Yoga isn’t just about becoming bendier. Those practicing yoga also use the time to quiet the mind and examine the soul. That’s why people have had a lot to say about yoga and gratitude.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Quotes About Yoga, Gratitude, and Mindfulness
- Quotes About Yoga and Gratitude to Share in Class
- Quotes About Yoga and Gratitude to Share on Social Media
- Quotes About Yoga and Gratitude to Share in a Card
Here are some quotes about yoga, gratitude, and mindfulness that you can share with your yoga instructor or students, write about in a journal, or think about as you meditate.
Quotes About Yoga, Gratitude, and Mindfulness
Although yoga originated in ancient India and is associated with Hinduism and Buddhism, modern yoga is practiced worldwide across various cultures and religions. So whether you view it as a form of exercise or a way to show gratitude, here are some quotes about this ancient practice.
1. “Yoga is not about touching your toes. It’s about what you learn on the way down.” – Jigar Gor
What was on your mind today as you attempted to touch your toes?
2. “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
Some are able to experience this quiet mind while running or walking in nature.
3. “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
Desikachar was the son of the pioneer of modern yoga.
4. “Yoga means addition – addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul.” – Amit Ray
We love the idea of yoga adding energy, strength, and beauty to one’s soul.
5. “Calming the mind is yoga. Not just standing on the head.” – Swami Satchidananda
A swami is a Hindu male religious leader.
6. “There is always room for change, but you have to be open to that change.” – Kathryn Budig
Kathryn Budig hosts a podcast called Free Cookies.
7. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Those new to yoga will quickly learn about the importance of paying attention to how you breathe.
8. “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” – The Bhagavad Gita
The Gita is considered to be a holy scripture for Hindus.
9. “Yoga is a way of moving into stillness in order to experience the truth of who you are.” – Erich Schiffmann
Schiffmann finishes his thought in this way: “The practice of yoga is the practice of meditation - or inner listening – in the poses and meditations, as well as all day long. It’s a matter of listening inwardly for guidance all the time, and then daring enough and trusting enough to do as you are prompted to do.”
10. “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
The practice of balance is an essential part of yoga.
Quotes About Yoga and Gratitude to Share in Class
Perhaps it is your practice to begin or end your yoga session with a thoughtful quote. If so, here are some thoughts by yoga masters. You might also want to spend time dissecting these quotes in your gratitude journal.
11. “It is only when the mind is free from the old that it meets everything anew, and in that there is joy.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
Krishnamurti was a philosopher, speaker, and writer.
12. “At this moment, you are seamlessly flowing with the cosmos. There is no difference between your breathing and the breathing of the rainforest, between your bloodstream and the world’s rivers, between your bones and the chalk cliffs of Dover.” – Deepak Chopra
Chopra is a prolific writer focusing on alternative medicine, healing, and mindfulness.
13. “All kidding aside, if everyone did yoga, we would have world peace.” – Rory Freedman
Freedman is the author of Skinny Bitch: A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous!
14. “What you think, you become.” – Buddha
You may also be interested in reading Buddhist quotes about life and death.
15. “Yoga teaches you how to listen to your body.” – Mariel Hemingway
Hemingway’s paternal grandfather was Ernest Hemingway.
16. “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
Desikachar died in 2016.
17. “You cannot always control what goes on outside, but you can always control what goes on inside.” – Wayne Dyer
Practicing yoga helps you control your thoughts.
18. “Go from a human being doing yoga to a human being yoga.” – Baron Baptiste
You might need to read this quote several times to understand its meaning.
19. “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
Ziglar was a prolific writer, focusing on the power of positive thinking.
20. “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
Brathen is a yoga instructor and author of the book Yoga Girl.
Quotes About Yoga and Gratitude to Share on Social Media
Instead of posting another picture of what you ate for dinner, consider using your social media accounts to spread positive-minded messages about gratitude and peace. Here are some post-worthy quotes.
21. “Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn
What are you going to do today to take care of your body?
22. “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
Tomlinson is the teacher and the co-director of the Berkeley Yoga Center.
23. “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
Strom is a breathing teacher who has had three TED talks.
24. “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
Ray has written several books on meditation.
25. “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
Eriksson is a yoga teacher and a digital marketing expert.
26. “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
McGill writes and speaks about human potential.
27. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” – Amit Ray
Some use yoga to help conquer anxious feelings.
28. “Yoga is the fountain of youth. You’re only as young as your spine is flexible.” – Bob Harper
Harper is a personal trainer and author.
29. “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
Gates is a yoga teacher, a former U.S. Army Ranger, and a social worker.
Quotes About Yoga and Gratitude to Share in a Card
Are you sending a card to someone in your life who is struggling? Here are some positive-minded quotes about thankfulness and gratitude to include in the card.
30. “Even in the chaos of everyday life, moments of gratitude remind us to hold on to the good things.” – Brit Morin
Morin is the CEO of Brit + Co, a media and digital education company.
31. “Everything we do should be a result of our gratitude for what God has done for us.” – Lauryn Hill
Hill is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress.
32. “I think gratitude is a big thing. It puts you in a place where you’re humble.” – Andra Day
Day’s debut album was titled Tears to the Fall.
33. “I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
One of Emerson’s good friends was Henry David Thoreau.
Practicing Yoga and Gratitude Can Change Your Life
Some practice yoga to become more flexible, while others do it to reduce anxiety. Regardless of your reasons for participating in this ancient practice, we hope you were able to gain more understanding of yoga and gratitude from the quotes on our list.