25 Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes From the “Father of Yoga in the West”
Published May 5, 2023
These Paramahansa Yogananda quotes are perfect for anyone interested in yoga.
Paramahansa Yogananda was born in the North-Western Provinces of British India in 1893 and died in Los Angeles, California, in 1952.
Yogananda was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi, and guru considered the “Father of Yoga in the West.”
He was a chief disciple of the Bengali yoga guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, tasked with spreading the teachings of yoga westward.
His desire to spread the Kriya Yoga teachings led him to move to America in 1920 and to Los Angeles, California, in 1925, where he spent the remainder of his life.
He created Self-Realization Fellowship and opened over 100 centers in India and the United States.
Take a look at these Paramahansa Yogananda quotes to learn more about this influential man.
You will also enjoy our articles on yoga quotes and BKS Iyengar quotes.
Best Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes
Here are some of the most popular quotes from Paramahansa Yogananda.
1. “In the ocean of life, the wise man is anchored by humility.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
2. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
3. “The greatest romance you can ever have is the romance with God.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
4. “I am not this body. I am not this mind.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
5. “Every tomorrow is determined by every today.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
6. “Learn the art of right living. If you have joy, you have everything.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
7. “Divine love is without condition, without boundary, without change.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
8. “Your trials did not come to punish you, but to awaken you.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
9. “Change yourself, and you have done your part in changing the world.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
10. “Most people would want to meditate if they understood its value and experienced its beneficial effects.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
Inspirational Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes
Many find inspiration from the following quotes.
11. “The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
12. “Forget the past, for it is gone from your domain! Forget the future, for it is beyond your reach!” — Paramahansa Yogananda
13. “Making others happy, through kindness of speech and sincerity of right advice, is a sign of true greatness.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
14. “God sees the changeless beauty of our souls. He knows we are not our mistakes.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
15. “When you make up your mind to do good things, you will accomplish them if you use dynamic willpower to follow through.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
16. “When the mind is calm, how quickly, how smoothly, how beautifully you will perceive everything.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
17. “If you want to be sad, no one in the world can make you happy. But if you make up your mind to be happy, no one and nothing on earth can take that happiness from you.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes About Meditation
These quotes show his perspective on meditation and life.
18. “The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with the Spirit lies its greatest joy.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
19. “It is better to meditate a little bit with depth than to mediate long with the mind running here and there.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
20. “If, then, you experience mental resistance during meditation, remember that reluctance to meditate comes from the ego; it doesn’t belong to the soul.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
21. “If you do not make an effort to control the mind, it will go on doing as it pleases, no matter how long you sit to meditate.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
22. “When the mind is calm, how quickly, how smoothly, how beautifully you will perceive everything.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
23. “The happiness which comes from long practice, which leads to the end of suffering, which at first is like poison, but at last like nectar – this kind of happiness arises from the serenity of one’s own mind.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
24. “The happiness of one’s own heart alone cannot satisfy the soul; one must try to include, as necessary to one’s own happiness, the happiness of others.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
25. “The happiness which comes from long practice, which leads to the end of suffering, which at first is like poison, but at last like nectar – this kind of happiness arises from the serenity of one’s own mind.” — Paramahansa Yogananda
A Mysterious Passing
Yogananda spent most of the last four years of his life at his desert retreat in California so that he could finish his writings.
When the Indian Ambassador to the U.S., Binay Ranjan Sen, and his wife visited California, Yogananda attended a banquet for them at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
There he gave a speech, then lifted his eyes and slumped to the floor dead.
However, his death was mysterious as mortuary annals showed no sign of decay for three weeks after his death until he was interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
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