Indian Prime Minister during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 27, had suggested that an “International Yoga Day” be celebrated. “Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well being,” he had said.
Now the delegation of India at the UN has called for an informal consultation on the day, and the session is scheduled for October 14. According to the UN website, the session is scheduled for “Tuesday, 14 October 2014, from 15:00 to 17:00, in Conference Room 9”. The discussions are titled, “Informal consultations on the draft resolution entitled “International Day of Yoga’’ (under agenda item 124) (convened by the delegation of India)”.
Yoga is a 15000-year-old discipline that was designed as a path and means to enlightenment, known in Sanskrit as moksha or nirvana. Originating in India, and traditionally attributed to Lord Shiva, the Hindu deity, who is known as the first yogi and first guru, yoga is an important part of Hinduism and Hindu ways of life. Today, yoga in some form is practiced by over hundred million people, and 20 million Americans alone. In the twentieth century, yoga began to become popular in the west, but this was mainly just one branch of yoga, which is Hatha Yoga and asanas. The medical community has also taken a great interest in yoga for the many benefits that it brings to the body and mind.
The informal consultations will later be followed by a resolution on which a majority vote is required to pass the resolution.