Hyderabad: Sri Sri Yoga, developed by contemporary yoga and spiritual master Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is a form of Hatha Yoga that emphasizes the overall well-being of the body while nurturing the mind and spirit of the seeker. It goes beyond merely toning muscles, reducing flab, or achieving a washboard abdomen.
The foundation of this yogic technique is strongly based on the traditional eight limbs of yoga as expounded by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, along with other ancient scriptures such as Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita. Sri Sri Yoga ensures that the wisdom and techniques of yoga are brought to practitioners in a joyful and accessible manner.
Here are 10 inspiring quotes on yoga by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, which help us appreciate the depth of yoga and leave us wonderstruck.
1. “Like a flower bud, human life has the potential to blossom fully. Blossoming of human potential to fullness is yoga.”
Sri Sri Yoga is a discipline that is both gentle and powerful, uniting body, breath, and mind in awareness. It integrates elements from various paths of yoga, including Raja Yoga (Sahaj Yoga), Ashtanga or Hatha Yoga (eightfold yoga), Karma Yoga (selfless service), Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion with soulful chanting and singing), and Jnana Yoga (yogic wisdom).
This holistic approach makes the yoga experience wholesome and complete—a beautiful blend of disciplined practices, wisdom, and joy leading to the blossoming of full human potential.
2. “Yoga brings knowledge, passion and action together.”
Yoga is not merely about twisting the body into postures. It is about experiencing the union of body, mind, and breath—and Sri Sri Yoga offers that experience.
It is taught globally by certified teachers of the Art of Living Foundation (registered under Yoga Alliance), who promote yoga wisdom as a passion and selfless service to humanity.
3. “Yoga is a study of life—study of your body, breath, mind, intellect, memory and ego; study of your inner faculties.”
For centuries, yoga has been known to bring benefits in health, mental clarity, and spiritual connection. Sri Sri Yoga touches every level of existence—body, breath, emotions, intellect, memory, ego, and self.
This comprehensive approach sharpens inner faculties and helps integrate yogic wisdom into daily life.
4. “Withdraw your senses from the object to its source; then the union happens, then yoga happens.”
During a Sri Sri Yoga retreat, participants learn the correct way of practicing asanas and pranayama, how to stretch yet relax in postures, and how to harmonize breath with movement.
They also learn important precautions and common mistakes to avoid. Ultimately, practitioners discover how to let go and delve deeper into the experience of the “union” that yoga promises.
5. “Peace is our very nature, and yoga leads you to inner peace.”
Sri Sri Yoga teaches practitioners to observe what they experience within—their state of mind during practice—rather than focusing on how much the body can bend.
While daily life may feel like a constant struggle, yoga helps cultivate effortlessness and inner peace, which is our true nature.
6. “The purpose of yoga is to stop suffering even before it arises.”
Sri Sri Yoga is a holistic method for energizing and integrating mind, body, and spirit. This ancient knowledge, adapted for modern life, can easily become part of a daily routine.
Regular practice has helped thousands prevent stress and suffering while experiencing inner strength and overall well-being.
7. “Yoga is not just a weight-loss programme; it is a science to make one feel lighter.”
Yoga helps people shed not only physical weight but also mental burdens such as anger, jealousy, hatred, and greed.
During the Sri Sri Yoga Basic Program, typically conducted over 10–12 hours at Art of Living retreats, certified teachers guide participants into experiencing the deeper dimensions of yoga—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
8. “One of the rules of yoga is to cultivate the practice of being happy.”
Everyone seeks happiness. The wise say that happiness is not a destination but a journey.
Through consistent practice of Sri Sri Yoga, individuals develop a happier outlook on life and a healthier lifestyle.
9. “The wisdom of yoga transforms arrogance into self-confidence, meekness into humility, and dependence into interdependence.”
Sri Sri Yoga programs—Level 1 and Level 2—introduce practitioners to ancient yogic wisdom that nurtures inner beauty, balance, and maturity.
10. “The wisdom of yoga transforms craving for freedom into the recognition of the ‘unboundedness’ of life.”
This is the true potential of yoga. Simple postures, rejuvenating breathing techniques, blissful meditation, and timeless wisdom together lead to deep personal transformation.
About the Author
Ravi Valluri is Advisor at Krishnapatnam Railway Company Limited. He has authored both fiction and non-fiction works and is a faculty member of the Art of Living Foundation. His latest book is “Sita to Abhaya: Have Things Changed?”
He can be reached at valluri.ravi@gmail.com or via WhatsApp at 9618564024.