Take a Deep Breath In, Now Release—and Find Inner Peace With These 100 Yoga Quotes

These days, many of us are looking for ways to do more than just exercise. We also want to be active to combat stress and get into a healthy, positive mindset. Because let's face it—2023 hasn't been that much easier than the past couple of years! Fortunately, yoga is a productive way to meet these needs—whether it's in a local class or your very own living room! And you can start breathing a sigh of relief—we have the 100 best yoga quotes for all yogis and newbies alike!

Yoga is the go-to workout choice for many (including celebs!), as it emphasizes the harmony between your body and mind through stretching, breathing and introspection. Besides an exercise in general, it also has roots as a practice of spirituality, which helps individuals feel their connection to others and to the universe as a whole.

Others who enjoy yoga may not know what it means to balance their chakras, and simply look at it as an ideal workout. After all, yoga can be used to improve back pain and posture, as well as help with weight loss and coordination. There are even a wide variety of classes and methods available, such as Vinyasa, Power, Hatha, Aerial, Restorative, "Kindness yoga" and more.

Whether you are just thinking about starting out, prefer "Child's Pose" or "Savasana," or take classes regularly with ease, there is plenty to inspire you within these 100 yoga quotes!

100 Yoga Quotes

1. “True yoga is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; yoga cares about the person you are becoming. Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose, and for it to be truly called yoga, its essence must be embodied.” — Aadil Palkhivala

2. "Yoga is not about touching your toes, it’s about what you learn on the way down." — Jigar Gor

3. "Yoga is the ultimate practice. It simultaneously stimulates our inner light and quiets our overactive minds. It is both energy and rest. Yin and Yang. We feel the burn and find our bliss.” — Elise Joan

4. "For many years I mistook discipline as ambition. Now I believe it to be more about consistency. Do get on the mat. Practice and life are not that different." — Judith Hanson Lasater

5. “Yoga begins with listening. When we listen, we are giving space to what is.” — Richard Freeman

6. "The success of Yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.” ― T.K.V. Desikachar

7. "Yoga means addition – addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul.” — Amit Ray

8. "Calming the mind is yoga. Not just standing on the head.” — Swami Satchidananda

9. "In asana practice we learn to cherish each breath, to cherish every cell in our bodies. The time we spend on the mat is love in action” — Rolf Gates

10. "If you seek peace, be still. If you seek wisdom, be silent. If you seek love, be yourself." — Becca Lee

Related: Yoga for Sleep: Relaxing Postures for a Restful Night 

11. "There is always room for change, but you have to be open to that change.” — Kathryn Budig

12. "Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

13. "Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self." — The Bhagavad Gita

14. "To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes." — Pema Chödrön

15. "Yoga is a way of moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are." ― Erich Schiffmann

16. "The attitude of gratitude is the highest yoga.” —Yogi Bhajan

17. "Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind.” — Patañjali

18. "The very heart of yoga practice is abhyasa – steady effort in the direction you want to go." — Sally Kempton

19. "If you fall over, you fall over. If you have to stop, you stop. But you start again. Just like life itself, you start again.” — Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

20. "It is only when the mind is free from the old that it meets everything anew, and in that there is joy.”
― Jiddu Krishnamurti

21. "Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths." — Etty Hillesum

22. "At this moment, you are seamlessly flowing with the cosmos. There is no difference between your breathing and the breathing of the rain forest, between your bloodstream and the world’s rivers, between your bones and the chalk cliffs of Dover.” ― Deepak Chopra

23. "All kidding aside, if everyone did yoga, we would have world peace." — Rory Freedman

24. "Anyone who practices can obtain success in yoga but not one who is lazy. Constant practice alone is the secret of success." — Svātmārāma

25. "That’s why it’s called a practice. We have to practice a practice if it is to be of value.” — Peace Pilgrim

26. "Balancing in yoga and life is a reflection of our inner state. Can we dance with change? Can we fall and try again with playfulness? Do we have the focus, skill, and attunement to find the still point within it all?” – Shiva Rea

27. "What you think, you become." — Buddha

28. "Yoga teaches you how to listen to your body." — Mariel Hemingway

29. "Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes." — Thich Nhat Hanh

30. "It is indeed true that by practicing yoga we gradually improve our ability to concentrate and to be independent. We improve our health, our relationships, and everything we do.” ― T.K.V. Desikachar

