June 21st is celebrated around the world as International Yoga Day. A day when people come together to reconnect with their breath, their body, and their peace of mind. Yoga, which began in the ancient lands of India, has now become a symbol of inner balance and mindful living. It reminds us to pause, breathe, and be present.

But on this day of self-awareness and health, we at Sadbhavna Ashram ask a simple question:

What about the health of our planet?

As we stretch our bodies and quiet our minds, can we also think about the Earth, our shared home, and what it needs from us?

This year, we want to connect Yoga Day not just with personal well-being, but with something larger: the well-being of the Earth through tree plantation.

The Meaning of Yoga Beyond the Mat

Yoga isn’t just a set of postures or breathing exercises. At its core, yoga means “union”, the union of the body and mind, of humans and nature. It teaches us that everything is connected. The way we treat ourselves is reflected in how we treat the environment around us.

When we practice yoga, we often focus on balance. We aim to strengthen what is weak, relax what is tense, and create space where there is tightness. These same principles apply to our relationship with the planet.

Our Earth is out of balance. Rising temperatures, poor air quality, and dying forests are signs that something is deeply off. Just like yoga brings the body back into harmony, planting trees can help bring balance back to nature.

Breathing with the Trees

Take a deep breath. Now imagine a tree somewhere, standing tall, green, and silent, giving you the oxygen you just inhaled.

Trees are not just part of nature. They are our silent companions, keeping the air clean, the soil rich, and the climate stable. Without them, life would be much harder to sustain.

But today, forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. Urban spaces are expanding, but green cover is shrinking. The air is getting thicker with pollution, and summers are getting hotter. We feel it in our skin, in our breath, in our stress levels.

That’s why at Sadbhavna, we believe that planting trees is one of the most peaceful and powerful things we can do, not just for nature, but for ourselves.

Tree Plantation as a Form of Yoga

What if we told you that tree plantation is also a kind of yoga?

When you place a seed in the soil, water it, and care for it, you’re practicing patience. You’re being mindful. You’re connecting to the rhythm of nature. It’s a living, growing form of meditation.

Planting trees teaches us values that yoga also teaches:

• Stillness — watching something grow slowly over time
  
• Care — nourishing a sapling the way we nourish ourselves
  
• Discipline — returning day after day, even when growth isn’t visible yet
  

Both yoga and tree plantation bring us back to what really matters: breath, balance, and belonging.

Sadbhavna’s Green Mission in Gujarat

At Sadbhavna Ashram, we have always believed that taking care of people includes taking care of the planet. Our ashram’s tree plantation campaigns in Gujarat are our humble contribution to a cleaner, greener future.

Over the years, with the help of kind-hearted supporters and volunteers, we’ve planted thousands of trees across villages, cities, and barren lands. Some of those trees now stand tall, offering shade, shelter, and breath to those who pass by.

But there is still so much more to do.

Climate change is real. Water sources are drying. Air quality is declining. And as always, it’s the most vulnerable, the poor, the elderly, the children, who suffer the most.

This is why we are inviting you to be part of our mission. This Yoga Day, let’s not just focus on ourselves. Let’s turn that care outward, into the soil, into the future.

A Personal Reflection

Think back to the last time you sat under a tree. Maybe it was during your childhood. Maybe you found comfort in its shade, or leaned against its trunk while talking to a friend. Maybe it was just a quiet place to think.

Now imagine a world without those trees. Without that peace.

Our actions today will decide whether that image becomes reality.

Tree plantation is more than an environmental act. It’s a gift to future generations. A promise that we’re doing what we can to protect the Earth that gives us life, breath, and beauty.

How You Can Be Part of This

This Yoga Day, you don’t have to go far to make a difference. From wherever you are, you can join Sadbhavna’s tree plantation mission.

Here’s how:

•  Donate a tree: For as little as the cost of a meal, you can fund the plantation and care of one or more trees in Gujarat.
  
•  Dedicate your yoga practice: Make your practice meaningful by dedicating it to the Earth. Light a candle, plant a seed, or share your intention on social media with a green message.
  
•  Invite others: Encourage your friends and family to participate. The more we plant, the more we heal, together.
  

Let’s Plant Peace, One Tree at a Time

Yoga is not just about moving your body. It’s about moving your heart.

So this Yoga Day, breathe a little deeper. Step outside. Feel the Earth beneath your feet. And if you can, give back to it.

Plant a tree. Or help someone else plant one.

It’s a small act with a big future.

Support Sadbhavna’s Tree Plantation Campaign

If this message speaks to you, we invite you to take the next step.

Donate today to support tree plantation in Gujarat.
Every rupee you give goes toward making the Earth greener, one sapling at a time.

🌳 Click here to donate and be part of something meaningful »

Together, let’s grow a future that we can all breathe in.