A collection of words we can return to — week after week.
These quotes have been shared in our newsletters as gentle reminders of what matters, invitations into presence, and reflections from the heart of our practice. May they meet you exactly where you are.
The Art of Living
“The art of living is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.”
-Alan Watts
On the mat, this is the practice. Not forcing. Not collapsing. But meeting each breath, each posture, each moment as new. At 108, we practice staying open — to the challenge, to the discomfort, to the joy — trusting that every moment is new if we’re willing to receive it.
Traveler
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving.”
-Lao Tzu
Practice, like travel, isn’t about rushing toward a finish line or proving anything along the way. It’s about staying present for the unfolding — one step, one breath, one class at a time.
As we move into March and our upcoming challenge, let this be your anchor: Show up without pressure to be perfect, or to “win.” Simply keep traveling. Some days will feel strong, others slow, but every time you walk through the studio door you’re deepening the journey.
In The End
“In the end, just three things matter:
How well we have lived
How well we have loved
How well we have learned to let go.”
— Jack Kornfield
This quote is a gentle reminder of what truly endures. Not the pace we kept or the titles we held, but the quality of our presence — how honestly we lived, how bravely we loved, and how gracefully we learned to release what no longer serves us. Our practice asks us to return to these three truths again and again: to live awake in our bodies, to meet each other with an open heart, and to soften our grip when it’s time to let go. This is the work. This is the practice.
Quiet
“The power of quiet is great. It generates the same feelings in everything one encounters. It vibrates with the cosmic rhythm of oneness. It is everywhere, available to anyone at any time. It is us, the force within that makes us stable, trusting, and loving. It is contemplation contemplating. Peace is letting go - returning to the silence that cannot enter the realm of words because it is too pure to be contained in words. This is why the tree, the stone, and the mountain are quiet.”
- Malidoma Patrice Some
Quiet is not the absence of sound — it’s the presence of truth. This quote reminds us that stillness is not passive, but powerful. In quiet, we return to what stabilizes us, softens us, and reconnects us to the rhythm of something larger than ourselves. Our practice is an invitation into that space: to pause, to listen beneath the noise, and to remember the steady, trusting, loving force that lives within. Like the mountain, the river, the tree — we don’t have to force peace. We simply return to it.
Persistence
“Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.”
- Paramahansa Yogananda
Moving with intention, breathing with awareness, and staying committed even when it’s uncomfortable, transformation stops being a hope and becomes a reality.
The Best Day
“Write it on your heart that every day
is the best day in the year.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote reminds us that every day is a fresh beginning. When we choose to meet each moment with intention, gratitude, and presence, we shift the way we experience our lives.
There you are
“Wherever you go, there you are.”
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
It sounds simple, but it holds so much truth. We spend so much of life thinking about the next place, the next season, the next achievement that will finally make us feel whole, calm, or fulfilled. But this quote gently reminds us that we never actually leave ourselves behind. Our thoughts, our patterns, our energy, our breath — they all travel with us. This week, let your practice be less about escaping life and more about meeting it — exactly as you are, exactly where you are.
Optimism
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
- Helen Keller
When we meet our practice with hope and confidence, even on the days it feels hard, we create the conditions for growth. Every breath, every step onto the mat, is an act of belief in what’s possible. Let this week be guided by trust in yourself and the quiet power of showing up.
Habit
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle
Excellence isn’t something we arrive at in one perfect moment. It’s shaped quietly through repetition - the choices we make, the way we return to what matters most. Practice is not about intensity or performance, but about consistency. Over time, what we repeatedly do becomes who we are.
Invincible Summer
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
-Albert Camus
There is a quiet strength that lies within each of us. Even in seasons that feel heavy or uncertain, something within us remains untouched — resilient, warm, and alive. It is not something we create, but something we return to.
The Light
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” -Albus Dumbledore
Darkness is not something to fear or rush through. It is a place of pause, reflection, and remembering. Even when the world feels heavy or uncertain, there is a quiet light within each of us— steady, resilient, always available. This season invites us to slow down, and gently turn toward that inner light, knowing that it has been there all along.
Progress
“Your direction is more important than your speed.”
Richard L. Evans
Progress isn’t measured by how fast we move, but by the intention behind each step. In practice and in life, choosing the right direction — one aligned with your values and your purpose — matters far more than rushing to the next thing. Slow, mindful movement creates lasting change.
Butterfly
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
-Maya Angelou
Transformation is never effortless. The butterfly reminds us that what appears graceful, light, and beautiful is born from periods of deep internal work. Growth often happens in the quiet, unseen spaces — the moments when we’re shedding old patterns, sitting with discomfort, or choosing to begin again. Your presence on the mat — whether steady, shaky, joyful, or challenging — is part of your becoming. Beauty isn’t found only in the outcome, but in the courage to evolve.
Happiness
“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”
-Marcus Aurelius
Every thought is a seed - some create worry, some create clarity, and some create joy. Invite your thoughts to drift toward gratitude and thoughts that lift - what’s working, what’s growing, the fullness of our lives in this moment. Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard things, but it shifts the lens; it rewires how we think, respond, and move through our days. Let simple joys land. A grateful mind creates a lighter heart - and a fuller life
Discipline
“Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.”
-Abraham Lincoln
In our practice and in our lives, there’s always a moment of choice - the pause before you decide. Discipline is part of devotion. It’s remembering the vision you hold for yourself and choosing in favor of it, breath by breath. Let your practice be a reminder: your future self is shaped by the choices you make today.
Change
“If you change the way you look
at things, the things you look at change.”
-Wayne Dyer
Yoga reminds us that transformation starts within. When we soften our gaze and open our awareness, the same world begins to feel different —more vibrant, more alive, more connected. Change your prospective, and watch everything around you change.
A Seed
“A seed neither fears light nor darkness,
but uses both to grow.”
-Matshona Dhliwayo
Every season of life invites us to grow in new ways. The light reminds us of our strength; the dark helps deepen our roots. At 108 Yoga, we hold space for both—the moments of rising and the quiet times of becoming. Growth isn’t always visible, but it’s always unfolding.
Go Together
“If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far,
go together.”
-African Proverb
At 108 Yoga, this truth is woven into everything we do. Yoga is a personal journey, but also a shared one. A collective breath, a community rising and expanding together. Growth, healing, and transformation aren’t meant to happen in isolation. At 108 Yoga connection is everything. People often ask how we do 108 Sun Salutations and the answer is always…“together.”