Hey there Yogis!
International Yoga Day is coming up, and we want to celebrate with our ever-growing community. We have a few surprises for you, so stay with us until the end of this post.
Celebrated on June 21, the International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide about the many benefits of practicing yoga. The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member states. The resolution highlights the importance of individuals and communities making healthier choices and adopting lifestyle patterns that support well-being.
June 21 also marks the summer solstice, the official beginning of astronomical summer, and the longest day of the year.
What are the benefits of practicing yoga?
There are so many benefits that it is impossible to list them all. In the words of one of its most influential practitioners, the late B. K. S. Iyengar:
"Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions."
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root Yuj, meaning union, to bind, to yoke, to join, or to integrate.
Yoga represents unity and oneness — a path through which we evolve and reconnect with our essence.
Yoga is a tool for evolution.
I. A Sanskrit Mantra
Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu
(Sanskrit: लोकः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु)
This mantra is often chanted at the end of a yoga practice.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu means:
"May all beings, everywhere, be free and happy."
Another common interpretation is:
"May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all."
By chanting this mantra, we expand beyond the personal self and offer a prayer of love to the world around us.
It reminds us that we are part of the universe and that our actions can positively influence all living beings.
Listen to this mantra on Spotify, chanted by Explorers of Infinity.
II. Surya Namaskar A
Sun Salutation
"Movement without awareness is exercise. Movement with awareness is yoga."
Surya Namaskar is a sequence of postures that begins and ends with Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
This flowing series of movements includes stretches, forward folds, and backbends that build warmth in the body while synchronizing movement with breath.
Each inhale initiates a transition into a new posture. A brief pause allows the body to settle. Each exhale gently guides the next movement.
Breath, motion, and stillness begin to follow a natural rhythm.
The cyclical nature of this sequence mirrors the sun’s predictable arc across the sky, allowing practitioners to become absorbed in the repetitive flow.
A moving meditation.
How to do a Sun Salutation.
Source: Yoga Journal.
III. Yoga | Book
Emmanuel Carrère is a renowned French writer.
His book Yoga, named one of the Best Books of 2022 by The Guardian, explores the human desire to heal and to grow.
It is a work that reflects on meditation as a practice of working with what is available in the present moment.
The book also explores complex themes such as loss, mental health, identity, global crisis, and the fragile boundaries between fiction and reality.
Both intimate and philosophical, Yoga invites readers to explore the depths of consciousness and self-understanding.
IV. And last but not least… a surprise!
Treelance Yoga and State of Yoga have partnered to offer special gifts to our community.
You and your yoga buddy can each win:
• A black or green yoga bodysuit and black high-waisted underwear from Treelance Yoga
• A virtual or in-person yoga class at State of Yoga, a peaceful sanctuary in Miami Beach led by our beloved yoga teacher, Sandrine Kamhi
Learn how to participate here.
We will announce the two winners today at 5 PM. There are still a few hours left to join.
Good luck everyone, and stay tuned for the winners.
We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.
If you missed our previous newsletters about being liberated through yoga, honoring peace, improving mental health, embracing vulnerability, and more, you can explore them anytime.
Xoxo
Treelance Yoga
