Class Theme: The Compass Within

Mantras

“I“I live bravely, I love fully, I rise freely.”

Opening Reflection – Part One

Welcome. Tonight, we remind ourselves that yoga is not about escaping life, but about living it with awareness, courage, and joy. Life is not something to be suffered through or merely endured; it is a gift, given to you by your ancestors to be treasured, not wasted.

The Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote, “It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” All mortals will taste death, but many sadly never taste life. Our practice tonight is an invitation to live bravely—to taste life fully, with each breath, each choice, each step on our path.

Maybe you are feeling a bit lost right now, standing at a crossroad, unsure of which path to take. That’s not weakness—it’s the compass within asking to be heard.

Opening Reflection – Part Two

In those moments, many of us look outside ourselves for direction—family members with the sweetest intentions, even an abuelita asking, “When are you getting married? When will you have kids?” Society pressure too has its checklist of what a life should look like. But when we measure ourselves only against those expectations, we drift from who we truly are. The truth is, what we search for has always been within. Just as a compass quietly points north, we each carry an inner compass that guides us. When we give away our power by waiting for others to decide our path, we lose sight of our direction. Responsibility is what helps us rediscover the path that was always within.

Topic 1 – The Compass Within

Reflection:
Think for a moment of how much power you’ve given away in your life. How different would things look today if you had taken responsibility earlier, steering with courage instead of waiting for others? When we stop blaming circumstances and start following our compass, we realize we’ve always had the map inside us. Every thought is a choice, every breath a direction.

Metaphor:
A compass doesn’t argue with the forest or wait for someone else to clear the trail. It simply points the way. No matter how dense the trees or how confusing the crossroads, the needle stays true to north. Our inner compass works the same way—it reminds us that we’re not lost and we’re not powerless. The choice is always ours to take the next step.

Quotes:

“The world reflects what lives within; change yourself, and you change everything.”

“True strength is not in controlling others, but in mastering yourself.”

“Yoga is a tool that we use to move into stillness, experiencing the truth of who we are.” – David Scott

“You are the architect of your life; build from the inside out.”

Topic 2 – The Garden Within

Reflection:
Your mind is a living garden. Whatever you water, grows. If you water doubt and resentment, they spread like vines. If you water gratitude and courage, they blossom. No one else can choose which seeds you nurture. Taking responsibility is the moment you pick up the watering can and decide what you want to flourish.

Metaphor:
A wise gardener knows that weeds are not enemies; they are reminders. They show where attention is needed. By pulling them out, the gardener creates space for beauty to rise. Your awareness is the same—what you notice, you can change.

Quotes:

“Your inner landscape shapes your outer reality; cultivate it wisely.”

“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

“When you own your story, you find the power to rewrite it.”

“What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.” – Buddha

Topic 3 – The Lion’s Reflection

Reflection:
Too often we live as if we are smaller than we are, shaped by fear, doubt, or the opinions of others. When we accept that story, we hand away our strength. Awakening is the moment we see ourselves clearly and remember who we really are. Power returns the instant we stop waiting for permission and claim our voice.

Metaphor:
There’s an old story about a lion cub who was raised among sheep. Because he grew up bleating and eating grass, he believed he was one of them. One day, a full-grown lion brought him to a lake and showed him his reflection. For the first time, the young lion saw his true face and realized he was never a sheep at all. Our practice is like that reflection in the water—it reminds us of our true nature. The roar has always been inside us, waiting to be remembered.

Quotes:

“The only person who can truly change your life is the one looking back at you in the mirror.”

“Don’t be a lion with a sheep’s soul.”

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” – Anaïs Nin

“Who sees all beings in his own self, and his own self in all beings, loses all fear.” – Isa Upanishad

Topic 4 – Malala’s Compass (Child’s Pose Reflection)

Reflection:
Everything is temporary—your struggles, your joy, even the person you are right now. When we fight change, we suffer. When we flow with it, we are free. Giving our power to circumstances makes us victims of time; embracing impermanence makes us creators of the present moment.

Metaphor:
Think of all the parts of your life—your dramas, your joys, your struggles—as sandcastles on the beach of time. Some are intricate and beautiful, some messy and fragile, but all are shaped by the same tide. The lesson isn’t to cling to them or grieve when they fade, but to savor the building, knowing the sea will always come.

Story – Malala’s Compass:
Malala Yousafzai grew up in Pakistan, where girls were often denied education. At just 11 years old, she began speaking publicly about her right, and the right of all girls, to go to school. She knew the danger, but her compass was clear—education was worth the risk.

At 15, she was targeted by extremists and shot while riding a bus home from school. Many thought her voice would be silenced forever. But instead, she survived, and from her hospital bed she made a decision: she would not let fear dictate her path. Malala took responsibility for her story. She reclaimed her power and used it to amplify the voices of millions of girls worldwide.

She became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, not because she avoided hardship, but because she refused to give away her power to fear or hatred. Her inner compass was stronger than the noise around her.

Her story reminds us that power doesn’t come from waiting for permission—it comes from choosing your direction, even when the world tries to push you off course.

Quotes:

“Everything changes.” – Suzuki Roshi

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha

“If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.”

“No rain, no flowers.”

Closing

Tonight, your yoga is not just in your muscles but in your mind. You carry a compass within you, a garden to tend, a lion’s roar waiting to rise, and the wisdom to embrace change. Stop giving your power away by waiting or blaming. Take it back, and walk your path with courage.

Live bravely, for as Marcus Aurelius reminded us, death will come to us all, but too many never truly taste life. May you taste it in every breath, every step, every choice you make.

Closing Mantra:
“I choose my path, I tend my garden, I remember my roar, I rise with change, and I live bravely.”