As the day shrinks to its shortest possible length and night draws its long drapes over Sydney's skyline on a cold 21st June, the city would have flexed its weary muscles to the tune of International Yoga Day. Yes, the June solstice marks the
United Nations World Yoga Day. With rising complexities of health problems and life becoming more stressful, the calming effects of yoga are finding a wider reach. It is an ancient Indian art of exercising the body, mind and soul to strike a balance between the three. Yoga's very purpose is to unite nature and the being. Yogic practices are not just a way of transforming ones physical self but also a medium to strengthen the will and control emotional fluctuations.
After its first successful worldwide observance last year, the day will be a gala affair this year. Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House are both suiting up to draw huge crowds on the 19th and the 21st of June respectively to celebrate World Yoga Day.
Free Community Event at Bondi Beach
6:30am - 6:00pm, 19th June, 2016
Upon the sun donning its brilliant orange hues, the expanse of Bondi Beach will play host to hundreds of yoga enthusiasts. Beginning with an Aboriginal Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, the event will start with a free
Sunrise yoga session on the shore. These will be followed by
paid classes and talks on different yoga types, forms, meditation modes and breathing techniques at Bondi Pavilion. To get an idea of all the scheduled session click
here. Finally, the day will close with Winter Magic Peace Spiral (free event). Attendees will hold unlit candles and in a spiral towards a centrally located flame, light their own candles from it and them move outwards symbolizing the ushering of world peace through collective consciousness.
Image from worldyogaday.com.au
12:00pm - 2:00pm, 21st June, 2016
To celebrate Yoga Day with the rest of the world on the tireless Tuesday noon of the 2016 Winter solstice, the stairs of the Opera House will stage a mass yoga session. As at Bondi, the event will start with Aboriginal welcome. Thereafter, Indian Dance and Lamp Ceremony will be followed by Yoga class, Kirtan (mantra chanting accompanied by musical instruments), Meditation and finally release of Doves.
Recent years have seen a surge in the fan following of Yoga. And why not, the techniques involved are hassle free. It can be done at a convenient time and place. Moreover, the equipments required are the self and the will to do. With these available without a dime's expense, we just need to follow our own physical contours and breath patterns - turning, twisting, bending down, arching back and with practice may be stand on our heads - to free the mind and unwind physical knots. The principle is simple -
"act on the body and it will react back shedding the burden and cleansing the unwanted, opening the doors to the uncharted universe within."
