The International Day of Yoga was recognized for the first time in 2015, in which as many as 177 Member States took part. In 2016, the event was celebrated to mark the third anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly resolution urging the Member States to observe 21st June as International Yoga Day.
On any given day, 20 million people across the world practice Yoga. That’s 40 million people each month, or 800 million people each year.
History of Yoga Day
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Yoga is an ancient practice that helps you reconnect with yourself and clear your mind. Various disciplines like Jivamukti, Kundalini, and Hatha focus on different aspects of the practice. For example, some forms use only breathing or meditation practices while others combine physical poses.
The History of Yoga spans five millennia, and these historical texts are considered amongst the oldest continuous texts in existence. The Vedic texts were passed on orally for nearly 1,500 years before being condensed into collections around 1500 B.C.E. Over the next 3,000 years, formal Yoga teachings evolved out of these early Vedic texts. Culminating in the development of six orthodox schools of Yoga in approximately 500 B.C.E.
Yoga day describes the connection between the mind and body as one of the first beliefs in ancient yoga philosophy. Today, we know this connection to be scientifically valid. And further studies have shown that the correct flow of breath and movement of poses can dramatically affect our physiological health.
IYD Logo (International Yoga Day 2021)
The design of the logo is meaningful and thoughtful. There are three parts to the IYD symbol: two hands folded in a pranam and a small tree in the middle. The folded hands denote gratitude and humility. The tree represents the source of all living beings and old age and death, which are inevitable.
The logo has brown leaves, green leaves, blue leaves, and the sun. The bright yellow circle in the middle symbolizes the sun and a path for practitioners to follow all their lives. The red color represents fire and stands for the inner energy or life force, vigor, and dynamic action. It encourages self-discipline and strength of purpose.
What are the benefits of Yoga?
There are immense benefits of Yoga. It is a great way to start your morning, waking up muscles and calming your mind. With a combination of dynamic and flowing movements, the yoga workout helps you feel more energized while increasing muscle strength, improving balance and flexibility, and enhancing joint function.
Many people think of yoga as a weight-bearing exercise, providing only flexibility training. The fact is, yoga is much more. It helps build a solid and flexible body while strengthening the muscles that support the body’s weight, leading to functional strength. It is also a fantastic way to improve your core or midsection.
By developing your core, you will help to protect your back and other joints. As well, you’ll improve your athletic performance and even your functionality in everyday life.
Yoga is the ancient art of non-competitive, complementary, and individualized exercise for healing your body, mind, and spirit. It features a functional cross-training approach that has been finely tuned over many centuries to provide an effective platform for optimal strength, fitness, and flexibility.
Also Read:
Health benefits of Yoga
Mudras in Yoga
What are the Branches of Yoga?
How is International yoga day declared?
It was first proposed by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on 27 September 2014. Where he suggested that an International Day of Yoga should be observed internationally. Thus making it the first international day recognized by the UN.
As mentioned above, the first international Yoga day was celebrated on 21 June 2015 and is being celebrated on the same day since then. International yoga day is celebrated to promote awareness and encourage international participation in Yoga. National holiday in India (since 2015) and internationally (since 2017).
The Yoga Day Theme
World yoga day is dedicated to showcasing the benefits of yoga and increasing its visibility worldwide. This year, with the theme of international yoga day, is “Yoga for well-being,” we hope to reach beyond yoga practitioners and yoga centers to engage with people from all walks of life in regular, mindful practice.
Yoga can help you find inner strength, connection with others, and an overall sense of wellness. But aside from the physical benefits of Yoga, there are also numerous mental health benefits.
“Yoga for well-being” underlines the importance of imparting Yoga beyond physical activity, making it accessible to individuals from all walks of life. It thereby recognizes the original intention behind this significant tradition – of being a means to holistic well-being and healthy living.
Conclusion
Yoga is a true blessing of nature. It helps to achieve a happy, healthy, and prosperous life. The practice of Yoga brings divine benefits that transform our lives & makes them wholesome and full of love, compassion, forgiveness & joyful enthusiasm. It brings revolutionary changes in body & mind, which benefits us in this lifetime and our future generations.
