Finding wisdom through surrender and transformation
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How to Use This Lesson Plan
Welcome to your first complete Sacred Stories class. This is the 5-Act Structure in action—a full 60-minute mythological yoga experience ready to teach.
Before you dive in, here's what you need to know:
This Is a Template, Not a Script
You don't need to memorize every word. Read through it a few times to internalize the flow, then teach it in your own voice. The language I use is how I speak—warm, conversational, slightly poetic. You might be more grounded, more playful, more direct. Perfect. Adapt the cues to sound like you.
The Timing Is Flexible
I've given you precise timing (8 minutes opening, 12 minutes warm-up, etc.) but real teaching is fluid. If your students need more time in the warm-up, take it. If they're ready to move faster through standing poses, flow. The percentages matter more than the minutes: roughly 10% opening, 20% warm-up, 35% standing work, 25% peak pose and integration, 10% closing.
Props You'll Need
- Bolsters or folded blankets (for savasana and supported backbends)
- Blocks (for students who need them in standing poses and peak pose prep)
- Blankets to sit on (essential for the peak pose—Bharadvajasana)
- Eye pillows (optional but lovely for savasana)
- Straps (optional, for students with tight shoulders in some variations)
The Story Matters More Than Perfect Alignment
Yes, give clear, safe cues. But remember: your students came for transformation, not a biomechanics lecture. The mythology is what makes this class different. Weave it in consistently—at least 7 references throughout the practice. Not word-for-word repetition, but returning to the themes: letting go, impermanence, what remains when everything else falls away.
Read the Savasana Script Ahead of Time
This is where the magic happens. The guided imagery in savasana completes the mythological journey. Practice reading it aloud before class. Get the rhythm, the pacing, the pauses. Your voice becomes the vessel that carries students through the integration.
First Time Teaching This?
Start by teaching it to yourself. Move through the entire sequence while speaking the cues aloud. You'll discover which transitions feel awkward, which timing needs adjustment, which language doesn't quite land. Then teach it to a friend or small group before bringing it to a full class.
You've Got This
Remember: you're not performing a script. You're guiding souls through a mythological journey. Trust the framework. Trust the story. Trust yourself.
Now, let's journey with Bharathari.
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THE WISE BHARATHARI JOURNEY
A 60-Minute Sacred Stories Hatha Class
Peak Pose: Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaja's Twist)
Theme: Finding wisdom through surrender and transformation
Props Needed: Bolsters, blankets, blocks, eye pillows
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Opening Ceremony (8 minutes)
Centering and Pranayama (5 minutes)
Students arrive in comfortable seated position
Opening Words:
"Welcome to your sacred story practice. Today we journey with Bharathari, the wise king who discovered that true wealth lies not in what we possess, but in what we're willing to release. As we breathe together, imagine you're sitting in the ancient halls of learning where wisdom echoes through time."
Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama) - 2 minutes
- Hand on heart, hand on belly
- "Breathe like Bharathari in his palace gardens, drawing in the fullness of life"
- 4-count inhale, 4-count exhale
- Guide students through several rounds, finding their natural rhythm
Bharathari's Story Introduction (3 minutes)
"Long ago, there lived a king named Bharathari who ruled with wisdom and compassion. He had everything—wealth, power, a beautiful queen—yet something felt incomplete. One day, a sage gave him a magical fruit that would grant immortality to whoever ate it.
Bharathari looked at this precious gift and realized: 'What is immortality without love?' So he gave it to his beloved queen. But she, in love with someone else, passed it to her lover. That man, not understanding its value, sold it in the marketplace, where it eventually returned to the king.
In that moment, holding the fruit that had traveled through betrayal back to his hands, Bharathari understood the impermanence of all things. He renounced his kingdom, not in bitterness, but in liberation. He became the poet-sage who taught us that true freedom comes from releasing our grip on what we think we need."
Intention Setting:
"As we practice today, ask yourself: What am I holding onto that no longer serves me? What wisdom waits on the other side of letting go?"
Teaching Note: Pause here. Let the question settle. Don't rush into movement.
