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