International Day of Yoga: Celebrating the Ancient Hindu Path to Moksha

Each year on June 21st, people around the world celebrate an ageless Indian tradition, uniting body and spirit: Yoga. The International Day of Yoga is a celebration that goes far beyond stretching and breathing exercises; it honors a lifestyle that encourages balance and spiritual growth.

Yoga is a collection of Hindu spiritual practices that originated in India where it remains a vital tradition in the national culture today. The word is directly derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj” meaning “to unite”, symbolizing the connection between mind and body, fostered through yogic practices. Most Hindu texts treat yoga as a practice for controlling the senses and, ultimately, the mind. The most famous text is the Bhagavad Gita (dating from the 6th to the 3rd centuries BCE), in which Bhagwan Krishna speaks of four types of yoga—bhakti (devotion), gyana (knowledge), karma (action), and dhyana (concentration) (often referred to as Raja Yoga)—as ways to achieve moksha, the ultimate goal in Hindu understanding. 

Of the four types of yoga, Dhyana Yoga has the most in common with contemporary yoga as it is understood today. But the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that no matter which path one chooses, all are interdependent and are personal journeys demanding lifelong commitment. Another famous text in regards to yoga is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which describe the state of yoga as composed of eight limbs: yama (abstinences), niyama (personal disciplines), āsana (postures), prāṇāyāma (control over life forces), pratyāhāra (withdrawal of senses), dhāraṇā (concentration), dhyāna (meditative absorption), and samadhi (enlightenment). 

The International Day of Yoga was established in 2014 by a United Nations’ resolution initiated by India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and co-sponsored by 177 states. This was a global effort to raise awareness of the many benefits of practicing yoga. The date—June 21st—was chosen for its symbolic significance as the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In Hindu tradition, it is believed that on this date Bhagwan Shiva, the first yogi, began teaching the practices of yoga to his apprentices. Through teachers and philosophers, such as Swami Vivekananda and Pattabhi Jois, yoga has spread around the globe and brought new attention to mindfulness through its countless physical and spiritual benefits including the regulation of stress hormones and enhancement of flexibility and strength.

International Day of Yoga is a testament to yoga’s timeless appeal and its ability to unite communities in pursuit of health, well-being, and peace. As we celebrate this day, we are reminded of the power of mindfulness and the importance of harmony between the mind, body, and spirit. 

The author, Anusha Naik, is a CoHNA youth volunteer.