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Yoga Quotes

I'm a quote-gathering kind of person and over the years I've gathered many, many quotes with regard to spiritual growth. Some of the below are from Yogis and Yoginis, but others are from non-yoga people whose words are poignant to the Yogic path - that is, the path of spiritual growth.

I've been as diligent as I can with citing sources but, please, if you notice incorrect citing of sources do let me know. (Oh, the spelling oscillating between UK English and US is on purpose - it depends on where the quote comes from.)

• The Power Of Intention By Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
• From The Buddhist Tradition
• If I Had My Life To Live Over By Emily Bombeck
• In The Tiger's Mouth By Katrina Shields
• In The Words Of Mahatma Gandhi
• In The Words Of Maya Angelou
• In The Words Of The Late Audrey Hepburn
• In The Words Of The Late John Lennon
• It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now By Barbara Sher
• Jivamukti Yoga By Sharon Gannon And David Life
• Light On Yoga By BKS Iyengar
• Meditation And Mantras By Swami Vishnu Devananda
• On Death
• Spirituality And The City By Katie Spiers
• The Eight Human Talents By Gurmukh
• Vegetarianism By Bodhipaksa
• White Magic By Lucy Cavendish
• Yoga As Medicine By Dr. Timothy McCall
• Yoga Gems By Georg Feurestein
• Yoga Mind, Body And Spirit By Donna Farhi
• Yogini By Janice Gates

NOTE: feel free to copy and paste anything from this page, but please respect the person who said or wrote the quote and cite them as the source.

The Power Of Intention By Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

"If you change the way you see something, what you see will change."

"There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way."

"We're not human beings having spiritual experiences, we're spiritual beings having human experiences."

"Contemplate yourself as surrounded with the conditions with which you want to produce."

"How can I feel good if so much [in the world] is bad?...You cannot get sick enough to heal one person on this planet. You cannot get poor enough to make one person wealthy on this planet...No amount of your feeling bad [will make another feel good]."

"Dull the ego: stop looking for occasions to be offended, to feel superior, from needing to be right or to win, from needing more."

"If you want to be all that you can be, you have to stop putting substances into your body that are deteriorating and detrimental to your body."

From The Buddhist Tradition

"The best place for meditation is in the tiger's mouth." - Buddhist monk.

"The human body at peace with itself is more precious than the rarest gem. Cherish your body, it is yours this one time only." - Tsong Khapa (14th Century Tibetan Buddhist Master).

"Before enlightenment chopping wood carrying water. After enlightenment chopping wood carrying water" - Zen proverb.

"Two rules to success: begin and continue."

"Nothing harms us more than anger."

"The creatures that inhabit this earth - be they human beings or animals - are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world" - from "The Little Book Of Buddhism".

"From one point of view we can say that we [are] human...and...are thus much better than insects. But we can also say that insects are free from guile, whereas we often lie and misrepresent ourselves in devious ways in order to achieve our ends or better ourselves. From this perspective, we are much worse than insects." - from "The Little Book Of Buddhism".

"Our final earthly destination is the cemetery. Why is everyone is such a hurry to get there?" - Thich Nhat Hanh. (on the topic of rushing).

"All beings tremble before violence. All fear death, all love life. See yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do?" - Buddha.

"The teaching of the Buddha has been summed up in a single phrase, 'actions have consequences'. Our thoughts, words, and deeds all have their effect in the world, for good or ill, creating either happiness or suffering." - from "Vegetarianism" by Bodhipaksa.

"Unskillful actions - those proceeding from states of mind based on craving, ill will, and ignorance - create suffering. Skillful actions create happiness and proceed from states of mind based on generosity, love, and wisdom. To be able to recognise and distinguish mental states we need to be aware. So a Buddhist lives, or attempts to live, with awareness, and imbues, or tries to imbue, every area of life with these qualities of generosity, love, and wisdom. It is not easy task but it is one that gives rise to many benefits." - from "Vegetarianism" by Bodhipaksa.

"We often wish to change the world. Buddhism teaches that we need to start by changing ourselves - but it also demonstrates how, through the cumulative effect of the actions of individuals, we can shape the world in which we live." - from "Vegetarianism" by Bodhipaksa.

"Buddhism encourages us to develop a deeper and more compassionate relationship with the world in which we live. Ideally - Buddhism teaches - we should strive to take responsibility for the effects of our actions so that our lives result in as little harm as possible, and we do as much good as we can. Of course, if we don't know the results of our actions, it is hard, if not impossible, to take responsibility in this way. Particularly in the West we are 'protected' from such an awareness where meat-eating is concerned, because those who produce meat know that many of us would be reluctant to eat it if we knew the unpleasant details of its production." - from "Vegetarianism" by Bodhipaksa.

"The first of the five Buddhist precepts observed throughout the Buddhist world is 'I undertake the training principle of abstaining from harming living beings.' Positively formulated, this can be expressed as a commitment to act with loving kindness. This precept embraces all living beings in its scope, those of the human realm as well as animals, birds, and creatures of the sea. As well as abjuring the killing or harming of these beings, it also means affirming, encouraging, and supporting all life in whatever form. Adopting a vegetarian diet is a clear and immediate way of practising and demonstrating this affirmation of life." - from "Vegetarianism" by Bodhipaksa.

If I Had My Life To Live Over By Emma Bombeck

The following is by Erma Bombeck and was written after she found out she was dying from cancer:

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized he wonderment growing inside me...

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it...live it.

In The Tiger's Mouth by Katrina Shields

Note: Katrina's book is about the instigation of positive change in the world. In it she includes the following poignant quotes from important activists and thinkers of our time:

"It is individuals who change societies, who give birth to ideas, who by standing out against the tides of opinion, change them" - Doris Lessing.

"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little" - Edmund Burke.

"Almost anything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." - Mahatma Gandhi.

"Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." - Lois Brandeis.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead.

"We can change others only indirectly. The direct change must be to ourselves." - Hugh Crago.

"I am struck repeatedly by the degree to which people who are committed to 'good work' to making this world better to live in, do not include themselves as valid environmental concerns - not only at the level of potential burnout but also at the level of credibility. If you are saving the world and killing yourself (even passively by self-neglect) you will not be effective in your work. The people who are trying to convince will not believe you. You can't abuse yourself and advocate that society not abuse the environment. It's a fundamental contradiction in terms - a good case of the old 'do as I say not as I do.'" - Evonne Rand.

"Large change doesn't come from clever quick fixes from smart tense people, but from long conversations and silences among people who know different things and need to learn different things." - Anne Herbert.

In The Words Of Mahatma Gandhi

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

"Sorrow springs from dreaming of the future and from lamenting the past. Hence one who concerns himself with the present and does his duty has neither birth nor death."

"To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being."

"Almost anything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

"I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."

"I hold today the same opinion as I held then. To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being."

"I do feel that spiritual progress does demand at some stage that we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction of our bodily wants."

"To conceal ignorance is to increase it. Every good deed is its own advertisement."

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

In The Words Of Maya Angelou

"When people show you who they are, believe them the first time."

"Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst and be unsurprised by anything in between."

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."

"I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life."

"I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a life."

"I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back..."

"I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision."

"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one."

"I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back..."

"I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.."

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

In The Words Of The Late Audrey Hepburn

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others."

