Ann Swanson > Quotes

“You may imagine you need to sit on the floor with your legs crossed for an hour every morning to call yourself a meditator, but practicing meditation is not what you think. There is no one “right” way to meditate. It is infinitely customizable, making it accessible and practical—even in modern life. You can meditate on the floor, at a desk, as you walk, on a bus, in bed to wind down, or nearly anywhere at anytime.”
― Ann Swanson, Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life

“Adults have about 5 litres (11 pt) of blood circulating around the body.”
― Ann Swanson, Science of Yoga: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect your Practice

“Constant calm is not the goal.”
― Ann Swanson, Science of Yoga: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect Your Practice

“Through yoga, you cultivate the capacity to be a non-judgmental observer of the constant changes so they don’t control you.”
― Ann Swanson, Science of Yoga: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect Your Practice

“Many people think that meditating is about stopping thoughts completely, but it isn’t. In many forms of meditation, you simply observe thoughts arising and disappearing. It’s like watching clouds or bubbles pass by while remaining aware of the vast, clear blue sky in which they float. It is entirely natural to get carried away by thoughts, getting into a mental conversation about the past or future.”
― Ann Swanson, Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life

“The study, entitled “A wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” published in the top-tier journal Science, concluded, “The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.”
― Ann Swanson, Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life

“You may have heard that it takes 21, 30, or 66 days to build a habit, but author James Clear says: “The honest answer is: forever. Because once you stop doing it, it is no longer a habit. A habit is a lifestyle to be lived, not a finish line to be crossed.” Consider meditation a journey of lifelong learning that doesn’t change who you are, but allows your highest self to emerge.”
― Ann Swanson, Meditation for the Real World: Finding Peace in Everyday Life

“In a 7-year clinical trial, researchers found that yoga is safe and effective in managing both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. After an 8-week yoga class, participants showed a reduction in pain by 25 percent, along with statistically significant improvements in physical fitness and quality of life.”
― Ann Swanson, Science of Yoga: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect Your Practice