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Warm-Up Sequence (12 minutes)
Gentle Awakening (4 minutes)
Sukhasana (Easy Pose) with Side Stretches
- "Like Bharathari awakening to new understanding, we begin gently"
- Inhale arms up overhead, exhale bend to the right
- "Each side stretch is a bow to the wisdom of flexibility"
- 30 seconds each side, repeat 3 times
- Watch for students holding breath—remind them to breathe
Neck Rolls and Shoulder Releases
- "Release the crown of tension we wear like Bharathari's royal headpiece"
- 5 slow neck rolls each direction, moving with the breath
- Shoulder rolls backward: "Rolling away what no longer serves"
- 8 slow rolls, encouraging students to exaggerate the movement
Cat-Cow Variations (3 minutes)
Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
- "Move like the sacred river of wisdom, flowing between attachment and release"
- 8 rounds with breath awareness—inhale cow, exhale cat
- Add side body undulations: "The serpent of wisdom awakening in our spine"
- Let the movement become more fluid, less structured
Extended Child's Pose with Side Stretch
- "Bow like Bharathari bowed to the sage who brought him wisdom"
- Center first: 30 seconds
- Arms walking to right: 1 minute—"Surrendering what you don't yet understand"
- Arms walking to left: 1 minute—"Equal surrender in both directions"
Teaching Note: Watch for students forcing the stretch. Remind them: "Surrender, don't strain."
Seated Spinal Waves (5 minutes)
Seated Cat-Cow in Sukhasana
- "The spine waves like the river of knowledge flowing through ancient texts"
- 6 rounds, connecting breath to movement
- Encourage students to close their eyes, move from internal feeling
Seated Twists Preparation
- Hands behind head, gentle rotation from the core
- "Begin to wring out old patterns like washing cloth in the sacred river"
- 5 slow rotations each direction
- "Notice any clicking, any resistance—this is information, not a problem"
Bharadvajasana Prep (Seated)
- Simple seated twist, hand to opposite knee
- "Begin to feel the spiral of wisdom in your spine"
- Hold 30 seconds each side, breathing into the rotation
- "Like Bharathari turning away from old ways, we turn toward new understanding"
Teaching Note: This prep is essential. The peak pose is a twist—warm up the spine now.
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Standing Sequence (20 minutes)
Mountain Pose Foundation (2 minutes)
Tadasana
- "Stand like the mountain of wisdom that remains constant while kingdoms rise and fall"
- Feel feet rooting down, crown lifting up
- "Bharathari stood at the peak of worldly success, yet found his truest foundation in letting go"
- Hands at heart center or by sides
Breath Awareness
- 5 deep breaths, feeling the stability of inner wisdom
- "What remains when everything else falls away? This breath. This moment. This awareness."
Teaching Note: Let them feel grounded before building heat.
Sun Salutation Variation - "The Cycle of Wisdom" (8 minutes)
3 rounds, building heat and awareness
Round 1: The King's Awakening
- Mountain Pose: "Standing in worldly success"
- Urdhva Hastasana: "Reaching for the immortal fruit of understanding"
- Swan Dive to Uttanasana: "Bowing to the teacher within"
- Ardha Uttanasana: "Half-lifting to see clearly what's happening"
- Step back to Low Lunge (right foot back): "Stepping into new awareness"
- Downward Dog (30 seconds): "Inverting our perspective like Bharathari inverted his values"
- Cobra or Upward Dog: "Rising like the serpent of wisdom"
- Downward Dog (30 seconds)
- Step forward to Low Lunge (left foot back)
- Ardha Uttanasana
- Uttanasana
- Return to Mountain: "Standing in new understanding"
Round 2: The Queen's Choice
- Same sequence, focusing on the theme of giving and receiving
- In Downward Dog (hold 45 seconds): "What are we holding that we could offer freely?"
- "Sometimes what we give away returns to teach us something deeper"
Round 3: The Sage's Teaching
- Complete flow with longer holds
- Add twisting lunge on each side (right foot forward, right arm up, left hand down—30 seconds each side)
- "Beginning to spiral toward wisdom"
- "Every twist offers a new perspective on old situations"
Teaching Note: By round 3, students should be warm. Watch for fatigue—offer modifications freely.
