Yoga luminary and legend BKS Iyengar passed away at the age of 95. We are deeply saddened by the loss but can not deny his amazing and full life. Modern yoga would not have been the same without him and that’s a fact. If you’re familiar with his teachings or any of his books (See: Light on Yoga, Light on Life, Sparks of Divinity), you’d know what a poetic and elegant wordsmith Iyengar was. Here are just a few of our favorite quotes in remembrance of and gratitude for the great Lion of Pune.

“Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be.”

~

“It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.”

~

“When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service you are giving to the world.”

~

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”

~

“The hardness of a diamond is part of its usefulness, but its true value is in the light that shines through it.”

~

“The union of nature and soul removes the veil of ignorance that covers our intelligence.”

~

“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self, and intelligence.”

~

“Breath is the king of mind.”

~

“Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life.”

~

“There is a universal reality in ourselves that aligns us with a universal reality that is everywhere.”

~

“You do not need to seek freedom in a different land, for it exists with your own body, heart, mind, and soul.”

~

“We are a little piece of continual change, looking at an infinite quantity of continual change.”

~

“It is through your body that you realize you are a spark of divinity.”

~

“Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.”

~

“You must purge yourself before finding faults in others. When you see a mistake in somebody else, try to find if you are making the same mistake. This is the way to take judgment and to turn it into improvement. Do not look at others’ bodies with envy or with superiority. All people are born with different constitutions. Never compare with others. Each one’s capacities are a function of his or her internal strength. Know your capacities and continually improve upon them.”

~

“Nothing can be forced, receptivity is everything.”

~

“Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame.”

~

“I always tell people live happily, die majestically.”

image via: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk