Yoga enthusiasts join in worldwide celebration of peace and well-being
"It seemed as though most of the people who were present were quite advanced in meditating and they also did not have any problem keeping up with the demand of the poses of kundalini."
The first-ever International Day of Yoga, celebrated in almost 200 countries, also brought a number of this city’s residents to their knees this past Sunday.
About 30 people attended the two-and-a-half-hour session at Serendib Yoga Studio in Van Wijk Street in honour of the day.
As was expected of most yoga sessions, it started with a 10-minute meditation. Melissa Adey started the physical session with an ashtanga class after which Shameen Yacoob took the assembly on a journey of kundalini yoga.
“I was so happy to see so many new faces,” said Yacoob. “It seemed as though most of the people who were present were quite advanced in meditating and they also did not have any problem keeping up with the demand of the poses of kundalini.”
The International Day of Yoga started in India with a number of yogis who wanted to break the record for the largest simultaneous yoga session across country borders.
The date, June 21, was made official by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in December last year at Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi’s request. During his address to the UN, he termed yoga as “an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition.
It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.”
Deidré Dornbrack, the owner of Serendib, explained that yoga was an absolute joy and a simple and fun way to discover your inner beauty.
“Yoga teaches strength, discipline, control and balance,” she said. “It starts with the awareness of the physical body and the more you get into it, the more it becomes a magical mental awareness which changes your thoughts, conduct and perspective of life.”
The exact number of participants was not yet known, but according to the official website, more than 150 000 participants bent and stretched at the same time in all participating countries.
Enquiries: To find out more about kundalini yoga contact Yacoob at 083-785-5695.
