New York, June 15 (IANS) In a world increasingly obsessed with external forms of wellness, a profound initiative is set to remind us of yoga’s inner essence in the US, as cities globally prepare to celebrate the International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21.

‘The Spirit of Yoga’, a special International Day of Yoga celebration, is being co-hosted by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization at the serene Global Harmony House in Great Neck on Long Island on June 22, the organisers said in a statement on Sunday.

While most Yoga Day celebrations revolve around physical postures and public demonstrations of flexibility, ‘The Spirit of Yoga’ programme seeks to reclaim yoga’s soul, rekindling its spiritual roots.

The event will witness a lineup of dignitaries, spiritual leaders and practitioners who bring wisdom, inspiration, and the lived experience of yogic values to about 250 seekers in the hall, and many more attending virtually.

Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York, will be the Chief Guest who will speak on India’s gift of yoga to the world, in the presence of BK Mohini Didi, the revered Chief Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris international organization.

Set in the tranquil atmosphere of Global Harmony House, a spiritual sanctuary and the regional headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris for the Americas and the Caribbean, this gathering is designed to be an immersive, contemplative, and celebratory experience.

“In today’s commercialised wellness world, yoga is often reduced to fitness,” said Gayatri Naraine, the NGO representative of the Brahma Kumaris at the UN. “But the true spirit of yoga is about connecting to our highest self, to the Supreme, through spiritual awareness.”

“We are focusing on yoga as a way of being – anchored in awareness, self-realisation, and harmony,” said Parveen Chopra, Founding Editor of ALotusInTheMud.com and co-moderator of the event. “Yoga, as in Patanjali’s 8-limbed path, finds its fulfillment in dhyan, asanas are just a part and accessory.”

—IANS

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