Thousands of years ago, yoga was practiced in caves and forests. Today, it is practiced in boardrooms, parks and living rooms across the world.
Every year on June 21, millions of people across the globe celebrate International Yoga Day.
What began as India's proposal at the United Nations in 2014 has become one of the world's largest wellness movements now observed in more than 190 countries. But the story of yoga started thousands of years before the first yoga mat was ever rolled out.
๐ฆ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฎ
- The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word Yuj, which means "to unite" or "to join."
- The earliest references to yoga can be traced back to the ancient Indian scriptures Vedas.
- In yogic tradition, Adiyogi, believed to be the first yogi shared this knowledge with seven disciples Saptarishis who then carried it across different parts of the world.
- Around 2,000 years ago, Patanjali compiled the Yoga Sutras, a foundational text that organized yoga into a systematic practice.
- Contrary to popular belief, yoga was never meant to be only physical exercise.
The postures are just one part. Breathing, mindfulness, discipline and self-awareness are equally important.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ญ?
- June 21 is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
- In yogic traditions, it is considered a significant period for spiritual growth and transformation.
- In September 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed an International Day of Yoga at the United Nations.
- The proposal received support from a record 175 member states and the first International Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21, 2015.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐?
- We live in a world of constant notifications, endless scrolling and increasing stress.
- Yoga offers something surprisingly rare in form of stillness.
- It helps improve:
โข Flexibility and balance
โข Focus and concentration
โข Stress management
โข Mental and emotional well-being
- Overall quality of life is improved through mindful living. Just a few minutes of commitment is needed every day.
๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
- Like many people, I initially thought yoga was simply stretching.
- Over time, I have realized its biggest impact isn't physical. It is mental.
- I incorporated simple breathing exercises and basic yoga practices into my routine.
- The change was felt slowly but I became more aware of my own thoughts rather than being controlled by them.
โข Even on stressful days, I found it easier to reset and start again. I believe I am much more focused and more present in everyday life.
There is a certain magic in yoga. In a world that constantly demands more from us, yoga reminds us to pause, breathe and reconnect with ourselves.