September is Yoga Month and later this month, on the fall equinox, yogis around the world with celebrate by doing 108 sun salutations. Known in Sanskrit as surya namaskar, the sun salutation is an energetic flowing series of yoga postures. Typically, teachers lead students in six to eight sets of sun salutations in a yoga class. But the equinox event – featuring 108 sun salutations — is a special event usually done with a large group and accompanied by offerings such as global peace or unity. It usually takes between an hour and a half and two hours.
So why 108?
The number carries spiritual significance throughout a wide swathe of cultures:
* 108 is the number of “Upanishads” comprising the Vedic texts of Hinduism.
* 108 is the number of names for Shiva (a really important Hindu god).
* 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” (prayer beads, analagous to a rosary).
*108 is the number beads Buddhists use to represent that number of human passions.
*108 is the number of repetitions commonly chanted of a mantra to the celestial healer, Dhanvantre.
*108 is the number of stages that Atman, the human soul, goes through on its journey.
* 108 is twice the number “54”, which is the number of sounds in Sanskrit (sacred Indian langauge).
* 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 (movements linked to breath) in a Sun Salutation.
And there are more…
* In Vedic astrology, 108 represents the 12 constellations times the 9 arc segments called namshas or chandrakalas.
* The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth.
* There are 108 forms of Indian dance.
108 seems to be my number. I get it most often when I am selling at shows. The receipts often total $108 or $10.80 *There are also 108 names for Tara.
Wow! Thanks for posting this. I had no idea about 108 and all those connections. I will have to keep my eyes open for this. Ummm – what can I do 108 times for the solstice? I know it won't be 108 sun salutation but wish I could.
Good one, Terri. We'll scratch the rosary from the list. Wonder how they got that wrong in Bull Durham, too? They did better on the baseball.
As it happens, I have a MacGregor brand baseball on my desk. I counted the stitches and there are 54 on each side of the seam, which totals 108.
Strike out on the rosary, home run on the baseball.
Good luck with that!
I will contemplate 108 sips for the Spring solstice here. Will that do?
Huh, 108 beads on a Catholic rosary? Never heard that before and I wonder what those extra beads are for…
I have my dad's and grandma's rosaries and just counted the well-worn beads. Only 59 on each. 🙂
Count me out on the 108! I enjoy yoga, but I don't think I'd make it past 2 or 3 sun salutations in a row. I'm with Mike on this one.
Musing – I'd forgotten that line in Bull Durham!
DJan – off topic – what did you think of that skydive story with the 2nd chute? Has that ever happened to you??
108 passions. 108 spiritual insights?
That's really interesting! I would love to be in a room full of yogis doing 108 sun salutations on the fall equinox! Sounds sort of exhausting.. but spiritual!
And, as Annie Savoy says in her opening narration in "Bull Durham":
"For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I heard that, I gave Jesus a chance. But it just didn't work out between us. The Lord laid too much guilt on me…."
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094812/quotes
I didn't know all that about 108, so thanks. As for doing 108 surya namaskar, think I'll have to pass on that one. A bit out of practice!
This is very interesting, and I never heard of it before. How could I have missed it? Your blog gives me information I never would have found otherwise. Thank you!
how totally fascinating – the whole thing of numbers – and 108 with so much significance – and 108 passions?????