SWAMI BRAHMA SWARUPANANDA
SADHVI ANANDAMAIYEE GIRI
ANNUALLY since 2015, International Yoga Day has been celebrated worldwide on June 21, significantly the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. This international day was first proposed by India's current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014. He explained that yoga is not only
roga mukti (health benefit) but also
bhoga mukti (desisting from worldly greed).
The preliminary version of the resolution was broadly endorsed and cosponsored by 177 member nations, the largest number of cosponsors ever for any General Assembly resolution.
The year 2020 met us with the theme “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home.” This theme dealt with the context of families living amidst the covid19 pandemic where many were quarantined or in isolation, effectually creating waves of depression and other psychological problems.
This year the theme was “Yoga for well-being.” It is most appropriately chosen since at this time the world is still suffering from the covid19 pandemic. Yoga’s holistic healing is now extremely essential for every individual’s healthy immunity, healthy mind and great strength to combat this virus.
WHO explains, in its global action plan, that “Yoga can improve health through physical activity. These yoga benefits include increased flexibility, fitness, muscle strength, whole-body tone and tune, mindfulness and relaxation.” It improves respiration, blood circulation and energises the vital forces of mind and body. Yoga is wholistic and holistic – an integrated science of life to deal with the emotional and spiritual health of all individuals.
2021 Yoga Day
The UN virtually celebrated the seventh International Yoga Day from 8.30 am to 10 am, with a live broadcast on UN WebTV.
This event opened with messages from the president of the General Assembly and the deputy secretary-general. Afterwards, yoga exercises (
asanas) were demonstrated and discussions took place on yoga and its cultivation of a balanced attitude in daily life.
Meaning of yoga
The word yoga was derived from the Sanskrit word
yuj referring to joining or unifying. Yoga exercises have a holistic effect, bringing balance upon the body, mind and consciousness. Yoga leads us to supreme knowledge and bliss via the union of the individual self and supreme self.
Evolution of yoga
Yogic lore identifies Bhagawan Shiva as the first yogi (adi yogi), who imparted yogic knowledge to the
sapta rishis (seven great sages) who then disseminated this knowledge throughout the world. Yoga is present in many traditions including Vedic, Upanishad, Buddhist, Jain, Shaivite, Vaishnav and Tantra. The great sage Maharishi Patanjali is said to be the “Father of Modern Yoga” since he was first to codify yoga practices in the popular Yoga Sutras. He also mentions the eight limbs of yoga: yama, niyam
