Happy International Yoga Day, everyone!! 😎 A day to celebrate and increase awareness for yoga.

What is yoga, though? I wonder what you'd say if you had to explain it to a curious beginner. If, like me, you love asana, maybe you’d say that modern yoga usually combines movement and stillness with breath and mindfulness, mentioning that yoga makes you feel great and leave it there.

A simple definition might go: yoga is Movement Plus…

But what more lies in the plus? The added ingredients, the secret sauce, and the X-factor make yoga yoga. I can’t help myself - we have to go there! I could try to define what yoga is, but better still, let’s hear from yogis old and new to help explain.

…D iscrimination

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” - B.K.S. Iyengar

…E venness

Samatvam yoga ucyate 2.48: Evenness is called Yoga - Bhagavad Gita

…F reedom

“Yoga is a way to freedom. By its constant practice, we can free ourselves from fear, anguish and loneliness - Indra Devi

…I ntegration

“Yoga means Union - of body, mind and soul.” - attrib. to many

…N ow

“Yoga takes you into the present moment. The only place where life exists.” Unknown

…I nteroception

“Yoga begins with listening. When we listen, we are giving space to what is.” - Richard Freeman

…T ransformation

“Yoga does not just change the way we see things; it transforms the person who sees.” - B.K.S. Iyengar

…I llumination

“The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body” Jason Crandell

…O wnership

“When we do yoga, we put controlled stress on ourselves so that we can learn how to react to stresses of life.” - Leslie Kaminoff

…N ice!

“Yoga is a way of getting totally drunk — not on alcohol but on life.” - Sadhguru

…S tudy

“Yoga is not about touching your toes. It is what you learn on the way down.” - Jigar Gor

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…O vercoming

“That’s exactly how it is in yoga. The places where you have the most resistance are actually the places that are going to be the areas of the greatest liberation.” - Rodney Yee

…F lexibility

“I do yoga so that I can stay flexible enough to kick my own arse if necessary.” - Betsy Cañas Garmon

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…Y outh

“Yoga adds years to your life and life to your years.” - Alan Finger

…O MG

“It is through your body that you realise you are a spark of divinity.” - B.K.S. Iyengar

…G rowth

“Yoga is not to be performed; it is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; it cares about the person you are becoming.” - Aadil Palkivala

…A wareness

“Yoga is the artwork of awareness on the canvas of body, mind, and soul.” - Amit Ray

There are many more descriptions besides, but how’s that for today’s special selection?!

Movement plus…

Yoga is…

What would you add to your definition?

Let’s practise.