Nicolette Dirk
In celebration of International Yoga Day on Sunday, more than 250 people took part in a yoga session at the Samaj Centre in Gatesville.
Promoting the yoga lifestyle, the event was organised by the Indian consulate general in Cape Town.
Representatives from the local government, community leaders, children and students were among the attendees.
The two-hour session included a short speech by the consul-general on the relevance of yoga in modern life as well as the screening of a short film on yoga.
This was followed by the performing of some basic yoga asanas by all attendees.
There was also a demonstration of yogic asanas for the benefit of the attendees.
Asanas form part of a yoga session in which you use a specific posture to restore and maintain a sense of well-being.
It is also believed to improve the body’s flexibility and vitality. Done over a period of time, asanas also improve one’s ability to remain in seated meditation for extended periods.
Based on an initiative by the Indian government, the UN declared June 21 International Yoga Day to encourage yoga as a way of life for everyone.
Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, also took part in Sunday’s yoga celebration at a session held in the capital, new Delhi.
Yoga has gained mass popularity over the last decade and, according to reports, it is a $27 billion (R326bn) industry in the US alone.