Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim December 21, 2026, as Meditation Day in the State of New York

Assembly Resolution No. 1299

BY: M. of A. Rules (Sayegh)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        December 21, 2026, as Meditation Day in the State of
        New York

  WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to  acknowledge
and recognize the aspects of life that affect the citizens of this great
Empire State; and

  WHEREAS,  The United Nations General Assembly declared December 21st
as the World Meditation Day on December 6, 2024, and

  WHEREAS, Meditation's roots stretch  back  to  ancient  India;  this
age-old  traditional  yogic practice called Dhyana in Sanskrit language,
embodying the unity of mind, body and well-being that involves  focusing
one's attention on the present moment with blissful state; and

  WHEREAS,  Today,  meditation is embraced worldwide, transcending its
spiritual origins to become a universal tool for personal well-being and
mental health, and in the year 2026, is more popular than ever; and

  WHEREAS, The most  recognized  definition  of  meditation  generally
describes  it  as a practice where an individual uses techniques such as
mindfulness, focused attention, or concentrated  thought  to  train  the
mind  and  achieve  a  state  of mental clarity, emotional calmness, and
physical relaxation; and

  WHEREAS, Yoga and Meditation were introduced to the United States in
the 1890s, when Indian monk Swami Vivekananda wrote the book  Raja  Yoga
in New York City; the first World Meditation Festival and Meditation Day
were  introduced  to the United States on December 21, 1999, by yoga and
meditation master Dileepkumar Thankappan in New York City;  today,  tens
of   millions   of  Americans  practice  yoga  postures  and  meditation
techniques, including millions of New Yorkers; and

  WHEREAS,  The  World  Health  Organization  (WHO)   recognizes   the
significant  benefits of meditation, particularly mindfulness meditation
which can be a powerful self-care tool to support treatment and  enhance
overall well-being, particularly in managing symptoms of anxiety; and

  WHEREAS,  According  to  the  National  Center for Complementary and
Integrative  Health  (NCCIH),  part  of  the  United   States   National
Institutes  of Health (NIH), research suggests that meditation is a mind
and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness
and physical relaxation, improving psychological  balance,  coping  with
illness,   and   enhancing   overall  health  and  well-being  including
practicing meditation  may  reduce  high  blood  pressure,  symptoms  of
irritable bowel syndrome, stress, anxiety and depression, pain, symptoms
of  post-traumatic  stress  disorder  (PTSD),  substance  use disorders,
cancer,  weight   control   and   eating   behavior,   attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), insomnia and improve sleep quality,

  WHEREAS,   Additionally,   beyond  individual  benefits,  meditation
fosters  empathy,  collaboration,  and  a  sense  of   shared   purpose,

contributing  to collective well-being. Celebrated for its universality,
meditation is practiced across all regions of the world by people of all
ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles; and

  WHEREAS, Meditation has the added benefits of helping both youth and
adults  significantly  improve  their  quality of life by aiding them to
achieving calm, clarity,  and  balance,  quit  smoking,  reduce  stress,
improve focus and emotional balance, alleviating anxiety and depression,
and  enhance  sleep  quality, manage opioid addiction, relieve menopause
symptoms, and also contributes  to  better  physical  health,  including
lowering  blood  pressure and managing pain and improve their quality of
life; and

  WHEREAS, By fostering inner peace  through  meditation,  individuals
contribute  to  building  a  more  resilient  and  sustainable world for
current and future generations and meditation offers a powerful means to
cultivate peace, unity, and compassion; and

  WHEREAS, Meditation has become a major source of social  interaction
and  social  life,  helping millions of people meet and get to know each
other  through  common  interest  and  encouragement  toward  a  healthy
lifestyle  in  events  such  as  the World Meditation Festival and World
Meditation Day Celebration hosted by the World Yoga Community Inc.; now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim December 21, 2026, as
Meditation Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New