The International Yoga Day happens every year on the 21 June. All the yoga aficionados celebrate it worldwide by practicing together in various amazing places.
Mysore, Ubud, Tokyo, New York, Paris, London, Amsterdam all celebrate together and they organize special events to honor this day.
What we call today ‘our community get togethers’ are hosted in such a wide spectrum of locations: from yoga studios to creative hubs, offices, parks, to the quiet surrounding of nature on a mountaintop.
Whether you choose to practice yoga on a high ground or in a busy intersection in NYC, the reason behind it stays the same: the joy of practicing yoga.
So we decided to do an intervention in Bucharest: “A Mythology of the Self”. A yoga practice done by Veronica Constantinescu, Nirvana Yoga teacher and founder of Nirvana Yoga in Romania, in the Kube Musette Gallery, on one of the busiest most circulated roads in Bucharest, the Victory Avenue.
Veronica practiced yoga for almost 4 hours while the passersby could observe her. From sundown till late evening we have witnessed different waves of responses. Some people stopped, others haven’t, some have keenly observed her practice, they have followed her in the asanas, they have taken photos and selfies, they have shared their impressions on social media and some have started debates right in front of the gallery.
Here are some thoughts we remember hearing that night:
“Look mom, I can do yoga too. All I need to do is close my eyes and relax” Sophie, 4.
“Why do you think she’s doing this? Is she meditating? Is someone paying her? I wonder how long she can stay without moving”. A passerby.
“Oh, it’s Yoga Day, let’s stay here. It’s a cool experiment, I’d love to try yoga but haven’t found the time yet.” A passerby.
Victory Lane was not a random choice for us. First of all is one of the main arteries of Bucharest and it’s been the hot spot for the health and conscious movement here in Bucharest. There is a smoothie bistro, filled with yummy healthy snacks, the first Japanese shop in Bucharest, no less than 3 Art Galleries, the Museum of Art and amazing gardens that host new wave events.
The city stands for a long line of coffee shops, evenings out with cold cider that bend the concept of time, tasks and responsibilities, meetings, presentations, exhibitions, concerts, shows and all sorts of interesting interventions.
It’s a mix of digital notifications and it’s not at all a surprise that it’s getting harder and harder to focus on the challenges posed by the XXI century.
This is why we wanted to send the message of “Where to?” to everyone wandering on Victory Lane that night.
To focus inside is an art and a necessity. It connects us to our deeper selves, to our values and it helps us to choose the right thing with every step we take.
Meditation is a valuable tool and it’s been under the scientific eye lately. It has been proven that even 10 minutes of daily meditation can help us to better focus inside.
“A Mythology of the Self” is about the freedom of putting yourself at the very essence of your existence, placing transformation and spiritual evolution at the centre of your universe.
The importance to know oneself is one of our greatest responsibilities. This is what we wanted to express to everyone passing by Kube Musette on the 21 June.
The people could notice Veronica’s practice in the middle of the city’s agitation, so busy, so focused on the outer qualities of life. Maybe it’s time to rewind and start going inwards.
Our experiment has generated a wave of reactions online and offline so next year we are taking it to the next level: we are hosting synchronised interventions in a few European cities.
We are looking for Galleries and yogis who are ready to join our initiative.
Do you own a Gallery? Are you a yogi and are you interested in practicing in an Art Gallery on the 21 June 2017?
Email us on hello@yogacity.ro