Mantra – “Learn, adapt, accept, pause, and release.”

Topic 1 – Lessons in Disguise – The Things That Keep Returning

Metaphor: The Locked Door
Imagine walking through a long hallway lined with doors. Some open easily, leading you forward. But one door remains locked no matter how many times you try to push through. Frustrated, you keep coming back to it, hoping this time will be different. But the door won’t open—until you find the key.

Life’s challenges are like that locked door. If we keep encountering the same struggle, it’s not because we are being punished—it’s because we haven’t yet found the key. The lesson is the key, and until we learn what we need to know, the door will stay closed. But once we understand the lesson, what once felt like an obstacle becomes a doorway to growth.

Reflection:
How often do we find ourselves facing the same frustrations, repeating the same mistakes, or running into the same difficult people? It’s easy to feel like life is against us, but in truth, these challenges return because they have something to teach us.

A recurring conflict may be teaching us patience. A repeating failure may be guiding us toward a new approach. A painful loss may be reminding us of impermanence and gratitude. Instead of asking, Why does this keep happening to me?, we should ask, What am I meant to learn from this?

Nothing truly goes away until we’ve unlocked its lesson. Once we do, what once felt like a barrier transforms into a path forward.

Quotes:
“Life will keep bringing you the same test until you pass it.” — Unknown
“The lesson will repeat itself until you learn it.” — Anonymous
“You are the student. Life is the teacher. Learn or repeat.” — Kevin Hart
“Turn your wounds into wisdom.” — Oprah Winfrey
“What you resist, persists. What you accept, transforms.” — Carl Jung
Call to Action:
Think of a challenge that keeps reappearing in your life. What lesson might it be trying to teach you? Today, instead of pushing against the same locked door, step back and look for the key. Once you learn the lesson, the door will open.

Topic 2 – Turning Pain into Growth – The Power of Perspective

Metaphor: The Glassblower’s Flame
A piece of glass starts as something rigid and fragile. But when placed in intense heat, it becomes malleable, transforming into something entirely new—stronger, more refined, and even more beautiful. If glass resisted the fire, it would shatter. But by surrendering to the process, it is reshaped into something extraordinary.

Pain works the same way. When we focus only on the heat—our suffering—it feels unbearable. But if we trust the fire to shape us, we emerge stronger, wiser, and more resilient than before. The lesson isn’t in the pain itself but in what it allows us to become.

Reflection:
Hardship can feel like it’s breaking us, but what if it’s actually refining us? Pain is a powerful teacher, revealing our inner strength and pushing us beyond our limitations. When we focus only on the hurt, we keep suffering. But if we shift our perspective—asking, What can I learn from this?—we transform difficulty into wisdom.

Like glass in the flame, we have a choice: resist and break, or surrender and transform. The experience may be uncomfortable, but it is shaping us into something stronger. Instead of dwelling on the suffering, lean into the lesson. Growth is always on the other side of struggle.

Quotes:
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” — Rumi
“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” — J.K. Rowling
“Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.” — Mary Tyler Moore
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” — Seneca
“The fire that melts butter is the same fire that hardens steel.” — African Proverb

Topic 3 – Acceptance – When There Is No Solution, Surrender

Metaphor: The Skydiver and Gravity
Imagine a skydiver stepping out of a plane. The moment they let go, gravity takes over. If they resist—flailing in panic—they create turbulence, instability, and even risk damaging the parachute. But if they surrender to the fall, adjusting their body to the wind, they find control, balance, and even joy as they release their parachute and glide gently back to earth.

Life’s challenges are like gravity—some forces cannot be fought, no matter how much we resist. But if we learn to move with them instead of against them, what once seemed terrifying becomes something we can navigate with grace.

Reflection:
We are conditioned to believe that every problem has a solution, that with enough effort, we can fix anything. But some situations in life are like gravity—unchangeable forces that we must learn to work with rather than struggle against.

Acceptance is not giving up—it is learning to move with life instead of fighting it. When we stop treating the unchangeable as a problem to solve, we gain the ability to navigate challenges with wisdom and strength. Just like a skydiver who, by embracing the fall, finds the freedom to fly.

Quotes:
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” — George Orwell
“Some things in life cannot be fixed. They can only be carried.” — Megan Devine

Topic 4 – The Wisdom of Emotional Stillness – Pause Before You React

Metaphor: The Muddy Water and Clarity
I like to walk my dog along the canals in Doral. If you go to a canal just after a storm, the water is murky—you can’t see anything beneath the surface. But if you return once the storm has passed, the water clears, revealing life beneath it. Fishes, turtles and sometimes even manatees appear, where they were once invisible.

Our emotions are like that storm. If we react in moments of anger, excitement, or sadness, we make choices from confusion rather than wisdom. But if we pause and let the storm settle, clarity returns.

Reflection:
Buddhism teaches that clinging to emotions—whether joy or sorrow—leads to suffering. To cultivate wisdom, we must pause before we react, allowing emotions to pass without controlling our actions.

Call to Action:
The next time you feel overwhelmed by anger, excitement, or sadness, pause before speaking or making a decision. Instead, take a deep breath and let your emotions settle like still water.

Topic 5 – The Best Revenge is None – Let Go and Move On

Metaphor: Carrying a Burning Torch
Holding onto anger is like carrying a flaming torch, intending to throw it at someone who has wronged you. But as you hold it, the fire scorches your own hand, burning you long before it ever reaches them.

Releasing the torch does not mean what happened was right—it simply means choosing not to let it keep hurting you.

Reflection:
The weight of resentment keeps us tied to suffering. Forgiveness is not about excusing harm; it is about choosing peace over poison.

