International Day of Yoga is being celebrated today, promoting all the benefits of practicing yoga, both for physical and mental health.
What is yoga and why is there a special day to celebrate it?
Yoga is a mind-body practice that originated in India thousands of years ago. It combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. It has been shown to improve flexibility, strength, balance, and endurance. It can also help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
It highlights the importance of finding balance in our fast-paced, modern lives and encourages physical, mental, and spiritual harmony. Yoga fosters mindfulness, stress reduction, and overall health and vitality. For kids in particular, it can help to improve concentration, memory, strength and flexibility. It can also help to build self-esteem, to relax, and to reduce stress.
Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, put forward the concept of dedicating a day to yoga during a speech at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in 2014. In 2015, it became official and the special day is now celebrated every June 21, in almost 200 countries around the world, including St. Maarten which will celebrate with a Yoga Day event!
This Yoga Day event will be hosted by Brahma Kumaris from 6:00 to 7:00pm today, June 21. It will take place on the beach near the Pasanggrahan Royal Guest House, with yoga instructor Prabhad Gianchandani and Raja Yoga. The general public is invited to join, with their own yoga mat or large beach towel.
The date was picked because it happens at the same time as the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
~ See the printed version of today's KIDS Herald for a themed word search puzzle!~
