The end of the year 2024 has brought delightful news: the United Nations has proclaimed December 21st
as World Meditation Day.
In its announcement, the UN said, this day will serve to “raise awareness about meditation and its benefits; recalling the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”
The UNGA has also acknowledged the “link between yoga and meditation as complementary approaches to health and well-being.”
This connection aligns perfectly with the principle of yoga, which is to harmonize polarities. International Yoga Day, celebrated on the Summer Solstice (June 21st), is perfectly balanced by World Meditation Day, observed exactly six months later on the Winter Solstice (December 21st).
In the physical practice of Yoga, known as Ha-Tha Yoga, Ha represents the solar principle, associated with the Pingala nadi (energy channel) flowing through the right nostril, while Tha signifies the lunar principle, linked to the Ida nadi flowing through the left nostril. The entire practice of Hatha Yoga aims to purify and balance these two nadis, ultimately merging them into the central channel, the Sushumna nadi, which leads to the state of meditation.
The celebration of World Meditation Day will bring International Yoga Day celebration into full circle of the true meaning of Yoga. For long Yoga has remained associated with the physical practice of asanas and the meditation part has long been ignored.
Without meditation there is no Yoga.
In a time when mental health has become one of the greatest crises in human well-being, meditation offers a balm of peace, purification, and relaxation for the mind. It nourishes a mind that has lost its luster to anger, envy, worry, greed, jealousy, and sorrow.
In the Yoga Vashishtha, sage Vashishtha , the guru of lord Sri Rama explains to him the concept of vyadhi and aadhi – which is diseases that are cause of physical conditions and diseases that are cause of mental anguish manifesting as a physical condition. The modern medical system has also come to agree that most of the disease originate in the mind as stress, anxiety, depression and manifest in the body.
The Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita speaks in great depth about the mind and body connection in health and well-being.
In its announcement, the UN said, this day will serve to “raise awareness about meditation and its benefits; recalling the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”
The UNGA has also acknowledged the “link between yoga and meditation as complementary approaches to health and well-being.”
This connection aligns perfectly with the principle of yoga, which is to harmonize polarities. International Yoga Day, celebrated on the Summer Solstice (June 21st), is perfectly balanced by World Meditation Day, observed exactly six months later on the Winter Solstice (December 21st).
In the physical practice of Yoga, known as Ha-Tha Yoga, Ha represents the solar principle, associated with the Pingala nadi (energy channel) flowing through the right nostril, while Tha signifies the lunar principle, linked to the Ida nadi flowing through the left nostril. The entire practice of Hatha Yoga aims to purify and balance these two nadis, ultimately merging them into the central channel, the Sushumna nadi, which leads to the state of meditation.
The celebration of World Meditation Day will bring International Yoga Day celebration into full circle of the true meaning of Yoga. For long Yoga has remained associated with the physical practice of asanas and the meditation part has long been ignored.
Without meditation there is no Yoga.
In a time when mental health has become one of the greatest crises in human well-being, meditation offers a balm of peace, purification, and relaxation for the mind. It nourishes a mind that has lost its luster to anger, envy, worry, greed, jealousy, and sorrow.
In the Yoga Vashishtha, sage Vashishtha , the guru of lord Sri Rama explains to him the concept of vyadhi and aadhi – which is diseases that are cause of physical conditions and diseases that are cause of mental anguish manifesting as a physical condition. The modern medical system has also come to agree that most of the disease originate in the mind as stress, anxiety, depression and manifest in the body.
The Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita speaks in great depth about the mind and body connection in health and well-being.
The tranquility of mind is essential for proper nourishment of body. A calm mental state and happiness are important factors for managing health body weight, proper sleep and functioning of the sense organs.
– Charaka Samhita – Sutra Sthana
– Charaka Samhita – Sutra Sthana
In the world of multimedia that we are living in, the average number of hours people are spending on their
devices is 6-7 hours a day which has taken toll on their health, sleep, relationships and health is greatly
compromised. Meditation is the nourishment and rejuvenation for the mind.
In words of Swami Veda Bharati,
“Meditation is the art of training the mind to produce harmony.
The same situation that produces stress in one person will have no effect on the trained meditator who has
strengthened his nervous system and purified his mind. Such a person can achieve mundane goals more
easily too, because a ‘neat’ mind with little or no confusion can make better decisions more quickly.”
In the eight-rung system of Yoga given by Maharishi Patanjali known as Ashtanga Yoga or Raja Yoga,
meditation is the seventh of the eight steps. The six preceding steps prepare one for the practice of
meditation by cleansing and harmonising the physical body, the pranic or energy body through breath, and
mind management through 10 rightful living principles of Yamas and Niyamas.
Meditation is not merely an activity, an exercise one does for a specific period of time during the day, but meditation becomes your state of awareness, alertness, relaxation, attention and concentration in every moment of the day.
The declaration of World Meditation Day opens the doors of meditation for everyone who wishes to heal their minds and body, achieve better health and lead a vibrant life.
On this special day, falling on Saturday, 21st December 2024, we are offering free online workshop – Meditation for Beginners.
If you have never meditated before and wish to explore, or start or even establish a regular practice of mediation, this workshop will take you through the entire process of meditation in a systematic way.
Meditation is not merely an activity, an exercise one does for a specific period of time during the day, but meditation becomes your state of awareness, alertness, relaxation, attention and concentration in every moment of the day.
The declaration of World Meditation Day opens the doors of meditation for everyone who wishes to heal their minds and body, achieve better health and lead a vibrant life.
On this special day, falling on Saturday, 21st December 2024, we are offering free online workshop – Meditation for Beginners.
If you have never meditated before and wish to explore, or start or even establish a regular practice of mediation, this workshop will take you through the entire process of meditation in a systematic way.
Date: 21st December, 2024, Saturday
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 AM IST
Via Zoom
Time: 7:00 to 8:30 AM IST
Via Zoom
The workshop will cover both theory and practice of meditation:
The workshop will be in English and suited for all.
This is a complementary workshop and requires prior registration.
The joining link will be shared with registered participants one day prior to the event.
- Mental health and its effect on overall well-being
- Introduction to meditation and its relation to mental health
- Preparatory practices for body, breath and relaxation
- The process of meditation
- Guided meditation
- Questions and answers
The workshop will be in English and suited for all.
This is a complementary workshop and requires prior registration.
The joining link will be shared with registered participants one day prior to the event.
To register please follow this link.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1NeNpmZd8Ar72oDax0Bwl459eS5oAdT5QpiiRp3msaLM/viewform?edit_requested=true
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