Top 250 B.K.S. Iyengar Quotes (2025 Update)
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51. “We can rise above our limitations, only once we recognize them.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

52. “Purity is when there is no anxiety, no worry, no thinking.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

53. “The flexibility we gain in asana is the living symbol of the suppleness we gain in relation to life’s problems and challenges.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

55. “True concentration is an unbroken thread of awareness.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

56. “Asana done from the brain makes one heavy and done from the heart makes one light.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

57. “Life without tapas, is like a heart without love.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

58. “Look after the root of the tree, and the fragrant flower and luscious fruits will grow by themselves. Look after the health of the body, and the fragrance of the mind and richness of the spirit will follow.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

59. “Healthy plants and trees yield abundant flowers and fruits. Similarly, from a healthy person, smiles and happiness shine forth like the rays of the sun.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

60. “It is while practicing yoga asanas that you learn the art of adjustment.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

62. “When you are practicing, do not just do that for the sake of doing. Learn to reflect while you are practising. Make your mind and brain observe and relearn what you are doing. Doing is mechanical; learning is dynamic.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

64. “Life itself seeks fulfillment as plants seek sunlight.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

65. “If the foundation is firm the building can withstand calamities. The practice of yoga is the foundation so that the self is not shaken under any circumstances.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

66. “The beauty of a lake reflects the beauty around it. When the mind is still, the beauty of the Self is seen reflected in it.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

68. “Do not think of yourself as a small, compressed, suffering thing. Think of yourself as graceful and expanding, no matter how unlikely it may seem at the time.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

69. “It is never too late in life to practice yoga.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

70. “Yoga is an interior penetration leading to integration of being, senses, breath, mind, intelligence, consciousness, and Self. It is definitely an inward journey, evolution through involution, toward the Soul, which in turn desires to emerge and embrace you in its glory.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

73. “The physical body is not only a temple for our soul, but the means by which we embark on the inward journey toward the core.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

74. “Our greed comes from our fear that we will not have enough – whether it is money or love that we grasp. Yoga teaches us to let go of these fears and so to realize the abundance around us and within us.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

75. “Your body is the child of the soul. you must nourish and train that child.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

76. “There is no progress toward ultimate freedom without transformation, and this is the key issue in all lives.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

77. “Yoga is the music of the soul. So do continue, and the gates of the soul will open.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

78. “The battle of yoga is with the body and with the ego. You must conquer your ego, or small self, so that you can let your soul, your big Self, be victorious.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

79. “Sometimes our body is willing, but our mind is weak. Sometimes our mind is willing, but our body is weak. Do not be afraid. Strive to extend your capacity but do not be disappointed with yourself. What does not challenge us, cannot change us.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

80. “Any action done with beauty and purity, and in complete harmony of body, mind and soul, is Art.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

81. “Extension brings space, space brings freedom, freedom brings precision. Precision is truth.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

82. “Your whole being should be symmetrical. Yoga is symmetry. That is why yoga is a basic art.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

83. “Yes, flexibility of body and physical perfection for Yogasana is important. However more important is the state of your mind, Meditative mind. Your flexibility might be excellent but if your mind is not attentive, you are merely doing some physical exercise, not Yoga.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

84. “I always tell people, live happily and die majestically.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

85. “Penetration of our mind is our goal, but in the beginning to set things in motion, there is no substitute for sweat.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

86. “The decision to relax rather than to grip, even in the face of impatience or fear, is a conscious and brave choice.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

87. “Be inspired but not proud.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

88. “Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intellect, and benevolence of spirit.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

90. “Knowledge of yoga is no substitute for practice.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

91. “Backbends are to be felt more than expressed. The other postures can be expressed and then felt. Like in meditation each person has to feel backbends.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

92. “If you practice yoga every day with perseverance, you will be able to face the turmoil of life with steadiness and maturity.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

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

— B.K.S. Iyengar

94. “You do not need to seek freedom in a different land, for it exists with your own body, heart, mind, and soul.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

95. “A yogi’s brain extends from the bottom of the foot to the top of his head.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

96. “The conjunction of effort, concentration and balance in asana forces us to live intensely in the present moment, a rare experience in modern life.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

97. “When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service you are giving to the world.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

98. “An intellectual mind that is unconnected to the heart is an uncultivated mind.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

99. “Yoga is effort. Only practice is important. The rest of knowledge is only theory.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar

100. “By drawing our senses of perception inward, we are able to experience the control, silence, and quietness of the mind.”

— B.K.S. Iyengar