Musings On International Yoga Day

On Sunday, June 21 the world will have its first official International Yoga Day. And while I think that it is fantastic that yoga is getting the kind of recognition that it deserves, this milestone does run the risk of perpetuating certain myths about the superficialities of yoga. If you plan on observing International Yoga Day, consider that posting a photo of yourself on social media in some intricate asana may get you a slew of likes and comments, but potentially has little to do with the significance or essence of this day.

The physical practice of yoga has many benefits, one of which is that it allows the practitioner to move the body in order to shift whatever muscular tensions have landed and gotten stuck in the physical frame. The point to shifting these muscular tensions is so that we can be free of the physical manifestation of that which stresses us and keeps us stuck in the human experience, so that we can begin to experience the energetic aspects of this incarnation. Yoga frees us from the bondage of matter, allows us to stop identifying with the body and helps us come back to love, trust, faith, unity, peace and connection. Most of all, it represents the end of identification with pain and all that that umbrella term represents.

On International Yoga Day, practice yoga off your yoga mat. Embody and express love, trust, faith, unity, peace and connection. Notice how many times you find yourself motivated by fear, mistrust or the apprehension of pain. When this happens, change the record. Set your intention to operate from the opposite point of view that your inclination initially brings you to. If you would’ve operated from fear, operate from faith. If you would’ve operated from anger, operate from love and acceptance. If you would’ve operated from chaos, operate from peace. That’s how you practice yoga. And if you’re going to observe this new international holiday, do it right the first time.

I’ve said and written it before and I’ll do so again now: you could take one million photographs of yourself in beautiful yoga postures that Yoga Journal would rave about, but if you’re behaving like a shithead in your daily life, then you’re not practicing yoga. That’s just posturing. Let yoga change your life, not just the size of your clothes or your ego.