by Caryl Teh
Exercise! With a lot of us still at least partially working from home and social distancing, outdoor exercise options are (very) limited. Thankfully, there is a safe & accessible alternative which you can do right in the comfort of your own home – yoga! 21 June is International Yoga Day. Since we can’t organise a LIVE introduction to yoga (we hope to one day!), we thought we should introduce you to its underlying principles.
Interesting facts about yoga:
- Origins? Yoga originated in India and derives from Hindu and Eastern religious practices. It was originally practiced as a form of meditation for physical, emotions, and mental well-being.
- What does the word “yoga” mean? The word “yoga” in Sanskrit for “union”.
- Mats? Yoga practitioners used to use grass or animal skin as a mat. The first yoga mat was created in 1982 by Angela Farmer who used a carpet underlay to create a sticky surface while teaching yoga.
What is “om”?
- Om is three syllables – a, u, and m – often chanted at the start and end of a yoga session.
- It is more than just the sound you make when enjoying really yummy food. It is said to be the whole universe coalesced into a single word; the union of mind, body, and spirit that is at the heart of yoga.
- Apparently it represents the four states of consciousness: deep sleep (unconsciousness), dreaming, wakefulness, bliss (samadhi).
What does namasté mean?
- In India, the Sanskrit salutation namasté is used in daily conversation to greet each other. Its Hindi variant, namaskar, means “I bow to the light in you”.
- In yoga, namasté is used to indicate thanks and esteem.
About International Yoga Day:
- Who came up with the idea for an International or World Yoga Day? Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
- Why 21 June? It’s the summer solstice – the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
- This celebration owns 2 Guinness World Records: (1) largest yoga lesson with 35,985 participants, and (2) maximum number of participating nationalities – 84.
Sources:
International Day of Yoga by observances.global, timeanddate.com & indiatvnews.com
57 Amazing Yoga Facts by thegoodbody.com
Om & Namaste in Yoga by verywellfit.com
39 Yoga Facts by factretriever.com
15 Weird Types of Yoga by trueyogareviews.com
