“It's absolutely wonderful to have a daily practice, because most of us are very deeply in the world and we get lost very easily into the stuff of life. So, to have a daily practice that keeps reminding you and pulling you back and awakening again ; giving you a chance to look at what's happened and how you may have gotten lost the day before, to keep putting what's happening to you in the world back into perspective is very useful.”

“Do not let sleep fall upon your eyes before you have twice reviewed all your actions of the day. Ask yourself: Where have I gone wrong? What have I achieved? What duty have I left undone? ... And in the morning, before your feet touch the bare earth, sit in silence and gaze at the rising sun, for it is the visual mirror of the divine spark within your own cranium.”

“The value of a daily practice lies in its ability to anchor us in the present moment, day after day, regardless of what we are going through or how we feel. It is a way of declaring to ourselves that our well-being is worth dedicating time to, an act of self-love that gradually changes the very structure of our minds and how we relate to the world.”

“We should adjust each day as if it were a separate life. ... When the light has been removed from my sight, and my wife has fallen silent, aware of this habit that is now mine, I examine my entire day and go back over what I have done and said, hiding nothing from myself, passing nothing by.”

“We don't sit in meditation to become good meditators. We sit in meditation so that we'll be more awake in our lives. The purpose of spiritual practice is not to create a beautiful, quiet shelter from the world. It is to develop the strength and the clarity of mind required to stand entirely undefended in the midst of chaos, and to remain open to the truth of whatever arises.”

“Undoubtedly, the mind is restless and difficult to restrain. But it can be brought under complete control, O son of Kunti, through constant daily practice (Abhyasa) and the cultivation of detachment (Vairagya).”

“To focus means to look past the surface static and to gather our scattered creative and spiritual power into a single, sharp beam. Practicing a regular, daily return to the quiet of the inner self is not an act of luxury or selfish withdrawal. It is the fundamental labor required to keep our instinctual nature alive, our boundaries intact, and our sovereign voice clear. ”

“People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills... There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own soul. So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself. Let your basic principles be brief and fundamental, the kind that will at once close out the world and send you back without any irritation to the life to which you must return.”

“We must establish a regular time and place for our practice, a sanctuary of stillness where we can return to our true nature. Without a regular discipline, our spiritual intentions remain vague wishes, easily swept away by the constant demands and distractions of our modern lives.”

“Before you step into the marketplace, secure your soul with prayer. For if you do not offer the first hours of the day to the Spirit, the choking weeds of worldly cares will overgrow your heart before midday. ”

“The commitment to a daily practice is a way of declaring to ourselves that our lives, our minds, and our spiritual well-being are actually worth dedicating time to. It is a slow, steady process of training the heart. We do not look for immediate, dramatic miracles on the cushion; we practice so that over time, the moments of calm and inner freedom we cultivate in solitude begin to naturally bleed over into our actions, our work, and our relationships.”

“Practice becomes firmly grounded only when it is pursued with a long-term perspective, remains completely uninterrupted, and is executed with deep devotion every single day.”

“Like all types of practice—from piano scales, to basketball drills, to ballroom dance class—spiritual practice requires discipline; it can be tedious; it is necessary. After you have practiced enough, you become more skilled at the art form itself. You do not practice to become a great scale player or drill champion. You practice to become a musician or athlete. Likewise, one does not practice meditation to become a great meditator. We meditate (or pray or work with a therapist or exercise the body, etc.) to wake up and live, to become skilled at the art of living. ”

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep.”

“A daily spiritual practice can take many forms. It could be ten minutes of meditation in the morning, a walk in the forest in the afternoon, or a few moments of silent reflection before going to sleep. The important thing is to make it a regular part of your routine. By setting aside time each day to connect with your inner self, you can cultivate a sense of inner peace, clarity, and purpose that will support you in all aspects of your life. ”

“Success comes to the one who is actively engaged in practice. How can success come to one who does not practice? ”

“In the ambrosial hours of the early morning, meditate on the true Name, and contemplate the Divine Greatness.”

“And he said, ‘Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a sound of sheer silence.” It was in this silence that Elijah heard The Lord.