select category_id from item_category_relation where item_id='406' Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes

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Paramahansa Yogananda Quotes

Paramahansa Yogananda

  1. A ‘miracle’ is commonly considered to be an effect or event without law, or beyond law.
  2. A strong determination to be happy will help you. Do not wait for your circumstances to change, thinking falsely that in them lies the trouble. Do not make unhappiness a chronic habit, thereby afflicting yourself and your associates. It is blessedness for yourself and others if you are happy. If you possess happiness you possess everything; to be happy is to be in tune with God. That power to be happy comes through meditation.
  3. Affirm divine calmness and peace, and send out only thoughts of love and goodwill if you want to live in peace and harmony. Never get angry, for anger poisons your system.
  4. All are waves on the same, one ocean, composed, as ocean water is, of the same substance: Spirit. Some of the waves are higher then others. Some waves don’t even want to distance themselves from the ocean. All waves, no matter how high, are in essence one and the same. The difference between the Guru and the disciples, then, lies only in their respective closeness to the ocean: in how conscious each one is of his essential reality. The greater the sense of ego, the taller the wave, and the greater, in consequence, the ignorance. The greater one’s awareness of the ocean as one’s soul reality, the smaller the wave, and also the less his sense of having a separate individuality.
  5. All successful men and women devote much time to deep concentration. They are able to dive deeply within their minds and to find the pearls of right solutions for the problems that confront them.
  6. Always remember, nothing can touch you if you inwardly love God.
  7. An artist doesn’t really create anything – he just rearranges what is already there.
  8. Analyze yourself. All emotions are reflected in the body and mind. Envy and fear cause the face to pale, love makes it glow.
  9. As God is omnipresent in the cosmos but is undisturbed by its variety, so man, who as a soul is individualized Spirit, must learn to participate in this cosmic drama with a perfectly poised and equilibrated mind.
  10. As God talked with Arjuna, so will He talk with you. As He lifted up the spirit and consciousness of Arjuna, so will He uplift you. As he granted Arjuna supreme spiritual vision, so will He confer enlightenment on you.
  11. Be afraid of nothing. Hating none, giving love to all, feeling the love of God, seeing His presence in everyone, and having but one desire – for His constant presence in the temple of your consciousness – that is the way to live in this world.
  12. Be as simple as you can be; you will be astonished to see how uncomplicated and happy your life can become.
  13. Be careful what you choose to do consciously, for unless your will is very strong, that is what you may have to do repeatedly and compulsively through the habit-influencing power of the subconscious mind.
  14. Before embarking on important undertakings sit quietly calm your senses and thoughts and meditate deeply. You will then be guided by the great creative power of Spirit.
  15. Build your inner environment. Practice Silence! I remember thewonderful discipline of the Great Ones. When we used to talk andchatter, they would say: “Go back into your inner castle.” It wasvery hard to comprehend then, but now I understand the way of peace
  16. Consider no one a stranger.Learn to feel that everybody is akin to you.
  17. Consider whether fulfillment of the goal you have chosen will constitute success. What is success? If you possess health and wealth, but have trouble with everybody (including yourself), yours is not a successful life. Existence becomes futile if you cannot find happiness. When wealth is lost, you have lost a little; when health is lost, you have lost something of more consequence; but when peace of mind is lost, you have lost the highest treasure.
  18. Conserve the vital energy, follow a balanced diet, and always smile and be happy. He who finds joy within himself discovers that his body is charged with electric current, life energy, not from food but from God. If you feel that you can’t smile, stand before a mirror and with your fingers pull your mouth into a smile. It is that important!
  19. Each tomorrow I will meditate more deeply than today. I will meditate during most of my leisure hours.
  20. Environment is stronger than will power. If you want to be spiritual, seek good company and don’t mix with those whose bad habits may wrongly influence you. Be always with people who inspire you; surround yourself with people who lift you up.
