WHEREAS, For many years, yoga teachers and students desired a collective global celebration of the over 5,000-year-old physical, mental, and spiritual practice of yoga, including yoga teacher Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who explained, “Yoga is a lifestyle and should not be mistaken for only asanas.” “Yoga helps a human being to unfold his full potential. Yoga improves the quality of life, which is so much needed today. Yoga can wipe the tears and bring smiles on every face. It can bring celebration and skill in everyone’s life”; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 the International Day of Yoga. During his address to the General Assembly in support of declaring the global celebration, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, observed, “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature”; and

WHEREAS, The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” which means “to unite or integrate,” and one objective of a yoga practice is to harmonize the body, spirit, and mind through various breathing exercises, yoga poses, also called asanas, and meditation. There are four yogas or paths detailed in the Bhagavad Gita: Bhakti yoga (path of devotion); Jnana yoga (path of knowledge); Raja yoga or ashtanga/classical yoga (path involving physical exercises and postures, breathing exercises, concentration, and meditation); and karma yoga (path of selfless and righteous action); and

WHEREAS, California is home to many yoga teachers, students, studios, and classes that have collectively contributed to the significant growth of yoga throughout the United States. Yoga has become one of the fastest growing wellness practices in the past decade, with approximately 36,000,000 Americans estimated to practice yoga regularly, and one in three Americans have at least tried yoga once; and

WHEREAS, While yoga originated from Hindu and Vedic traditions, yoga is currently practiced by people of different cultures, traditions, religions, and nationalities, demonstrating that all people have the shared goal to uplift the human experience; and

WHEREAS, Yoga brings strength, stability, and unity within the body, mind, and emotions. Recent studies suggest that yoga-based interventions can be an effective treatment for various health conditions and mental health disorders and complimentary with traditional medical interventions and therapy. Regular yoga practitioners report benefits such as reduction in stress, positive increase in temperament, being physically stronger, and reduced inflammation, pain, and stiffness; and

WHEREAS, Yoga can be more than a type of mental or physical exercise. Yoga may be used as a means to discover a sense of oneness and connection within oneself, other people, the world, nature, and the universe. A regular practice of yoga may help promote a healthy body, a violence-free society, a clear mind, an open intellect, peacefulness with past experiences, a joyful soul, and a strong breath; and

WHEREAS, This year marks the 10th International Day of Yoga and people worldwide use this celebratory day to raise awareness of the history, benefits, and teachings of yoga; now, therefore, be it