Class Theme: Surrendering What Cannot Be Controlled

Mantra:
“I bow to what I cannot control. I root in what I can. I trust the stillness inside me.”

Topic 1 – The Wisdom of the Empty Cup
Reflection:
When the world feels uncertain, our instinct is to fill the space—with news, opinions, fears, and action. But Buddhist practice reminds us: an overflowing cup cannot receive. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is empty ourselves of reaction, and sit with the unknown. Surrender does not mean giving up—it means giving over to a deeper intelligence. When we meet life with spaciousness instead of struggle, clarity returns.

Metaphor:
A Zen student once came to a master, eager to learn. The master served him tea, but kept pouring even after the cup overflowed. The student cried, “It’s full! No more will go in!” The master smiled and said, “Exactly. You are like this cup—so full of opinions, fears, and plans, there’s no room for new wisdom.”
In the same way, when our minds are overflowing—with worry, control, and the need to understand—we leave no space for peace to enter. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is pause… and pour a little out.

Quotes:

“To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.” – Rumi

“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” – Ram Dass

“You only lose what you cling to.” – Buddha

“Now is a time to go slow; become fiercely rational, not emotional.” – David Scott

Topic 2 – Suffering Begins With Resistance
Reflection:
What causes suffering is not always what happens to us, but how we fight it inside ourselves. The Buddha taught that clinging is the root of suffering—clinging to how things should be, to plans, to control. When we release the grip, we begin to suffer less. Resistance multiplies pain. Acceptance dissolves it.

Metaphor:
Imagine a window left open during a storm. The curtain thrashes wildly, papers fly, and you’re frantically trying to hold it all down. But here’s the truth—you can’t control the wind. You don’t have to.
Instead of wrestling the curtain, you simply close the window. Peace doesn’t come from controlling the storm. It comes from creating shelter within it.

Quotes:

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” – Haruki Murakami

“Peace is this moment without judgment.” – Sylvia Boorstein

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” – B.K.S. Iyengar

“Don’t believe everything you think.” – Allan Lokos

Topic 3 – Stop Rehearsing the Storm
Reflection:
One of the most exhausting things we do is replay a moment that’s already passed or worry about one that hasn’t come. The mind creates a storm, and we sit in the center, drenched and powerless. But mindfulness invites us to step out of the rehearsal and return to now. The breath doesn’t live in the past. Peace doesn’t live in the future. They both live here.

Metaphor (Hurricane Season):
Imagine watching a tropical storm forming in the Atlantic. You check the radar every hour, tracking the cone, the wind speeds, the models. But no matter how many times you refresh, the storm still brews on its own time.
You can’t will it away with worry. What you can do is prepare your space, steady your breath, and stay present. The storm may come—but peace doesn’t have to wait until it passes.

Quotes:

“A calm mind becomes fertile soil for the seeds of happiness to sprout.” – David Scott

“Everything is created twice. First in the mind, then in reality.” – Robin Sharma

“To get over the past you first have to accept that it’s over.” – Mandy Hale

“Meditation isn’t about becoming something better, it’s about befriending who you are.” – Pema Chödrön

Topic 4 – Control is the Opposite of Presence
Reflection:
We like to believe control gives us safety. But it often robs us of presence. The more we try to manage every outcome, the more we disconnect from what is. Buddhism teaches that clinging and aversion create suffering—trying to grasp what feels good and push away what doesn’t. Surrender asks us to soften into this moment, even if it’s not the one we wanted.

Metaphor:
Trying to control life is like tuning a guitar string too tight—it might play for a moment, but eventually it snaps. A balanced string hums with life. So does a balanced soul.

Quotes:

“You are not the voice in your head, but the one who hears it.” – Michael A. Singer

“Observe the space between your thoughts, then observe the observer.” – Hamilton Boudreaux

“Your goal is not to battle with the mind, but to witness it.” – Swami Muktananda

“Allow your calm mind to create a protective, impenetrable sanctuary around the soul.” – David Scott

Topic 5 – Root Where You Stand
Reflection:
It’s tempting to wait for life to feel stable again before we settle into peace. But peace doesn’t come after the storm—it’s what anchors us through it. Your power lies in rooting into what you can touch right now: your breath, your posture, your presence. As Thich Nhat Hanh taught, the next Buddha may not come as a person, but as a community practicing mindfulness together. Let us be that sangha, here and now.

Metaphor (Based on True Story):
During the Vietnam War, Thich Nhat Hanh and his community of monks planted lotus flowers in their monastery ponds—even as bombs fell around them.
They weren’t ignoring the war. They were choosing to remember that even here, beauty can bloom. Even now, peace is possible.

Quotes:

“The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“Touch your inner space, silent and empty as the sky.” – Osho

“If you get tired, learn to rest—not to quit.” – David Scott

“Clouds come floating into my life, not to bring rain, but to add color to my sunset sky.” – Tagore

Closing Statement:
As we come to stillness, take a moment to feel your breath like a soft anchor in uncertain waters.
Tonight, we remembered what the monks of Vietnam showed us—that even in the midst of war, they planted lotus flowers. Not to escape suffering, but to declare: even here, beauty can bloom. Even now, peace is possible.

So let us leave this space not waiting for the world to be calm… but carrying calm into the world.

And may we remember:
I bow to what I cannot control. I root in what I can. I trust the stillness inside me.

Namaste.