  21. Ever-new Joy is God. He is inexhaustible; as you continue your meditations during the years, He will beguile you with an infinite ingenuity. Devotees like yourself who have found the way to God never dream of exchanging Him for any other happiness; He is seductive beyond thought of competition.
  22. Every morning I offer my body, my mind and any ability that I posses, to be used by Thee, O infinite creator, in whatever way Thou dost choose to express Thyself through me. I know that all work is Thy work, and that no task is too difficult or too menial when offered to Thee in loving service.
  23. Every tomorrow is determined by every today.
  24. Everyone should learn to analyze himself dispassionately. Write down your thoughts and aspirations daily. Find out what you are — not what you imagine you are! — because you want to make yourself what you ought to be. Most people don’t change because they don’t see their own faults.
  25. Faithfulness in the performance of small duties gives us strength to adhere to difficult determinations that life will someday force us to make.
  26. Fearlessness means faith in God: faith in his protection, His justice, His wisdom, His mercy, His love, and His Omnipresence… To befit for Self-realization man must be fearless.
  27. First practice the presence of God in daily life by making your meditation very deep. It is better to meditate a little bit with depth than to mediate long with the mind running here and there. 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.
  28. Forget the past, for it is gone from your domain! forget the future, for it is beyond your reach! control the present! Live supremely well now! This is the way of the wise.
  29. From the depths of slumber,As I ascend the spiral stairway of wakefulness,I whisper:God! God! God!Thou art the food, and when I break my fastOf nightly separation from Thee,I taste Thee, and mentally say:God! God! God!No matter where I go, the spotlight of my mindEver keeps turning on Thee,And in the battle din of activity my silent war-cry is ever:God! God! God!When boisterous storms of trials shriekAnd worries howl at me,I drown their noises, loudly chanting:God! God! God!When my mind weaves dreamsWith threads of memories,On that magic cloth I do emboss:God! God! God!Every night, in time of deepest sleep,My peace dreams and calls: Joy! Joy! Joy!And my joy comes singing evermore:God! God! God!In waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping,Serving, meditating, chanting, divinely loving,My soul constantly hums, unheard by any:God! God! God!
  30. Giving love to all, feeling the love of God, seeing His presence in everyone… that is the way to live in this world.
  31. God has not be earned. He has only to be sought. Meditation is the only way. Beliefs, reading books — these cannot give you realization. … Meditation brings proof of the existence of God. … The more you meditate the more you will feel the endless joy of God.
  32. Habits of thought are mental magnets that draw to you certain things, people, and conditions. Weaken a bad habit by avoiding everything that occasioned it or stimulated it, without concentrating upon it in your zeal to avoid it. Then divert your mind to some good habit and steadily cultivate it until it becomes a dependable part of you.
  33. Happiness depends to some extent upon external conditions, but chiefly upon mental attitudes. In order to be happy one should have good health, a well-balanced mind, a prosperous life, the right work, a thankful heart, and above all, wisdom or knowledge of God.
  34. Harmony with nature will bring you a happiness known to few city dwellers. In the company of other truth seekers it will be easier for you to meditate and think of God.
  35. He is the wisest who seeks God.  He is the most successful who has found God.
  36. He who is persistent will realize God. So try your best to make meditation a regular experience in your life.
  37. He who is wise does his best to overcome difficulties, but he smiles, first, last, and all the time. There is no better panacea for sorrow, no better revivifying  tonic, than smiles. There is no greater power with which to overcome failure than a real smile. There is no more beautiful ornament one can wear than a genuine smile of peace and wisdom glowing on the face.
  38. I believe that America is a wonderful country in which to try out brotherhood colonies, where in mankind can learn that the first principle of life is happiness.
  39. I could not think of being unkind, even to a mortal enemy. It would hurt me. I see so much unkindness in the world, and there is no excuse for me to add to it. When you love God, and when you see God in every soul, you cannot be mean. If someone behaves hurtfully toward you, think of the best ways to behave lovingly toward him and if he still refuses to be considerate, remain withdrawn for a time, but let no demonstration of unkindness mar your behavior.
