---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the yogi starts to meditate, he must…"
description: "\"When the yogi starts to meditate, he must leave behind all sensory thoughts and all longings for possessions by quieting the waves of feeling (chitta),..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg"
---

#  When the yogi starts to meditate, he must leave behind all…

![“When the yogi starts to meditate, he must leave behind all sensory thoughts and all longings for possessions by quieting the waves of feeling (chitta), and the mental restlessness that arises therefrom, through the application of techniques that reinstate the controlling power of the untrammeled…” quote by Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg)

> “When the yogi starts to meditate, he must leave behind all sensory thoughts and all longings for possessions by quieting the waves of feeling (chitta), and the mental restlessness that arises therefrom, through the application of techniques that reinstate the controlling power of the untrammeled superconsciousness of the soul.”

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Meditation requires quieting the mind, releasing desires, and mastering inner restlessness to access higher consciousness.

**In simple terms:** Meditation calms the mind.

Key Takeaway

Practice disciplined meditation.

Themes

spirituality mindfulness self‑control

Mood

calm inspirational

Type

spiritual practical

When to use this quote

- daily practice
- retreats
- mental health
- spiritual growth

Key Concepts

inner peace consciousness expansion

Questions to Reflect On

- What thoughts distract you most?
- How can you cultivate inner stillness?

A Different Perspective

Not everyone can achieve deep silence easily.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Possessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessions/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/)

## Related quotes

> [God-realization is attained only by great effort on the part of the yogi and by divine grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/god-realization-is-attained-only-by-great-effort-on-the-part-of-the/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [The yogi offers his labyrinthine human longings to a monotheistic bonfire dedicated to the unparalleled God. This is indeed the true yogic fire ceremony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-yogi-offers-his-labyrinthine-human-longings-to-a-monotheistic/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [I find my earliest memories covering the anachronistic features of a previous incarnation. Clear recollections came to me of a distant life, a yogi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/i-find-my-earliest-memories-covering-the-anachronistic-features-of-a/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [No one can be a yogi, maintaining a state of mental equilibrium, free from inner involvement in planned desireful activities, unless he has renounced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/no-one-can-be-a-yogi-maintaining-a-state-of-mental-equilibrium-free/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [“A God-tuned master: Innocent of all personal motives, and employing the creative will bestowed on him by the Creator, a yogi rearranges the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/a-god-tuned-master-innocent-of-all-personal-motives-and-employing-the/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [The greatest dread of ordinary man is death, with its rude imposition interrupting fortuitous plans and fondest attachments with an unknown and unwelcome change.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-greatest-dread-of-ordinary-man-is-death-with-its-rude-imposition/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [By the definite science of meditation known for millenniums to the yogis and sages of India, and to Jesus, any seeker of God can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/by-the-definite-science-of-meditation-known-for-millenniums-to-the/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [When a man in the process of dreaming becomes conscious that he is dreaming, he is no longer identified with the phenomena; he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-a-man-in-the-process-of-dreaming-becomes-conscious-that-he-is/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [The yogi should meditate on a firm seat, one that is clean - untainted by dirt or unspiritual vibrations of others. The thought or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-yogi-should-meditate-on-a-firm-seat-one-that-is-clean-untainted/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [A true yogi may remain dutifully in the world; there, he is like butter on water and not like the easily-diluted milk of unchurned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/a-true-yogi-may-remain-dutifully-in-the-world-there-he-is-like-butter/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“He who does so, says the Gita, cannot be a Yogi: He who fasts, he who keeps awake, he who sleeps much, he who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/he-who-does-so-says-the-gita-cannot-be-a-yogi-he-who-fasts-he-who/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [ They say he's \[Yogi Berra\] funny. Well, he has a lovely wife and family, a beautiful home, money in the bank, and he plays… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/they-say-he-s-yogi-berra-funny-well-he-has-a-lovely-wife-and-family-a/)

[Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/)

> [Is it necessary to practice all these asanas, further and further? Is it necessary to develop scientific researches further and further? To a yogi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/is-it-necessary-to-practice-all-these-asanas-further-and-further-is/)

[B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/)

> [A yogi's brain extends from the bottom of the foot to the top of his head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/a-yogi-s-brain-extends-from-the-bottom-of-the-foot-to-the-top-of-his/)

[B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/)

