International Day of Yoga, 21st June

What is the International Day of Yoga?

The United Nations International Day of Yoga is held annually on the 21st of June. This year the theme is Yoga for One Earth, One Health, focusing on the connection between individual well-being and the well-being of the plant.

Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness.  It is practised in various forms around the world by all ages and continues to grow in popularity.

Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed June 21st as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution was first introduced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the General Assembly, in which he said:

Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action ... a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our wellbeing. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.

Teaching Yoga in Primary Schools with Striver

Free Yoga and Mindfulness Teaching Pack

Yoga and mindfulness are two units that feature in Striver, our PE and wellbeing platform. They are great ways to promote positive mental health and they can be done indoors without any fancy equipment.

Schools have free access to some of our yoga, mindfulness and dance resources. They're a great way to see what Striver has to offer, as they are just a small selection of the 400 lessons included in a subscription.

Yoga Videos

There is a helpful Yoga playlist  on our YouTube channel that gives a short overview of all the Yoga positions included in the resource pack, so teachers don't need to be experts to teach effective yoga lessons.

But yoga is more than a physical activity. In the words of one of its most famous practitioners, the late B.K.S. Iyengar,

Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.

We hope you enjoy teaching yoga this International Day of Yoga, and find the resources listed useful.