved canvas backpack on a lifelong journey; patches and stitches tell stories, yet it still carries every treasure.

Quotes

“It is health that is real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Work hard to keep your vitality. A life without health is like a river without water.” – David Scott

“To keep the body in good health is a duty…” – Buddha

“A healthy outside starts from the inside.” – Robert Urich

“You are what you eat… Your body gets a fresh canvas every 28 days.” – Unknown

Topic 4 – Quiet Enough to Hear the Soul

Beneath the chatter of plans and notifications lies a deep stillness—your original heartbeat. In poses that invite pause, notice the moment between inhale and exhale; that silent gap is where wisdom hides. Look for it tonight.

Call to action
Before sleep, sit for three slow breaths of nothing but listening—no fixing, no planning.

Metaphor
Snow settling after a shaken globe; when movement stops, the scene becomes crystal clear.

Quotes

“Quiet the mind so the soul can speak.” – Unknown

“The biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand.” – Unknown

“Awareness is the first step in healing.” – Unknown

“The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy.” – Unknown

Topic 5 – Leaving Hand-Prints on the Cave of Time
Talk
Early humans pressed paint-dipped palms onto cave walls—rock pictographs that said, I was here and I mattered. Think, too, of Mount Misen in Japan. In 806 CE, the monk Kūkai lit a small fire in Reikadō Hall, and monks have tended it every day since. Visitors who light their candles from that flame carry a spark that has traveled through twelve centuries of human hands. Your hand-print might be a kind word, a healed relationship, a garden, a painting. During final relaxation, picture your own light joining that long, bright line of human care.

Call to action
Choose one legacy action this week—plant a tree, mentor a student, mend a friendship—and follow through.

Metaphor
For over 1,200 years the “flame that never goes out” on Mount Misen has been guarded by monks. Each time a traveler lights a candle there, a strand of the ancient light joins their journey. Likewise, every loving action you share carries forward the brightness of all who walked before, guiding travelers you may never meet long after your name is forgotten.

Quotes

“He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything.” – Arabian proverb

“Doctors won’t make you healthy… ultimately, you have to take responsibility.” – Naval Ravikant

“Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments.” – Joseph Addison

“Be careful how you are talking to yourself, because you are listening.” – David Scott

Class Mantra
Shine, listen, leave a mark.