Derived from Sanskrit, the word ‘yoga’ means to join or to unite and refers to an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice towards the union of body and consciousness.
International Day of Yoga was founded by the United Nations in 2014, to raise awareness of the benefits of practising yoga. As noted by the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi,
yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition … it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests using this Day also to reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes.