## More by Paramahansa Yogananda

> [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [He who is persistent will realize God. So try your best to make meditation a regular experience in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/he-who-is-persistent-will-realize-god-so-try-your-best-to-make/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Truth is exact correspondence with reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/truth-is-exact-correspondence-with-reality/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [We should bathe our spirits in the deep, pure feeling that stirs within us when we gaze on the glories of His creation. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-should-bathe-our-spirits-in-the-deep-pure-feeling-that-stirs/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Since you alone are responsible for your thoughts, only you can change them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/since-you-alone-are-responsible-for-your-thoughts-only-you-can-change/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Mankind is engaged in an eternal quest for that ‘something else' he hopes will bring him happiness, complete and unending.For those individual souls who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/mankind-is-engaged-in-an-eternal-quest-for-that-something-else-he/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Just as oil is present in every part of the olive, so love permeates every part of creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/just-as-oil-is-present-in-every-part-of-the-olive-so-love-permeates/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [The mother's love is not given to us to spoil us with indulgence, but to soften our hearts, that we may in turn soften…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-mother-s-love-is-not-given-to-us-to-spoil-us-with-indulgence-but/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [“If one busies himself with an outer display of scriptural wealth, what time is left for silent inward diving after the priceless pearls?” Sri”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-one-busies-himself-with-an-outer-display-of-scriptural-wealth-what/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [When you meditate the glory of the Divine shines forth. You realize then that all along there was something tremendous within you and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-you-meditate-the-glory-of-the-divine-shines-forth-you-realize/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [He who knows his soul knows this truth: " I am beyond everything finite; I I now see that the Spirit, alone in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/he-who-knows-his-soul-knows-this-truth-i-am-beyond-everything-finite/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst while bathing in a lake. If material poverty is to be avoided,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/possession-of-material-riches-without-inner-peace-is-like-dying-of/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [“Physicians must carry on their work of healing through God’s laws as applied to matter.” But he extolled the superiority of mental therapy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/physicians-must-carry-on-their-work-of-healing-through-god-s-laws-as/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [If you have a strong mind and plant in it a firm resolve, you can change your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-you-have-a-strong-mind-and-plant-in-it-a-firm-resolve-you-can/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

[Explore all 466 Paramahansa Yogananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

## More He quotes

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/)

[LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/)

> [If you're a top 10 guy you should pay a top 10 guy or even a top 5 guy what he deserves, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aljamain-sterling/if-you-re-a-top-10-guy-you-should-pay-a-top-10-guy-or-even-a-top-5/)

[Aljamain Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aljamain-sterling/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/)

[Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/)

> [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/)

[Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/)

> [A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-erhard/a-compromise-is-the-art-of-dividing-a-cake-in-such-a-way-that/)

Ludwig Erhard

> [I was with Dre when he was just selling tapes. He didn't have a car, a license or a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/i-was-with-dre-when-he-was-just-selling-tapes-he-didn-t-have-a-car-a/)

[Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/)

> [An actor doesn't have a regular job. He is dependent upon the roles which are given him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-heflin/an-actor-doesn-t-have-a-regular-job-he-is-dependent-upon-the-roles/)

[Van Heflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-heflin/)

> [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/)

[Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/)

> [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/)

[Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/)

> [Notoriously outspoken, his sentences always punctuated with profanities, General George S. Patton was the epitome of what a leader should be like - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/notoriously-outspoken-his-sentences-always-punctuated-with/)

[Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/)

> [Nick Saban's legacy is already cemented. He's won six national championships and seven if you include the one in LSU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ingram-ii/nick-saban-s-legacy-is-already-cemented-he-s-won-six-national/)

[Mark Ingram II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ingram-ii/)

> [You've got a lot of Tupac clones, but I don't think I'm one of them. I just think I give people a little piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/you-ve-got-a-lot-of-tupac-clones-but-i-don-t-think-i-m-one-of-them-i/)

[Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/)

> [I have great respect for Icardi and what he's done for football and Galatasaray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-osimhen/i-have-great-respect-for-icardi-and-what-he-s-done-for-football-and/)

[Victor Osimhen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-osimhen/)

Browse all 12,613 He quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When the yogi starts to meditate, he must leave behind all sensory thoughts and all longings for possessions by quieting the waves of feeling (chitta), and the mental restlessness that arises therefrom, through the application of techniques that reinstate the controlling power of the untrammeled superconsciousness of the soul.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paramahansa Yogananda"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must-leave-behind-all-sensory/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "He"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must-leave-behind-all-sensory/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/791/paramahansa-yogananda-556_he_when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must_2925451.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When the yogi starts to meditate, he must leave behind all sensory thoughts and all longings for possessions…” — Paramahansa Yogananda",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Paramahansa Yogananda",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When the yogi starts to meditate,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must-leave-behind-all-sensory/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-the-yogi-starts-to-meditate-he-must-leave-behind-all-sensory/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
