International Day of Yoga is celebrated worldwide on June 21st each year to recognize yoga's holistic benefits for health and well-being. The UN acknowledges yoga as a practice that unites mind and body through techniques like meditation, breath control, and poses. Prime Minister Modi proposed establishing an International Yoga Day in his 2014 UN address, describing yoga as a means to discover inner peace and harmony between humanity and nature.

2. International Day ofYoga
UN InternationalYoga Day
Official name International Day ofYoga - IDY
Also called Yoga Day
Observed by Worldwide
Type United Nations
Celebrations Yoga, Meditation, meetings,
discussions, cultural performances
Date 21 June
Next time 21 June 2015
Frequency Annual
Related to World Health Day

3. Recognizing that yoga provides a
holistic approach to health and
well-being…..
- UNO

4. "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.”
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji during his
address to UN General Assembly on
September 27, 2014 stated:

5. “It is not about exercise but
to discover the sense of
Oneness with yourself,
the world and the nature.
By changing our lifestyle and creating
consciousness, it can help us to deal with
climate change.
Let us work towards adoptingYoga as a way of
life beginning with the International Yoga Day.”

6. Traditional definitions ofYoga

7. Yogah Chitta -Vritti Nirodhah
Maharshi Patanjali …
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Manah Prashamanopayah yoga ityabhidhiyate
MaharshiVashishth
To relax and expand the mind isYoga
Develops stamina & capacity

8. Samatvam Yoga Uchyate… Equanimity of mind isYOGA
8
The Bhagwad Geeta…….
Unperturbed state of mind in all ‘pairs of
opposites’ isYOGA
.
This is helpful for mastering
WORKPLACE situations

9. Yoga-Yujyate Anen itiYogah….
Union, Balancing, Developing , Expanding
Yoga means to join.
Union of Individual with Society,
Nature… isYoga.
9

10. 10
Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam
Yoga in action…….
Yoga in every action Leads to
Happiness
Each action can take us to the bigger
‘WE’ from smaller ‘I’

11. • Everything is part of that single entity
• Despite diversity, basic existence is of energy
• Concept of living and non-living is comparative
To discover the sense of Oneness
in Minerals, Plants and Animal
Kingdom

12. • Transitions of Minerals
Diamonds in mines
• Basic existence of atom
• Energy from disintegration
process
• quarks – energy
• Turning point for scientists
Mineral Kingdom
… basic existence is the energy

13. • We can understand development in
Plants
• Comparison of minerals & plants
• Plants - distinguishing features -
reproduction
• Intelligence/ reactions / emotions in
plants
Plant Kingdom
… basic existence is the energy

14. Sun -Power House
… basic existence is the energy
Plants,Animals, human beings – Sun is basic source of energy

15. • Animals – developed existence
• Reproduction, movements
• Memory, emotions
• Action, reactions - programmed
… basic existence is the energy
Animal Kingdom

16. • Human beings – developed
species
• Aahaar, Nidraa, bhaya,
Maithun – common in
animals & humans
• Power of Discrimination in
human beings
• Story of a Sage - Scorpion
… basic existence is the energy

17. • Developed stage – curiosity regarding existence
• Thought provoking – consciousness
• cosmic consciousness
… basic existence is the energy
…. ?
…. ?
…. ?

18. Energy can be transformed
Solar Energy
Gravitation
Atomic Energy
Electric Energy
Magnetic Energy
Wind Energy
Various forms of energy are transformable ….
… basic existence is the energy

19. • Plants, animals humans made of cells
• cells – nucleus - chromosomes – jenes
• Chemical Chain ….
… basic existence is the energy
What are ‘we’ then ?

20. Macrocosm – Microcosm
As in the universe – So in the human body
Same cycle --- chemical chain – atoms – nucleus –
protons - quarks - energy
… basic existence is the energy

21. Consciousness
Everything has got life,
the Mineral Kingdom has got life,
the Plant Kingdom has got life, and
the Animal Kingdom has got life.
… basic existence is the energy

22. All is one…
To understand ourselves ….
Let us
Understand the laws of Existence
22

23. Laws of Existence - I
The whole existence is
Inter-CONNECTED
Inter - RELATED
Inter - DEPENDENT
23
Human body system

24. Laws of Existence - II
Each Part of the whole existence is UNIQUEEach Part of the whole existence is UNIQUEEach Part of the whole existence is UNIQUEEach Part of the whole existence is UNIQUE
It has aIt has aIt has aIt has a
PURPOSEPURPOSEPURPOSEPURPOSE to fulfillto fulfillto fulfillto fulfill
FUNCTIONFUNCTIONFUNCTIONFUNCTION to performto performto performto perform
ROLEROLEROLEROLE to playto playto playto play
24

25. Laws of Existence - III
The part can surviveThe part can surviveThe part can surviveThe part can survive
only ifonly ifonly ifonly if it is relatedit is relatedit is relatedit is related to the WHOLEto the WHOLEto the WHOLEto the WHOLE
This organic ONENESS is EXISTENCE
Our Body
All Organs related, connected,
dependent
Yet Unique in function and
performance
But NO Part can survive, if cut apart or
moves apart.
25

26. 26
Awake
Expansion is life, Contraction is death
0 Individual
1 Family
2 Organization
3 Society
4 Nation
5 Parameshti
Connecting the Self with Expanding collectives and
Infinite Ishwara is Yoga.

