How do you know if someone does yoga? They tell you about it, often.

No surprise then that around 17 000 people filled Times Square with their mats and pulled off the downward facing dog in the company of some illustrious fellow stretchers. Those present included UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who dressed all in white and hailed the health benefits of the ancient exercise form. This from Business Insider:

The UN declared in December that June 21 would be International Yoga Day, highlighting its health “benefits” for the public.

That coincided Sunday with the annual session in Times Square for yoga on the first day of summer.

Hundreds of yoga mats were distributed free in New York, and pedestrian areas, typically hectic, were completely covered with peaceful people taking instruction from teachers by loudspeaker.

Organisers estimated that 187 countries had similar yoga sessions going on but no one could rival New Delhi for sheer numbers. India is the birthplace of yoga and officials claimed around 35 000 had attended the Delhi stretch.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay his mat alongside cabinet members and diplomats and sung the praises of the age-old practise:

We are not only celebrating a day, but we are training the human mind to begin a new era of peace and harmony,” Modi told participants. “This is a program for the benefit of mankind, for a tension-free world and to spread the message of harmony.

Namaste folks – just remember that when you look up at the clock and it’s nowhere near home time.

[sources:businessinsider&yahoo]