All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel.

In Zazen, in the practice of meditation, we do not try to escape from the world. We face it directly. By facing it directly, we can become completely immersed in it.

Push yourself to sit in one position longer and practice meditation.

If the strain is generated on the lips, throat, and teeth by the practice of Pranayama, then the knowledge is called Bhakti, or devotion.

Unless you see your nature, all this talk about cause & effect is nonsense. Buddhas don't practice nonsense.

You have to light your own lamp. No one will give you salvation. I am talking of enlightenment. All individuals have the responsibility to enlighten themselves. Do not think you cannot do it. You have that spark. You are fully equipped. You simply need to discipline yourself. Discipline is not a prison. It simply means practice.

Spiritual practices, undertaken at an early age, have a profound and long-lasting effect. Human beings have tremendous potential provided they are taught to train themselves on all levels—physical, mental, and spiritual. Let us teach our children how to become aware of themselves on all levels. With a calm and one-pointed mind, children can obtain a glimpse of true peace and happiness.

Unfortunately, you cannot do away with mental unrest by meditating for a day or a month; you must make regular and untiring efforts for many years. As the sadhaka (one who practices meditation) goes on eliminating and removing the causes of mental unrest, states of mental peace are generated. When the sadhaka attains higher states of meditation, streams of peace start flowing into the sadhaka’s mind, generating such qualities as modesty, enthusiasm, courage and patience. Subsequently the sadhaka becomes addicted to meditation.

If you understand real practice, then archery or other activities can be zen. If you don't understand how to practice archery in its true sense, then even though you practice very hard, what you acquire is just technique. It won't help you through and through. Perhaps you can hit the mark without trying, but without a bow and arrow you cannot do anything. If you understand the point of practice, then even without a bow and arrow the archery will help you. How you get that kind of power or ability is only through right practice.

I always encourage them to practice in a way that will help them go back to their own tradition and get re-rooted. If they succeed at becoming reintegrated, they will be an important instrument in transforming and renewing their tradition. When we respect our blood ancestors and our spiritual ancestors, we feel rooted. If we find ways to cherish and develop our spiritual heritage, we will avoid the kind of alienation that is destroying society, and we will become whole again. ... Learning to touch deeply the jewels of our own tradition will allow us to understand and appreciate the values of other traditions, and this will benefit everyone.

We loosely talk of Self-realization, for lack of a better term. But how can one realize that which alone is real? All we need to do is to give up our habit of regarding as real that which is unreal. All religious practices are meant solely to help us do this.

One can say everything when the Kriya practice continues spontaneously at the six centers.

One should remain as a witness to whatever happens, adopting the attitude, 'Let whatever strange things that happen happen, let us see!' This should be one's practice. Nothing happens by accident in the divine scheme of things.

The source of your mind is love and whatever you do to go to that source, is spiritual practice.

Regular and sincere practice brings success.

Let your ears hear without trying to hear. Let the mind think without trying to think and without trying to stop it. That is practice.

When one practices breath-control through Kriya, one enjoys a blissful state and becomes free from ego.

This ancient practice of the Rudrabhishekam, with the chanting of mantras, has been happening since thousands of years. It creates such a deep resonance in our consciousness, because our consciousness is very ancient

The person who constantly studies without doing spiritual practice is like the fool who attempts to live in the blueprint of a house.

In the practice of sitting meditation you relate to your daily life all the time. Meditation practice brings our neuroses to the surface rather than hiding them at the bottom of our minds. It enables us to relate to our lives as something workable.

If one undertakes retrospection of the day's events, one must do it regularly at the appointed hour, not fitfully, not doing it today, neglecting to do it tomorrow and the day after and then taking it up again on the fourth day. Such irregular practice is not conducive to the confirmation of the habit of retrospection.

For Tibetans, the real strength of our struggle is truth - not size, money, or expertise. China is much bigger, richer, more powerful militarily, and has much better skill in diplomacy. They outdo us in every field. But they have no justice. We have placed our whole faith in truth and in justice. We have nothing else, in principle and in practice.

If you do your practice, it is not possible that you will fail to make progress, although you often do not see the subtle progress at deeper levels. The gurus impart the best of their knowledge, the heart of their teachings, in silence. And when you are in silence within, they communicate with you at that level. Do your practices if you want to make progress.