International Yoga day

Art of Living to celebrate International Yoga day

The Art of Living Foundation (AOLF) is celebrating the very first United Nations International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2015. It’s worth mentioning that more than 170 countries through the United Nation’s General Assembly Resolution (at Sixty-ninth session on  11^th December 2014) declared the 21^st of June as the International Day of Yoga. With its broad global presence, the Art of Living Foundation aims to unite with community members and organizations across the globe to celebrate the UN’s recognition of yoga.

Yoga in all its aspects enhances physical and emotional health, increases energy levels and improves inter-personal and societal relationships, leading to a more, stress-free, peaceful society. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar recently expressed in an interview – “Yoga offers many things to different people at many different levels--whatever they aspire for: union with the cosmic consciousness, or physical health, mental clarity, emotional stability, spiritual ecstasy -- all this is part of yoga. Yoga is universal, it has something for everyone and Yoga is for everybody –Yoga transcends beyond the boundaries of nationality, cultures and religions.

A number of events have been planned prior to International Yoga day

Sun Never Sets on Yoga : 13^th June or any prior day

To build the enthusiasm towards the upcoming International Day of Yoga, a group of yogis in their traditional dress, will gather in the morning in front of a landmark in each city. The event is planned on 13^th June or any prior day and the participants will greet the day with  a series of sun salutations, or surya namaskars. The sun is ever-new, whose rays fill the entire world spreading light and hope. Like sun , Yoga is a guiding light to a healthy and happy life  benefiting the  humanity. With this unique effort, we wish that  on 13^th June ,  the whole world will wake up to the benefits of yoga. To achieve this goal , the Sun Never Sets on Yoga will be celebrated in all the time zone, across the world , with the first rays of the sun all around the earth and marking  a complete circle starting in one city and ending with another sunrise, 24 hours later.  The event in each city will be videotaped  ; The Art of Living International Headquarters in Bangalore, India will then collate the footage and pictures from each city and make a film.  They will create a special anthem for this event on which the footage will be edited. This video will be distributed worldwide to the media two days (June 19th) before the International Day of Yoga.

Gift of Yoga : On-going until June 21

All certified Art of Living Yoga Teachers will conduct free, 2-hour yoga sessions for a holistic experience that includes asanas, pranayama and a short meditation.  The event is open to all – the participants will experience the immense benefits of Yoga firsthand, under the guidance of a trained Yoga teacher.

Yoga: A New Dimension International Day of Yoga on June 21

In the West,  people are most familiar with physical postures, or asana of Yoga. But yoga is more than a sophisticated system of exercise, or a method of health cultivation, although it definitely is both. Yoga offers something even more rare and valuable: a doorway into the fullness of our experience as embodied beings. It invites us to relax, to meditate, to breathe and move with mindfulness, and to cultivate awareness of our present experience. Against the backdrop of the longest day of the year, with the most commendable effort of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , AOLF invites everyone to a spiritual awakening. All the Art of Living practitioners and volunteers, will celebrate the day , guiding the participants to all the dimension of yoga – practicing asana – revitalizing with breathing exercises or pranayama, meditating, doing service or seva and celebrating life.

We request all of your support towards the Art of Living’s Yoga Day Celebrations.