“[Yoga] is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.” —Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
The United Nations declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga after the call for it by Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister. Here are a few ways you can celebrate this day of yoga:
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Be a yogi for a day.
Make an extra effort with your practice. Relax more deeply into each posture and leave time for meditation. You could also be a karma yogi and do some volunteer work, or help out a friend. Offer everything you do to God, or your higher Self. Join us for a free online guided meditation and yoga class June 21.
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Follow one of Patanjali’s yoga sutras for a day.
Patanjali is a yoga master who lived about 2000 years ago. He wrote a book of sutras (aphorisms) on how to achieve divine union. Swami Kriyananda has written a book called Demistifying Patanjali which explains each sutra and how it’s useful in daily life. Pick one of the sutras and follow it the best you can.
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Take a yoga class or retreat.
Even if you don’t have a whole day or week to celebrate, yoga classes are widely available and only take an hour or two. If you don’t live near a yoga studio, there are many videos of yoga classes online, and you can follow along. If you have more time, consider taking a yoga retreat for a weekend or even a whole week. Ananda’s Expanding Light Retreat in Northern California has many retreats on different spiritual subjects and offers two yoga and meditation classes a day.
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Read, watch, or listen to inspiration by a spiritual teacher.
This could be anything from reading a book written by a spiritual teacher who inspires you, such as the Autobiography of a Yogi (free online version), watching a video by yoga master or teacher, or listening to inspirational music. Or you could even do all of these!
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Get together with fellow yogis.
In the yoga world, this is called satsang or spiritual fellowship, and is an important part of the spiritual path. If you have a group of friends who are also interested in yoga, you could invite them over to practice postures or just to talk. You could also see if your area has any meditation groups or kirtans (where people perform spiritual music).
However you choose to celebrate this day, we hope you feel supported in your practice and on your path to the Divine. Have a blessed day!
