As I was teaching yesterday, I had an awareness about this incredible practice of Yoga which is growing and thriving exponentially around the globe. There are currently 16.5 million Yoga practitioners in the United States. According to polls, it is believed this number could grow to 25 million in just another year. It is because of modern technology that we have the influx of Yoga into the U.S. that we do. Swami Vivekananda was the first Yogi to share the practice of Yoga with the U.S. when he attended the World Congress of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Since then, it has continued to grow and flourish in this country. Other significant contributors to its evolution and growth were Paramahansa Yogananda who brought the teachings of Yoga here in the 1920s and 1930s, eventually developing the Self-Realization Fellowship. And, of coure, the Beatles had a great impact on the hearts and minds of many of their beloved fans through their powerful music. And, they also spent a significant amount of time studying Yoga in India and brought what they learned from their time there about peace and love back to the U.S...

Nowadays, Yoga continues to span the globe. It's as though it began Its journey traveling mostly westward to the United States. Today, it can be found virtually everhwhere from South America, to Europe, Russia and on and on. This Universal practice has made Its way all around the globe to Southeast Asia where multi-million dollar studios called Pure Yoga can be found in Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Malaysia and they have plans to continue to develop somewhere around 80 studios throughout this area, reaching into places such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and beyond.

Needless to say, the benefits of Yoga are being realized by many. I even heard one day while watching the news, that school children in the war-torn country of Lebanon, were practicing Yoga. So, I ask you to please take a moment and close your eyes and visualize the possibility of peace existing on our planet. Visualize countries of desolation and disaster, as well as, countries of prosperity and peace, continuing to discover and know the healing and peace-awakening practice of Yoga. Visualize the hearts and minds of each one of us being purified with the Light of Love, Peace and Joy and visualize the possibility of Yoga bringing healing to this planet and to your own heart and Soul.