Celebrating The First International Day of Yoga

SPECIAL REPORT: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA
Worldwide Recognition of Yoga
On 11 December 2014, recognising the universal appeal of Yoga, the United Nations
passed a resolution proclaiming 21 June as International Yoga Day. The aim was to
raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
Indian Prime Minister, Sri Narendra Modi, proposed the initial idea with the words: “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s
ancient tradition. This tradition is 5,000 years old. 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 yourself, the world and the nature…”
The above message echoes that of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda who made it their lifes mission
to disseminate the timeless wisdom of Yoga and Vedanta. In 1969, Swami Vishnudevananda conducted the first Yoga
Teachers’ Training Course in the West with the purpose of training future world leaders and responsible citizens in Yogic
disciplines. With the benefits of yoga now being recognised on such a global scale it is truly inspiring that Swami Vishnu’s
vision is now starting to become a reality.
Over the preceding pages we print reports from our different Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams on their
celebrations for this special day.
YOGALife |Autumn/Winter 2015
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