International Yoga Day 2020 – “Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family”

Coinciding with the Summer Solstice each year, Yoga Day has gone digital this year

• The International Yoga Day is observed on 21st June – 2020 across the world and PM of India Narendra Modi and other leaders of other countries extended their wishes
• Social distancing measures adopted by most countries, the theme set by United Nations for this year is “Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home”
• The World Health Organization mentions yoga as a means to improve health in its Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030: More active people for a healthier world

Key details of International Yoga Day 2020

• While the social distancing measures adopted by countries to fight the COVID-19 pandemic have shut down yoga studios and other communal spaces, yoga practitioners have turned to home practice and online yoga resources
• Yoga is a powerful tool to deal with the stress of uncertainly and isolation, as well as to maintain physical well-being. The United Nations offers yoga resources to its personnel and others on the Corona virus portal’s section on Wellness
• The World Health Organization mentions yoga as a means to improve health in its Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: more active people for a healthier world
• With schools closed and summer break activities cancelled, parents may find it challenging to keep their children physically active. Yoga can help
• UNICEF says kids can practice many yoga poses without any risk and get the same benefits that adults do
• These benefits include increased flexibility and fitness, mindfulness and relaxation

COVID 19 and Yoga Day

• The year of 2020 has been unprecedented for more than one reason
• Right from the start of the decade, with the Covid-19 outbreak, fire outbreaks, airplane crashes, locust swarms and cyclones, the last six months have been tough
• The pandemic has shown us the importance of immunity and healthy living. Yoga is something that brings these qualities together
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning said that “pranayama” – the practice of breath control in yoga – can “help boost immunity” as he addressed the nation to mark the International Yoga Day amid a spike in corona virus cases across the country
• Covid-19 attacks our respiratory system. What makes our respiratory system stronger is “Pranayama”, which is a breathing exercise
• Usually, anulom, vilom are popular “Pranayama” techniques
• There are many yoga exercises that boost our immunity and strengthen the metabolism.

Significance of YOGA in our life

• Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India
• The word „yoga‟ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness
• The practice of yoga has been thought to date back to pre-vedic Indian traditions; possibly in the Indus valley civilization around 3000 BCE
• Yoga is mentioned in the Rigveda and also referenced in the Upanishads
• Although, yoga most likely developed as a systematic study around the 5th and 6th centuries BCE, in ancient India’s ascetic and śramaṇa movements
• The chronology of earliest texts describing yoga-practices is unclear, varyingly credited to the Upanishads
• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali date from the 2nd century BCE and gained prominence in the west in the 20th century after being first introduced by Swami Vivekananda
• Hatha yoga texts began to emerge sometime between the 9th and 11th century with origins in tantra
• The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states

Pic courtesy :currentaffairs.online