In The Words Of The Late John Lennon 

The following quotes are from "The Beatles Anthology":

"Pain is something like food in a way, or life; pain and joy. they go into your body and unless you feel it or express it, it remains there like constipation. You can't get away from the pain. There's no escape from it, it's there, in your body somewhere. It'll come out in your nerves or how many cigarettes you smoke or what you do, it'll make you go bald, or whatever. It expresses itself in some form. There's no getting rid of it."

"I think we all go through heaven and hell every day; just accept that. To feel is to live. Life is made up of feeling all sorts of things. Every day's the same: there's some heaven and some hell. There's no complete joyful day. There's better days, worse days, and I think every day contains both."

It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now By Barbara Sher

"You don't even need to make an announcement. Just stop doing anything you don't want to do. Become absentminded and unpredictable. Forget to pick up things you promised to get for people. Forget to bring gifts to birthday parties. Be a bad problem solver. Give lousy advice, and become inept at consoling people who are chronically unhappy. People will grumble, then they'll worry (tell them you're pretty sure you're having a midlife crisis), and then they'll do the important stuff themselves - or find another sucker."

"Revenge is the same as dreaming someone else's dream. You need to let out some of the hurt so you can move on. To distinguish a real dream from a revenge dream, ask yourself a question: If no one had ever hurt you, would that dream still be on the list? If not, take it off. It will drag you down and never fix the wound anyway."

"And you can't honestly say hard work isn't easy because when you love doing something, hard work is the only thing you want to do!"

"Different people see genius in different ways, but everyone agrees on one thing: When you're engaged in the work your genius loves, it feels like you're playing."

"...time is short, [so] happiness is important."

"I promise to seek out the company of generous, interesting people."

Jivamukti Yoga By Sharon Gannon And David Life

"The aim of Yoga, therefore, is not to change the body but to change our minds. That is a more profoundly political than overthrowing any government."

"Some people will say they don't want to be political. Well, you can't help but be political. Every action, every choice you make affects us all. To say that you are political is to say that you care about the world we all live in. Caring for others will bring you closer to liberation sooner than anything else will. And Yoga provides a wonderful template for responsible action."

"Yoga is not a passive practice. The life of the [Yoga practitioner] is not normal. A normal life is one spent trying to avoid pain and seek pleasure. The [Yoga practitioner], on the other hand, experiences pain and pleasure with equanimity..."

"The practices of Yoga are ethically sound. They enhance the physical body, refine the emotions, challenge the intellect, and reveal the soul...Yoga practices clean the mind."

"...our actions must not be selfish or self-absorbed, because most of the world's problems stem from selfishness."

"When we relinquish selfishness as our motivating principle, the potential for true happiness opens up. From compassion toward others you will realize happiness for yourself. Through service to all beings you will experience the bliss of the end of suffering for yourself."

"...we are all profoundly affected by the unseen all the time. We suffer from anxiety, sadness, depression, despair, and confusion, for example. The practices of Yoga equip us with tools for transcending this suffering - and for transcending our moments of happiness, too. Even moments of elation, contentment, and joy carry the future pain of their termination, after all."

"The practices of Yoga will help you maintain equanimity in all situations by teaching you to become transparent, able to allow both joy and sorrow to flow through you without destroying your peace of mind."

"Yoga is not a religion; it is a school of practical philosophy."

"...Yoga class is physically challenging; it's about walking the razor's edge. Challenging your preconceptions about your abilities helps you push beyond the limitations imposed by your mind."

"The Upanishads [a set of Yogic scriptures] tell us that a liberated person views all with equanimity, seeing no difference between the mud puddle and the crystal lake, or the diamond and the dust...If you're attached to preferences - this is good, this bad; this is natural, this is unnatural; this is clean, this is dirty - then you cannot know the truth. You're caught in the chitta-vritti, the fluctuations of the mind. This is what the mind is equipped to do: to separate this thing from that thing. Yoga practices teach us to go beyond the mind and perceive the cosmic consciousness that animates all beings."

"...how many of us are completely appreciative of our parents? Parental issues cause a lot of unhappiness. To appreciate and acknowledge truly the gift of life that came from our parents and our birth is a great step forward toward enlightenment."

"...the way you view your everyday life will start to change. You will begin to perceive the magical qualities hidden in ordinary existence. You realize that everything and everyone can become your teacher...Even if your everyday experiences don't prove enlightening to you, is your ordinary life worse for the appreciation?"

"It takes spiritual maturity to embrace difficulties and to see within them potential for enlightenment. The greatest spiritual growth can come from appreciating difficult times in your life and facing them fully with an open heart."

"We spend the first half of our lives developing a personality and the second half defending it because we worked so hard on it ('Sure, I'm stubborn - I'm a Taurus!')...The personality [therefore]...becomes more rigid...The next time you catch yourself [clinging rigidly to your personality] reflect that you do not have to behave in a fashion consistent with the personality you've constructed thus far."

"Yoga is realized when identification with the fluctuations of the mind ceases...We have all been at the mercy of the fluctuations of our minds. Our thoughts can agitate us, please us, torture us...we must allow our attention to disengage from the fluctuations of the mind so that we can go beyond thought, to a higher state of consciousness."

"Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu [is a powerful Sanskrit mantra which means:] 'May all beings, everywhere, be happy and free. And may the thoughts and actions of my own life contribute, in some way, to that happiness and to that freedom for all.'"

"When we are suffering from self-pity and loneliness, a surefire cure is to care more for others and the reduction of their suffering. When we shift our thoughts away from our own suffering, it diminishes."

"The intention behind any action is always more important than the action itself."

"Your present situation is the solution, not the problem...because it's an opportunity for us to learn, though experience, how it really feels to suffer from a particular experience. By suffering we learn compassion, which brings us closer to all beings."

"In the Yogic model...guilt is not spiritually productive or helpful. Guilt arises from the past. The past is something we cannot change. So why fret over it?"

"You can start by paying attention...to your own actions. You are the agent for your fate. You had everything to do with where you are now. What you did before matters. What you are doing now matters. What you are thinking now matters."

"The Yogi accepts a...turn of events with equanimity, knowing that pleasure and pain never last forever. Yogis accept difficulties as opportunities...It is wise to give thanks for everything that happens, knowing that the present situation can change in an instant."

"[A Yogi] understands that it is best to stay detached and thankful for whatever happens. Life is all ups and downs. Change is the only thing we can be sure of, so why not accept it?"

"How do you develop appreciation of even adverse circumstances? Through forgiveness of yourself and others. To forgive, you must realize that we all act according to our capacity. We act within our capacity at every moment that we act. But capacity can change. We could do something according to our capacity one moment, and then look back a moment later and see our action in a different light. Perhaps we should have, or could have, done something else. We must forgive ourselves, remembering that at that time we could not have done anything but what we did. If we realize that we are doing the best we can at any given moment, and that everyone else is also doing his or her best, then it is easier to forgive. Forgiveness frees us..."

"‘Be happy for those who are happy, sad for those who are sad and indifferent to the wicked’ - Patanjali (1.33)."

