B.K.S. Iyengar Quotes

When an asana is done correctly the body movements are smooth, there is lightness in the body and freedom in the mind.

The brain is the hardest part of the body to adjust in asanas.

Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life.

You do not need to seek freedom in some distant land, for it exists within your own body, heart, mind, and soul.

We have the ability to create choice by altering our interpretations of the world.

I am standing on my own altar; The poses are my prayers.

It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.

The best way to overcome fear is to face with equanimity the situation of which one is afraid.

Approach each asana with freshness every day.

Abhyasa (practice) is a dedicated, unswerving, constant, and vigilant search into a chosen subject pursued against all odds in the face of repeated failures, for indefinitely long periods of time.

Yoga is when every cell of the body sings the song of the soul.

The light that Yoga sheds on life is something special. It is transformative. It does not just change the way we see things; it transforms the person who sees.

Nothing can be forced, receptivity is everything.

This practice of yoga is to remove the weeds from the body so that the garden can grow.

A good teacher helps you explore the maximum.

Keep your attention internal, not external, not worrying about what others see, but what the Self sees.

Health begins with firmness in the body, deepens to emotional stability, then leads to intellectual clarity, wisdom and finally the unveiling of the soul.

Yoga is a way of life; it is an art, a science, a philosophy.

In order to 'hold fast' to something, one must allow oneself to be held to something. That commitment may be one of the hardest things to practice in a world of so much choice.

Yoga aims for complete awareness in everything you do.

Yoga uses the body to discipline the mind and to reach the soul.

The lotus grows in muddy waters but this flower does not show any trace of it: So we have to live in the world.

If you have the right mind, your body can do anything.

Through surrender the aspirant's ego is effaced, and . . . grace . . . pours down upon him like a torrential rain.

Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one's actions.

Balancing hopes, desires and an appreciating of the possibilities with a clear-eyed assessment of the limitations: that is the art of choosing.

Choice is the only tool we have that enables us to go from who we are today to who we want to be tomorrow.

If you are looking for a whale you cannot search for a whale in a pond. You must go to deep waters.

Breath is the vehicle of consciousness and so, by its slow measured observation and distribution, we learn to tug our attention away from external desires toward a judicious, intelligent awareness.

Action is movement with intelligence

As leaves move in the wind, your mind moves with your breath.

A stable mind is like the hub of a wheel. The world may spin around you, but the mind is steady.

Focus on keeping your spine straight. It is the job of the spine to keep the brain alert.

Everybody should live quietly whether his experiences are happy or sad, whether they are successes or failures. That is contentment.

In whatever you are doing, be one: body, soul, mind. Do it beautifully and with purity.

Mind is the king of the senses; breath is the king of the mind; and the nerves are king of the breath.

I can remain thoughtfully thoughtless, It is not an empty mind.

The typical American reports making about 70 [choices] in a typical day.

The highest point of yesterday should be the lowest point of today

The key to getting the most from choice is to be choosy about choosing.

When you see a mistake in somebody else, try to find if you are making the same mistake.

Balance in the body is the foundation for balance in life.

By persistent and sustained practice, anyone and everyone can make the yoga journey and reach the goal of illumination and freedom.

As we explore the soul, it is important to remember that this exploration will take place within nature (the body), for that is where and what we are.

Health is not a commodity to be bargained for. It has to be earned through sweat.

One's spiritual realization lies in none other than how one walks among and interacts with one's fellow beings.

The body is the prop for the soul. So why not let the body be propped by a wall or a block?

Words cannot convey the value of yoga - it has to be experienced.

Change leads to disappointment if it is not sustained. Transformation is sustained change, and it is achieved through practice.

The hardness of a diamond is part of its usefulness, but its true value is in the light that shines through it.