UN Makes "World Peace" with Yoga

"Tuesday was International Yoga Day, an initiative of the United Nations. Irina Bokova, the UNESCO director general, gave a speech on the occasion to those who had been waiting in breathless anticipation. "This is a day of peace and harmony, with ourselves, with others and with the planet that is our home," Bokova said, completely straight-faced.

Nothing less. I am sure this came as a bit of a surprise to the Yazidis, the Kurds, the Biafrans and the millions of persecuted Christians in the world. But Bokova probably did not have them in mind as her primary audience...

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also chimed in with a statement on the global benefits of yoga: 'Yoga is a sport that can contribute to development and peace. Yoga can even help people in emergency situations to find relief from stress.'

If only Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and all the rest would engage in a class or two of vinyasa or hatha yoga and get their breathing techniques right. The Head to Knee Forward Bend combined with the Cobra pose should do the trick..."