"[Developing] equanimity of mind in all situations...leads...to the understanding that running away from unpleasant situations will not lead to lasting happiness. Let's say you are unhappy with your job and wish to quit...One day your frustration and anger reach a breaking point and you hand in your resignation...When you find a new job, you may initially be elated, but it will probably only be a matter of time before frustration and anger take over again...The correct response...would be to never leave a situation while you are in a state of anger, jealousy, or despair. If you wish to be permanently free of the unpleasant situation so that you do not have to repeat it, you must find a way to be thankful for it. You must leave while in a state of happiness. Don't wait to be happy until after you quit your job. Your job is not what is standing in the way of your happiness; your state of mind is."

"Anger may feel good temporarily, as it seems to relieve frustration, but in the long run it causes harm because it disturbs your...joy. Anger mires us deeper in ignorance and pain."

"...first gain equanimity of mind, and then you can make decisions based on clarity and wisdom."

"Generosity is the key to true beauty, a beauty that comes from inside."

"Some people will say they don’t want to be political. Well, you can’t help but be political. Every action, every choice you make affects us all. To say that you are political is to say that you care about the world we all live in. Caring for others will bring you closer to liberation sooner than anything else will. And yoga provides a wonderful template for responsible action."

"The tragedy of a non-vegetarian lifestyle is that it causes needless, cruel victimization…not only of the animals' deaths, but also of the devastating environmental impact of meat eating: the pollution of water and air by slaughterhouses and farms and the razing of forests to create pastures. Due to the greed of the meat-eating majority, much of the world starves while the grains that could feed them are fed to cattle. Don't fall into the trap of believing that your good life is separate from the suffering of animals who are abused or killed to maintain that good life."

"…there's not really much difference between the hero and the coward: they both feel the same fears and anxieties. The hero acts in spite of these fears and anxieties, however, whereas the coward turns away from action. The cultural hero seeks to break the chains of his or her culture's particular illusions; the coward lives in denial."

"Throughout human history, cultural heroes like Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi have chosen the path of non-violence...It is a challenging path to take, because it is rarely the path of the majority and because it takes more courage to meet violence with kindness and compassion than to meet violence with violence. Non-violence [or in Sanskrit “ahimsa”] also happens to be the ethical foundation of Yoga."

"Compassion is an essential ingredient of ahimsa [non-violence, the ethical foundation of Yoga]. Through compassion you begin to see yourself in other beings. This helps you refrain from causing harm to them. Developing compassion does something else, however, which is of special interest to the yogi. It trains the mind to see past outer differences of form. You begin to catch glimpses of the inner essence of other beings, which is happiness. You begin to see that every single creature desires happiness."

"When you recognize that cows and chickens want happiness, just as you do, you recognize kindred souls. The distinction between you and other beings wears thin, as awareness begins to dawn."

"We cannot change what we have done in the past and there is no point in feeling guilty about it. What we can do is start living compassionate lives right now."

"Much cruel violence is perpetrated against animals in the name of medical research, for example, because it is thought to be a necessary evil. In using animals for medical research, we rationalize the cruelty involved by declaring that the results of the research may relieve suffering for many people. But no lasting benefit can ever come from causing harm to another. When we understand the law of karma [simply: what goes around, comes around], we realize that we cannot torture animals and receive any lasting benefit. Only the foolish would be deluded otherwise."

"Cultural heroes risk their own happiness by defying what the culture tells them they must do to be happy. They choose instead to do what they believe is just."

"Your cultural upbringing may tell you that you need to eat meat to be strong and healthy, for example, but your Yoga practice recommends that you practice ahimsa [which means non-violence and is the ethical foundation of Yoga]. Which path will you choose?"

"Whether you are in handstand or mountain post, your breath should remain the same: even and steady. If it fluctuates, you've let your thoughts take over. Any thought besides "...breathing in and breathing out" interferes with smooth, easy breathing. Thoughts like 'I can't do this' or 'I'm doing this so well!' will distract you from your breathing."

"During asana practice, thoughts about [your life] may begin to flood your mind...When you realize this is happening, shift your attention back to your breath."

"Asana encourages awareness...by giving us an opportunity to put ourselves into the various shapes and patterns of existence and experience the dynamic force that animates all form. In the Celtic myth of Camelot, Merlin teaches the young Arthur how to become a good king. The wizard transforms the boy into various life-forms: animals, plants, and minerals. As Arthur experiences the perspectives of those over whom he has lordship, he is better prepared to rule with compassion. This is Yoga, the experience of the vitality of life in all forms of life."

Light On Yoga By BKS Iyengar

"The yogi knows that the path towards satisfaction of the senses by sensual desires is broad, but that it leads to destruction and that there are many who follow it. The path of Yoga is like the sharp edge of a razor, narrow and difficult to tread, and there are few who find it. The yogi knows that the paths of ruin or of salvation lie within himself."

Meditation And Mantras By Swami Vishnu Devananda

"The spiritual quest is a thorny path that ultimately must be walked alone."

"Meditation unleashes immense potential. We gain mastery of the mind by brining a halt to its incessant chatter and teaching it to focus in a concentrated manner."

"Fear of public criticism...stands in the way of a... [person's] progress. Yet even in the face of persecution, one must stick to his convictions. Then only can one grow."

On Death

Yogic philosophy not only teaches us about life, it also teaches us to accept death. The following are not from yogic texts, they are from all different sources sharing one thing in common: they're about the subject of death. Although not the happiest of subjects, it's an important one as it affects us all.

"Unable are the Loved to die, for Love is immortality" - Emily Dickinson.

"Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow. If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all prejudice...If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever." - Robert N. Test .

"I believe the dead stay in our memories. For as long as we remember them, they live with us...[same with] people who are alive but are not around." - Isabella Allende.

"...set me as a seal on your heart, for love is stronger than death." - Charlotte Wood.

"...face your fears, because even death can enrich your life." - Lucy Cavendish.

"Celebrate [the memory of the dead] rather than allowing in sadness, and give thanks for the time you had together." - Lucy Cavendish.

"To make money we lose our health and then to restore our health we lose our money. We live as if we are never going to die, and we die as if we never lived." - anonymous.

"I was dying to finish my high school and start college. And then I was dying to finish college and start working. Then I was dying to marry and have children. And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough so I could go back to work. But then I was dying to retire. And now I am dying...and suddenly I realised I forgot to live. Please don't let this happen to you. Appreciate your current situation and enjoy each day." - anonymous.

"Death Is Nothing At All" by Canon Henry Scott-Holland

Death is nothing at all…
I have only slipped into the next room.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
Speak to me in the easy way you always used.

Laugh as we always laughed
At the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me...
Let my name be the household word it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort.

Life means all that it ever mean.
It is the same as it ever was;
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of your mind
Because I am out of your sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
Somewhere very near, just around the corner.
All is well.

“Remember” by Christina Rossetti

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent and;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

“Song” by Christina Rossetti

When I am dead, my dearest,
Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.
I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

“On The Death Of A Cat (A Friend Of Mine, Aged Ten Years And A Half)” by Christina Rossetti

Who shall tell the lady's grief
When her Cat was past relief?
Who shall number the hot tears
Shed o'er her, beloved for years?
Who shall say the dark dismay
Which her dying caused that day?

"To Remember Me" - author anonymous

The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital busily occupied with the living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped.

When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don't call this my deathbed. Let it be called the Bed of Life, and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.

Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby's face or love in the eyes of a woman. Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain. Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play. Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week. Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk.

