Struggling to feel thankful? Taking yourself too seriously? Got too much on your mind to meditate? Relax! You’re sure to find something that resonates with you in this list of deep and sometimes funny yoga quotes, yoga sayings and idioms. From B.K.S. Iyengar to Albert Einstein, Pattabhi Jois to Oprah, T.K.V. Desikachar to Joan Rivers, we have a yoga quote for every mood.
Gratitude Yoga Quotes to Ground Your Yoga Practice
One of the most wonderful benefits of yoga is how it can instil gratitude and thankfulness in our hearts. A thankfulness for our bodies, our minds, and our practice. Gratitude is a powerful force. It can improve your mental health and your physical wellbeing. By appreciating each moment, movement and breath, yogis can truly embrace life.
The trouble is, when life gets us down, it can be hard to concentrate on the positives, rather than the negatives. That’s why we’ve curated a collection of 42 gratitude quotes, yoga quotes and yoga sayings, to inspire even the most pessimistic yogi to give a little respect — to themselves, to others, and to life.
Gratitude doesn’t just belong on the mat. Yogis who practice gratitude radiate positivity, finding enjoyment in even the smallest moments, living every day with an attitude of gratitude that lifts the lives of those around them, too.
Our 42 Favourite Gratitude Quotes
- “An attitude of gratitude brings great things” – Yogi Bhajan
- “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom” – Marcel Proust
- “Reflect upon your present moment blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some” – Charles Dickens
- “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life” – Rumi
- “You open the door through gratitude” – Deepak Chopra
- “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them” – John F. Kennedy
- “Have gratitude for the things you’re discarding. By giving gratitude, you’re giving closure to the relationship with that object, and by doing so, it becomes a lot easier to let go” – Marie Kondo
- “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls” – Aesop
- “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.” – Camus
- “Peace begins with a smile.” – Mother Teresa
- “So, go ahead. Fall down. The world looks different from the ground.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “There is no way to happiness—happiness is the way.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
- “When you stop and really look, you see that you are supported continuously in literally countless ways. This is the highest lesson of yoga, the truth of interbeing, of no separation.” – Frank Jude Boccio
- “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette
- “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” – Dr Seuss
- “If you only say one prayer in a day, make it thank you” – Rumi
- “I’m grateful for always this moment, the now, no matter what form it takes” – Eckhart Tolle
- “I was complaining that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet” – Confucius
- “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
- “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle” – Albert Einstein
- “The attitude of gratitude is the highest yoga” – Yogi Bhajan
- “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Hear blessings dropping their blossoms around you” – Rumi
- “There are always flowers for those who want to see them” – Henri Matisse
- “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love” – Marcus Aurelius
- “It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” – Henri Frederic Amiel
- “In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” – Lionel Hampton
- “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero
- “Happiness cannot be traveled to owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley
- “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.” – Melody Beattie
- “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” – Karl Barth
- “Have only love in your heart for others. The more you see the good in them, the more you will establish good in yourself.” – Paramahansa Yogananda (Indian yogi and guru)
- "Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows." – Helen Keller
- “Light tomorrow with today.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
- “Gratitude will shift you to a higher frequency, and you will attract much better things.” – Rhonda Byrne
- “When I started counted my blessings, my whole life turned around.” – Willie Nelson
- “Gratitude is an opener of locked – up blessings” – Marianne Williamson
- “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for” – Epicurus
- “Earth's crammed with heaven... But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning, from Aurora Leigh
- “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” – Henry Ward Beecher
Meditation Quotes That Can Help You Re-Centre and Recharge
Meditation is a great way to unwind and recharge our batteries. But sometimes, it can be hard to silence the nagging voice in our heads, and we can’t quite connect to the power within us. When we’re stressed at the office or our to-do list seems never-ending, finding the time to think about nothing isn’t exactly easy.
We've all been there. Even the most dedicated yogis have bad days. You’re not alone. But, the fact is, not only is meditation therapeutic, but it’s also good for your health, helping to boost the immune system, aid heart health and reduce anxiety.
And the best part? It’s completely free. Need more convincing? Meditation can be practiced anywhere, anytime – even on the commute home.
This collection of meditation quotes, yoga quotes and inspirational sayings, will help you put the ‘I’ back into your practice. If you find you just can’t clear your mind, it may be that these wise words guide you to peace, even if it is only for a few minutes…
Our 36 Favourite Meditation Quotes
- “Meditation is a way for nourishing and blossoming the divinity within you.” – Amit Ray
- “Learn this from the water: loud splashes the brook, but the ocean depths are calm” – Buddha
- “The brain is the hardest part of the body to adjust in asanas” – B.K.S Iyengar
- “The past has no power over the present moment” – Eckhart Tolle
- “Yoga is not a work-out. It is a work-in.” – Rolf Gates
- “A mind free from all disturbances is yoga” – Patanjali
- “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour” – Old Zen saying
- “Yoga is an effortless dance with breath and gravity” – Vanda Scaravelli
- “Surrender to yoga, for where is the conflict when the truth is known?” – Krishna Macharya
- “When the chest is opening, the mind is opening, and we feel emotionally shiny, and stability comes” – Vanda Scaravelli
- “If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.” – Buddha
- “You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state” – Sharon Gannon
- “Master your breath, let the self be in bliss, contemplate on the sublime within you” – Shri T Krishnamacharya
- “Yoga allows you to rediscover a sense of wholeness in your life, where you do not feel like you are constantly trying to fit broken pieces together.” – B.K.S Iyengar
- “The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body.” – Jason Crandall
- “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
- “Yoga has a sly, clever way of short circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety.” – Baxter Bell
- “If we only look within, we will see the Light as if we were seeing our own image in a mirror.” ― Swami Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras
- "Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you about the destination." – Drake.