27. Four components of Yoga Way
of life
( inter-connected - inter-related - inter-dependent )
Bhakti Yoga – Science of emotions
Jnana Yoga - Path of Knowledge
Karma Yoga – Secret of actions
Raja Yoga – Restraint of thought currents
Yam-Niyam-Asana-Pranayam-Pratyahar-
Dharana-Dhyan-Samadhi.

28. Yama defines our interactions with others
(Including nature)
Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, brahmacharya and
non-aggrandizement constitute Yama.
Yama
Niyama
Niyama is for self-preparation, for self-
development, and are related to oneself, one’s
attitudes, approach to one’s own self.
Shaucha, Santosha,Tapa, Swadhyaya,
Ishvarapranidhan constitute Niyama.

29. Yoga is way of life -
Our living should be in accordance with the entire
Existence which is interconnected, interrelated and
interdependent.
Practice of Yama and Niyama is essential in
the Yoga way of life.

30. 30
Why are we not able to experience the
Underlying Oneness ?
Ashanti - Continuous flow of thoughts
Ashuddhi - Identification with Body, Mind,
Intellect
Solution …
YogaWay of Life

31. Training Mind – ThroughYoga
For Shanti - Inward State (Samahit Avastha )
- Asana – Pranayama – Dhyana
To discover the sense of Oneness with yourself
To discover the sense of Oneness with the world
and the nature
• For Chittashuddhi - Outward State (Vyutthan
Avastha )
Yoga in every Action
Aims and intentions are one with the purpose of life
All actions tuned for harmony within the existence.

32. Cycle of Sustenance -
Vyakti
Samaj
Smaller Entity
Larger Entity
Yogakshem
Karma
Yajna
Karmafala

33. What are indicators of Oneness?
• Samatvam (सम वं) - Equanimity
• Santosh (संतोष) - Contentment
• Sarvasamaveshakata (सवसमावेशकता) –
Acceptance, Inclusive approach
• Seva (सेवा) - Service
• Samyam (संयम) – Self- Control

34. For Chittashuddhi
• Connect with the larger existence
• Contribute for the harmony in the collectives
like family, society, nation, humanity and the
whole creation
• Establish in Atman
For that Practice Pancha Maha Yagna

35. Pitruyajna – Remembering the
role of Parents and Elders
To treat elders in the family with respect
To follow the family traditions with understanding of the
principle behind those traditions and with necessary
modifications if required to suit the needs of the time. It is
important to note that the principle should be kept intact.
To perform Shraadha for the departed elders of the family
This Yagna connects one with the family.
Practice of this Yagna nurtures our expanded existence called
family.
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To be practiced by All

36. Nar-Yajna : Service to Humanity is
worship of Divinity
To give some time for the good of the society
To give some part of our food everyday to the hungry. It may
not be possible in today’s life-style to search or reach out to
the needy every day.Therefore, every day while cooking one
can keep aside a handful of uncooked rice or wheat and at
the end of the month hand it over to a needy person/s.
Taking care of animals, of dependents and the Atithi – guest.
This Yagna connects one with the society. Practice of this Yagna
nurtures our expanded existence called ‘society’.
To be practiced by All

37. RishiYajna : Continue the thoughts and
Tapas of the Rishis for welfare of all
Study about our culture and its life-giving principles.
To understand and interpret these in today’s context and
language and practice it in life.
To pass on this knowledge to future generation by
practicing it, imbibing it, being examples and also with
proper planning. Only then will India be able to fulfil its
ordained mission of guiding the world in spirituality.
This Yagna connects one with the nation [Rashtra]. Practice
of this Yagna nurtures our expanded existence called ‘nation'
and humanity.
To be practiced by All

38. DevYajnas: Respect to the Nature,
everything in creation
‘Devas’ means various forces in nature.Thus devayagna is
to protect nature.To save energy, to keep the surroundings
clean
To consciously enrich nature by planting trees, regenerating
water bodies, etc.
Our body is also from the panchamahabhuta – nature. So,
one must exercise regularly to keep the body fit.
This Yagna connects one with nature. Practice of this Yagna
nurtures our expanded existence called ‘nature’.
To be practiced by All

39. BrahmaYajna : Connect with your
real eternal immortal being
1.To meditate every day on the fact that we are not the
body-mind complex but the Atma - Chaitanya that which is
forever, which is Ananda, happiness. Happiness is not outside
in matters or persons.
2.To read and contemplate on scriptures such as the Gita,
the Upanishads which explain this ultimate truth
3.To do Japa if we have taken a mantra or Gayatri japa for
some time
This Yagna connects one with Brahman. Practice of this Yagna
nurtures our ultimate existence called Brahman.
To be practiced by All

40. Yoga is a way of life based on the vision of
Oneness.
Our activity should link an individual to the family,
family to the society, society to the nation and all to
the inherent Oneness of existence.
World has accepted this Yoga way of life thus
paving the way for Universal Brotherhood….