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When is it customary to celebrate a holiday
In 2014, the UN General Assembly declared 21 June International Day of Yoga. The date was not chosen by chance. This is the summer solstice, the longest of the year and one of the most important. For the cultures of various peoples of the world, it has a special meaning.
For example, Hindus associate June 21 with the beginning of summer. In many other countries, people are sure that on this day the energy of the Earth and its inhabitants reaches its peak, and all good deeds performed at this time have a special power. They are able to change the life of a person and the whole world for the better!
history of the holiday
On December 12, 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed to the UN General Assembly that June 21 be declared International Yoga Day. In his speech he then said:
— Yoga is an invaluable gift of the ancient traditions of India. It embodies the unity of soul and body, thought and action, restraint and realization of one’s abilities, harmony between man and nature, a holistic approach to health and well-being. This is not about physical exercises, but about gaining a sense of unity with oneself, with the whole world and nature. If we change our way of life and create a new way of consciousness, this will help the overall well-being. Let’s celebrate International Yoga Day!
And Narendra Modi was supported. On June 175, 21, 2015 countries, including Our Country, officially celebrated this holiday for the first time. India, Our Country, France, Belgium, America, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Afghanistan, Mexico, Philippines… Millions of yogis around the world came out that day with their mats to the central squares and city parks.
In New York, classes were held at the famous Times Square, in Paris – at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. In Moscow, yogis gathered at the Festival Square in Sokolniki Park. The organizer was the Cultural Center. Jawaharlal Nehru at the Embassy of India in Moscow. It is surprising that the first International Yoga Day in Our Country was also celebrated in the largest cities of our country. He gathered more than 45 thousand people from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. And in New Delhi, the capital of India, more than 37 thousand participants came to the holiday. Yoga class on June 21, 2015 became the most massive and most international in the history of this tradition.
In subsequent years, however, the date sometimes shifted. The organizers moved the holiday to a day off, as they wanted as many people as possible to get to it.
Holiday traditions
Despite the fact that International Yoga Day is a young holiday, it already has its own good traditions.
- On this day, thousands of people, united by the common goal of being healthy, strong and happy, gather together in some large open area. As a rule, this is one of the best and favorite places in the city.
- Anyone can come, this event is free. But whoever wants to, has the right to leave a donation (payment according to the heart, a well-known term among yogis) – an amount that he himself determines. The money raised goes to charity. So it turns out that Yoga Day can be spent for the benefit of yourself and to help others!
- A special atmosphere reigns at the festival, full of warmth, light and love. And it is created not only by the organizers, but also by the participants. Complete strangers smile at each other and do the same asanas together (see below for a brief glossary of terms).
- In Moscow, the International Day of Yoga, as a rule, begins with the well-known and beloved practice – Surya Namaskar. All those gathered at the same time make 108 circles of worship of the Sun.
- The holiday gathers the largest number of the strongest yoga teachers in one place. Dozens of sites work all day, where masters give open classes, explain the rules for performing exercises. The audience has a great opportunity to practice various types of yoga, as well as qigong, Tibetan practices, meditation with gong and singing bowls.
- The program is very varied and exciting. In addition to yoga, you can take classes in Thai massage and even standing on nails, learn the secrets of Ayurveda (traditional system of Indian folk medicine) and aromatherapy (treatment with natural essential oils), listen to lectures on a healthy lifestyle, psychology, astrology. And also play the transformation game “Leela” or dance the “Mandala” dance. Participants often get dizzy: there are so many things I want to visit and learn at the same time!
- International Yoga Day is a family holiday, and therefore there is plenty of freedom for children. Various creative workshops, dances, sports competitions and, of course, children’s yoga are waiting for the little participants.
- One of the favorite places of the participants, whatever one may say, is a grandiose themed market and a vegetarian food court. During the holiday, anyone can also attend a tea ceremony and culinary master classes, where they learn how to cook delicious vegetarian dishes and healthy desserts without a gram of flour and sugar.
- Well, what a holiday without good music and a concert! On the International Day of Yoga, the organizers invite special musicians and singers, whose work is filled with light, kindness and love for the world. At the end, fireworks and a grandiose yoga disco are arranged. Who was, will confirm, it’s a lot of fun!
How to become a yoga
Anyone can become a yogi. But one desire is not enough. This decision must be supported by daily practices that include asanas, pranayama, meditation (see short glossary below), as well as a conscious attitude towards life.
Real yogis do not smoke, do not drink alcohol and do not eat meat, as they consider ahimsa to be the main principle of any of their actions. This is not infliction of violence on all living things.
If this philosophy is close to you and you want to improve your health, then many directions in yoga are open to you. It is important to understand what exactly you need, which technique is most suitable. Now there are a lot of yoga studios, and they often hold an open day: you can come to any class and try everything for free. For beginners, many centers also offer discounts and special payment terms for the first lessons.
It’s better to start with an experienced instructor who will help you build asanas correctly, teach you the art of pranayama, meditation, and tell you the basic yogic principles of relating to yourself and the world. You can also find the most useful and important information about this ancient Indian practice on our website Healthy Food Near Me, in the “yoga” section.
And remember: it used to be available only to the elite. Now everyone can do yoga!
Concise Dictionary
Asana – postures of the body.
Yoga – an ancient Indian system of improving the spirit and body of a person, this is a whole philosophy of a healthy lifestyle.
Meditation – special practices for calming the mind, achieving inner balance and harmony.
Pranayama – breathing exercises in yoga.
Surya Namaskar or sun worship – a powerful and healing set of exercises, which is usually done in the morning.