WHEREAS, For many years, yoga teachers and students desired a collective global celebration of the over 5,000-year-old physical, mental, and spiritual practice of yoga, including yoga teacher Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who explained, “Yoga is a lifestyle and should not be mistaken for only asanas.” “Yoga helps a human being to unfold his full potential. Yoga improves the quality of life, which is so much needed today. Yoga can wipe the tears and bring smiles on every face. It can bring celebration and skill in everyone’s life”; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 the International Day of Yoga. During his address to the General Assembly in support of declaring the global celebration, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, observed, “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature”; and

WHEREAS, The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” which means “to unite or integrate,” and one objective of a yoga practice is to harmonize the body, spirit, and mind through various breathing exercises, yoga poses, also called asanas, and meditation. There are four yogas or paths detailed in the Bhagavad Gita: Bhakti yoga (path of devotion); Jnana yoga (path of knowledge); Raja yoga or ashtanga/classical yoga (path involving physical exercises and postures, breathing exercises, concentration, and meditation); and karma yoga (path of selfless and righteous action); and

WHEREAS, California is home to many yoga teachers, students, studios, and classes that have collectively contributed to the significant growth of yoga throughout the United States. A 2016 study conducted by yoga trade leaders estimated there are 36,700,000 people currently practicing yoga in the United States, an increase from 20,400,000 in 2012; and

WHEREAS, While yoga originated from Hindu and Vedic traditions, yoga is currently practiced by people of different cultures, traditions, religions, and nationalities, demonstrating that all people have the shared goal to uplift the human experience; and

WHEREAS, Yoga brings strength, stability, and unity within the body, mind, and emotions. Yoga, however, can be more than a type of mental or physical exercise. Yoga may be used as a means to discover a sense of oneness and connection within oneself, other people, the world, nature, and the universe. A regular practice of yoga may help promote a healthy body, a violence-free society, a clear mind, an open intellect, peacefulness with past experiences, a joyful soul, and a strong breath; and

WHEREAS, Yoga has grown in importance as a valuable tool for mental health and well-being. Californians are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic feeling exhausted and depleted and are increasingly looking to yoga, and yoga studios and gyms are responding accordingly; now, therefore, be it