Explore every corner of my brain. Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that someday, a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window.

Spirituality And The City By Katie Spiers

“Even if you’re not a mother yourself, each of us had one once! Many of the animals mistreated by intensive factory faming are mothers. We take their milk, their eggs, and, most disturbingly, we take their children to kill and eat without a second thought...Vegetarianism is an important part of a serious spiritual practice...”

The Eight Human Talents By Gurmukh

"Yoga is not about self-improvement, it's about self-acceptance."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Don't solve your problems, dissolve your problems - so they should not recur again."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] There is no freedom which is free...Pain is part of the deal."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] First you make habits, then habits make you."

"Acceptance opens us up physically. The tightness in the lower back frees up, the clenching in the lower intestines loosens."

"It's only when you truly surrender and accept that you can move on in your life."

"It's in pardoning that we are pardoned (Saint Francis of Assisi)."

"If we wait until we are no longer bothered by someone's behavior, there will never be any acceptance. Acceptance is an act of pure grace."

"To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee."

"If you accept and learn not to criticize yourself, you will find true health - physically, mentally, and spiritually."

"Acceptance of someone does not excuse their transgressions. It just means that you don't want to be burdened with the feeling of the pain it caused any longer. You accept another to set yourself free from the bondage of resentment."

"Empathy is not sympathy. Sympathy says, "I feel s you do," whereas empathy says, "I know how you feel." The best part of empathy is that it allows for healthy detachment. I don't need to feel your suffering, I just need to remember that I, too, have suffered as you are suffering. Empathy is about acknowledging that we are all separate, but also interconnected."

''...I didn't care if she liked me. I liked me."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Whenever you do something, do it as a piece of art. Otherwise just don't do it. Let everything express the creativity of you."

"To experience true creativity, we must always be willing to let go of the results, whether it's a novel or our children."

"[We are often sent] angels in the disguise of troublemakers."

"You never really know until you take something out of your life, take a vacation from something, exactly how it fits into your life."

"Guilt has its purpose. Just as anger, fear, and grief have their appropriate places, so does guilt. Allow guilt to serve as a warning for your; let it tell you when you are violating your own core values...I feel guilty...I apologize. but that is where the guilt ends. I don't have to keep track of my bad behavior and use it beat myself up. I [take] carte of it, end of story. If we don't use guilt as a warning device the same way we use fear or anger, it begins to fester in us..."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] It you want to know a thing, read that. If you want to understand a thing, study that. And if you want to master a thing, teach that."

"[lose yourself] in the elegance and challenge of a posture, the constant vastness, capability, and endurance of [your] body, and the deepening of his ability to find release in meditation."

"Chances are there are many things that you will be called to create in this lifetime, and it is never too late to begin. You can begin to create your life with your next breath, or the next one after that. the choice is up to you. If you keep up, you will be kept up."

"Another traditional image in the study of chakras is that of the lotus flower, which has long roots that go down deep into the mud, all to support the delicate blossom at the top. Even with that image there comes judgment; everybody is happy to have a picture of a lotus blossom on their wall, people don't usually want to frame the roots and the muck. It is important that we see the beauty in the foundation, the roots of our system."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Your grit is not based on your muscles. Your grit is based on how deeply you breathe."

"If you only take one thing away from this entire book let it be this: stop holding your breath..."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Your entire way of life can change if you change your clothing and your food."

"With every exhale, you are giving back to the earth to grow these fruits and vegetables."

"...I learned something remarkable. When we commit to something, anything that is basically good, no matter how small, it has a huge effect on other people, in ways that are almost impossible to quantify."

"...you don't have to do anything earthshaking to make a real difference in people's lives, you just have to be present, committed to whatever it is you do. You can be of service in the most mundane way, if you are present and committed every moment of the day."

"The student of the traveling Zen master thought for a moment and then replied, 'My master is very magical too. When he sits down to eat, he eats. When he walks, he walks. And when he talks, he talks.'...Yoga and meditation are a lifelong practice that can help remind us of how exactly to be here, now.'"

"If you do a difficult pose and your body starts shaking, I say welcome the shaking. It's better to shake a little now as you heal your nervous system, than to shake when you are old, and not be able to stop."

"Use your yoga practice to feel your emotions on a physical level; then as you experience them, you can move past them and become victorious over them."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Emotions are like guests. They should be treated very nicely and gently, and sent away if they don't fit in."

"If anger is coming dangerously close to getting the best of you, do [stretch pose] for one to three minutes. You will be able to channel all that energy and emotion into something more constructive. You will be able to use that fire in the belly as a roaring fire in the fireplace, instead of burning down the whole house."

"Anger can rule your life only if you let it."

"The truth is, if you're not good to yourself, you're no good to anyone else."

"It's easy...when you're meditating on a mountain. It's a lot more challenging at the grocery store."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Recognize that the other person is you."

"...what we do in class is the PRACTICE of yoga; life is the real yoga. In class we are practicing techniques, metaphorical life lessons on a physical level that we can then apply to our larger lives in the world."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] If somebody is terribly bad, [be thankful] that it is not you. And if somebody is terribly good, [be thankful] that you have seen something good, and that it could be you, too."

"As yogis, we say you will die, but you never have to grow old. We come to go."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] What gives you strength? Your thoughts. What weakens you? Your thoughts. What destroys you? Your thoughts..."

"Your mind is like a dog. It can be trained, and it can be trained best by using love, praise, and affection."

"Worrying is a low-grade form of fear. Fear keeps us from loving, while gratitude brings us to love."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:]...let your words be straight, simple, and said with a smile."

"You are what you say...The words we say do matter, and they resonate powerfully within our bodies."

"Disciplining yourself to do something that will change your brain patterning may not prove to be an easy or pain-free process. There's always going to be a part of your subconscious that will fight the healing, fight letting go of the old. But being stuck in negative patterns is more painful. Growth is never pain-free."

"Sometimes people, often unconsciously, decide that it is easier and more comfortable to blame someone else than to make real changes in their own character. This is the the 'What's wrong with me is actually you' syndrome."

"We live in a culture of blame. In our justice system, we see murderers arguing that sugar or alcohol, or even premenstrual syndrome, made them commit their crimes. The effect of all this blaming is that it turns everyone into a victim. No one can address his or her problems if they believe they are someone else's fault. If you are unhappy in any area of your life, you are the one who needs to change. In order to break the cycle of blame, we need to turn the focus back onto ourselves."

"Learn to give up blame so that you can find your own truth and live it."

"We are powerless over every other person on the planet, and we only have power over our own lives. No matter how problematic the people in your life are, you are always the solution."

"You can't change anyone else, and even if you miraculously could, you would still be the main challenge in your own life...you...are...the solution to any troubles you may have. You are your own best healer."

"If you deny parts of who you are...it will inevitably manifest itself in disease in the body."

"Our [bodies] become out of balance because of small daily abuses, and they will be most completely healed with small daily gestures of caring."

"A healthy diet does include treats; it's all a matter of balance."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] You will be tested - but that is the nature of life. When life is very rough, be very calm."

"If you open yourself to your intuition in small ways, the really big messages will find a way through."

"There are many yoga exercises and meditations that seem pointless, boring, or irritating, and that is just exactly their point. By committing to the exercise for [a length of time] you are agreeing to go on a little journey. As you journey through discomfort, irritation, or deep-seated emotions, as you move past these things, using your breath, you can begin to hear messages from your intuitive self."

