United Nations just declared December 21st, Winter Solstice 2024 as World Meditation Day
Meditation is not just a trend; it is a powerful practice that has been around for thousands of years. Recently, the United Nations announced December 21st as World Meditation Day, highlighting the urgent need for mental well-being and inner stillness across the globe. This initiative aims to raise awareness about meditation's positive effects on personal and societal health. Meditation can transform lives, and with this declaration, we are encouraged to pause, reflect, and embrace meditation.
The United Nations has declared December 21st as World Meditation Day, coinciding with the winter solstice. This day is an opportunity for unity and peace.
As we approach this day, let us reflect on the winter solstice, the longest night marking the return of light, a time for renewal and introspection, and cultivating inner peace.
Join in meditation on December 21st on your own, or host group meditations in your community. Together, we can create a wave of loving energy. Your inner stillness contributes to global harmony.
The Importance of Meditation
Meditation is a valuable tool for reducing stress and improving emotional health. In a world where the average person faces information overload and relentless demands, finding time for moments of stillness has never been more necessary.
Many people turn to meditation for clarity and focus and stress and anxiety reduction in anxiety levels which improves overall emotional stability and resilience. It's clear that meditation is crucial for fostering a sense of well-being in a fast-paced world.
A Global Recognition
Declaring December 21st as World Meditation Day allows the United Nations to spotlight the mental health crisis affecting millions. This day encourages people to take a moment for inner peace and mental clarity.
The pandemic has intensified mental health issues worldwide, with some reports showing a staggering 25% increase in anxiety and depression rates since 2020. The UN's involvement reminds us that meditation can be a key tool in promoting individual wellness and community harmony during challenging times.
How to Observe World Meditation Day
Celebrating World Meditation Day can be simple and fulfilling. Here are some practical ideas to help you participate:
Schedule Time for Yourself
Dedicate 15-30 minutes on December 21st for meditation. Choose a quiet space and focus on your breath to center yourself. Follow our free guided practices. For a longer practice, chose one of the 11 minute meditations and continue directly onto the 31 point blue star meditation.
Join a Group
Look for local or online meditation groups. Practicing with others can uplift your experience and build community bonds.
Explore Different Techniques
Use this day to experiment with different meditation styles, such as mindfulness, guided sessions, or loving-kindness meditation.
Participate in Global Events
Various organizations will host online or in-person meditation events. Joining these can enhance your understanding of meditation and its benefits.
The Broader Impact of Meditation on Communities
Collectively practicing meditation benefits not just individuals but entire communities. Research indicates that groups engaging in meditation see improved conflict resolution skills and a stronger sense of cohesion.
For example, schools that incorporate mindfulness training report a reduction in bullying incidents and improved student-teacher relationships. The UN's declaration encourages communities to explore the collective benefits of mindfulness, fostering environments rich in compassion and understanding.
The greatest gift you can offer someone is sharing your inner peace. When you are calm, composed, and centered, others sense it, and it spreads wherever you go—whether at work, home, or in line at the store. People notice it, and it's a positively infectious presence. It's a priceless gift." -Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Long-Term Benefits of Regular Meditation
Making meditation a part of your daily life offers enduring advantages. Research shows that consistent practice can lead to:
Improved focus and concentration: Meditation trains the mind, enhancing the ability to concentrate on tasks. Just 10 minutes of meditation may boost cognitive performance.
Increased creativity: Taking a break through meditation can clear mental clutter and encourage innovative thinking.
Lower emotional reactivity: Regular meditation helps individuals respond calmly to stressful situations, reducing overall emotional turmoil. Think of meditation as part of an Ayurveda emotional detox protocol.
Greater compassion for oneself and others: Specialized compassion meditation fosters empathy, positively affecting interpersonal relationships.
As the United Nations just declared December 21st, Winter Solstice 2024 as World Meditation Day, try Saumya Ayurveda's 3 steps for transforming your daily life. Then, try it again for 40 days, keep a journal, and see what you observe.
