International Yoga Day is celebrated annually on 21st June. This day is observed by the United Nations to promote global health, harmony and peace.
International Yoga Day
The Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi had suggested an annual day of Yoga on this date of June 21 in his UN address in 2014 as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares a special significance in many parts of the world.
Following the initial proposal, the UN adopted the draft resolution, entitled “Day of Yoga”, in 2014. Following the adoption, the first “International Day of Yoga” was observed on 21st June’2015.
The Ministry of AYUSH made the necessary arrangements in India. 35,985 people, including PM Modi and dignitaries from 84 nations, performed 21 asanas (yoga postures) for 35 minutes at Rajpath in New Delhi, becoming the largest yoga class ever held, and with the largest number of 84 participating nations
In 2015 Reserve Bank of India issued a 10 rupees commemorative coin to mark the International Day of Yoga.
In Hindu mythology, Shiva, the first yogi (Adi Yogi), is said to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga to the rest of mankind and became the first guru (Adi Guru).
Nowadays, Yoga become known as not only a form of physical exercise but also a mental and spiritual practice.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciousness untouched by the mind (Chitta) and mundane suffering (Duḥkha).
Yoga, unlike other forms of exercise, is a way of life.
Someone who practices yoga ( What is Yoga? ) over time sees a vast difference in their body and how they feel. Some of the key benefits of yoga are:
- A sustained practise results in weight loss
- Improved blood circulation, which improves skin quality and texture
- Delays overall ageing and is therapeutic by nature
- Improves physical stamina
- Good for gut health and improved digestion
- Enhances fertility and reproductive health
- Improves sleep cycle
- It makes you calm and happy
- Improves concentration
- Reduces stress
- Improves immunity
Check a complete guide to types of Yoga.
International Day of Yoga Themes
Every year the International Yoga Day is celebrated with a specific theme. Check the themes below.
International Yoga Day theme 2022 – “Yoga for Humanity.”
International Yoga Day theme 2021 – “Yoga for Well-Being.”
International Yoga Day theme 2020 – “Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family”
Yoga Day theme 2019 – “Yoga for Heart”
Yoga Day theme 2018 – “Yoga for Peace”.
Yoga Day theme 2017 – “Yoga for Health”
Yoga Day theme 2016 – “Yoga for the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Yoga Day theme 2015 – “Yoga for Harmony and Peace”
Interesting facts about Yoga
On this International Yoga day, let us go through some interesting and unknown facts about yoga.
The oldest yoga teacher in the world is an 85 year lady from Australia who holds a world record.
There are 196 Yoga Sutras or aphorisms.
There are 84 classic Yoga Asanas, the Asana being one of the 8 limbs of Yoga.
Swami Vivekananda is credited for being the greatest proponent of Yoga in the West.
According to Hindu mythology, Shiva is considered the Supreme Lord of Yoga.
Maharishi Patanjali is a saint who is believed to have lived some time during the 2nd century BCE. He is known for his treatise on Yoga, entitled “Patanjali Yoga Sutra”.
The first known appearance of the word “yoga”, with the same meaning as the modern term, is in the Katha Upanishad, composed about fourth to third century BCE.
Paramahansa Yogananda was an Indian yogi who taught Kriya Yoga to millions around the world.
B K S Iyengar was considered to be the foremost of the modern yoga teachers in the world.
Lenovo has a tablet named Yoga.
Research has suggested that yoga improves social and occupational functioning in schizophrenic patients.
The Guinness Book of World Records currently lists 85-year-old Bette Calman from Australia as the world’s oldest yoga teacher. However, 90-year-old yoga teacher Gladys Morris from Royton, Oldham, is petitioning the Guinness World Records to be recognized as the oldest.
A 2008 market study in Yoga Journal reports that some 16 million Americans practice yoga and spend $5.7 billion a year on gear.
Ancient yogis believed that we only have a limited number of breaths in each life. Hence, it made sense to stretch our life out a bit longer by taking slow and deep breaths.
Yoga is in the top five for fastest growing industries in the US. Money that is spent on yoga throughout American rose 87% in the last five years, with no signs of stopping.
“Doga” is a type of yoga for pets. In this type of yoga, people actively try to achieve and maintain harmony with their pets. A lot of the time, the dogs are used as props to aid in yoga poses. Sometimes, though, the dogs do some stretches themselves. You might not be surprised to hear that it was first reported in New York in 2002 when Suzi Teitelman started “Yoga for Dogs.”
The swastika is actually a yoga symbol. The symbol comes from the Sanskrit term Svastik, which means “that which is associated with well-being.”
When said out loud, almost like a soft humming, “Om” is said to be the primordial sound of the universe. It is connected to the Third-eye (Ajna) Chakra, otherwise known as “the conscience.”
There are eight branches or limbs in yoga. Each branch is known as:
- Yama
- Niyama
- Asana
- Pranayama
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
When most people hear the word “yoga,” they think of all the different poses and postures. These postures are also referred to as the Asana branch.
Many people use yogi to describe all yoga practitioners. However, “yogini” is the correct term to use for female yoga practitioners.
In India, yoga isn’t used as a competitive sport. However, in the 2016 summer Olympics, it became an official sport. Each participant performed five mandatory poses, then two others of their choosing. They were then judged on flexibility, strength, timing, and breathing. In the 2016 Summer Olympics, the winner was yogini Briana Bernal.
The Lotus Pose is the Most Popular Pose
Below are the top 10 most popular yoga poses:
- The Lotus Pose
- Downward Facing Dog
- Half Lord of the Fishes
- Head to Knee Forward Bend
- The Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana
- The Crane Pose
- The Supported Shoulderstand or Salamba Sarvangasana
- Trikonasana or Triangle Pose
- Balasana or Child’s Pose
- Standing Forward Bend or Uttanasana
The Headstand Is Reported As the Most Dangerous Yoga Pose.
Below are the top five most dangerous yoga poses:
- Headstand
- Shoulder Stands
- Lotus and Half Lotus Poses
- Forward Bends
- Backward Bends
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