59 Soulful Quotes About Eat Pray Love to Inspire Your Journey

59 Soulful Quotes About Eat Pray Love to Inspire Your Journey

There are books you read, and then there are books that rewrite the geography of your soul. Since its publication in 2006, Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir has transcended the bestseller list to become a cultural touchstone-a modern scripture for anyone who has ever felt lost, hungry, or in desperate need of a transformation. Whether you are navigating a heartbreak that feels like a physical injury or simply seeking a life that feels more like yours, the most powerful quotes about Eat Pray Love serve as a compass for the wandering heart.

We have all had those moments on the bathroom floor, haven't we? The moments where the life we built no longer fits the person we are becoming. This collection isn't just a list of sentences; it is a curation of permission slips. Permission to eat the pasta, permission to silence the noise, and permission to fall in love with the world again.

If you are looking for wisdom to guide your next chapter, or perhaps browsing our extensive library of inspiring quotes, let these words be your guide. Here are 59 profound quotes from Eat, Pray, Love, categorized to nourish your body, spirit, and heart.

Quotes About Eat: Celebrating Pleasure, Nourishment, and Self-Care

The first leg of Gilbert’s journey takes her to Italy, a land where pleasure is a birthright, not a reward for good behavior. In a culture obsessed with restriction and productivity, the "Eat" section of the memoir is a radical act of rebellion. It teaches us that nourishment isn’t just about calories; it’s about the visceral joy of existence.

These quotes remind us to stop apologizing for our appetites-both for food and for life. They encourage us to embrace dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) and to treat ourselves with the tenderness we usually reserve for others.

1. "I am sick of people telling me that I need a man. I don't need a man. I need some sex and some cheeseburgers."
2. "I think I deserve something beautiful."
3. "We call it the ‘all-carb diet’. I’m currently on a sabbatical from the ‘no-carb diet’."
4. "In a world of disorder and disaster and fraud, sometimes the meal is the only currency that is real."
5. "There’s a crack (or cracks) in everyone… that’s how the light of God gets in."
6. "You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions."
7. "I’m choosing happiness over suffering, I know I am. I’m making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises."
8. "A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake."
9. "It’s not my job to love you. It’s mine."
10. "Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be."
11. "I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks."
12. "So be it. This is who I am. I am not going to change. I’m just going to be."
13. "Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem."
14. "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it."
15. "I’m in love. I’m having a relationship with my pizza."
16. "I want God to play in my bloodstream the way sunlight amuses itself on the water."
17. "The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving."
18. "To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice."
19. "Look, you have to be nice to yourself sometimes. You have to be the one to buy yourself the flowers."

Reflection: When was the last time you ate a meal without distraction or guilt? Use these inspirational quotes to remind yourself that pleasure is a valid spiritual practice.

Quotes About Pray: Embracing Spirituality, Faith, and Inner Peace

Moving from the pleasures of Rome to the ashrams of India, the narrative shifts toward the internal battlefield. The "Pray" section deals with the "monkey mind"-that relentless chatter that keeps us anxious and small. This isn't necessarily about religion in the traditional sense; it is about spiritual growth and the terrifying, beautiful act of surrender.

These quotes speak to the silence we are afraid of and the peace that waits for us on the other side of it. They remind us that prayer is a conversation, not a monologue, and that sometimes the most profound spiritual act is simply letting go.

20. "God dwells within you, as you."
21. "Prayer is a relationship; half the job is mine. If I want transformation, but can’t even be bothered to articulate what, exactly, I’m aiming for, how will it ever occur?"
22. "Destiny, I feel, is also a relationship-a play between divine grace and willful self-effort."
23. "The resting place of the mind is the heart. The only thing the mind hears all day is clanging bells and noise and argument, and all it wants is quiet."
24. "Choose your thoughts like you choose your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate."
25. "You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select what clothes you’re gonna wear every day. This is a power you can cultivate."
26. "Imagine that the universe is a great spinning engine. You want to stay near the core of the machine - right in the hub of the wheel - not out at the edges where the whirling is fastest."
27. "If you clear out all that space in your mind that you're using right now to obsess about this guy, you'll have a vacuum there, an open door. And guess what the universe will do with the door? It will rush in-God will rush in-and fill you with more love than you ever dreamed."
28. "Zen masters say you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water."
29. "Some days are meant to be counted, others are meant to be weighed."
30. "Keep grounded so you can feel the earth, but keep your heart open so you can feel the sky."
31. "Surrender is not about giving up; it’s about giving over."
32. "The search for God is a reversal of the normal, mundane worldly order. In the search for God, you revert from the doing to the being."
33. "Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark."
34. "Your treasure-your perfection-is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart."
35. "Om Namah Shivaya. I honor the divinity that resides within me."
36. "It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection."
37. "Don't get too attached to the outcome. That's the ego talking. Just do the work."
38. "Silence is the only voice that God speaks with."

Reflection: In a world that glorifies busy-ness, these lines serve as a reminder that inner peace is an inside job. It requires discipline to be still.

Quotes About Love: Romantic, Self-Love, and Healing the Heart

The final destination, Bali, is where the physics of the quest resolve. It is here that the concepts of pleasure and devotion merge into something sustainable: balance. The "Love" section offers some of the most poignant wisdom on relationships, heartbreak, and the courage to trust again.

