If we know the divine art of concentration, if we know the divine art of meditation, if we know the divine art of contemplation, easily and consciously we can unite the inner world and the outer world
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
By meditation I can converse with God, solace myself on the bosom of the Saviour, bathe myself in the rivers of divine pleasure, tread the paths of my rest, and view the mansions of eternity.
—Anonymous
Pleased rather with some soft ideal scene, The work of Fancy, or some happy tone Of meditation, slipping in between The beauty coming and the beauty gone
—William Wordsworth (1770–1850) English Poet
Make your judgment trustworthy by trusting it. Cultivate regular periods of silence and meditation. The best time to build judgment is in solitude, when you can think out things for yourself without the probability of interruption.
—Grenville Kleiser (1868–1935) Canadian Author
The child can become conscious only if in his past life he has meditated enough, has created enough meditative energy to fight with the darkness that death brings. One simply is lost in an oblivion and then suddenly finds a new womb and forgets completely about the old body. There is a discontinuity. This darkness, this unconsciousness creates the discontinuity. The East has been working hard to penetrate these barriers. And ten thousand years’ work has not been in vain. Everybody can penetrate to the past life, or many past lives. But for that you have to go deeper into your meditation, for two reasons: unless you go deeper, you cannot find the door to another life; secondly, you have to be deeper in meditation because if you find the door of another life, a flood of events will come into the mind. It is hard enough even to carry one life….
—Sri Rajneesh (Osho) (1931–90) Indian Spiritual Teacher
Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless—like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation. and honor the reward of action.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Meditation is listening to the Divine within
—Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) American Faith Healer
A racing mind that reacts sensitively to little things indicates thinking that has lost its spiritual strength. Meditation restores that power.
—Indian Proverb
The flowering of love is meditation.
—Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986) Indian Philosopher
Turn thy gaze inward, wherein resides the Supreme Self.
—Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) Indian Hindu Monk, Mystic
In your outer life If you can feel Consciously and soulfully happy Even while doing Ordinary, mundane things, God will consider this Your real meditation
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Whatever forms of meditation you practice, the most important point is to apply mindfulness continuously, and make a sustained effort. It is unrealistic to expect results from meditation within a short period of time. What is required is continuous sustained effort.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
True meditation can never be done with the mind. Very often we make a mistake when we say that we are meditating in the mind and utilising the mind. Real meditation is done in the psychic being and in the soul. It goes hand in hand with flaming aspiration, the burning flame that wants to climb up to the Highest.
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Those who eat too much or eat too little, who sleep too much or sleep too little, will not succeed in meditation. But those who are temperate in eating and sleeping, work and recreation, will come to the end of sorrow through meditation.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
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.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Tigers, lions, elephants, bears,
Snakes and all forms of enemies,
The guardians of the hell worlds,
Evil spirits and cannibals.
Will all be bound
By binding my mind alone,
And will all be subdued
By subduing my mind alone.
—Shantideva (685–763) Indian Buddhist Scholar
The art of meditation may be exercised at all hours, and in all places; and men of genius, in their walks, at table, and amidst assemblies, turning he eye of the mind inwards, can form an artificial solitude; retired amidst a crowd, calm amidst distraction, and wise amidst folly.
—Isaac D’Israeli (1766–1848) English Writer, Scholar
In the Buddha’s life story we see the three stages of practice: Morality comes first, then concentrated meditation, and then wisdom. And we see that the path takes time.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
The stormy life can be braved only by the heart’s sunny meditations.
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Someone once inquired of a Far Eastern Zen master, who had a great serenity and peace about him no matter what pressures he faced, “How do you maintain that serenity and peace?” He replied, “I never leave my place of meditation”. He meditated early in the morning and for the rest of the day, he carried the peace of those moments with him in his mind and heart.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
The rosary rotating by the hand (or) the tongue twisting in the mouth, With the mind wandering everywhere, this isn’t meditation.
—Kabir (1440–1518) Indian Mystic
Meditation is the soul’s perspective glass, whereby, in her long removes, she discerneth God, as if he were nearer at hand.
—Owen Feltham (1602–1668) English Essayist
Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.
—B. K. S. Iyengar (1918–2014) Indian Hindu Yoga Teacher
When we meditate, what we actually do is enter into the deeper part of our being. At that time, we are able to bring to the fore the wealth that we have deep within us.
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
I meditate So that I can inundate My entire being With the omnipotent Power of peace
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Quiet minds can’t be perplexed or frightened, but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Still the bubbling mind; herein lies freedom and bliss eternal.
—Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
Still your mind in me, still yourself in me, and without a doubt you shall be united with me, Lord of Love, dwelling in your heart.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
Practice meditation regularly. Meditation leads to eternal bliss. Therefore meditate, meditate.
—Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
Why do we meditate? We meditate precisely because this world of ours has disappointed us and because failure looms large in our day-to-day life. We want fulfilment. We want joy, peace, bliss and perfection within and without. Meditation is the answer, the only answer
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Sleep is the best meditation.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
The very best and utmost of attainment in this life is to remain still and let God act and speak in thee.
—Meister Eckhart (c.1260–1327) German Christian Mystic
The real sign of serenity is not seen so much in the face, as found in the depth and stillness of the eyes.
—Indian Proverb
Excerpt from The Seeker’s Mind
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
My meditation Is my life’s Intensity-profundity- Experience-delight
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Excerpt from Earth’s Cry Meets Heaven’s Smile
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Meditation’ is a most complicated and most fulfilling word. When we meditate without knowing how to meditate, when we meditate with our mind, it is most complicated. But when we meditate with our inner conviction, with the feeling of divinity within us, it becomes most fulfilling
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Meditation and water are wedded for ever.
—Herman Melville (1819–91) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Poet
Meditation is not to escape from society, but to come back to ourselves and see what is going on. Once there is seeing, there must be acting.
With mindfulness, we know what to do and what not to do to help.
—Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022) Vietnamese Buddhist Religious Leader, Teacher, Author, Peace Activist
In prayer you communicate with God, in meditation God communicates with you.
—Unknown
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (b.1935) Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader, Civil Rights Leader, Philosopher, Author
Though reading and conversation may furnish us with many ideas of men and things, yet it is our own meditation must form our judgment.
—Isaac Watts (1674–1748) English Hymn writer
Through regular practice of concentration and meditation you attain clarity of mind, increased grasping power, retentive memory, increased intelligence, confidence, peace, optimism and control of the senses
—Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
Don’t think we can postpone meditation until we move or clean the garage
—Eknath Easwaran (1910–99) Indian Meditation Teacher, Spiritual Author
In deep meditation the flow of concentration is continuous like the flow of oil.
—Patanjali Indian Hindu Philosopher, Poet, Writer
He doth entreat your grace, my noble lord, To visit him to-morrow or next day: He is within, with two right reverend fathers, Divinely bent to meditation, And in no worldly suits would he be moved To draw him from his holy exercise.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
When we meditate, what we actually do is enter into a vacant, calm, still, silent mind. We go deep within and approach our true existence, which is our soul. When we live in the soul, we feel that we are actually meditating spontaneously.
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
The Perfect Teacher himself has shown
That in this way all fears
As well as all boundless miseries
Originate from the mind.
—Shantideva (685–763) Indian Buddhist Scholar
All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for awhile each day in our rooms.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian