Great Throughts Treasury

"Unbroken continuation of that mental ability is meditation."

"Uninterrupted flow (of the mind) towards the object (chosen for meditation) is contemplation."

"Union is restraining the thought-streams natural to the mind."

"We can meditate on anything that our heart desires. The important thing is not what we meditate on, but more that we meditate. And then gradually to meditate more and more on what corresponds to the innermost longing of our heart. The practice of meditation... gradually works its magic in stilling the mind."

"Vows of self-restraint comprise abstention from violence, falsehood, theft, incontinence and acquisitiveness."

"What we most love is not what we know, but what knows us and draws us."

"When consciousness is silent, the seer (atma) radiates in his own grandeur."

"When improper thoughts disturb the mind, there should be constant pondering over the opposites."

"When invited by invisible beings one should be neither flattered nor satisfied, for there is yet a possibility of ignorance rising up."

"We want to be steady and easy. The conditions to be desired in the posture are to be properly balanced. It is necessary, in order to hold a position, to pay attention to it. You are going to become conscious of your body in ways which you are not conscious if you are engaged in some absorbing mental pursuit, or even in some purely physical activity, such as running."

"When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite [positive] ones should be thought of. This is pratipaksha bhavana."

"When one is confirmed in celibacy, spiritual vigor is gained."

"When one is confirmed in non-possessiveness, the knowledge of the why and how of existence is attained."

"When reconciliation is centered at macro objects, it is known as illogical reconciliation. However, reconciliation centered at micro-objects is known as thoughtless reconciliation for it lacks thoughts of material objects. State of reconciliation in earthly matters is harmful in spiritual point of view. And reconciliation directed to God provides salvation. Hence, all those who wish their welfare must reconcile at God. Perfection of method of reconciliation completes the perfection of all eight parts of the Yoga. At this stage, physical impurities and ignorance that veils one?s conscience are removed and torch of wisdom is lighted in one?s mind. The practitioner attains salvation then."

"When that exists, control of incoming and outgoing energies is next."

"When the agitations of the mind are under control, the mind becomes like a transparent crystal and has the power of becoming whatever form is presented. knower, act of knowing, or what is known."

"When one is firmly established in speaking truth, the fruits of action become subservient to him."

"When one is confirmed in non-violence, hostility ceases in his presence."

"When the bonds of the mind caused by action have been loosened, one may enter the body of another by knowledge of how the nerve-currents function."

"When the attributes cease mutative association with awarenessness, they resolve into dormancy in Nature, and the indweller shines forth as pure consciousness. This is absolute freedom."

"When the memory is purified and the mind shines forth as the object alone, it is called non-argumentative."

"When the mind maintains awareness, yet does not mingle with the senses, nor the senses with sense impressions, then self-awareness blossoms."

"When the mind is disturbed by improper thoughts constant pondering over the opposites (is the remedy)."

"When the root exists, its fruition is birth, life and experience."

"When the senses withdraw themselves from the objects and imitate, as it were, the nature of the mind-stuff, this is pratyahara."

"When truthfulness is achieved, the words (of the Yogin) acquire the power of making them fruitful."

"When you are steadfast in your abstention of thoughts of harm directed toward yourself and others, all living creatures will cease to feel fear in your presence."

"With the perfection of contemplation, one?s conscience immediately attains a state of meditation. Initially, a practitioner faces difficulty in concentrating and achieving meditation but with practice, state of meditation becomes easy to achieve and there is virtually no gap between contemplation and meditation."

"With the existence of the root, there will be fruits also: namely, the births of different species of life, their life spans and experiences."

"Whether manifested or unmanifested they are of the nature of the attributes."

"With the suppression of even that through the suspension of all modifications of the mind, contemplation without seed is attained."

"Whoever is full of wisdom is naturally compassionate; in fact we recognize that someone has gained spiritual wisdom by seeing their compassionate behavior. . . . Individuals and countries with power need to develop wisdom and compassion, for without these attributes, there is a danger that the power will be used to oppress and exploit others."

"With this truth bearing light will begin a new life. Old unwanted impressions are discarded and we are protected from the damaging effects of new experiences."

"Withdrawal from mental thought patterns is Yoga."

"Without this ignorance, no such union occurs. This is the independence of the Seer."

"Wrong knowledge is a false conception of a thing whose real form does not correspond to such a mistaken conception."

"Wrong knowledge is false, illusory, erroneous beliefs or notions."

"Yoga is Achieved through persistent practice and non-attachment."

"Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature, which is unbounded Consciousness. Our essential nature is usually overshadowed by the activity of the mind."

"Yama consists of non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-greed."

"Yoga practice can make us more and more sensitive to subtler and subtler sensations in the body. Paying attention to and staying with finer and finer sensations within the body is one of the surest ways to steady the wandering mind."

"Yoga is the cessation of mind."

"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be."