If you enjoy deep dives into the complexities of the heart, you might also appreciate our collection of 49 Essays in Love quotes by Alain de Botton, which explore similar themes of romantic philosophy.

Gilbert teaches us that a soul mate is a mirror-someone who shows us our obstacles-and that sometimes, falling apart is just the preamble to falling into place. These quotes are perfect for anyone standing on the precipice of quotes about new love beginnings or healing from an old wound.

39. "To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced life."
40. "Attraversiamo (Let’s cross over)."
41. "Send him love and light every time you think of him, then drop it."
42. "People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."
43. "A soul mate’s purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in."
44. "I’m here. I love you. I don’t care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. There’s nothing you can ever do to lose my love."
45. "You can measure the happiness of a marriage by the number of scars on each partner's tongue, earned from years of biting back angry words."
46. "Broken heart? Good. It means you have tried for something."
47. "This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something."
48. "When the karma of a relationship is done, only love remains. It’s safe. Let go."
49. "Do not apologize for crying. Without this emotion, we are only robots."
50. "Wait for the guy who calls you 'Baby' not because he thinks you are young or naive, but because he treats you with the protection one would give an infant."
51. "Love is always a traveler."
52. "Big love. Big, big love."
53. "I think that I have to let go of the idea that I can control any of this. It’s a leap of faith."
54. "To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow-this is a human offering that can border on miraculous."
55. "We don't realize that, somewhere within us all, there does exist a supreme self who is eternally at peace."
56. "The physics of the quest guarantees that if you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting… truth will not be withheld from you."
57. "If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting… and set out on a truth-seeking journey… then the truth will not be withheld from you."
58. "Whatever happens, I will handle it. That is my mantra."
59. "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort."

Reflection: Whether you are looking for Elizabeth Gilbert quotes to heal a breakup or celebrate a new union, remember that the most enduring romance is the one you build with yourself.

Creative Ways to Use Eat, Pray, Love Quotes

The wisdom found in Eat, Pray, Love is meant to be lived, not just read. Here is how you can integrate these powerful words into your daily routine or share them with those who need a lift.

For Personal Growth

• Journaling Prompts: Take a quote like "Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation" and write for ten minutes about a time when a "ruin" in your life paved the way for something better.
• Mantra Meditation: Use the Sanskrit phrases mentioned in the book, or English equivalents like "I choose happiness over suffering," as a focal point during meditation.

Gift and Sharing Ideas

• Custom Wall Art: Print the word Attraversiamo in a minimalist font for a hallway or entryway-a literal reminder to "cross over" into peace when you enter your home.
• Personalized Journals: A notebook featuring the quote "I think I deserve something beautiful" makes an incredible gift for a friend going through a rough patch.
• Social Media: Create a carousel of your favorite quotes about travel and self-discovery to inspire your followers. A beautiful background of Italy or Bali paired with these words always resonates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are the quotes in the movie different from the book?

A: While many famous lines appear in both, the book contains much more internal monologue and detailed spiritual philosophy. The movie captures the essence, but the book provides the full context of Gilbert's journey of self-discovery.

Q: What is the most famous quote from Eat, Pray, Love?

A: The quote "To lose balance sometimes for love is part of living a balanced life" is arguably the most recognized. It perfectly encapsulates the memoir's central theme of finding harmony through embracing life's messiness.

Q: Can these quotes help with a breakup?

A: Absolutely. The "Love" section specifically deals with the pain of divorce and the difficulty of letting go. Quotes about the "physics of the quest" and soul mates serving as mirrors are particularly healing for those navigating heartbreak.

Q: What does "Attraversiamo" mean in the context of the story?

A: Literally translating to "Let's cross over," it symbolizes the courage to move from one state of being to another-from grief to healing, or from fear to love. It represents the ultimate act of transition.

Conclusion

Elizabeth Gilbert’s journey from the bathroom floor to a life of vibrancy teaches us that we are the architects of our own rescue. These quotes about Eat Pray Love are more than just captions for your next travel post; they are invitations to live deeper. They challenge us to eat with gusto, pray with silence, and love with abandon.

As you move forward, remember the "physics of the quest." If you are brave enough to leave behind what is familiar, the truth will not be withheld from you. So, go buy yourself the flowers. Eat the pizza. And don't be afraid to lose your balance-it might just be the only way to find your footing.

For more inspiration on navigating life’s complexities, explore our full collection of motivational quotes and sayings at Gearcouple.

Theresa Mitchell

Theresa Mitchell (known as Daisy to friends and readers) is a Wellesley College graduate with degrees in Literature and Communications. With 8+ years dedicated to studying the impact of powerful quotes on personal growth, she's established herself as an authority on transformative messaging. Her research collaborations with thought leaders have yielded practical frameworks for applying timeless wisdom to modern challenges. As founder of the QuoteCraft platform, Theresa combines academic rigor with practical application, helping readers discover meaningful content that promotes emotional well-being. Her work has been featured in psychology publications and wellness forums, establishing her expertise in this specialized field. When not researching historical context of impactful quotes, she's developing evidence-based content that transforms lives—one carefully chosen message at a time.