  40. I will be calmly active, actively calm. I am a prince of peace, sitting on the throne of poise, directing the kingdom of my activity.
  41. If you are posing as religious and are not living the life as stressed by God, you should wake up. It is wrong to be insincere. The best time to begin a religious life is when you are youthful and well. If you have a short time to live, you must work harder at it. And if you have along time to live, you should not waste that precious opportunity.
  42. If you keep on trying, you will improve. ‘A saint is a sinner who never gave up.’
  43. If you permit your thoughts to dwell on evil you yourself will become ugly. Look only for the good in everything so you absorb the quality of beauty.
  44. If you possess happiness you possess everything:  to be happy is to be in tune with God.
  45. In the state of love, no matter what you do, it’s going to be good.
  46. In this world everyone wants to use us for his own purpose. Only God—and a real master who knows God—can truly love us. The ordinary human being does not know what love is. When somebody gives you pleasure you tend to think you love that person. But in reality it is yourself you love—your ego has been pleased by the other person’s attention; that is all. Would you go on ‘loving’ that person if he should cease to give you pleasure?
  47. In waking, eating, working, dreaming, sleeping, Serving, meditating, chanting, divinely loving, My soul constantly hums, unheard by any, God, God, God
  48. It is better to die struggling than to abandon your efforts while there is still a possibility of accomplishing something more; for even when death comes, your struggles must soon be renewed in another life.
  49. It is blessedness for yourself and others if you are happy.
  50. Just as oil is present in every part of the olive, so love permeates every part of creation.
  51. Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between souls, families, and nations.
  52. Learn everything about one thing, and something about everything.
  53. Learn to be calm and you will always be happy.
  54. Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts.
  55. Live each moment completely and the future will take care of itself. Fully enjoy the wonder and beauty of each moment.
  56. Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself
  57. Love gives without expecting anything in return. I never think of anyone in terms of what he can do for me. And I never profess love to someone because he has done something for me. If I didn’t actually feel love, I wouldn’t pretend to give it; and since I feel it, I give it. Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another. Be certain of your feeling before you say to anyone, ‘I love you’. Once you give your love, it must be forever. Not because you want to be near that person, but because you want perfection for that soul. To wish for perfection for the loved one, and to feel pure joy in thinking of that soul, is divine love; and that is the love of true friendship.
  58. Love is short-lived unless it is divine love. What of all the lovers through the ages who have promised eternal fidelity to one another under the light of the silvery moon. Their skulls are strewn over the earth, and the moon laughs at most of them and says, “How they lied, for their love has not been forever.”
  59. Love is the light that dissolves all walls between souls, families and nations.
  60. Love is the song of the soul singing to God.  It is the balanced rhythmic dance of planets – sun and moon lit
  61. Making others happy, through kindness of speech and sincerity of right advice, is a sign of true greatness. To hurt another soul by sarcastic words, looks, or suggestions, is despicable.
  62. Many people excuse their own faults but judge other persons harshly. We should reverse this attitude by excusing others’ shortcomings and by harshly examining our own.
  63. Many students of yoga perform their exercise in a haphazard way; then wonder why they do not ‘get anywhere’ and why they fail to feel communion with the Infinite even after apparently serious meditation.
  64. May the heads of all countries and races beguided to understand that men of all nations arephysically and spiritually one: physically one, be-cause we are the descendants of common parents— the symbolic Adam and Eve; and spirituallyone, because we are the immortal children of ourFather, bound by eternal links of brotherhood.Let us pray in our hearts for a League of Soulsand a United World. Though we may seemdivided by race, creed, color, class, and political prejudices, still, as children of the one God weare able in our souls to feel brotherhood andworld unity. May we work for the creation of a United World in which every nation will be auseful part, guided by God through man’s enlightened conscience.In our hearts we can all learn to be free fromhate and selfishness. Let us pray for harmonyamong the nations, that they march hand inhand through the gate of a fair new civilization.
