There are times when we all need a little motivation for our yoga practice. Either it feels especially hard to roll out our mat at all, or we struggle emotionally and mentally to sustain a yoga habit.
During days like that, I tend to reach out for my journal and Pinterest ‘bank’ of inspirational quotes to renew my motivation to exercise both physically and mentally. Many times, this quiet time of reflection is enough to give me that needed push to roll out the mat and get things going.
For those of us who are similarly in need of a little motivation, here are 31 inspirational quotes for your yoga practice – one for each day of the month.
“Anybody can breathe. Therefore anybody can practice yoga.” -T.K.V. Desikachar
“It’s not life that matters, it’s the courage you bring to it.” – Yogi Bhajan
“Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I am changing myself.” – Rumi
“Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to results, because there follows immediate peace.” – Bhagavad Gita
“Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.” – Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds. Your mind transcends limitations; your consciousness expands in every direction; and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” – Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
“What you think, you become.” – Buddha
“If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
“The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” – Sakyong Mipham
“A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves.” -T. Guillemets
“It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection.” – Bhagavad Gita
“Remember the emphasis on the heart. The mind lives in doubt and the heart lives in trust. When you trust, suddenly you become centred.” – Osho
“Do your practice and all is coming.” – Sri Krishna Pattabhi Jois
“Yoga is not about touching your toes, it is what you learn on the way down.” – Jigar Gor
“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” – Aldous Huxley
“Anyone who practices can obtain success in yoga but not one who is lazy. Constant practice alone is the secret of success.” – Svatmarama
“One of the fundamental principles of yoga: a small action done repeatedly can make an enormous difference.” – Dr Timothy McCall
“If you seek peace, be still. If you seek wisdom, be silent. If you seek love, be yourself.” – Becca Lee
“Yoga is really trying to liberate us from… shame about our bodies. To love your body is a very important thing — I think the health of your mind depends on your being able to love your body. – Rodney Yee
“Continuous effort — not strength nor intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Winston Churchill
“Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.” – Pema Chodron
“Close your eyes and imagine the best version of you possible. That’s who you really are. Let go of any part of you that doesn’t believe it.” – C. Assaad
“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
“Inhale the future. Exhale the past.” – Unknown
“Your soul is your best friend. Treat it with care, nurture it with growth, feed it with love.” – Ashourina Yalda
“Yoga is invigoration in relaxation. Freedom in routine. Confidence through self-control. Energy within and energy without.” – Ymber Delecto
“The study of asana is not about mastering posture. It’s about using posture to understand and transform yourself.” – B.K.S Iyengar
“Your mind is your instrument. Learn to be its master and not its slave.” – Remez Sasson
“Do not let the behaviour of others destroy your inner peace.” – Dalai Lama
“The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.” – Prasad Mahes
These 31 quotes are but a small ocean of motivational quotes we can find. Let me know if you found it useful for your practice and what more you would like to read. I will share more motivational quotes in these bite-sized posts on a periodic basis.
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The YogaMad is founded by Mila, an avid yogini who is passionate about inspiring others to live their best lives while finding mind-body-soul balance. She has a background in business consulting but has left the corporate world in her quest to live out her dreams as a yoga nomad.