"Experiencing the struggle [of a pose], even for a few minutes, will set you free."

"The everyday static of irritation or discomfort is cleared away by experiencing it intensely in a yoga exercise. You can begin to see the irritation or discomfort for the illusion that it is. Without a practice that allows us to focus on feeling discomfort in a safe way, we can get trapped in living our whole lives running away from discomfort."

"...Pain is as much a gift as joy..."

"[Yogi Bhajan said:] Going through life without intuition is like driving a car which has no side mirror and no rearview mirror. All you can see is just straight ahead."

"It is essential you be an active participant in the creation of your own good mental health."

"None of the things that make up...spiritual practice...[will] make [you] happy every minute. They are tools, reminders, guideposts [you] can use along the way."

"Our struggles are our growth opportunities...What yoga provides is a safe, nurturing environment to allow yourselves to experience struggle, to feel pain, and to learn from it. Each exercise we do can become a metaphor for a larger life experience that we will undoubtedly go through on the "outside". Yoga makes us more flexible, but not just in our bodies. A flexible spine creates a flexible mind."

"The truth about our soul lies between all the positive and negative thoughts. The truth lies in this 'neutral mind'."

"Honor your body. Feed it wholesome food, hydrate it with pure fresh water, lovingly bathe and dress and ornament it. If you stretch and strengthen it, allowing it to have the unlimited nourishment of oxygen it craves, all the while feeding it with positive encouragement of uplifting thoughts, then this body will serve you faithfully."

"No amount of worldly success or money or knowledge can ever be as valuable as feeling comfortable in your body."

"These tools can give you the most valuable asset in the world, your health, and are available to everyone willing to make the effort. You can choose to be a healthy person, and you can choose to feel at home in your own body. It's not about looking perfect, it's about feeling great." 

Vegetarianism By Bodhipaksa

Because the ethical foundation of Yoga is 'ahimsa' ('non-violence'), a diet containing no animal products (in other words a pure vegetarian diet, also known as a vegan diet) is essential. For more quotes about animals, click here: Animals.

"The first of the five Buddhist precepts observed throughout the Buddhist world is 'I undertake the training principle of abstaining from harming living beings.' Positively formulated, this can be expressed as a commitment to act with loving kindness. This precept embraces all living beings in its scope, those of the human realm as well as animals, birds, and creatures of the sea. As well as abjuring the killing or harming of these beings, it also means affirming, encouraging, and supporting all life in whatever form. Adopting a vegetarian diet is a clear and immediate way of practising and demonstrating this affirmation of life."

"We can do no greater harm than to kill another sentient being. Killing is the ultimate expression of indifference to the well-being of others. All, except in the most extreme of circumstances, cherish life. In the contemporary hell of the modern slaughterhouse animals cry out and cower in terror when they realise that their life is nearing a premature end. All beings, except in the most desperate circumstances, try to escape death."

"Few of us have had the opportunity to see what goes on in the production of meat. Our ideas about farming are often based on childhood picture-book illustrations of happy cows, fluffy yellow chicks, and pink pigs with curly tails running around a farmyard. Our ideas about farming - if we have any - can be highly romanticised and sanitised...Life for farm animals nowadays is not pleasant."

"We often wish to deny the inescapable fact that meat-eating requires killing to take place. In order for meat to appear on a plate an animal must die. Our appetites are part of a complex chain of events resulting in suffering and death. Meat-eating inevitably entails the violence of the slaughterhouse and farm. Most of us have been brought up eating meat and we have not been encouraged to think much about this. And few of us will have seen farm animals suffering. If we actually saw an animal in terror in front of us, about to be killed, we might feel compassion and wish the animal to go free, but the 'nasty business' is usually conveniently hidden away."

"Few people are aware what happens to animals reared for slaughter, or what death in an abattoir is like. Few of us have had any real contact with farms other than seeing animals grazing in the fields as we travel past. This isn't surprising. Much of what happens on modern farms…is deeply unpleasant. Because of this farmers tend to be defensive and even secretive about what they do. A friend of mine who was involved in making documentary films told me she found it easier to get access to nuclear power stations than to farms."

"Often it is a question of 'out of sight, out of mind'. We don't know, and frankly, we'd often rather not know, what goes on in order to feed us. We'd rather not feel connected with the results of our actions…But now, perhaps, we have more awareness of the consequences of our actions when we eat meat. When we are more aware that our appetites can lead to real suffering we may even feel an urge to change. That urge may be strong enough to make us give up meat at one - for ever. On the other hand we may just have a niggling doubt and find ourselves with an uneasy conscience."

"For many of us, eating meat is very pleasurable, and changing our diet may be a sacrifice we are reluctant to make. However, once we are truly aware of the consequences of our actions, we are in a dilemma. Our deeper, more ethical response is one of compassion for the animals that are harmed in order for us to have meat. This sense of compassion is in conflict with our habits and our desire to keep on doing what seems pleasurable."

"If we are beginning to become aware of the suffering involved in the meat trade, but still eat meat, then we have a problem. We have a source of conflict in our lives."

"We have to decide what to do with that awareness of the suffering inherent in meat-eating. It's all too tempting to push the awareness away so that we can carry on acting as before. We may even recall having done this in the past with this very issue. Another, and more creative, response would be to face up to and explore the conflict so that we can learn and grow from the insights this might reveal."

"In dilemmas of this sort…the only effective remedy is to go to the root of the problem and sort out on an ethical level the conflict that exists between…actions and…conscience…[and then] remove the source of ethical discomfort by…[giving up] actions [in other words, to become stop eating meat] that cause [the conflict and]…life changes for the better."

"…the Judeo-Christian model of the world…has shaped the Western psyche for close on two millennia…we have inherited the view that humankind has dominion over the animals and that we therefore have the 'right' to kill animals and that it is 'natural' for them to live in fear of us. We have come to assume that animals have been put on earth for us to use, and that their suffering is unimportant if it arises as a result of our use of them…Consequently, most of us believe that 'Thou shalt not kill' does not apply to animals. The Western approach has typically been to see a rigid separation between humans and animals, with humans having a 'soul' or 'rationality' setting us apart…[seeing] human suffering as a matter for concern…while [tending] to ignore or deny animal suffering much of the time."

"…traditional Western views have deeply conditioned many of us and underpin our acceptance of the modern horrors of the factory farm, where animals are treated as machines, and where the pain they feel is regarded as inconsequential."

"[The Buddhist perspective tells us that] all equally experience suffering and happiness. I should look after them as I do myself…I should dispel the suffering of others because it is suffering like my own suffering."

"Buddhism has always recognised that animals show every sign of experiencing and fearing suffering. That animals lack some faculties that humans have, or have them less well developed, is a separate issue, and not one that affects animals' ability to suffer."

"Buddhism, then, regards animals as being worthy of our respect, and urges us to have compassion for animals when we see they are suffering. When they are…[not] suffering Buddhism also encourages us to respect that fact and not [cause them] pain or distress."

"There is therefore no question of Buddhists regarding animals as 'things', to be possessed or treated as if they were objects without feelings. There is also no question of animals having been put here for us to use…The main difference between humans and animals is that humans have a greater ability to seek and create happiness - for ourselves and others. Buddhism encourages us to empathise with animals and see them as worthy of our kindness and compassion."

