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Bill No.: Summary Actions Committee&nbspVotes Floor&nbspVotes Memo Text LFIN Chamber&nbspVideo/Transcript J02117 Summary: BILL NO J02117 &nbsp SAME AS No Same As &nbsp SPONSOR RAMOS &nbsp COSPNSR &nbsp MLTSPNSR &nbsp

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Senate Resolution No. 2117

BY: Senator RAMOS

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

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