Related: 3 Best Yoga Poses for Anxiety

31. “I had discovered something; there was a pleasure in becoming something new. You could will yourself into a fresh shape. Now all I had to do was figure out how to do it out there, in my life.” ― Claire Dederer

32. "You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside." — Wayne Dyer

33. "Go from a human being doing yoga to a human being yoga." — Baron Baptiste

34. "Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be.” — B.K.S. Iyengar

35. "Yoga begins right where I am – not where I was yesterday or where I long to be." ― Linda Sparrowe

36. "People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily." — Zig Ziglar

37. "Exercises are like prose, whereas yoga is the poetry of movements. Once you understand the grammar of yoga; you can write your poetry of movements.” — Amit Ray

38. “Move your joints every day. You have to find your own tricks. Bury your mind deep in your heart, and watch the body move by itself.” — Sri Dharma Mittra

39. "Yoga does not always cure stress. It neutralizes it through increasing awareness and by changing self-perception." — Debasish Mridha

40. "The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body.” — Jason Crandell

41. "The yoga pose is not the goal. Becoming flexible is not the goal. Standing on your hands is not the goal. The goal is serenity. Balance. Truly finding peace in your own skin.” ― Rachel Brathen

42. "Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live." ― Jim Rohn

43. "The beautiful thing about yoga is that there are so many different approaches. As we go through our life cycles, hopefully we are able to find a practice that suits us." ― Tiffany Cruikshank

44. "Yoga is about clearing away whatever is in us that prevents our living in the most full and whole way. With yoga, we become aware of how and where we are restricted — in body, mind, and heart — and how gradually to open and release these blockages. As these blockages are cleared, our energy is freed. We start to feel more harmonious, more at one with ourselves. Our lives begin to flow — or we begin to flow more in our lives." — Cybele Tomlinson

45. "The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind.” — Rodney Yee

46. "It is not arrogant or egotistical to feel good inside. You had nothing to do with it. It’s simply the honest response to clearly perceived Reality." ― Erich Schiffmann

47. "The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

48. "Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life." — B.K.S. Iyengar

49. "Remember, it doesn’t matter how deep into a posture you go – what does matter is who you are when you get there.” ― Max Strom

50. "When you are self-conscious you are really showing symptoms that you don’t know who you are. Your very self-consciousness indicates that you have not come home yet." — Osho

Related: Find Your Namaste With These 15 Yoga Apps

51. "If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes it worse, but over time it does calm, and when it does, there's room to hear more subtle things - that's when your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more. Your mind just slows down, and you see a tremendous expanse in the moment. You see so much more than you could see before. It's a discipline; you have to practice it.” ― Walter Isaacson

52. "Most people have no idea how good their body is designed to feel.” ― Kevin Trudeau

53. "You may not be able to control the whole world, but you may learn to control your inner world through yoga.” — Debasish Mridha

54. "Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.” ― Amit Ray

55. "Spiritual awareness must be brought into our daily life if we are to become receptive to the radiance of that Consciousness that is pulsing with divine vibrations.” ― Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

56. "True meditation is about being fully present with everything that is–including discomfort and challenges. It is not an escape from life.” — Craig Hamilton

57. "The problem with introspection is that it has no end.” — Philip K. Dick

58. “Yoga is a light, which once lit will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter your flame.” — B.K.S. Iyengar

59. "Yoga does not remove us from the reality or responsibilities of everyday life but rather places our feet firmly and resolutely in the practical ground of experience. We don’t transcend our lives; we return to the life we left behind in the hopes of something better." — Donna Farhi

60. "Doing anything with attention to how you feel is doing yoga." — Jean Couch

61. "The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” — Sakyong Mipham

62. "Stretching your body and mind is essential to avoid rigidity.” ― Haresh Sippy

63. "Change only happens in the present moment. The past is already done. The future is just energy and intention.” — Kino MacGregor

64. "Notice the silence. Notice your heart. Still beating. Still fighting. You made it, after all. You made it, another day. And you can make it one more. You’re doing just fine.” ― Charlotte Eriksson

65. "When we push for immediate results and instant healing, we never inhabit the important in-between phase, which is where much of the learning and growth actually happen.” ― Bo Forbes

66. "To perform every action artfully is yoga.” ― Swami Kripa

67. "Your life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way." — Caroline Adams

68. "True success is achieved by stretching oneself, learning to feel comfortable being uncomfortable.” ― Ken Poirot

69. "I am never alone wherever I am. The air itself supplies me with a century of love. When I breathe in, I am breathing in the laughter, tears, victories, passions, thoughts, memories, existence, joys, moments, and the hues of the sunlight on many tones of skin; I am breathing in the same air that was exhaled by many before me. The air that bore them life. And so how can I ever say that I am alone?” ― C. JoyBell C.