White Magic By Lucy Cavendish

The witch's Rede:

Bide within the law you must
In perfect love and perfect trust
Live you must and let to live
Fairly take and fairly give
Light of eye and soft of touch
Speak you little, listen much
Honour the old ones in deed and name
Let love and life be our guides again
Merry meet and merry part
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart
Mind the threefold laws you should
three times bad and three times good
These eight words the rede fulfill:
"An' it harm none, do what ye will."

"Some [white witches] do not worship Gods and Goddesses at all, but focus on nature as the manifestation of all that is sacred. It is up to you to find the belief system that is most meaningful to you."

"If we ever want a snapshot of the state of our mind, we simply need to look at our lives. What have we created? We can either use the magic of our creative power for our good, to improve our lives and create happiness and health, or we can remain stubborn and insist that it is simply the way life is, and create our own downward spiral."

"Airbrushed perfections masquerading as flesh and blood figures exclude so many of us. We wobble. We change. We age. We go from maiden to mother to crone, all in the one lifetime, all in the one day at times. And it is all good and beautiful that we do."

"...the only constant is change - to attempt to dominate and enforce our will leads to corruption. Eternal summer is as bad for the land as the lifeless cold darkness of endless winter. For health and wealth and life, we must keep turning and changing, flowing in and out. Without the sun we cannot see our shadow. Without the dark we cannot see the stars."

"All life comes from this marriage of dark and light. It is inescapable, wondrous, and what makes this journey called life so mysterious and rich."

"...face your fears, because even death can enrich your life."

"Celebrate [the memory of the dead] rather than allowing in sadness, and give thanks for the time you had together."

"...comes along to remind us all that however dark the night, there will always be a dawn."

"By connecting with the dance of nature, you connect to your own being. It's not a coincidence that humans become more sluggish during winter and that seasonal depression can take hold. We are creatures just as the blades of grass and small animals are - we need the light to live, and everything we live upon needs it too. We are reminded at this time to acknowledge our place in the web of life, not as some kind of winner at the top of a mythical food chain, but as a part of life, affecting it and absorbed by it, influencing it yes, but no more powerful than any other agent of life. If we honour our place in life, we will have many more years on this planet. By inhabiting nature gladly and fully, we will continue to live and be guardians of the planet. If we do not, we will bring about our own catastrophic destruction."

"...use your intuition and what feels right to you, because intent is always the most important thing."

"...give thanks for the life [trees] breathe into us."

"Don't be afraid of working through your own darkness - it's important to honour and respect your anger, your mistrust, your depression, your guilt, your sorrows. we learn nothing from denial and repression - we need to engage with our shadow self and give it healthy expression."

"[Life]...is not a linear process, but a cycle through which we endlessly transform, change and create sacred magic."

"...magical and mundane [happenings]...are both the same! Never neglect the ordinary white magic of your day to day life."

":...everything in this world exists as a result of everything that goes before."

"[Forgive]...all the people who you feel have harmed, hurt or betrayed you in any way. Really forgive them. Bless them for what they taught you, and release them...This exercise is not about justifying or excusing people's behaviour, it's about releasing the hold they and their actions have over you. This is about you - clearing the pain of the past in order to create a new future...This process can even...assist you in issues like losing weight and improving your skin and your health, as hanging on to old hurts and resentments can manifest in the body as illness or pain. By working [on] forgiveness...you are boosting your own chances of health and happiness enormously."

Yoga As Medicine By Dr. Timothy McCall

"...a few minutes of deep relaxation a day can remind you that even when you're busy on the outside, there's a quiet place within. Do the practice as if your life depends on it.. Because it does."

"[BKS Iyengar always went by the motto] 'many poses, but one face,' meaning that no matter which pose he did, his facial expression never varied...always show[ing] a kind of inner relaxation even as [he performed] the most difficult asana."

"It doesn't matter whether something is supposed to be good for you. It only matters if it actually is."

"To effect change in your life, the yogic prescription is to cycle repeatedly through the four stages of noticing, accepting, planning, and acting."

"Why become enraged when a little irritability will do? You could say the same thing about anxiety: why become terrified when a little nervousness will do?"

"Learning to let go of resentments can change you - and perhaps after the likelihood of your getting a pounding headache."

"Even in situations where 'you can change the stress...you can change your relationship with it. That's fundamentally where the shift needs to take place."

"What yogis call their 'edge' is a place where a pose is intense but not painful...a tolerable degree of discomfort...find [your] own edge, [don't] compare [yourself] to someone else."

"...one of the fundamental principles of yoga [is that]: a small action done repeatedly can make an enormous difference."

Yoga Gems By Georg Feuerstein

This book is a compilation of quotes which is why each quote ends with the name of the yogi or yogini that said or wrote those words.

"If Yoga were to designed to work on the surface only, we should expect immediate visible results. Fortunately, however, Yoga seeks to change us at all levels of existence. Its influence reaches deep into our mind. Hence we must be prepared for prolonged practice in order to allow Yoga to do its work in depth. It is certainly possible to see positive change even after one or two sessions of yogic postures, and after six months of correct and steady postural practice, we should find ourselves calmer and more balanced. But for deep psychological and spiritual effects, we must be prepared for a lifetime of practicing Yoga in its entirety - from the moral disciplines to postures to breath control to meditation. There is no instant enlightenment. No one can enlighten or liberate us from the outside. We ourselves must do the inner work." - Georg Feuerstein.

"Life is not about answers. It is about learning to live in the middle of complete uncertainty, and doing so gracefully." - Swami Chetanananda.

"Every breath can be a practice. With the inhalation, imagine drawing in pure, cleansing, relaxing energies. And with each exhalation, imagine expelling all obstacles, stress, and negative emotions. This is not something that requires a particular place in which to sit. It can be done when in the car on the way to work, waiting for a stop light, sitting in front of the computer, preparing a meal, cleaning the house, or walking." - Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.

"Facing challenges brings you inner strength. Life is a challenge." - Swami Satchidananda.

"Compassionate service helps to alleviate the pain of those who are suffering. But its greater value lies in purifying the minds and hearts of those who render it. The satisfaction and joy you derive from rendering selfless service to someone in need is immense and everlasting. However, there is one danger - feeding your ego, identifying yourself as a generous compassionate person. This is destructive both to you and to those to whom you render service." - Pandit Ajmani Tigunait.

"Develop the type of personality that feels you are endlessly exploring new mystic secrets. Do not become too content with what you have accomplished in Yoga. Do not become complacent, developing the idea that you have practiced a lot of meditation and have developed wonderful qualities and have studied the scriptures. Never think that you have done all that there is to be done on the spiritual path. This is a great error." - Swami Jyotirmayananda.

"Practice demands an effort that is prolonged, stretching over a long duration. One cannot expect quick results on this path. There is nothing like instant Yoga. It requires a continuous effort spread over a number of years. Moreover this effort has to be uninterrupted. A spasmodic effort can never lead a person anywhere. To put in an effort for some time and then to retire in hibernation in order to rest on one's oars is of no use at all if one is really serious about journeying into the land of Yoga. But…the effort must have a quality of cheerfulness about it. Yoga is a not a Path of Woe; it is indeed a Way of Joy. If the effort is prolonged and uninterrupted and yet lacks this quality of joy then it is hardly of any worth at all." - Rohit Mehta

"Never cringe before criticism. Take it like a man, even if you're a woman. Winnow the true from the false, then keep both. Smile at it. Better yet, understand it; best of all, learn from it. And never, never offer offenders quid pro quo." - Satguru Sivaya Subramaniyaswami.

