This year’s International Day of Yoga theme, “Yoga for Self and Society,” reminds us of yoga’s power to transform both the individual and the world around us. Yoga not only brings balance to the body and mind but also allows its positive effects to flow into our families, communities, and society. As more people around the world turn to yoga, it continues to serve as a path to personal well-being and collective harmony.
At the IDY 2024 celebration, Amma shared Her reflections on the relevance of yoga in today’s world. She explained that yoga is much more than physical exercise. It supports the health of the body, calms the mind, and opens the door to spiritual growth.
“Yoga is important to keep the body healthy and the mind free from anxiety. But a deeper understanding of yoga can help us realize our true potential and let go of the ego,” Amma said.
Through regular practice, yoga helps us discover a deeper sense of self-dependence. True happiness and security do not come from changing outer circumstances but from learning to rest in the inner Self. Amma explained, “Yoga helps us become free from dependence on the world and teaches us to rely on our inner Self. This inner happiness and security are constant and do not change, no matter what happens around us.”
Benefits for Body and Mind
Amma also spoke about the relationship between physical and mental health. She explained that the body needs movement, while the mind needs stillness. This understanding is especially important today, when many people move less physically but experience more mental stress.
“In today’s world, we move less but worry more, which harms both body and mind,” Amma said.
Although yoga is an ancient practice, it offers timeless methods to support both physical and mental well-being. Through movement, breath, awareness, and meditation, yoga helps bring balance to modern life.
Creating Positive Change Through Personal Practice
Reflecting this year’s theme, Brahmacharini Shobha, Director of Amrita Yoga, led a session of simple yet powerful postures. She shared how Amma teaches that yoga and meditation begin with oneself. When we care for our own body, mind, and inner life, we naturally inspire others to begin their own journey toward self-care and awareness.
In this way, yoga creates a ripple effect. A sincere personal practice can become a source of peace, strength, and well-being for others.
A Call to Embrace Yoga’s Holistic Approach
The theme “Yoga for Self and Society” reminds us that yoga is both a personal practice and a shared responsibility. It begins with inner growth and extends outward into our relationships, communities, and the world.
Amma’s teachings show us that yoga offers practical wisdom for many of today’s challenges, including physical inactivity, stress, anxiety, and disconnection. By embracing yoga as a holistic practice, we learn that caring for ourselves can also become a way of serving others.
Whether one is new to yoga or already established in practice, yoga offers a path toward greater peace, balance, and awareness. When we find harmony within, we become a light for the world, sharing that peace and well-being with all.
