~ TANYA ARORA
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
On June 21st, 2015, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with 35,985 people and dignitaries from 84 nations, performed 21 asanas (yoga postures) for 35 minutes at Rajpath in New Delhi. This indeed became the largest yoga event ever held.
In the United Nations General Assembly in September 2014, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, his speech proposed the idea of International Yoga Day. He specifically mentions 21st June because it is believed to be the longest day in a year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance for many nations.
In his speech, Narendra Modi stated “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with you, the world and nature. Changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, can help in well-being.
Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day.” June 21st was officially announced as the “International Yoga Day” after receiving support from 177 nations, which is the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA Resolution of such nature.
WHAT IS YOGA?
The collection of mental, physical and spiritual practices during Ancient India gave birth to a discipline known as ‘Yoga’. It includes all types of exercises wherein a person sits in different positions and postures which help to become fit and flexible. It also relaxes one’s mind and improves their breathing.
HOW IS YOGA BENEFICIAL?
Yoga is incredibly essential, especially during the modern lifestyle. Along with all the physical benefits, it inculcates a huge number of mental and emotional assistance.
Few advantages of Yoga are as follows:
- Toning – It is the most efficient way to increase and define your muscles. It helps you shed extra fat from your body, hence toning all your muscles.
- Improved Posture and Flexibility – The asanas included in yoga are undoubtedly beneficial for improving one’s posture and providing the body with more area for flexibility.
- Relieves stress and depression – It aids to zone out the negativity and concentrate on the positive aspects of life. She/he can connect and understand oneself better.
- Improves Sleep – When you smooth out stress and anxiety from your body, your mind feels satisfied and fresh. This leads to better and quality sleep which further proves beneficial for your entire body system.
- Better Body Image – Improved posture and optimistic approach towards life create a huge difference in the physical appearance of a person. Yoga assists in reaching such goals in life.
Thus, considering the merits of Yoga, every nation shall take the initiative to practice the same not only on one specific day however it needs to be done regularly for a better outlook and quality of life.
Must Read: https://skchildrenfoundation.org/the-increasing-importance-of-ayush/