  65. Meditation is the science of reuniting the soul with Spirit. The soul, descending from God into flesh, manifests its consciousness and life force through seven chakras, or centres of light, in man’s cerebrospinal axis.
  66. Meditation must be practiced every day. Start now! Do not look to the future. Begin this very moment to think of God. In this thought you are a king. Why be a prisoner of mortal moods and habits? To carry out one’s resolutions is a constant battle. Never give up your good resolutions.
  67. Millions of people never analyze themselves. Mentally they are mechanical products of the factory of their environment, preoccupied with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, working and sleeping, and going here and there to be entertained. They don’t know what or why they are seeking, nor why they never realize complete happiness and lasting satisfaction. By evading self-analysis, people go on being robots, conditioned by their environment. True self-analysis is the greatest art of progress.
  68. Most of the world is like a mental hospital. Some persons are sick with jealousy, others with anger, hatred, passion. They are victims of their habits and emotions. But you can make your home a place of peace.
  69. Most people consider the course of events as natural and inevitable. They little know what radical change are possible through prayer. Every morning I offer my body, my mind and any ability that I posses, to be used by Thee, O infinite creator, in whatever way Thou dost choose to express Thyself through me. I know that all work is Thy work, and that no task is too difficult or too menial when offered to Thee in loving service.
  70. Most people imitate others. You should be original, and whatever you do, do well.
  71. Most people live on the surface of life. But it is by deep-sea diving in the ocean of thought that you receive the pearls of knowledge.
  72. Never do anything that taints your mind. Wrong actions cause negative or evil mental vibrations that are reflected in your whole appearance and personality. Engage in those actions and thoughts that nurture the good qualities you want to have.
  73. No action is ever an isolated event. Always, it invites from the universe a reaction that corresponds exactly to the type and the force of energy behind the deed.
  74. No matter what you are doing, keep the undercurrent of happiness
  75. Nothing may be truly said to be a ‘miracle’ except in the profound sense that everything is a miracle.
  76. Peace is the enjoyment of life, activity is the expression of life. A balance between the activity of the West and the calmness of the East is needed.
  77. People are so skillful in their ignorance!
  78. Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.
  79. Read a little. Meditate more. Think of God all the time.
  80. Real love is when you are constantly watching the progress of the soul. As soon as you cater to someone’s physical desires and bad habits you are not loving that soul anymore. You are just pleasing that person to avoid ill will. No matter how unpleasant it is to tell a friend that he is wrong, if you say it with love in your heart and stand firm on it, sometimes that person will respect you if you are right. If you are wrong, even then he will know that you did it with sincerity, out of love.
  81. Recognize the tendencies that make you unique.
  82. Release for constructive purposes the power you already have, and more will come.  Move on your path with unflinching determination, using all the attributes of success.  Tune yourself with the creative power of spirit.
  83. Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out how easy it is to get along.
  84. Remember this: When I am gone, only love can take my place. Be absorbed night and day in the love of God, and give that love to all.
  85. Sarcasm draws out the rebellious spirit and anger in the wrongdoer.  Loving suggestions bring out the repentence in him.  Repentence consists in thoroughly understanding one’s own error and in abandoning it.  Friendship is pure by nature.  When you have a lilly in your hands, how can you crush it?  When you love a person dearly, how can you hurt him, even though he may be wrong?  Divine love is unlimited and infinite.  When two or more persons are friends always, no matter what happens, that is an expression of divine love, of divine friendship.
  86. Seclusion is the price of greatness.
  87. Self-realization is the knowing in all parts of body, mind, and soul that you are now in possession of the kingdom of God; that you do not have to pray that it come to you; that God’s omnipresence is your omnipresence; and that all that you need to do is improve your knowing.
  88. Self-realization is, in fact, the only religion. For it is the true purpose of religion, no matter how people define their beliefs.
