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The significance of 108 Sun Salutations
On a mala, or set of mantra counting beads, there are generally 108 beads, or some fraction of that number. The question often arises: Why are there 108 beads on a mala? Below are some of the many
reasons that have been given for having 108 beads on a mala, as well as a few other points of interest. None of these reasons are being promoted here as more or less true than the others. However, you may notice that 108 appears to be somewhat like a road map of reality in general, and the human in particular. Regardless of the meaning of 108, it is important that if a mala is used to count mantras, the mantra be remembered with sincerity, devotion, feeling, and full attention. Traditional Sun Saluations
1. Urdhva Hastasana (inhaling and reaching the arms up overhead)
2. Uttanasana (exhaling into a standing forward bend)
3. Ardha Uttanasana (inhaling and looking up from the forward bend)
4. Chatturanga (exhaling and jumping or stepping back to the bottom of a pushup)
5. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (inhaling into upward facing dog pose)
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana (exhaling into downward facing dog pose))
7. Ardha Uttanasana (inhaling to bring the feet to the hands)
8. Uttanasana (exhaling back down to a forward bend)
9. Urdhva Hastasana (inhaling and reaching the arms overhead)
Why 108? The number 108 carries spiritual significance throughout a wide cross-section of cultures
108 is the number of "Upanishads" comprising Indian philosophy's "Vedic texts"...
108 is the number of names for Shiva in Hindu philosophy...
108 is the number of names for Buddha...
108 is the Chinese number representing "man"...
108 is the number of beads on a Catholic rosary...
108 is the number of beads on a Tibetan "mala" ...
108 is twice the number "54", which is the number of sounds in Sanskrit...
108 is six times the number "18" which is a Jewish good luck number...108 is twelve times the number 9, which is the number of vinyasas in a Sun Salutation and eighteen times the number 6, which is the number of days per week that yoga is traditionally practiced. The distance between the earth and sun = 108 times the diameter of the sun. Distance between the earth and the moon = 108 times the moon's diameter
The diameter of the sun = 108 times the diameter of the earth. Lastly and most importantly, the beads represent, in a simple yet powerful way, the ideas of karma and reincarnation--a rarely disclosed fact. The thread that the beads are strung upon symbolizes the Sutratma, the Spirit or Thread Soul. This is the reincarnating Ego, our true Self, that dons a new garment, a new personality for each lifetime. Each bead strung on the thread is one of those lives that has served its purpose in the evolution of the Higher Self, our God within. We are supposed to join with that inner divinity by building a bridge, called Antahkarana, through meditation and other disciplines......this
is enlightenment. And for all you baseball fans out there, 108 is the number of stitches on a baseball!