Call to Action:
Ask yourself—what anger or resentment are you still carrying? Is it worth your peace? Today, take one step toward releasing it. Choose to put down the torch and move forward in peace.

Welcome to today’s yoga class, where we invite you to step beyond the boundaries of comfort and familiarity. In the words of ancient wisdom, “A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there. To let the light of growth and wisdom into our lives, we must be willing to move into the spaces where that light shines brightest.

Have you ever heard the story of Hedy Lamarr?  She is one of the most important inventors of her time, yet hardly anyone remembers what she accomplished by stepping out of her comfort zone.  Hedy was a glamorous Hollywood star of the 1930s and 1940s, known at the time as the most beautiful woman in the world, but she also was pioneering inventor whose work significantly impacted the world.

Amidst World War II, she was concerned by a critical issue: the challenge of German U-boats jamming United States radio signals. Together with composer George Antheil, Lamarr utilized the principles akin to a piano roll, ingeniously devising a method to shift communication signals across 88 frequencies, mirroring the 88 keys of a piano. This innovation allowed ship or submarine control centers to communicate with torpedoes, eluding enemy detection through frequency hopping.

Patented in 1942 (U.S. Patent No. 2,292,387), their invention laid the groundwork for what would become essential technologies of our era: Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi. Lamarr’s dedication to transcending her established role in entertainment to make a meaningful contribution to technology is a powerful testament to the value of stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

Lamarr’s journey serves as a beacon, illuminating the potential within each of us to bring forth dormant ideas and inventions through courage and exploration. As we engage in today’s practice, let’s embody the mindfulness teachings of the Buddhist tradition, recognizing the strength in introspection and the bravery required to embrace the unknown. In doing so, we unlock the doors to transformation, growth, and the fulfillment of our deepest potential.

Let us infuse our practice with this ethos of discovery and openness, challenging ourselves to expand not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. What remarkable invention within you is poised to make a difference in the world? Let’s explore that potential together today.

When you encounter a situation in your life with no solution, perhaps it is not a problem to be solved, but a truth to be accepted.

“All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them. I cannot keep anything. I come here empty-handed, and I go empty-handed. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” —Saint Francis de Sales

“The moment of surrender is not when life is over, it’s when it begins.” Marianne Williamson

“When total surrender happens, suffering is removed, duality is removed, too.” Mohanji

“Sometimes surrender means giving up trying to understand and becoming comfortable with not knowing.” Eckhart Tolle

“Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control.” ― Jack Kornfield

“Surrender is like a fish finding the current and going with it instead of against it. When a bird surrenders to the wind, it learns to ride the wind and not fight it.” David Scott

“The ultimate act of power is surrender.” Krishna Das

“Surrender is not a weakness, it is a strength. It takes tremendous strength to surrender life to the supreme – to the cosmic unfolding.” Mooji

“Peace requires us to surrender our illusions of control.” Jack Kornfield

“There is a LIGHT in this world. A healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometime lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways.” – Richard Attenborough

Moving out of the comfort zone

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.”

“If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.” – Guy Finley

“In a short time, this will be a long time ago. Stop being stuck somewhere in life that you no longer belong. Step out of that shadow and into the light”. – David Scott

“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or make you happy.”

“Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to recognize light.” – David Scott

Nothing is more beautiful than a smile that has struggled through tears.

“As gold purified in a furnace loses its impurities and achieves its own true nature, the mind gets rid of the impurities of the attributes of delusion, attachment and purity through meditation and attains Reality.” – Adi Shankara

“It always seems impossible until it is done.” – Nelson Mandela

“Nothing great in life ever occurs without tremendous pressure and friction. The diamond cannot be polished without incredible friction. Life’s friction can either wear your away or bring out your brilliance. When you find that diamond within yourself, you will realize that no one can break you.” David Scott

“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” – Zig Ziglar

The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, It needed to be dropped in dirt, covered in darkness and struggle to reach the light.

“The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need tomorrow.” – Robert Tew

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. Anything you can’t control in life is teaching you how to let go.”

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius (Roman Emperor)

“The truly happy person is the one that can enjoy the scenery, even if they made a wrong turn and are lost” – David Scott

“When you know your worth, no one can make you feel worthless.”

With wisdom and age, you may feel life seems to get easier, but it does not, you just get stronger.

“Be grateful for someone in your life that love’s you so much, that when they hug you, it is so tight and healing, that all of your broken pieces stick back together again.” David Scott

“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.” – Pema Chödrön

“Never Reply when you are angry, never promise when you are happy and never make a decision when your sad.”

“Keep your heart clear and transparent, and you will never be bound. A single disturbed thought creates ten thousand distractions.” – Ryokan Taigu

Detachment

“The highest spiritual practice is self-observation without judgment.” – Swami Kripalu:

“Whatever the situation, never let your emotions overpower your intelligence.”

Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from.

“Every situation in life is temporary. So, when life is good, make sure you enjoy and receive it fully. And when life is not so good, remember that it will not last forever and better days are on the way.” Jenni Young

Sometimes you have to walk away from people, not because you don’t care, but because they don’t. When someone hurts you time and time again, accept the fact that they don’t have your best interests in mind. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s necessary medicine.

“Letting go gives us the freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything — anger, anxiety, or possessions, we are not free” — Thich Nhat Hanh

“If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.” – Buddha

Change

“Never go in search of love, go in search of life, and life will find you the love you seek.” – Atticus

“We are made of all those who have built and broken us.” Atticus

“We are all born free and spend a lifetime becoming slaves to our own false truths.” Atticus

In the Tao Te Ching, there is a wise quote, “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know”.

“Buddha was asked, ‘What have you gained from meditation?’ He replied, ‘Nothing!’ However the Buddha said, let me tell you what I lost: Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Insecurity, Fear of old age and death.”