  89. Sing songs that none have sung
  90. Smiling away your troubles requires a clear conscience that harbor no insincerity.
  91. So long as we believe in our heart of hearts that our capacity is limited and we grow anxious and unhappy, we are lacking in faith. One who truly trusts in God has no right to be anxious about anything.
  92. Spiritual advancement is not to be measured by one’s display of outward powers, but solely by the depth of his bliss in meditation.
  93. Spiritual success lies in constantly attuning yourself with the Cosmic Mind, and in maintaining your peace and poise no matter what irremediable events occur in your life, such as the death of dear ones, or other sorrowful happenings.
  94. Stillness is the altar of spirit.
  95. Subtle astral colors… are hidden in everything around you. Could you but see, you would be amazed at their beauty.
  96. Success is hastened or delayed by one’s habits. It is not your passing inspirations or brilliant ideas so much as your everyday mental habits that control your life.
  97. Success is not rightly measured by the worldly standards of wealth, prestige and power.  None of these bestow happiness unless they are rightly used.  To use them rightly one must possess wisdom and love for God and man.
  98. Success should be measured by the yardstick of happiness;  by your ability to remain in peaceful harmony with cosmic laws.
  99. Success or failure is the just result of what you have done in the past, plus what you do now… You should transfer your attention from failure to success, from worry to calmness, from mental wanderings to concentration, from restlessness to peace, from peace to the divine bliss within.
  100. The entire universe is God’s cosmic motion picture, and that individuals are merely actors in the divine play who change roles through reincarnation; mankind’s deep suffering is rooted in identifying too closely with one’s current role, rather than with the movie’s director, or God.
  101. 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.
  102. The inactive man does not do his duty to his Creator or to the society that maintains him. The recluse who devotes his entire life to sincere effort in meditation fulfills part of his duty by trying to find and love God, and thus,spiritualize his own life. To improve oneself is to help society by the example of virtue and by making at least one of its members good!But the yogi (monastic or householder) who does his duty to God, and also to the world through some form of uplifting service, is the most highly evolved type of being. He becomes a master (asiddha) when by such dutiful action he attains the supreme inactive state (nirvikalpa God-union), which is free from karmic effects of actions and is filled with the bliss of Spirit.
  103. The man form is higher than the angel form; of all forms it is the highest. Man is the highest being in creation, because he aspires to freedom.
  104. The power of unfulfilled desires is the root of all man’s slavery
  105. The scenery of mountains painted on the ever-changing azure canvas of the sky, the mysterious mechanism of the human body, the rose, the green grass carpet, the magnanimity of souls, the loftiness of minds, the depth of love – all these things remind us of a God who is beautiful and noble.
  106. The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.
  107. The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
  108. The sincere devotee loves God deeply whether he is nonactive and silently meditating on God, or in the midst of a whirl of outer activities.  He is awake in God during all hours and in all walks of life.  He does not become so deeply engrossed in material duties as to be oblivious to the inner state of divine bliss.
  109. The so-called miraculous powers of a great master are a natural accompaniment to his exact understanding of subtle laws that operate in the inner cosmos of consciousness.
  110. The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with the Spirit lies its greatest joy. If, then you experience mental resistance during meditation, remember that reluctance to meditate comes from the ego; it doesn’t belong to the soul.
  111. The Spirit of God, I realized, is exhaustless Bliss; His body is countless tissues of light.
  112. The sun shines equally on diamond and charcoal, but the former has developed qualities that enable it to reflect the sunlight brilliantly, while the latter is unable to reflect the sunlight.  Emulate the diamond in your dealings with people.  Brightly reflect the light of God’s love.
  113. The things you need in life are those that will help you to fulfill your dominant purpose.  Things you may want but not need may lead you aside from that purpose.  It is only by making everything serve your main objective that success is attained.
  114. The true basis of religion is not belief, but intuitive experience. Intuition is the soul’s power of knowing God. To know what religion is really all about, one must know God.