- “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” – Buddha
- “Plant the seed of meditation and reap the fruit of peace of mind.” – Anonymous
- “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Buddha
- “Your mind is your instrument. Learn to be its master and not its slave.” – Remez Sasson
- “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – The Bhagavad Gita
- “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” – Mother Teresa
- “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves” – Sir Edmund Hillary
- “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “The sun, the moon, the stars, and all the lights that you can imagine in the entire external world are but fragments of that one great Light that is within you” – Swami Rama
- “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. “ – Oprah
- “You only lose what you cling to” – Buddha
- “The treasure is carried by you every moment. Every breath you take in or out, the treasure is there. You may not be aware, but you have never missed it.” – Osho, The Essence of Yoga
- “In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” – Deepak Chopra
- “Breath is your link to life; the direct connection to your spirit.” – Dashama Konah Gordon
- “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu
- “Silence is not silent. Silence speaks. It speaks most eloquently. Silence is not still. Silence leads. It leads most perfectly.” – Sri Chinmoy
- “It is better to conquer yourself than a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken away” – Buddha
Funny Yoga Quotes — Because Laughter is Good for the Soul
As you can see, we love our yoga quotes. Sometimes we're in the mood for something wise—a yoga quote that lifts us, capturing the tranquillity and grace of a centuries old tradition. Sometimes we need something motivating, to get us on our way to the yoga class or onto the yoga mat.
But honestly? Most of the time we just want something funny. A funny quote can make us a bit light hearted or make us chuckle, giggle, and forget about life’s worries. Research has long shown that that laughter really is the best medicine. A hearty laugh relieves tension in the muscles and alleviates stress, leaving you feeling relaxed for up to 45 minutes afterwards. And what’s more yogic than that?
Here are 37 of my favourite funny yoga quotes and jokes because as Osho says, “while you are laughing you cannot be in the past, you cannot be in the future; you have to be here right now.”
37 of Our Favourite Funny Yoga Quotes
- “Yoga is not about touching your toes. It’s about what you learn on the way down” – Jigar Gor
- “The last time I opened my chakra, so I could feel my peace, I got thrown right out of the pub.” – Terri Guillemets
- “My body is a temple. My temple needs redecorating.” – Joan Rivers
- “See! Levitation is easy if we all just keep our heads on the ground.” – Anthony T. Hincks
- “A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves.” – Terri Guillemets
- “No chapattis. No strength.” – Sharath Rangaswamy
- “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” – Michael McGriffy M.D
- “Calming the mind is yoga. Not just standing on the head” – Swami Satchidananda
- “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.” – Steve Martin
- “A Zen master once said to me, 'Do the opposite of whatever I tell you.' So, I didn't.” – Anonymous
- “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour” – Old Zen saying
- “When you hear your inner voice, forget it.” – Hyoen Sahn
- “Nose is for breathing, mouth is for eating. If you breathe through your mouth, I will feed you through your nose.” – BKS Iyengar
- “Yoga is 99% waste removal” – T.K.V Desikachar
- “Yoga adds years to your life and life to your years” – Alan Finger
- “What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind.” – George Berkeley
- “Be realistic: plan for a miracle.” – Osho
- “In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.” – Douglas Adams
- “Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge, others just gargle.” – Robert Anthony
- “Yoga is not a work-out. It is a work-in.” – Rolf Gates
- “Enlightenment comes when your third eye is at one with your turd eye, so you can see through your own shit.” – Christopher Wynter
- “Breathe in. Breathe out. Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will be the least of your problems.” – Anonymous
- “How much ego do you need? Just so much that you don't step in front of a bus.” – Shunryu Suzuki
- “I gained nothing at all from Supreme Enlightenment, and for that very reason it is called Supreme Enlightenment.” – Gautama Buddha
- “A day without yoga is like a sundae without sprinkles” – Emma Mildon
- “Our heads are round so thought can change direction.” – Allen Ginsberg
- “These are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.” – Groucho Marx
- “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” ― Will Rogers
- “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” – Paul Valery
- “A donkey with a load of holy books is still a donkey.” – Sufi saying
- “Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” – Lewis Carroll
- “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard
- “Yoga. Because punching people is frowned upon” – Anonymous
- “You can't have everything ... where would you put it?” – Steven Wright
- “You don’t have to be flexible to do yoga. You just have to be willing to shake the dust off and see what happens” – David Good
- “Yoga is the fountain of youth. You're only as young as your spine is flexible.” – Bob Harper
- “Some days you eat salads and go do yoga, some days you eat cupcakes and refuse to put on pants. It's called balance.” – Anonymous