"All too often, sheer beginners fancy themselves as adepts and start assuming the role of teacher or even guru. Even when, after due preparation, we are called to teach others, we would be wise to remain learners - or, in traditional terms, to cultivate 'beginner's mind'. Otherwise we run the risk of self-delusion and isolation. We stop growing when we think there is nothing more to learn." - Georg Feuerstein.

"If human life were free from challenges, there could be no growth; thus we speak of “growing pains.” We should not be surprised to learn that the spiritual path, which is all about growth, also presents difficulties: our resistance to change, laziness, pride, overzealousness causing bodily injury in Hatha-Yoga, mental imbalance in those branches of Yoga that work primarily through meditation, and frustration at apparently not growing fast enough. All these hindrances are of our own making. Therefore, with the right attitude and correct practice, we also can circumvent them. Enlightenment - the goal of Yoga - happens in our own mind. That is to say, at least in part the path is as difficult as we make it for ourselves." - Georg Feuerstein.

"Disease indicates that we have been making an error in terms of our lifestyle or thinking and therefore have become imbalanced. It shows us that we must make some changes if we are to live a healthy, fuller and more joyous existence. Yoga teaches us that we must learn to use and value our sufferings as springboards in our spiritual evolution. Somehow we have lost our awareness of who we are and how we should lead useful and aware lives. Loss of awareness allows disease to creep in. When we are sick, we are forced, nature to wake up to our transgressions of natural laws. Regaining our awareness through yogic practices is the key to health. The yogic process brings about rebalance, insight, understanding and appreciation of these universal, natural laws which operate in the world we live in." - Swami Karmananda Saraswati.

"Discipline in eating fills you with spiritual radiance…Discipline in eating is a cause for celebration; therefore, accept it wholeheartedly, a little at a time. Make it yours. Let the discipline become a fragrant flower for you, so that every time you hear this word you think, “Ahhh. Intoxicating! It is so wonderful!” Instead of cringing and contracting at the idea of discipline, let your being expand, let your heart run to embrace." - Swami Chidvilasananda.

"Confusion, tension, and depression all contain energy that can be used for us as well as against us. When we can calmly face our difficulties without trying to escape, without trying to manipulate or suppress our feelings, it is possible to see something that we have never seen before. We may realise very clearly that we simply do not want this pain any longer. We can then discover in ourselves that motivation to change the habits that lead us into difficulties. We can use the energy of our emotions to skillfully cope with our problems, to rediscover the clear interplay of mind and senses that allows our energy to flow in more positive directions. Our emotions are really only energy; they become painful when we grow attached to them, and identify them as being negative. We can transform this energy into positive feelings, for ultimately, it is we ourselves who determine these reactions. The choice is up to us: we can dwell on negative emotions, or we can take their energy and use it to encourage a healthier response to our problems." - Tarthang Tulku.

"Energy leaks through the mouth, idle talk, gossiping, censure, scandal mongering and all sorts of useless worldly talks…People do not understand the value of energy. The waste it very carelessly. They squander it like a profligate son. They repent and become weak in their old age. It is too late to gather honey in the winter." - Swami Sivananda Saraswati.

"One must know that one is ignorant before one can begin to know." - Sri Aurobindo.

"With love there is no painful reaction; love brings only a reaction of bliss. If it does not, it is not love; it is a mistaking of something else for love. When you have succeeded in loving your husband, your wife, your children, the world, the whole universe, in such a manner that there is no reaction of pain or jealousy, no selfish feeling, then you are in a fit state to be unattached…To attain this nonattachment is almost a life-work; but as soon as we have reached this point we have attained the goal of love and become free." - Swami Vivekananda.

"We spend most of our time caught up in memories of the past or looking ahead to the future, full of worries and plans. The breath has none of that 'other-timeness'. When we truly observe the breath, we are automatically placed in the present." - Henepola Gunaratana.

"Look about you anywhere and you will see people tapping their feet, twiddling their fingers, twisting their mouths, chewing gum, chain-smoking, pacing restlessly, indulging helplessly in dozens of nervous habits and useless actions which merely waste the life-force so that it is not available when needed. Much of this is, of course, the expression of fear, anxiety, anger and other unhealthy mental and emotional conditions. People who practice the self-control which Yoga teaches impart a feeling of controlled energy. They are efficient; they go about their work with a minimum of effort, with no wasted energy and few unnecessary movements. They seem to get straight to the point and are always ready to take quick, forceful action when they have to." - Richard Hittleman.

"Experiencing peace is like looking at our hands. Usually we see only the fingers - not the spaces in between. In a similar manner, when we look at the mind, we are aware of the active states, such as our running thoughts and the one-thousand-and-one feelings that are associated with them, but we tend to overlook the intervals of peace between them." - Thynn Thynn.

"The image of relaxing in a boat tethered in restless waters is an interesting metaphor for the process of breath awareness, which is a kind of mental mooring. When you rest your attention on the breath, your awareness is anchored. Currents and crosscurrents of thinking continue to create sensations of movement in the mind, but a steady focus on breathing prevents these mental provocations from disturbing your equilibrium." - Rolk Sovik/

"We often fail to get relief from disease and misery because we treat the disease and not our ignorance that has caused it." - Shri Yogendra.

"When we see a red light or a stop sign, we can smile at it and thank it, because it is…helping us return to the present moment. The red light is a bell of mindfulness. We may have thought of it as an enemy, preventing us from achieving our goal. But now we know the red light is our friend, helping us resist rushing and calling us to return to the present moment where we can meet with life, joy, and peace. Even if you are not the driver, you can help everyone in the car if you breathe and smile." - Thich Nhat Hanh.

"Many people are unwilling to make progress on the spiritual journey because they do not want to face their desires or their fears. This is understandable. Nevertheless, if we could see how our demanding desires and blind fears, especially our fears of fear, are often the source of our sufferings, might we not take pause and reflect? This is the ironic nature of spiritual realisation. As we progress spiritually, we begin to see how we, ourselves, are the primary and ultimate cause of our own sorrows. Paradoxically, this is good news! It means we can also be the cause of our relief, our release, and our happiness." - Ron Leifer.

"Tranquillity should not be confused with passivity or apathy. It is, rather, a dynamic quality of balance and harmony. As love is the outward flowing of energy of selflessness, and joy is the experience of accepting the natural divinity of all life, tranquillity is the experience we have when we know and accept ourselves for who and what we are. We are the source of our own turmoil. The inner doubts, fears, impulses, the unconscious drives and motivations, all create an imbalance that leads to mental and physical suffering. We remain unaware of our spiritual identity and are caught in habits and patterns of the personality. The habits that make up this small self control us, and we bounce whenever and wherever the habits bounce, nearly always reacting to the world, with little capacity to consciously choose our actions in the world. When, through meditation, we come to experience directly our true spiritual identity, the personality with all its peaks and valleys no longer exerts a claim. We experience an inner calm and tranquillity, a centre that is secure and free of conflict. From the vantage point of this calm, unattached centre, we gradually resolve our inner conflicts and unfold the subtle potential of the deeper mind." - Rudolph M. Ballentine.

