Hello Yogis and Yoginis,
Today represents the 5th annual International Yoga Day.
Yoga promotes a powerful message of transformation and it is happening at a global scale. It’s a day that is recognised by the United Nations. A total of 177 nations accepted a proposal to celebrate International Yoga Day when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an impassioned speech at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2014.
Today, I’m thinking about “Yoga for Heart”, the theme of this years Yoga Day.
Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word 'yoga' comes from Sanskrit, which means to join or unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness. The result of this union is joy or bliss. Through the practices of body and mind awareness, we can cultivate this state of mind and lead lives filled with happiness, health and peace.
Your heart is more than an organ that pumps blood. It generates an enormous electromagnetic field that can be measured up to four meters from your body. It subtly influences everything and everyone around you. The heart is the centre of emotional connection to yourself, to others, and the entire universe by generating the single most powerful emotion humans experience: love.
A vibrant, radiant heart is more than health, it is a superpower.
So, as you go about your day on this special day today, smile. Be kind to yourself and others. And know that you already possess everything inside of you to be whoever you want to be.
As guru Jaggi Vasudev said in an address to the UN in 2016, “over two billion people are practising yoga today. And this is because it works. Every single human being can have a pleasant experience of life if they learn to fix their interiority. This is was yoga means. And this is what is needed in the world today.”
If you can, take a few moments to listen to Jaggi’s enlightening speech on how yoga can transform our well being and life experience below.
Yoga is a pathway to your heart, and your true nature. Practice, and let it be.
Namaste, Phil.