UN International Day of Peace - September 21st

If you ask a yogi or yogini, "Why do you practice yoga?" the answers will be as diverse as the practitioners themselves. However, one thing on everyone's list is certainly peace. Whether we are seeking peace of mind, peace within our bodies, peace in our hearts, or peace with each other, yoga most definitely serves that aim. Indeed, peace is both the journey and the destination on our yogic paths.
So of course we should honor the UN International Day of Peace with our yoga practice. The date is September 21st. According to the event's website (internationaldayofpeace.org):

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date... Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact of millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

This is a tremendous opportunity to focus our energies together at a shared time toward enhancing peace in our lives. It seems that our world is embroiled in so many ongoing conflicts: political, environmental, and interpersonal. What a wonderful chance to unite our intentions to create Peace!

The Global Mala Yoga Project (yogamonth.org/globalmala/) serves as an organizing force for Peace Day Yoga events. The project's intention is to unite the world's yoga community to form a "mala (garland) around the Earth" through our collective practice. They suggest incorporating sacred cycles of 108 into your practice, such as: sun salutations, rounds of mantra, rounds of kriya, or minutes of meditation. The project also emphasizes incorporating seva, or service, into your Peace Day events, whether through local action, raising funds for charities, or just helping make a loved one's day a little easier.

We will definitely honor Peace Day in our personal practice and our classes wherever possible. The important thing to remember, though, is that "Peace Day" is merely a collective reminder of that which should be our intention everyday, in everything we do. A beautifully simple saying goes like this:

"No Yoga, No Peace. Know Yoga, Know Peace." 

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti