PM leads Yoga Day celebrations, says it is forming basis for int’l cooperation

STATE TIMES NEWS

Mysuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed Yoga along with thousands of participants at a mass demonstration in the backdrop of the iconic Mysuru Palace here on Tuesday and said the physical fitness regime was forming a basis for cooperation among countries, and that it can become a problem-solver.
Leading the main event of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) here, Modi said Yoga brings peace to our universe and gave the hope of a healthy life to humanity.
“Yoga brings peace for us, the peace from Yoga is not only for individuals, Yoga brings peace to our society, nation, the world and the universe,” Modi said, quoting rishis, maharshis and acharyas.
Speaking after inaugurating the grand event at ‘Amba Vilas Palace’ here, he said, “this might feel like an extreme thought to someone, but our sages have answered this in a simple mantra- that this whole universe starts from our own body and soul. The universe starts from us and Yoga makes us conscious of everything within us and builds a sense of awareness.”
Averring that things start with self-awareness and proceed to awareness of the world, he said, “when we become aware of ourselves and our world, we begin to spot the things that need to be changed both in ourselves and in the world. They may be individual problems or global problems like climate change and international conflicts.”
Observing that spiritual centres like Mysuru have nurtured the energy of Yoga for centuries, calling it the land of “spirituality and Yoga”, Modi said today that energy was giving direction for world health. Yoga today is not just a part of life, but is becoming the way of life, and it should not be limited to any particular time or place, Modi stated. Pointing out that pictures of Yoga until a few years ago were limited to houses and spiritual centres, the PM said, today they were coming from every corner of the world, and at a time when the world faced the pandemic over the last two years, thus depicting the excitement towards Yoga Day, leaving behind the barriers of country, subcontinent and continent. This proves our vitality. “Yoga has today become an international festival. Yoga is not limited to any individual, but it is for the whole of humanity. So this year’s International Yoga Day’s theme is Yoga for Humanity,” he said and thanked the United Nations and all the countries for taking the message of Yoga to the entire humanity.