IDY 2018 – A Celebration of Authentic Yoga
On June 21st 2018, International Day of Yoga was celebrated the world over.
This celebration of authentic Yoga was initiated at the United Nations General Assembly on December 11th 2014 by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The proposal reminded the world that Yoga is a gift from the India to the world, one that unifies all people in harmony. As he stated:
“Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It 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. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.”
Mata Amritanandamayi Math Appointed by the Ministry of AYUSH and MDNIY
The Mata Amritanandamayi Math has partnered with the Government of India’s Ministry of AYUSH and MDNIY since 2016 to plan, promote and support celebrating the International Day of Yoga. Companies, schools and institutions throughout India approached the Math for support, and we offered training workshops in Amrita Yoga (an offering of authentic yoga).
(MDNIY is an Indian organization that does planning, training and promotion of Yoga education.)
Training Offered and Participation This Year
M.A. Math has been training Amrita Yoga Ambassadors in preparation for the celebration since April 2018. M.A. Math conducted several training workshops in India.
Youth from the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham campuses and many volunteers were sent out to the 101 villages adopted by the Math and to various schools and institutions to teach Amrita Yoga.
Several organizations also approached Mata Amritanandamayi Math for support to celebrate IDY events at their premises. IISER-TVM Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Thiruvananthapuram and Central Prison in Thiruvananthapuram are a few to mention.
This year, the M.A. Math and affiliates at more than 120 locations and including projects and education centers worldwide participated in the International Day of Yoga with a total of almost 9,000 participants. (This does not include the more than 50 Amrita Vidyaylayam schools throughout India.)
Amma, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, honored the authentic yoga culture and celebrated with her children and devotees in 2 cities in the USA. On the 19th June, 2018 at Santa Fe and on the 21st June, 2018 at Dallas. She practiced some simple stretches and briefed about the importance of awareness in the practice.
International Satsang groups in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia also actively participated in IDY celebrations.
Excerpts from Amma’s talk on International Day of Yoga 2015
“The purpose of Yoga is for our inner well-being. It does not belong to any particular faith or religion. It was passed on to us by the ancient seers for the well-being of humanity. Yoga helps us to reconnect with nature and eventually become one with God.”
Amrita Yoga: a Practical and Scientific Way to Lead a Balanced Life
Amrita Yoga was directly formed from Amma’s sankalpa (intention) prompted by unconditional love and an attitude of service to the world. This school of authentic yoga offers a holistic approach, focused on Awareness with heart-centered intention.
Amrita Yoga offers programs, camps and retreats in India, many countries in Europe, North America, Japan, Australia and South Africa. Various programs are offered to suit the needs of the people.
The mission is to provide a comprehensive yoga program that is rooted in the ancient yet practical spiritual principles, that enables students to cultivate a holistic attitude (mano bhavana), embrace practical Vedanta, and discover improved physical strength, mental equanimity, and enhanced awareness of their hidden abilities.
Students are encouraged to continuously apply experiences and insights gained on the yoga mat into their daily life by consciously witnessing themselves, accepting the different situations they encounter, and reflecting on their reactions.
The Amrita Yoga team is an example of selflessness. All our instructors, administration staff, and support staff serve on a non-monetary basis to support and nurture this forgotten Indian tradition and culture. This international group serves selflessly solely on a voluntary basis. The joy and beauty of selfless service surrounds every aspect and every moment of all our authentic yoga programs.
Author: Amrita Yoga Team
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