New York greets the summer solstice with yoga in Times Square

New York helped usher in the summer solstice on Sunday (June 21) with a mass yoga session in Manhattan's famed Times Square. 

The city-sponsored program,  dubbed "Mind Over Madness Yoga", provided yoga mats for an enthusiastic group of New Yorkers and visitors, with experts guiding them through the various moves.  The event is one of many around the world celebrating the 12th International Day of Yoga. 

The ancient discipline originated in India and is practiced around the world. The word yoga derives from the Sanskrit word meaning "to unite or join", signifying the mind and body in harmony. 

International Yoga Day was established in 2014 by the United Nations (UN) and is marked each year by the mass practice of yoga and other healthy activities across the world on June 21st.

Production: Tom Rowe/Reuters