“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self” -Bhagavad Gita
This year, International Yoga Day is coinciding with the longest day of the year, Summer Solstice. Summer Solstice is not based on a specific calendar date or time. Instead, it depends on when the sun reaches its northernmost point from the celestial equator, according to the Almanac. Every year, International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21st with varying themes to globally raise awareness about the benefits of the ancient practice. This year will be the seventh edition of International Yoga Day and the theme is “Yoga for well-being.”
The origin of yoga can be traced back over 5,000 years ago. Not solely a form of exercise, yoga is also an art that unites both the body and mind. Practicing yoga regularly aids in keeping you physically and mentally fit. It helps to achieve a peaceful lifestyle by initiating the union of mental and physical fitness. A human is a physical, mental, and spiritual being. Yoga helps us to create balance among those three components.
Here are some benefits of practicing yoga for the human body:
- Develops physical and mental health
- Helps to reduce stress and anxiety
- Increases your spiritual health and social health
- Improves heart health & respiratory health
- Prevents various kinds of diseases
- Promotes mental self-healing process
- Boosts immunity and metabolism
- Aids in the weight loss journey
- Increases flexibility and muscle strength.
- Helps in reducing hypertension
On this International Yoga Day, make a new beginning by practicing yoga every day. Happy International Yoga Day and Summer Solstice!
“Yoga does not just change the way we see things; it transforms the person who sees.” – B.K.S. Iyengar