Standing Pose Sequence (10 minutes)
Warrior II Flow - "The Spiritual Warrior"
- Right side first, left foot back at 90 degrees
- "Bharathari the warrior-king, fighting not enemies but ignorance"
- Hold 1 minute each side with steady breathing
- "The front leg is your determination, the back leg is your foundation"
- "Conquering not lands, but limitations"
Side Angle Prep - "Leaning into Wisdom"
- Parsva Balasana variation with forearm to front thigh
- "Sometimes we must lean into discomfort to find truth"
- 45 seconds each side, breathing into the side body stretch
- "What wisdom wants to pour into the space you're creating?"
Reverse Warrior - "Opening to Receive"
- From side angle, lift up into reverse warrior
- "Like Bharathari opening to receive the sage's teaching"
- 30 seconds each side, back hand resting on back leg
- "The arm reaching overhead reaches toward understanding"
Wide-Legged Forward Fold - "Surrendering the Crown"
- Prasarita Padottanasana, hands on ground or blocks
- "Bharathari literally gave up his crown. What crown of identity can you release?"
- Hold 1 minute total
- First 30 seconds: hands clasped behind back, "Offer up what you no longer need"
- Final 30 seconds: hands on ground, "Bow to the earth that supports all transformations"
Twisted Triangle Prep - "Seeing from New Angles"
- Parivrtta Trikonasana variation with hand to shin or block
- "Every twist offers a new perspective on old situations"
- 45 seconds each side, using block under bottom hand if needed
- "What do you see when you look at your life from this angle?"
- "Sometimes we need to turn completely around to see what was always there"
Teaching Note: This standing sequence is demanding. Acknowledge that. "The challenge in the pose is the teaching itself."
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Seated Sequence and Peak Pose (15 minutes)
Transition to Seated (1 minute)
Uttanasana to Seated
- From standing forward fold, bend knees deeply
- Roll up vertebra by vertebra: "Like turning the pages of Bharathari's wisdom texts"
- Walk hands back to sitting or lower down mindfully
- Arrive in Staff Pose (Dandasana)
Hip Opening Prep (4 minutes)
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle)
- Soles of feet together, gentle forward fold
- "Sit like the king on his throne, but with the humility of a student"
- Hold 1 minute: "The royal seat becomes the student's cushion"
- "What do your hips want to teach you about holding and releasing?"
Marichyasana I (Sage Marichi's Pose)
- Right knee bent, left leg extended, twist to the right
- "Every sage's pose teaches us about turning inward"
- 45 seconds each side
- "What wisdom do you find when you spiral into your center?"
Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
- Right leg extended, left foot to inner right thigh
- "Bowing to the teacher in each leg, each side of our experience"
- 1 minute each side
- "Bharathari bowed to the sage who changed his life. To whom does your practice bow?"
Teaching Note: These hip openers prepare for the seated twist. Don't skip them.
Peak Pose Preparation (3 minutes)
Seated Spinal Twists
- Simple cross-legged twists, hand to opposite knee
- "Preparing the spine like preparing the heart for wisdom"
- 30 seconds each side with deeper breathing
Bharadvajasana Prep with Blanket
- Sitting on blanket (essential for most students), legs bent to right side
- "Like Bharathari preparing to step away from his throne"
- Practice the twisting action gently, without forcing
- 1 minute each side: "Feel the spiral of transformation in your spine"
Peak Pose: Bharadvajasana (Full Expression) (7 minutes)
Setup and Alignment (2 minutes)
- Sit on folded blanket, legs bent to right side
- Right foot under left thigh if available (otherwise just keep legs bent)
- "Position yourself like Bharathari positioning himself for wisdom"
- Left hand reaches behind back (toward right hip or holding right elbow)
- Right hand on left knee or left thigh
- "One hand reaches back to the past, one forward to the future"
- "Feel the foundation of your sitting bones rooting you to earth"
Teaching Note: Most students need significant modifications here. Offer them freely and early.
The Practice - Right Side (2 minutes)
- Begin the twist slowly, breathing into the spine
- "Breathe into the twist like breathing into uncertainty"
- "What are you turning away from? What are you turning toward?"
