In gratitude for living (and before you enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner!) join Richard for this vigorous but meditative practice of 108 Sun Salutations (Mountain Pose/Tadasana -Upward Salute/Urdhva Hastasana – Standing Forward Fold/Uttanasana – Halfway Lift/Ardha Uttanasana – Plank/Adho Mukha Dandasana – Low Plank/Chaturanga Dandasana OR to floor – Upward Facing Dog/Urdhva Mukha Svanasana OR Low Cobra/Bhujangasana – Downward Facing Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana – Standing Forward Fold/Uttanasana – Upward Salute/ Urdhva Hastasan – Mountain Pose/Tadasana — Rinse/repeat!).
Why 108? Such a good question! Because it’s a tradition, is one answer! But inquiring minds …(Thank you Wikipedia!):
“In Hindu tradition, the Mukhya Shivaganas (attendants of Shiva) are 108 in number and hence Shaiva religions, particularly Lingayats, use malas of 108 beads for prayer and meditation.
Similarly, in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Lord Krishna in Brindavan had 108 followers known as gopis. Recital of their names, often accompanied by the counting of a 108-beaded mala, is often done during religious ceremonies.
The Sri Vaishnavite Tradition has 108 Divya Desams (temples of Vishnu) that are revered by the 12 Alvars in the Divya Prabandha, a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses. There are also 108 pithas(sacred places).
In Buddhism, this number is reached by multiplying the senses smell, touch, taste, hearing, sight, and consciousness by whether they are painful, pleasant or neutral, and then again by whether these are internally generated or externally occurring, and yet again by past, present and future, finally we get 108 feelings. 6 × 3 × 2 × 3 = 108.
In Japan, at the end of the year, a bell is chimed 108 times in Buddhist temples to finish the old year and welcome the new one. Each ring represents one of 108 earthly temptations (Bonnō) a person must overcome to achieve nirvana.”
Whether you complete 108 Sun Salutations or not, you will have expressed your dedication to the practice and your gratitude for living.
Instructor
Richard
Richard loves fly-fishing, but hates catching fish. (Just as well, really ...)
