50 Best Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes for Yoga Class

50 Best Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes for Yoga Class:

1. "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."
2. "The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice."
3. "Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love."
4. “We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”
5. “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
6. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
7. "A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."
8. “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."
9. "The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important."
10. "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."
11. "Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness."
12. "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle."
13. "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
14. "We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
15. "I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good."
16. “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
17. "For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.”
18. "The time is always right to do what is right.”
19. "In some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty."
20. “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
21. "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"
22. "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
23. “There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
24. "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
25. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."
26. "Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude."
27. "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."
28. "Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream."
29. "A right delayed is a right denied."
30. "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will. And we shall continue to love you."
31. "You know, a lot of people don’t love themselves. And they go through life with deep and haunting emotional conflicts. So the length of life means that you must love yourself. And you know what loving yourself also means? It means that you’ve got to accept yourself."
32. "That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies."
33. "True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."
34. "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
35.  "You can kill the dreamer, but you can't kill the dream."
36. "There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
37. "If one loves an individual merely on account of his friendliness, he loves him for the sake of the benefits to be gained from the friendship, rather than for the friend’s own sake. Consequently, the best way to assure oneself that love is disinterested is to have love for the enemy-neighbor from whom you can expect no good in return, but only hostility and persecution."
38. “A lie cannot live.”
39. “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
40. "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend."
41. "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."
42. "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now because I've been to the mountaintop... I've looked over and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land."
43. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
44. "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
45. "Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education."
46. “Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”
47. “There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November.”
48. “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
49. “Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
50. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
    

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is not typically referred to as a yogi in the traditional sense, as he was not known for practicing yoga asana (physical postures) or adhering to traditional yogic disciplines. However, many of us who understand what the term "yogi" means in a broader, metaphorical sense understand that Dr. King was a yogi who embodied the principles of yoga in his lives, such as non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), compassion, and a commitment to justice and social change. In this context, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. can be seen as a "yogi of justice" or a "spiritual activist."

Here are some ways in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. exemplified yogic principles in his life and work:

1. Non-Violence (Ahimsa): Dr. King was a staunch advocate of non-violence as a means of achieving social change. He believed in peaceful protests and civil disobedience as a way to combat injustice and discrimination.

2. Truthfulness (Satya): Dr. King was known for his commitment to truth and honesty in the pursuit of civil rights. He spoke out against racial segregation, discrimination, and inequality, even when it was uncomfortable or unpopular.

3. Compassion (Karuna): His work was deeply rooted in compassion for all people, regardless of their race or background. He sought to create a more just and inclusive society for everyone.

4. Service (Seva): Dr. King dedicated his life to serving others and advocating for the rights and dignity of marginalized communities. He believed in the importance of selfless service to humanity.

5. Unity (Yoga Means "Union"): Dr. King worked to unite people from diverse backgrounds in the pursuit of a common goal—racial equality. His famous speech, "I Have a Dream," called for a future where people of all races would live together in harmony.

6. Resilience and Inner Strength: Like many yogis, Dr. King displayed remarkable inner strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Despite experiencing violence, arrests, and personal threats, he continued his work for justice with unwavering determination.

7. Spiritual Connection: Dr. King's commitment to justice was deeply rooted in his spiritual beliefs and Christian faith. Many yogic traditions emphasize the importance of a spiritual connection and a sense of purpose in one's life.

While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may not have been a yogi in the traditional sense, his life and work resonate with the principles and values that are often associated with yoga philosophy. He is celebrated for his tireless efforts to bring about social change and justice, and his legacy continues to inspire people around the world to work towards a more compassionate and equitable society.

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Dr Martin Luther King Jr was a yogi