Yoga Class Theme: “Perspective, Perception & Peace”

Mantra: “I am not my fear. I am the light that sees through it.”

Opening Reflection: The Earthrise Shift
Welcome to class.

Tonight, let’s begin 240,000 miles away—on the moon. In 1968, astronaut William Anders captured the now-iconic “Earthrise” photo aboard Apollo 8. It shows Earth as a fragile blue marble, suspended in the blackness of space. That image changed how we viewed ourselves forever.

From up there, there are no borders. No fences. No “us” or “them.” Just one planet. Whole. Unified.

Anders once said, “The reality of life is that your perceptions—right or wrong—influence everything else you do.”

It’s a powerful reminder:
Our suffering often begins with perception.
We don’t see the world as it is. We see it through the lens of our conditioning.

So tonight, I invite you to ask:
What borders have I accepted as real?
What walls do I still believe in that may not exist?

“Why struggle to open a door between us when the whole wall is an illusion?” – Rumi
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” – Anaïs Nin

As we begin, let this practice become your moon—your higher perspective.
Let’s move and breathe with a sense of clarity, unity, and peace.

Topic 1 – Perception Shapes Reality

We live in a world of filters—literal and mental.
Our thoughts, traumas, religion, opinions, and media diet shape how we interpret reality.

Just as the Earth appears peaceful from space but turbulent on the ground, our own lives can feel chaotic—until we zoom out.

Yoga gives us the gift of space between stimulus and response.
It teaches us to recognize the lens, not just the view.

“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is: infinite.” – William Blake

“Your feelings aren’t random. They’re messengers. Let them speak.” – Brianna West

Call to Action:
Tonight, use each breath to shift perspective.
What are you really seeing—and what are you projecting?

Topic 2 – The Illusion of Separation

We’re taught that division is normal.
That lines on a map mean difference.
That different beliefs mean conflict.
That we must pick a side—red or blue, right or left.

But these are constructs.

Fences were originally built to control cattle.
Borders, religion, party lines, and even the media networks we consume—these are modern fences.
They divide us to make us easier for the powerful to manage, easier to steer, easier to fear one another.

We are not cattle.
We are conscious, compassionate, deeply connected human beings—meant not to be herded, but to awaken.

From space, there are no borders.
The Earth is whole. So are we.

“Unity is strength. Division is weakness.” – Swahili Proverb

“Just because you are right doesn’t mean I am wrong. You just haven’t seen life from my side.” – Anonymous

“Our relationships reflect the relationship we have with ourselves.” – Iyanla Vanzant

The antidote to division is not shouting louder or winning an argument. It’s finding common ground—shared breath, shared pain, shared dreams.

Metaphor:
Like a stained glass window, we may differ in color and shape, but the same light shines through us all.

Call to Action:
Let tonight’s practice soften the borders within you. Move beyond the fences. Choose unity.

Topic 3 – Reclaiming Inner Stillness

Anxiety affects over 18% of Americans. Depression, around 9%.
And one of the most significant contributing factors? News and social media.

In a study concluded, that people who increased their news intake were 1.6x more likely to develop anxiety. This of this time you check your phone to see what good news is going on in the world.

Why?
Because we’re overwhelmed. Flooded. Fragmented.

Yoga is not about escaping the world—but about building a temple of peace inside it.

“Inside the chaos, build a temple of calm.”

“You could have defined yourself by the dark days, but instead, through them, you realized your light.” – S.C. Lourie

“Smooth seas never made skilled sailors.” – Unknown

Metaphor:
Like a lighthouse in a storm, your inner peace doesn’t control the winds—it simply keeps shining.

Call to Action:
Let each breath you take tonight be a vote for peace over panic. Turn down the volume of the world.

Topic 4 – Courage to Release the Shore

Transformation takes courage.
It means letting go of the known—even if the known is pain.

The most beautiful changes in life require risk:
Leaving a job. Speaking your truth. Setting boundaries. Opening your heart again.

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you lose sight of the shore.” – William Faulkner

“A stumble can prevent a fall.” – David Scott

“You could have given up, but you kept going.” – S.C. Lourie

Metaphor:
Like a trapeze artist mid-air—you can’t grab the next bar until you release the one behind.

Call to Action:
In your postures tonight, find the courage to soften. To let go. To trust the space between.

Topic 5 – Hope: The Practice of Possibility

Hope is not wishful thinking. It’s discipline.
It’s choosing to believe in possibility—again and again—even when evidence is scarce.

Hope is what keeps us trying. Creating. Loving. Beginning again.

“You must not lose faith in humanity… the ocean does not become dirty from a few drops.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare.” – Jonas Salk

“Mistakes are the best teachers. When we listen, we grow.”

“Happy is the one who wakes with enthusiasm and sleeps with satisfaction.” – David Scott

Metaphor:
Like a green sprout pushing through cracked pavement, hope is relentless.

Call to Action:
As you rest in your final pose, ask yourself not “What’s broken?”—but “What is still possible?”

Closing Reflection
From the moon, the Earth looked small. Unified. Precious.
Tonight, may your inner world feel the same.

Let perception be your practice.
Let unity be your path.
Let hope be your offering.