  115. The wave is the same as the ocean, though it is not the whole ocean. So each wave of creation is a part of the eternal Ocean of Spirit. The Ocean can exist without the waves, but the waves cannot exist without the Ocean.
  116. There are always two forces warring against each other within us.
  117. There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first… when you learn to live for others, they will live for you.
  118. There was in India a devoted husband who loved his wife very deeply. Another man became infatuated with her. She ran away with her lover, who eventually left her without friends or funds. One day her husband came to see her. He spoke gently. ‘Are you through with this experience? Come home with me, if you are.’ She demurred. ‘I could not think of disgracing you further.’ ‘What do I care about the opinion of society?’ he replied. ‘I love you. The other man loved only your body. I love the real you – your soul. What has happened doesn’t make any difference. That was real love. The husband wasn’t concerned for his honour; he was thinking only of the welfare of his beloved.
  119. Thinkers do not accept the inevitable; they turn their efforts toward changing it.
  120. Those persons who have perceptive eyes enjoy beauty everywhere.
  121. Those who are socially inclined will find a new power to help humanity through the lessons of books written by noble and gifted people.
  122. Those who are unconquered in spirit are the real successes in life. If you can so train or condition your mind that you are content regardless of what you have or do not have, and if you can stand the challenge of all your trials and remain calm-that is true happiness.
  123. To create dynamic will power, determine to do some of the things in life that you thought you could not do. Attempt simple tasks first. As your confidence strengthens and your will becomes more dynamic, you can aim for more difficult accomplishments.
  124. To work with God’s happiness bubbling in the soul is to carry a portable paradise within you wherever you go.
  125. Truth is exact correspondence with reality.
  126. Truth is One:I have often said that if Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, and other true emissaries of God came together, they would not quarrel, but would drink from the same one cup of God-communion.
  127. Try again, no matter how many times you have failed. Always try once more.
  128. We love because it gives us such intoxicating happiness. So love is not the ultimate; the ultimate is bliss. God is Sat-Chit-Ananda, ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Bliss.
  129. We should bathe our spirits in the deep, pure feeling that stirs within us when we gaze on the glories of His creation. This is the way to know God as beauty.
  130. Weaken a bad habit by avoiding everything that occasioned it or stimulated it, without concentrating upon it in your zeal to avoid it. Then divert your mind to some good habit and steadily cultivate it until it becomes a dependable part of you.
  131. What is meditation? Becoming one with the soul. It means banishing the consciousness of being related to the body and to human limitations, and trying to remember that one is a soul.
  132. When a man in the process of dreaming becomes conscious that he is dreaming, he is no longer identified with the phenomena; he is not affected exultantly or dolefully. God consciously dreams His cosmic play and is unaffected by it’s dualities. A yogi who perceives his real self as separate from his active senses and their objects never becomes attached to anything. He is aware of the dream nature of the universe and watches it without being entangled in its complex but ephemeral nature.
  133. Wise guidance never violates people’s Free Will. A superior who demands obedience of his subordinates should show respect for their capacity to understand, and also for their Innate Right to their own Free Will.
  134. Work for god, love god alone, and be wise with god. When an ordinary man puts the necessary rime and enthusiasm into meditation and prayer, he becomes a divine man.
  135. You do not have to struggle to reach God, but you do have to struggle to tear away the self-created veil that hides him from you
  136. You have come to earth to entertain and to be entertained.
  137. You may control a mad elephant; You may shut the mouth of the bear and the tiger; Ride the lion and play with the cobra; By alchemy you may learn your livelihood;You may wander through the universe incognito;Make vassals of the gods; be ever youthful;You may walk in water and live in fire;But control of the mind is better and more difficult.
  138. You must not let your life run in the ordinary way; do something that nobody else has done, something that will dazzle the world. Show that God’s creative principle works in you.
  139. You naturally love those who are dear to you, and you must learn to give that kind of love to the whole world.

Categories:Adi Shankaracharya:Topics, Viveka Chudamani:Topics, Hinduism And Science:Topics,

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