Yogathon brings events to Rotorua helping strength and mental calmness

A Health for Humanity Yogathon session. Photo / Supplied

The Rotorua community is being invited to come together to celebrate yoga and the benefits it can bring to daily life.

The Health for Humanity Yogathon is will be held from June 12 to June 26 in several cities - including Rotorua.

It aims to encourage all New Zealanders to learn, participate and incorporate yoga into their daily lives.

International Day of Yoga is also being celebrated during this period on June 21.

In Rotorua a 15-day programme has been organised. It includes an opening ceremony held last Saturday (June 12), and two other dates where people can perform Sun Salutations together - June 21, 11.30am to 2.30pm, at Te Manawa and June 26, 10am to 12pm at Rotorua Library.

In the remaining days, Sun Salutation can be performed individually or in groups, either at home or school, or in classes conducted by yoga teachers in public venues, or in workplaces.

Don't forget your yoga mat or any sheet. Register at www.yogathon.nz and share your sun salutation count on June 26.

Rotorua co-ordinator Monika Bansal says yoga improves physical strength and mental calmness.

"This 15-day Yogathon programme will create a wonderful opportunity to know about your body, mind, and soul. Please come, join and take the benefits from this
programme."

Rotorua Yogathon events information can be found on the Facebook page @yogathonNZ or for more detailed information www.yogathon.nz.

Organised annually over two weeks, the Health for Humanity Yogathon started in 2011.

Since then, it became an annual event and each year the number of participants and number of Surya Namaskars have been increasing steadily.

Health for Humanity Yogathon NZ initiator Dr Guna Magesan says: "Over the last 10 years, we have seen changes in the attitude and acceptance of Yoga by the New Zealand public resulting in increased participation."

Yogathon 2020 - held virtually - completed more than 134,000 sun salutations over the two weeks of the national challenge.