"There is a humourous saying in Yoga circles that Yoga has been reduced to the practice of postures, and that postures have been reduced to stretching, and that stretching has been reduced to lengthening of the hamstrings. Authentic Yoga is always a spiritual discipline, however, even when the focus is on the body, as it is in Hatha Yoga [a term describing all physical forms of Yoga]." - Georg Feuerstein.

Yogini By Janice Gates

The book "Yogini" dedicates each chapter to different yoginis (female yoga practitioners) so each quote ends with the name of the yogini that chapter is about.

"No matter what you do, you see your body change. No matter what you do, no matter conscious you are, the body gets older. You can't stop it. If all yoga practice is focused on the body, and it is not able to affect the changes, you might become frustrated and sad. Instead, if you know that you are the Divine being living within the body, then no matter how the body looks or feels, you know that you are the ever-present unchanging Divine." - Nischala Joy Devi.

"[Donna] she tells her students not to believe anything she tells them and to question everything based on their own experience. 'When you're in enquiry with an attitude of curiosity and an attitude of delight for the process, you take the fear away.'" - Donna Farhi.

"As with many cases, discomfort, mental anguish, and physical pain help people to change. It can be a very compassionate teacher." - Lilias Folan.

"...Our bodies are the storehouse for all the actions we have ever taken." - Sharon Gannon.

"...pain and suffering is not coming from some outside source, [learn this and the] whole syndrome of blaming, getting angry, depressed, or sad will be less interesting and we will begin to move in a different direction." - Sharon Gannon.

"...When you say 'I want,' you are saying, 'I am not enough the way I am.'"- Gurmukh Khalsa.

"Above all, I want us to remember that the way we step on the mat is no different from the way we live our life. There's absolutely no difference. I bring my total being to my practice. Do I push myself in my practice? Then I push myself in my life." - Judith Hanson Lasater.

"[When we] inflict the poses on our body and we move at the speed and rhythm of the mind instead of the slower speed of the body [we] increase the potential for injury." - Judith Hanson Lasater.

"Do less and wellness will be closer to you." - Sri Swamini Mayatitananda.

"Life forces us to take pause when we do not take pause - through disease, divorce, separation, and dissociation." - Sri Swamini Mayatitananda.

"The Buddha is famous for suggesting we not believe something just because we like the person saying it, or because it sounds true. Although we need ample exposure to wise guides, we each must take up the burden and the privilege of self-inquiry to discover true freedom." - Sarah Powers.

"How can we want non-violence around us when we don't have non-violence within us?" - Rama Jyoti Vernon.

Below are some Yoga action shots of me.

They're just snaps that my partner John took of me at home for this site - nothing professional, but they give you an idea of what Yoga postures look like if you're not familiar (and you'll even see some bloopers among them!).

The photos below are not a representation of all the Yoga postures that exist - there are many more. Also, I'm by no means perfect at executing the poses I demonstrate below - but that's what Yoga is all about: doing your best at your current level and working towards betterment...not being perfect!

Here's my dog Jasmin testing to see if the light is right.

Trikonasana (Tree Pose)

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) variation

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) variation

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) variation

Parivrita Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Angle Pose)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Angle Pose) variation

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Angle Pose) variation

Paravrita Parsvakonasana (Revolved Extended Angle Pose) variation

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

Prayer Squat

Bound rotated squat


Bound rotated hanging squat

Eka Pada Kurma Dandha (One Leg Tortoise Staff Pose)

Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana (Upward Extended One Foot Pose) variation

Lunge

Lunge with twist

Lunge with twist and extended arms

Lunge with twist and bound arms

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand To Big Toe Pose) variation

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand To Big Toe Pose) variation

Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior 1 Pose)

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2 Pose)

Dancing Warrior Pose

Uttanasana (Intense Forward Bend Pose)

Virabhadrasana III (Warrior 3 Pose) variation

Virabhadrasana III (Warrior 3 Pose) variation

Virabhadrasana III (Warrior 3 Pose) variation

Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
 

Utkatasana (Awkward Pose)

Paravrita Utkatasana (Revolved Awkward Pose)

Paravrita Utkatasana (Revolved Awkward Pose) with arms extended

Parighasana (Gate Pose)

Prasarita Padottanasana I (Extended Foot Pose 1)

Prasarita Padottanasana II (Extended Foot Pose 2)

Prasarita Padottanasana III (Extended Foot Pose 3)

Balasana (Child's Pose)


Balasana (Child's Pose) variation

Jasmin trying to get in on the act...

...Aargh! She can't be stopped!!

...and finally I'm able to do Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) without Jasmin trying to upstage me!

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (One Leg Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Ashtanga Namaskara (Eight Prostrations)

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose)

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) variation

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) variation

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Shalabasana (Locust Pose)

Bhekasana (Frog Pose)

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One Leg King Pigeon Pose) variation


Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One Leg King Pigeon Pose) variation

Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose) variation

Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose) variation

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) variation

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) variation

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) variation

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose)

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Parivrita Vikasitakamalasana (Twisting Blossoming Lotus Pose)

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Sage Pose) variation

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Sage Pose) variation

Maricyasana (Sage Pose)

Janu Sirsasana twist (Knee To Head Pose twist)

There I am, trying to do a Plank, and Jasmin decides she's going to get in on the act!

So I took a break to give Jasmin a cuddle...

...back to work, and into the Plank

Janu Sirsasana (Knee To Head Pose)

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (Half Bound Lotus Pose)

Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose)

Baddha Konasana (Cobblers Pose)

Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose) with reverse prayer

Virasana (Hero Pose) with reverse prayer

Bakasana (Crane Pose)

Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)

Baddha Padmasana (Bound Lotus Pose)

Tolsasana (Scales Pose)

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

SAY NO TO BACKYARD BREEDERS! SAY NO TO PUPPY MILLS! SAY NO TO ANIMALS IN PETSHOPS!

At Say No (www.saynotoanimalsinpetshops.com) it's estimated that 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats are killed every year in Australia because there are not enough homes for them all.

Backyard breeders (people who breed their animal companion) are a large part of this problem. All animal welfare organisations agree that desexing is part of being a responsible animal guardian, so be part of the solution and desex your dog or cat (or any other animal in your family)!

Puppy mills contribute to the enormous problem of overpopulation by irresponsibly breeding for profit without any care for the animals whatsoever. The dogs live in appallingly dirty, cramped conditions all their lives, and when they no longer serve their purpose they're killed, dumped or sold for cruel medical testing.

And how do petshops fit in? Well, puppy mills and backyard breeders are where petshops get their animals from! No responsible breeder would EVER give their animals over to a petshop. Besides supporting irresponsible breeders (backyard breeders and puppy mills), having animals in shop windows encourages impulse purchases. Adding an animal to your family should be a conscious, careful decision - NOT one to be made while shoe shopping.

For all these reasons, a shelter is a far better place to buy a pet: Google "animal shelters" to find one in your state and country, and visit Death Row Pets (www.deathrowpets.net) to see what else you can do to help.

"To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being." - Mahatma Gandhi

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