- "Bharathari turned away from attachment, toward freedom"
- Hold with gentle breath awareness, softening with each exhale
- "Let each breath deepen the twist naturally, without force"
The Practice - Left Side (2 minutes)
- Switch legs: left foot under right thigh, twist left
- "The sage Bharadvaja, for whom this pose is named, teaches us about devotion"
- "True devotion isn't holding tight, but holding lightly"
- "Let the twist wring out old patterns like washing cloth in sacred water"
- "What old loyalty to suffering is ready to be released?"
Integration (1 minute)
- Return to center, sit quietly in simple cross-legged position
- "Feel the wisdom of the twist settling into your being"
- "What shifted? What released? What opened?"
- Place hands on heart: "Honor the wisdom your body has just received"
Teaching Note: This is the heart of the class. Hold space for whatever arises. Some students may have emotional releases—that's perfect.
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Backbend Sequence (8 minutes)
Heart Opening Preparation (3 minutes)
Bridge Pose Flow - "Opening to Receive Wisdom"
- Setu Bandhasana, feet hip-width apart
- "Bharathari's heart had to break open to receive true understanding"
- 3 rounds of 30 seconds each
- First round: arms alongside body
- Second round: hands clasped beneath back
- Third round: arms overhead if comfortable
- "What happens when you open your heart to uncertainty?"
Camel Prep - "The Courage to Be Vulnerable"
- Ustrasana variation with hands on lower back
- "It takes courage to open our hearts after disappointment"
- Hold 45 seconds with steady breathing
- "Bharathari's greatest courage was in letting go"
- "Feel the front body opening like dawn breaking over mountains"
Supported Backbend (5 minutes)
Restorative Fish with Bolster
- Matsyasana variation with bolster or rolled blanket under shoulder blades
- "Rest your heart on the support of ancient wisdom"
- 3 minutes with eyes closed, arms relaxed at sides or overhead
- "Let Bharathari's story support your own opening"
- "In this opening, remember: you are supported by all the wise ones who came before"
Gentle Spinal Waves
- Remove props, come to seated
- Hands behind head, gentle undulation of spine
- "Like waves washing the shore of the heart"
- 1 minute of gentle movement
- "Integrating the opening, softening any intensity"
Twist Neutralization
- Simple seated twist both sides, very gentle
- "Rinse the spine like rinsing the cloth of consciousness"
- 30 seconds each side
- "Neutralizing the energy, bringing balance back to the body"
Teaching Note: After deep backbends, students need this neutralizing. Don't skip the twists.
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Restorative Integration (10 minutes)
Cooling Sequence (3 minutes)
Seated Forward Fold - "Bowing to the Teacher Within"
- Paschimottanasana, any variation that serves your body
- "Every forward fold is a bow to the wisdom we've cultivated"
- Hold 1.5 minutes, softening with each exhale
- "What has this practice taught you about letting go?"
- "Feel the forward fold as an honoring of your inner sage"
Supine Spinal Twist - "Releasing into Wisdom"
- Lie down, both knees to right side, arms out wide
- "Let gravity do the work of integration"
- 45 seconds each side
- "Release any effort, any holding, any need to control the outcome"
Supported Savasana Preparation (2 minutes)
Knees to Chest - "Embracing the Teaching"
- Apanasana, gentle rocking side to side
- "Rock side to side like a child being comforted"
- "You are held by the ancient wisdom of all who came before"
Leg Extensions
- Gentle movement to prepare for stillness
- "Like Bharathari preparing to enter the forest of contemplation"
- "Feel your legs releasing any remaining tension"
Extended Savasana (5 minutes)
"The Sage's Rest"
- Bolster under knees, eye pillow available if desired
- "Lie down like Bharathari lying under the stars, finally free"
Guided Imagery:
Spoken in soft, slow voice—pause between sentences
"You are resting in the grove where Bharathari found his peace. The weight of crowns and kingdoms has been set aside. Your breath flows like the river of wisdom, carrying away what no longer serves, bringing in what truly nourishes...
(pause)
In this stillness, you remember: you are not what you possess, but what you are willing to release. You are not your titles or roles, but the awareness that witnesses them all coming and going like seasons...
(pause)
The immortal fruit of the story lives in this moment—not in living forever, but in living fully awake. Rest here in the palace of your own being, where the only crown you wear is consciousness itself...