There is a saying, "The mind is more in the body, than the body is in the mind." The Saumya 3 step meditation process shifts us from fight-flight-freeze mode, to rest-restore-relax mode. Give it a try for forty days and observe the changes. The more grounded and relaxed we are, the smoother life flows.
"The breath is the connection between the mind and body, so by training the breath, we become calm, focused, and grounded, we slow down the aging process by decreasing stress. These practices are so simple and easy to have as part of our daily life. We actually feel and look younger."
- Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
1. Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life. When we re-learn to breath diaphragmatically, we move from the flight-fight-freeze mode, to rest, restore, relaxation mode from where we want and need to live.
2. Free Daily Guided Practices: 11 minutes in the morning and in the evening, as anchors of your daily Ayurveda routine.
3. Ayurveda Daily Routines: Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day
"Choose a couple of practices from the Ayurveda routines that provide you with the greatest support. Perform them while applying our two minute meditation technique and your mundane tasks, just transformed into a mellifluous meditation. This is meditation applied to daily life." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
"Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again! I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, herbs, and spice mixes) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.”
-Molly Rossini, Minnesota
Explore More: Ayurveda Breathwork Pranayama
Embracing Meditation on December 21st
The United Nations' announcement of World Meditation Day is more than a mere observance; it is a heartfelt call to cultivate your inner stillness. This day invites everyone to take a moment for self-reflection and to integrate meditation into your Ayurvedic daily routines.
Participating in this global initiative not only enhances your well-being but also contributes to the effort of creating a more understanding and compassionate society. Let December 21st mark a new beginning in your journey toward deeper self-awareness and connection with the world.
“I feel greatly improved. Stress fell off like an old hairy coat. I’m just not anxious. Depression is way decreased. I was haunted by anxiety my whole life, and it’s just gone. The mudra, mantra...WOW. This is so cool! I have regained hope. Something wonderful is taking place. You and your knowledge come to me after a lifetime of searching and prayer. I am forever grateful.” --Mark Hughes, Minnesota
“Veena has been an incredible resource to help me get aligned on food, herbs, and mind, body, and soul exercises to feel more grounded and present. I love the daily guided practices, a routine that feels EMBODYING. She has made an outsized impact on my life in a short amount of time.” –Mark Fishman, Boulder , Colorado
“Veena has been incredibly helpful in healing issues that I wasn’t able to find answers to with Western medicine. She has given me the tools to understand and support my health with Ayurvedic practices, herbs, food and breathing. I highly recommend Veena if you’ve been struggling with multiple symptoms and looking for answers but coming up short over and over again. Thanks Veena!”
-Hannah Thompson, USA
“Veena has been amazing to work with!! After our first consultation and her Ayurveda plan, I had an immediate resolution to an issue I'd dealt with for years! Her guidance and guided practice on her website have been life changing for me - slowing me down and teaching me how to take the stillness with me. I'll be forever grateful for her help!”
-Jesseka Doherty, USA
“It is with great pleasure that I write this review! Working with Veena has remarkably changed my life – even in the places I was unaware that it demanded to be changed! Throughout the course of four months, Veena’s gentle and succinct approach allowed me to easily refine my routines into a more structured foundation that left me feeling more in graceful governance with myself – emotionally and physically.
Not only had she brought forth awareness in how I prepare/ relate to the food I eat, but she also prescribed me wonderful herbs to help calm my anxiety, detox my liver, and heal the ugly night sweats I’ve been experiencing due to hormonal imbalances.
Lastly, her guided meditations are a great grounding force, and I have since continued to explore the euphoric benefits of Yoga Nidra. Veena is a well of divine knowledge, and her humor and light will be eternally appreciated!”
--Rachel Monson, Wisconsin
United Nations just declared December 21st, Winter Solstice 2024 as World Meditation Day
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MEET VEENA: YOUR AYURVEDIC GUIDE
Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and monk.
She is President Emeritus and teaching faculty of the Meditation Center.
Veena fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family’s home, learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knee.
An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Veena’s deep, intuitive knowledge of Ayurveda empowers her clients to reclaim their fullest, most vibrant lives –mentally, physically, and spiritually.
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