Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes

'Presence of God' is really that understanding that sometimes when you step out of your own shoes and just open your ears and listen to what's going on around you, you get answers to the questions you were asking.

Every few months, I would take off to the U.S., which had people wondering why I went away so often. My trips were always to meet my spiritual guru, Maaji, who is based in the U.S. I would always come back with clear mind and sure footing.

Priests and nuns actually meditated. It's not religious. It's about centering yourself.

Except witnessing, I don't teach anything else. So just witness your mind and the meditation will be happening. And once you have got in tune with your being, you know the way, you know the how. Then it does not matter where you are. Alone or in the crowd, in the silences of the forest or in the noises of a marketplace, it is all the same. You can simply close your eyes and disappear inwards.

It is not a question of sitting silently, it is not a question of chanting a mantra. It is a question of understanding the subtle workings of the mind. As you understand those workings of the mind a great awareness arises in you, which is not of the mind. That awareness arises in your being, in your soul, in your consciousness.

Every morning I stay in bed for ten minutes to ponder my place in the universe. Then I wash my face and check my karma.

When you first awaken or before drifting off to sleep, quiet your mind, lift up your heart, muse, mull over, make discoveries. Consider, conceive, create, connect, concede that it all starts within.

I hang out with my guru in my heart. And I love every thing in the universe. That's all I do all day.

Meditation is not to avoid society; it is to look deep to have the kind of insight you need to take action. To think that it is just to sit down and enjoy the calm and peace, is wrong.

I've never meditated in my life. I don't practice yoga nor any religion. I'm a tourist on the realm of stillness.

Soul is the central point of spiritual discipline.

My nature is... well... I'm a searcher by nature. I'm constantly searching for something; that's why I have a song called 'Looking for Something.' How do I do it? I read a lot of spiritual books; I meditate.

I do a lot of reading, meditating, and praying to stay as grounded as I can be in this crazy world.

I meditate. Meditation helps me.

I've been practicing modalities of Eastern philosophy since about 1972. What I've learned through my meditation is a sense of equanimity, a sense of all things being equal.

Well, I was passionately curious about what my body was doing, and when I got the lessons on how to meditate, it seemed really solid to me. It seemed real.

Writing can be an incredible mindfulness practice.

You have to do what makes you feel good, but for me, it has to come from that spiritual side first.

Meditating has taught me to sit with my thoughts, my feelings, and just observe them.

I try to meditate.

Whether you call it meditation, self-reflection or just shutting everything out, I am quite good at that.

I found meditation. It was more out of pure desperation: I just started to wake up at 5 and sit for one hour, and suddenly, day after day, piece by piece, I could really feel I was coming back into me.

Through the portals of silence the healing sun of wisdom and peace will shine upon you.