(pause)
Let the story of Bharathari remind you: true wealth is contentment, true power is surrender, true immortality is presence. Rest in this knowing, supported by the earth, embraced by the sky..."
(long pause—let them rest in silence for at least 2 minutes)
Teaching Note: This guided imagery is what seals the transformation. Speak slowly, pause generously, trust the silence.
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Closing Ceremony (7 minutes)
Awakening with Awareness (2 minutes)
Gentle Return
- Begin to wiggle fingers and toes
- "Like Bharathari awakening to his new life as a sage"
- Knees to chest, gentle rock side to side
- "Moving with the wisdom of your practice"
- "Feel how different your body feels now than when you arrived"
Seated Meditation (3 minutes)
Return to Sukhasana
- Roll to one side, press up to seated
- "Sit like the sage you are becoming"
- Hands in prayer at heart center
- "Feel the wisdom of your practice settling into your bones"
Pranayama Integration
- Return to three-part breath, deeper and steadier now
- "Breathe in the teaching, breathe out gratitude"
- 5 conscious breaths
- "Each breath carries the essence of Bharathari's wisdom"
Closing Wisdom and Om (2 minutes)
Bharathari's Teaching:
Share in reverent, conversational tone
"Bharathari's final teaching was this: 'The fruit of immortality is not in living forever, but in living awake. Not in holding onto what passes, but in releasing into what remains.'
As you leave your mat today, carry this question with you: What would you do if you knew that everything you're holding onto is impermanent? How would you love? How would you serve? How would you live?
The twist in your spine has prepared you for the twists in your path. The opening in your heart has prepared you for the openings in your life. The wisdom of Bharathari lives in your willingness to let go and discover what remains when everything else falls away."
Closing Om
- Three Oms together, each one deeper than the last
- "First Om for Bharathari the king, second for Bharathari the student, third for Bharathari the sage within each of us"
- "Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha" (removing obstacles to wisdom)
Final Bow
- Hands in prayer, bow to the teacher within
- "The ancient wisdom in me honors the ancient wisdom in you"
- "May you carry Bharathari's courage to let go and discover what remains"
Take-Home Reflection
Offered as students prepare to leave
This Week's Practice:
"Each day, practice the 'Immortal Fruit' meditation: Hold something precious in your hands—a photo, a memory, even a worry—and practice loving it enough to let it go. Notice what remains when you open your hands. This is Bharathari's gift."
Bharathari's Mantra:
"I am not what I hold, but what I am willing to release."
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Teaching Notes: What to Expect
The First Time You Teach This
It might feel awkward. You might forget to reference the story. You might rush through parts or linger too long in others. That's perfect. That's how you learn. The second time will be smoother. The third time, you'll find your rhythm.
Student Reactions
Some students will cry in savasana. Some will approach you after class with stories about what they're releasing. Some will just say "thank you" with glistening eyes. This is the power of mythological teaching—it touches something deeper than alignment ever could.
When Students Ask Questions
About the mythology: Answer what you know, admit what you don't. Direct them to sources (the Mahabharata, scholarly articles, your own research).
About the practice: Help them understand that the physical challenge was the vehicle for the spiritual teaching.
Adapting for Different Levels
Beginners: Emphasize modifications throughout. The story carries them even if the poses are simpler.
Advanced students: Offer deeper variations, but remind them that the deepest practice is in the surrender, not the expression.
Making It Your Own
After you've taught this a few times, start adapting. Add poses that resonate with you. Change language that doesn't feel authentic. Find your own way of telling Bharathari's story. The framework is the container—your unique voice is what fills it.
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What's Next
You've now taught a complete Sacred Stories class. You've seen the 5-Act Structure in action. You've guided students through a mythological journey that transformed their practice from exercise into initiation.
In upcoming posts, I'll share:
- More complete lesson plans (Devavrata, Lava-Kusha, Hanuman)
- How to choose myths for different intentions
- Creating your own lesson plans using this framework
- Advanced sequencing techniques
- Cultural sensitivity deep dive
But for now: teach this class. Learn from it. Let it teach you.
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Questions? Insights? How did it feel to teach mythology this way?
Drop a comment. Let's learn together.
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With reverence for the path we share,
Celina
Sacred Stories Yoga
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