Namaste, Yoga Day

UPDATE 12:30 p.m.

No sooner had Premier Christy Clark backed out of a controversial "Om the Bridge" yoga event, than sponsor Lululemon pulled the pin today, cancelling the whole thing.

The International Yoga Day event would have shut down Vancouver's busy Burrard Bridge, sparking howls of uproar from commuters.

The fact the provincial government was spending $150,000 to organize the event did not go over well, either.

The planned June 21 event also coincided with National Aboriginal Day, prompting First Nations activists to say they would hold a peaceful protest at the same site, to raise awareness. The suggestion they would be drumming and chanting did not sit well with yoga fans.

The yoga pants really hit the fan Thursday, when Clark tweeted out a taunting message to all the "yoga haters." She made fun of them and said she couldn't wait for Tai Chi Day.

The social media reaction was fast and furious.

In a statement released this morning, Lululemon Athletica confirmed the cancellation:

“Downward dogs with a few thousand of our closest friends seemed like the perfect way to celebrate International Day of Yoga. Until it didn’t.

We’ve read your posts and the media reports, and heard the disappointment in the voices of our community frustrated by the location, cost and date. We had the best intentions. And so we’re taking a deep cleansing breath and over the next several days, we’ll be reimagining a celebration that honours the spirit and tradition of yoga and serves our communities in a more meaningful way.  Because ultimately, yoga is about connecting us to ourselves, each other, our environment, and eventually, our truth. Look for more information on our social channels coming soon.

Thanks for your understanding. Namaste.”

The statement came within hours of Clark tweeting that she would not attend the event.

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ORIGINAL

The politics of yoga has prompted British Columbia's premier to drop out of a mass yoga session on a downtown Vancouver bridge that will be closed for the event.

Christy Clark says in a tweet that she will not participate in the on June 21 and that yoga is about celebrating peace and harmony, not politics.

Clark has been criticized for announcing the closure of the Burrard Street Bridge to celebrate International Yoga Day.

Her plan even drew the ire of children's author Raffi, while others say Clark should be focusing on aboriginal issues because June 21 is also national Aboriginal Day.

Clark has said that Yoga Day is celebrated worldwide by millions of people and it is sanctioned by the United Nations.

Vancouver-based yogawear company Lululemon also announced Friday that it would pull out as one of the sponsors of the event.