When we do not know how to communicate our feelings we sometimes look to the words of others.  Quotes from others can lift you up, soothe your soul, and help you identify how you are feeling.  The following is a compilation of yoga quotes to warm your heart when you are searching for words to explain your intensity, reaffirm your spirituality, help you meditate, and bring you wisdom.  

Intensity

Look to these words to explain the intense emotions of anger or sadness that you are feeling.

“Crying is one of the highest devotional songs. One who knows crying, knows spiritual practice. If you can cry with a pure heart, nothing else compares to such a prayer. Crying includes all the principles of Yoga.” ― Kripalvanandji

“In stillness all conflict must end.”  –Phillip Urso

“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

“Rather than allowing our response to an even affect our breathing, we can learn instead to let our breathing change our relationship to the event.”  ― Cyndi Lee

“From just one spark we can create one fire. And from one fire we can create one light. From that one light, we create vision and that vision is how we share just one spark. Inspire all those around you.”

― Josh Blatter

“Yoga has a sly, clever way of short circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety.” -Baxter Bal.

Spirituality

Yoga is first and foremost a spiritual practice.  Turn your thoughts inward and reflect on yourself with these words.

“Any belief, whatever it is, is counterproductive in the context of the practice of yoga. One holds a belief instead of knowing. For example, you wouldn’t say you believe in your right ear, since you know your ear, no belief is required. Believing always excludes knowing. When jnana (supreme knowledge) comes through the practice of yoga, you will know. Do not be satisfied with believing.” –Gregor Maehle

“Why they always look so serious in Yoga? You make serious face like this, you scare away good energy. To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver. Practice tonight at hotel. Not to hurry, not to try too hard. Too serious, you make you sick. You can calling the good energy with a smile.

(From Ketut Liyer, the Balinese healer)”  ― Elizabeth Gilbert

“Some students are in a hurry to begin “real” pranayama. They go right to the later stages without first laying a quality foundation, and their practice often suffers. First find out what is. This is also part of the answer to the question Who am I?”  ― Richard Rosen, The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama

“God, with the help of yoga, through gradual enfoldment and transformations is seen within the human body as Bliss and then again through yogas that Bliss being concentrated takes the form of a person and teaches the seer yogas.”  ― Sri Jibankrishna

Meditation

Meditation brings calmness and clarity to the mind.  Learn to empty your mind of the daily grind and find what truly matters to you not only with these words but also with practice.  

“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.” ― Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

 “The sun shines down, and its image reflects in a thousand different pots filled with water. The reflections are many, but they are each reflecting the same sun. Similarly, when we come to know who we truly are, we will see ourselves in all people.”  -Ammachi

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

“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, Yoga and Vipassana: An Integrated Life Style

“Down on my knees / I peel back the layers of the world.” ― Leza Lowitz, Yoga Poems: Lines to Unfold by

Wisdom

Those seeking wisdom have started a journey of enlightenment.  Learn from the words others during your travels.

“Wisdom is knowing we are all One. Love is what it feels like and Compassion is what it acts like.”  -Ethan Walker III

“Yoga is the cessation of the movements of the mind. Then there is abiding in the Seer’s own form.”

― Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”-BK Iyengar

“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

“Meditation is both the symbol and expression of our intention to grow. Sitting still, alone with our thoughts and feelings, we can honor missed opportunities, passing desires, remembered disappointments, as well as our inner strength, personal wisdom, and ability to forgive and love.”

― Sebastian Pole, Discovering the True You with Ayurveda: How to Nourish, Rejuvenate, and Transform Your Life

“It is only when the correct practice is followed for a long time, without interruptions and with a quality of positive attitude and eagerness, that it can succeed.”  ― Patanjali, Yoga-Sutras

Summary

Sometimes others know how to say best what we are feeling.  There is much to learn from yoga not only in words about it but also in the act of it.