International Yoga Day 2023 : Date, History, Theme and Significance

On June 21, the globe celebrates International Yoga Day to acknowledge the divine force of yoga that has been felt across humanity. Millions of individuals practice yoga every day as an effective form of exercise. Yoga is used by people to achieve a holy union of the mind, body, and soul. Over 5,000 years ago, yoga first appeared in India. As a result, it is a traditional kind of physical activity and meditation that was used to advance toward enlightenment. The theme of International Yoga Day 2023 is ‘yoga for humanity’. Yoga has provided the world with spiritual knowledge through meditation and many postures, in addition to being an important type of exercise to stay active every day. For thousands of years, yoga has been the most effective approach to uniting the mind, body, and spirit.

Finding inner peace and establishing a state of well-being has become more crucial than ever in today’s fast-paced world where stress and anxiety have become normal.  It is a holistic approach to wellness, offering physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. Dr. Sheetu Singh, a seasoned practitioner, and specialist of yoga, has dedicated her life to exploring and sharing the profound impact of this transformative practice. Dr. Sheetu Singh has in-depth knowledge of yoga and how she motivates people to start their life-changing adventures.

Dr. Sheetu Singh explains that millions of individuals suffer from the chronic respiratory disease Asthma, which makes it difficult to breathe and lowers the overall quality of life. While asthma management requires both medication and surgical treatments, alternative therapies like yoga have shown encouraging outcomes in reducing symptoms and enhancing lung function. She suggests that Yoga can be a beneficial tool for individuals living with Asthma.

• Enhancing lung capacity:-

  Asthmatics can increase their lung capacity by practicing yoga, which contains particular breathing methods known as pranayama. Exercises that include deep breathing, such as diaphragmatic breathing, and alternate nostril breathing, build up the respiratory system’s capacity for oxygen absorption. People with asthma can enjoy an increase in lung capacity and better breathing control by regularly engaging in pranayama.

• Relaxation and stress reduction:-

  Stress and anxiety can worsen asthma attacks and cause symptoms to get worse. Yoga offers people with asthma an effective method to treat their illness because of its emphasis on relaxation and stress reduction. Gentle yoga positions, along with focused breathing and mindfulness exercises, encourage relaxation and trigger the relaxation response in the body.

• Improved breathing techniques:-

  People who have asthma frequently develop ineffective breathing patterns, which include shallow breaths and holding their breath. Yoga teaches effective breathing methods that can aid in breaking these patterns and encouraging better breathing practices. By practicing yoga, individuals learn to engage the lungs fully, allowing for deeper and more efficient breaths. This can lead to reduced breathlessness, better oxygenation, and improved overall lung function.

• Strengthening respiratory muscles:-

  Yoga asanas that target the chest, shoulders, and back, in particular, can assist strengthen the respiratory muscles. Pose variations including Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), and Matsyasana (Fish Pose) lengthen and open the chest, increase lung capacity, and improve chest and rib cage flexibility. People with asthma may breathe better and have more control over their symptoms as their respiratory muscles get stronger and more flexible.

• Enhanced mind-body awareness:-

  Yoga encourages a strong mental-physical bond that helps people become more aware of their physical and emotional states. People with Asthma can learn to pay more attention to their lungs signals and the early signs of Asthma attacks by engaging in mindfulness techniques.

International Yoga Day: Bringing the World of Yoga into our Lives

The ancient art of yoga originated in the culturally varied country of India. In recent years, yoga has grown in popularity in the West, with several Hollywood celebrities taking it up. Many people are unaware of yoga’s wonderful psychological benefits, even though it is well-established that yoga improves physical health and flexibility. Since 2015, International Yoga Day has been celebrated annually every 21st June, Many individuals practice yoga in large groups all around the world. The date was selected to fall on the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere on this day.

PM Modi has shared a few videos of himself performing yoga poses and discussing the advantages of those poses. Everyone has begun with the major preparations, including educational institutions like CBSE and NCERT as well as the formation of a Common Yoga Protocol. One of India’s holiest towns, Rishikesh, is also home to numerous yoga centers and ashrams that will undoubtedly make you fall in love with yoga. Rishikesh is sometimes referred to as the “Yoga Capital of India,” and nothing compares to the experience of practicing yoga there, in a calm, pollution-free environment. On International Yoga Day, thousands of people gather and participate in mass yoga practices.

Reasons to Practice Yoga Daily 

There are numerous reasons to practice yoga on this international yoga day and beyond as mentioned below:-

• One of the first main reasons to practice yoga for wellness and health
• To use it as a type of exercise to stay physically fit.
• Yoga improves flexibility, and balance, and enhances strength.
• It helps in relieving back pain.
• Yoga helps with arthritic symptoms.
• It is beneficial for heart health.
• Yoga helps the body relax and enhances sleep.
• It also improves mood and energy.
• Yoga can be practiced to manage stress.
• Yoga enables you to take care of yourself.
• Numerous scientific advantages of yoga also exist.

Why is International Yoga Day Significant?

• Yoga is inclusive since it can be practiced by people of all nationalities and religions.
• Yoga gives you calmness and mental peace by relieving stress.
• Regular yoga practice is beneficial to your health since it promotes weight loss and flexibility.

What are the Eight Limbs of Yoga?

• Yama (restraint in our environment).
• Niyama (inward and positive duties towards ourselves).
• Asana (physical posture).
• Pranayama (breathing restraint or expansion).
• Pratyahara (conscious withdrawal of the senses).
• Dharana (concentration).
• Shyana (meditation).
• Samadhi (integration into a whole, bliss, and enlightenment).