70. “Yoga does not transform the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.” — B.K.S. Iyengar

Related: Five Powerful Yoga Poses for Two People

71. "The keys to health and weight-loss: stress reduction, sleep, deep breathing, clean water, complete nutrition, sunshine, walking, stretching, meditation, love, community, laughter, dreams, perseverance, purpose, humility, action.” ― Bryant McGill

72. "When you listen to yourself, everything comes naturally. It comes from inside, like a kind of will to do something. Try to be sensitive. That is yoga.” — Petri Räisänen

73. "Yoga becomes one lifelong journey to internal revelation." — Aadil Palkhivala

74. "When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others." — Peace Pilgrim

75. "Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.” — Pema Chödrön

76. "Certainly work is not always required of a man. There is such a thing as a sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.” — George MacDonald

77. "Yoga is the perfect opportunity to be curious about who you are” — Jason Crandell

78. "If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” — Amit Ray

79. "...what is essential in the practice of yoga is the breath because each pose, each movement, originates from there.” ― T.K.V. Desikacha

80. "Once you’re in touch with the life force around us, it’s natural to want to help keep it around." — Adi Carter

81. "Learning to be present with yourself and to abide in that which is steady and comfortable does not allow space for self-judgment. When you live this way, you are practicing yoga: you are living fully.” ― Judith Hanson Lasater

82. "The pose begins when you want to get out of it." — Baron Baptiste

83. "Yoga is the fountain of youth. You’re only as young as your spine is flexible." ― Bob Harper

84. "To understand the immeasurable, the mind must be extraordinarily quiet, still.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

85. “Yoga is not a work-out, it is a work-in. And this is the point of spiritual practice; to make us teachable; to open up our hearts and focus our awareness so that we can know what we already know and be who we already are.” — Rolf Gates

86. "Mind is a flexible mirror, adjust it, to see a better world.” — Amit Ray

87. "Yoga reveals to you the beauty of mindfulness and takes you into the essence of an endless present moment.”— Debasish Mridha

88. "Yoga is a dance between control and surrender — between pushing and letting go — and when to push and when to let go becomes part of the creative process, part of the open-ended exploration of your being.” — Joel Kramer

89. "It feels good pulling on these muscles, it feels better than worrying about who is watching.” ― Alain Bremond-Torrent

90. "Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked." — Patañjali

Related: Restorative Yoga Poses for Home Practice

91. “I think it’s interesting that the opposite of being active in yoga is not being passive. It’s being receptive.” — Cyndi Lee

92. "Through sustained focus and meditation on our patterns, habits, and conditioning, we gain knowledge and understanding of our past and how we can change the patterns that aren’t serving us to live more freely and fully." — Patañjali

93. "Let your practice be a celebration of life” — Seido lee deBarros

94. "There will always be people who can do it better than you, but that’s a good thing! Start to see competition as inspiration — without envy." — Kathryn Budig

95. "Yoga is invigoration in relaxation. Freedom in routine. Confidence through self-control. Energy within and energy without." — Ymber Delecto

96. "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." — Socrates

97. "Yoga is not about self-improvement. It’s about self-acceptance.” — Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

98. "A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms." — Zen Shin

99. "Although yoga has its origins in ancient India, its methods and purposes are universal, relying not on cultural background, faith or deity, but simply on the individual. Yoga has become important in the lives of many contemporary Westerners, sometimes as a way of improving health and fitness of the body, but also as a means of personal and spiritual development.” — Tara Fraser

100. "That’s exactly how it is in yoga. The places where you have the most resistance are actually the places that are going to be the areas of the greatest liberation.” — Rodney Yee

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