It was a celebration of what true health is—not just the absence of illness, but wellness that includes physical stamina, mental peace, sharp memory, and clarity of intellect. In her message for this year’s International Day of Yoga, Amma emphasised that yoga is a holistic way of life rooted in moral values.
She explained that since human nature is fundamentally the same everywhere, yoga can be adopted universally regardless of caste, religion, gender, or nationality. It is a priceless gift from the ancient sages of India to the entire world.
In Amritapuri, the program included a simple and inclusive yoga training session in the Ashram’s prayer hall for people of all ages. Uplifted by Amma’s joyful expressions of practice, this included monastics, residents, visitors from around the world, and even the CRPF soldiers and Kerala Police stationed there.
The session was led by Brahmacharini Shobhana, Coordinator of Amrita Yoga, under the direct guidance of Amma. Participants practised a series of asanas aimed at promoting inner balance and physical well-being.
Amma’s Message
Many countries have come to recognize that yoga offers immense benefits for physical health, as well as mental and intellectual development. Like Ayurveda, yoga is a priceless gift from the ancient sages of India to the entire world.
Yoga is the path to awakening our infinite potential and realising our inherent completeness, through the proper adjustment of the body, emotions and intellect.
In everyday life, too, yoga helps to increase our efficiency, health and happiness. In these modern times, when lifestyle diseases and mental illness are on the rise, the relevance of yoga continues to steadily increase.
The average human lifespan has increased, aided by new medicines and treatment options. However, our health is declining due to poor lifestyle choices.
Good health is not the mere absence of disease; it is the ability to work for long hours without tiring, having mental peace, a clear memory and a sharp intellect. Yoga is a practical system through which we can achieve this.
Programs such as the International Yoga Day certainly help spread awareness about the benefits of yoga. An overly busy lifestyle, lack of exercise and stress are the curses of today’s society. It is important to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
If even one person in the home learns yoga, they will be able to teach everyone else in the family. If everyone in the family practices yoga, the health of the entire family will improve. This will not only reduce the family’s medical bills, it will also make their minds calm and increase their intellectual capacity and memory power.
If everyone in the home practices yoga and meditation, the entire atmosphere of the home will be transformed. For this to happen though, the principle behind yoga has to be understood as well. Then, conflicts will decrease. Love and cooperation will increase.
If yoga enters the households of all the families in a village, the entire village will become healthy. Their standard of life will be uplifted. If the real principles behind yoga are understood and practised, we will be able to imbibe many other values as well—for example, patience, forgiveness and forbearance. It will also help us develop the love within us.
There is one more thing I would like to stress. Yoga is not like an ordinary physical exercise routine that you practice for one or two hours a day. It is a comprehensive way of life that gives a high level of importance to dharmic values and principles.
Yoga brings success in both material life as well as in spiritual life. Whichever spiritual path you pursue, yoga will definitely help you. Regardless of the country, human nature remains the same. Therefore, the practice of yoga can help one and all, irrespective of nationality or religion.
May we be able to use this priceless wealth bestowed on the human race by the ancient rishis of Bharat in the right way.
