Last week I had a great opportunity to participate with a group of 30 women in the completion of a yoga summer solstice celebration. We met in a park in my home town in the US in the late afternoon to celebrate the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Each person donated money to a local children's shelter in the spirit of giving and showing thanks for the gifts and blessings we have had in our lives.
The sun was lowering on the horizon as friends and new acquaintances met in a large open space filled with deep green grass. The flat field was perfect for this celebration and everyone was in good spirits excited to push our bodies to the limit with this sort of "yoga boot camp" which basically is a series of about 9-12 yoga poses, depending on your practice, called a Sun Salutation. This series of poses is then repeated 108 times in perfect timing and in perfect position order. Your breath becomes so smooth and fluid as your body remembers each position and the timings in which you inhale and exhale. It is really poetry in motion. Fluid movement and alignment. Beautiful. 2 hours worth of exquisite deep stretching and breathing with the sun setting softly in front of us.
Why the 108 times? Here's what I discovered. No one really knows the significance. Here are a few of the reasons I found that people all over the world do the pattern 108 times....
108 is considered spiritual for Hindus.
Prayer beads have 108 beads on them plus one central, larger guru bead.
There are said to be 108 energy lines to form the heart chakra.
The average distance from the Sun and Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters.
There are 108 sacred sites across India.
Whatever the reason others do this, I found myself doing this meditation in motion on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in Northwest Arkansas. And for the next 3 days I could not lift my arms above my head. My abs were tight. My legs felt like jello from being all stretched out. My shoulders exhausted. But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the activity. During my practice I focused on sending my love and happiness to all the family and friends in my life that have made me a better person, a better human being. I did my sun salutations in their honor. Blessed to have each of them by my side for some period of my life.
Send love and happiness to those in your life today who have made you a better person. You are blessed to have them.
The sun was lowering on the horizon as friends and new acquaintances met in a large open space filled with deep green grass. The flat field was perfect for this celebration and everyone was in good spirits excited to push our bodies to the limit with this sort of "yoga boot camp" which basically is a series of about 9-12 yoga poses, depending on your practice, called a Sun Salutation. This series of poses is then repeated 108 times in perfect timing and in perfect position order. Your breath becomes so smooth and fluid as your body remembers each position and the timings in which you inhale and exhale. It is really poetry in motion. Fluid movement and alignment. Beautiful. 2 hours worth of exquisite deep stretching and breathing with the sun setting softly in front of us.
Why the 108 times? Here's what I discovered. No one really knows the significance. Here are a few of the reasons I found that people all over the world do the pattern 108 times....
108 is considered spiritual for Hindus.
Prayer beads have 108 beads on them plus one central, larger guru bead.
There are said to be 108 energy lines to form the heart chakra.
The average distance from the Sun and Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters.
There are 108 sacred sites across India.
Whatever the reason others do this, I found myself doing this meditation in motion on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in Northwest Arkansas. And for the next 3 days I could not lift my arms above my head. My abs were tight. My legs felt like jello from being all stretched out. My shoulders exhausted. But I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the activity. During my practice I focused on sending my love and happiness to all the family and friends in my life that have made me a better person, a better human being. I did my sun salutations in their honor. Blessed to have each of them by my side for some period of my life.
Send love and happiness to those in your life today who have made you a better person. You are blessed to have them.
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