Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 22nd June. World community on Monday has celebrated the 8th International Day of Yoga at the UN which is observed annually on June 21 worldwide.
UN delegates and staffers spread out their yoga mats and stretched into various yoga “asanas” or poses, at North Lawn an outdoor event to celebrate the 8th International Day of Yoga.
This was the in-person event on the North Lawn which was transformed into a sprawling exercise area for the yoga demonstration session, where experienced yogis and disciple and the newcomers alike, flexed their bodies and minds.
Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India and is now practiced in various forms around the world.
The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness.
President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, noted that as the COVID-19 pandemic has upended lives and livelihoods, triggering a deluge of anxiety and depression, “the practice of yoga serves as a holistic approach to the physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being of humanity.”
Indian envoy to the UN Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti said that during the difficult times of the pandemic, millions embraced yoga as their companion, to stay healthy, overcome depression and mental anxiety and it is in recognition of this important role of yoga that the theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Yoga for Humanity’.
“Yoga can also be an integral part of our build back better strategy”, he said.
The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations. This was a first in-person yoga day celebration after a gap of two years due to pandemic.
The event titled “Yoga with the Masters” featured introduction to basic yoga practices and their demonstration by renowned Yoga experts, a yoga dance by the group Indian Raga, pranayama breathing by Isha Yoga, yoga asanas by Bhakti Center, and a meditation workshop by the Integral Yoga Institute.
Sam Chase, an Instructor at Isha Yoga said, “Yoga is about being in an experience in which you and the rest of the existence are not separate things. Now, if you do the yoga practices, definitely these benefits will come, you will become more mentally balanced, you will become physically healthy.”
“But it’s a little bit like driving an airplane around on the streets. Yes, you can use it as a bus if you want, but yoga has the potential to take you into the sky.”
“Yoga is really a way of life, it’s not just the asanas, the asanas are part of it, but for me it means a way of life, because asanas help you get something special, which is peace of mind.”
UN proclaimed 21 June as the annual International Day of Yoga in 2014, with the adoption of General Assembly resolution 69/131, as it recognized the universal appeal of yoga.
The resolution underscored that global health is a long-term development objective that requires closer international cooperation through the exchange of best practices aimed at building better individual lifestyles devoid of excesses of all kinds.
It recognized that yoga provides a holistic approach to health and well-being.
World Health Organization has urged its member states to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.
GA President Shahis reminded that yoga is all about unity: connecting the mind, body and spirit.
Improving global health is our long-term objective. Today’s celebration therefore is also an opportunity to promote more sustainable lifestyles and a healthier outlook on life.”
Integral Yoga Institute’s Kali Morse, led a meditation workshop, stressed the important role the UN can play, in spreading awareness about the multifaceted benefits of yoga.
“The fact that it is at the UN, I think is monumental, because the UN has always been a place, where hopefully, we can bring people together to make decisions that are for humanity.”
She said it’s crucial to “have an international day of yoga, where you can connect people, and then have speakers that talk about how we can serve humanity, and act as human beings, throughout the world, to avoid more war and unrest.”
Healthy lives and wellbeing have been recognized as an essential aspect of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Practitioners believe that the essence of yoga is balance and therefore it can be an important instrument for promoting sustainable lifestyle in harmony with planet Earth.
Sam Chase of Isha Yoga pointed out how we have always gone on about trying to fix humanity by saying what is right, what is wrong, but yoga doesn’t approach it like that.
“If you come to an experience where everyone around you and everything around you is a part of you, then nobody has to teach you what is right, what is wrong. You will treat people around you, you’ll treat the Earth around you with a great deal of respect, because it is a part of you.”
He emphasized that more than ever, especially given the variety of environmental crises going on in the world, we have to come together as people, and ensure that our planet doesn’t disappear on us.”
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