The Embassy of India in Manila will celebrate the International Day of Yoga this year with a specially curated series of free online yoga sessions from June 14 to 21. The week-long celebration aims to make the holistic well-being practices of yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation accessible to a large number of people in the Philippines.

To mark the 7th International Yoga Day, a series of seven yoga sessions led by seven leading yoga teachers from the Philippines will provide participants a unique opportunity to discover various aspects of India's age-old approach to well-being.

The celebration will begin today with a yoga session led by Maxene Magalona, a prominent mental health advocate and yoga and meditation teacher. Entrepreneur and yoga instructor Clara Day Herrera will delve into the aspects of hatha yoga, suryanamaskar (sun salutations) and pranayama on June 15, while on June 16, Janis Cuevas will help participants explore yoga as a tool of relaxation and self-care.

Co-Founder of Project Yoga, Chantal Umali will share a gentle yoga practice inspired by her own experience of self-transformation through yoga and meditation on June 17. On the other hand, Sara Black, a wellness advocate working towards making spiritual wisdom accessible to all, will lead a meditation session on June 18.

Come June 19, Melissa Monasterio will lead the participants through a beginner friendly yoga class for greater strength and flexibility. Finally, the series will conclude on June 21 with a session by teachers from AV 108 yoga school that specializes in the Ashtanga Vinyasa style of Yoga.

Today, Yoga is practiced in various forms around the world. In the Philippines, yoga continues to grow in popularity with increasing number of instructors and passionate practitioners going beyond the physical aspects of yoga, and engaging with it as a potent tool of self-refinement. Over the last few years, several Filipino yoga enthusiasts and teachers have traveled to India; some to receive the required authorization as a teacher, others in search for greater depth and authenticity.

Recognizing its universal appeal and its efficacy as a tool for experiencing well-being across age groups, nationalities and social backgrounds, the United Nations proclaimed June 21 as International Day of Yoga in December 2014.

This year, the International Day of Yoga comes at a crucial time. The challenges that the world has been experiencing for more than a year have brought about unprecedented changes and stress in our daily lives, making it even more important to work towards enhancing well-being, health, inner balance and vitality. For this reason, the 2021 International Day of Yoga will be celebrated with the theme 'Be With Yoga, Be At Home.'

In addition to the online series, the Embassy will organize a special event on June 20 which will provide the participants with an array of sessions focusing on yoga for health and wellness.

All sessions are free, and streamed live on the Embassy's Facebook page. Details about the program can also be found on the Embassy's website www.eoimanila.gov.in.