In an age marked by conflicts, disease, dysfunction and mental health challenges, yoga offers a steady, time-trusted path to help find calm and harmony within – and without.
This powerful message of International Yoga Day, observed annually on 21 June, reverberated through UN Headquarters in New York on Friday as hundreds gathered to embrace the ancient, holistic practice.
A familiar tradition now each year, the North Lawn once again transformed into an open-air yoga studio overlooking the East River. Following a stretch of rainy, gray days, the sky had finally cleared, making it a bright, warm day.
And yoga enthusiasts, including diplomats, UN officials and staff, took full advantage of it, rolling out their mats – flexing bodies and minds.
Peter Rogina, founder of Project Peace Lights, was delighted to return to the headquarters and fondly recalled the 2019 event, which was moved indoors to the General Assembly Hall due to rain.
“I love the opportunity to practice with such a large group of people, the energy is just amplified…And I also have my son with me, so to introduce him to this experience, I am also very excited.”
A Buddhist monastic Lama Aria Drolma comes to the UN every year to participate in the event. Her path has taken her from the world of corporate modeling to a more reflective place of inner peace and meditation.
“When I was a young child growing up in India, I used to practice yoga. It touches not only the body but also the soul. It’s very meditative as well. I find yoga to be one of the healthiest things we all can do to take care of our health.”
‘One family’
The emphasis on personal wellness also highlighted the benefits of yoga going beyond individuals to encompass the health of the entire planet.
Organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in collaboration with the UN Secretariat, the theme of this year’s event was, Yoga for One Earth, One Health.
India’s Permanent Representative Ambassador P. Harish noted how it underscores a vital truth: personal well-being and planetary health are deeply interconnected.
“In caring for ourselves, we begin to care for Earth, reflecting the enduring Indian ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or the whole world is one family.”
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“The 11th edition of the Yoga Day offers us an opportunity to reflect on how yoga has grown into a global force for well-being, touching people across age-groups, geographies and walks of life,” he added.
Echoing that, Didi Ananda Radhika Acharya from Ananda Marga Women’s Welfare Center pointed out that more than just an exercise, yoga is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.
“On the outside, we are our bodies, within that lies our mind. Deep further inside, there is something that is always witnessing us, observing us. That is our soul. Through Yoga, we can reach that inner space. When we delve into the depths of our mind through yoga, we realize how deeply connected we all are.”
A symbol of hope
Participants on the lawn ranged from experienced practitioners to curious first timers, engaged in basic yoga asanas (poses), breathing techniques and stretching exercises.
The key highlight of the programme was a guided meditation session by the renowned physician and a leading figure on integrative well-being, Dr. Deepak Chopra.
Marta Shedletsky from Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in New York attended the session seeking a sense of community, trust – and hope. The venue held a special meaning for her.
“What’s going on in the world these days, with all the turmoil and all the wars that are going on, this place feels like a symbol of hope for a better future and the possibility of peace.”