Saluting the sun as the days shorten into the fall, yang energies waning as with the shift to yin. It was during the first yoga, dance and sacred music festival of Bhaktifest in the Mojave Desert over a decade ago that I followed the guidance of Shiva Rea as she led us through her practice of peace, the ‘Global Mala’ – an intentionally choreographed flow through 108 repetitions of surya namaskar, sun salutation. 108, said to represent the ‘wholeness of existence’ exists as 108 beads making up the beaded bracelet of a mala used as a tool of prayer, 108 nadi lines converging in anahata heart centre, 108 chantings of a mantra, or as Shiva Rea crafted 108 sun salutations for peace as a way to celebrate on the International Day of Peace. While I had the opportunity to practice the 108 of the ‘mala’ again in Victoria guided by teachers within the local community, I accept that these days 108 salutations at one go might push my body into an unsafe place, so this September I have been making it happen in daily steps of 3 or 9 building to 108 on this year’s International Day of Peace on the 21st of September. I still might try the 108, but if I do I will be attentively listening to my inner teacher to pace, to adapt my intention, to come to child’s pose, or simply pause to sit in meditation. in a number of cultures including the ground of yoga in Hinduism.108 beads making up the beaded bracelet of a mala used as a tool of prayer, 108 nadi lines converging in anahata heart centre, 108 chantings of a mantra, or as Shiva Rea crafted 108 sun salutations for peace as a way to celebrate on the International Day of Peace. While I had the opportunity to practice the 108 of the ‘mala’ again in Victoria guided by teachers within the local community, I accept that these days 108 salutations at one go might push my body into an unsafe place, so this September I have been making it happen in daily steps of 3 or 9 building to 108 on this year’s International Day of Peace on the 21st of September.I still might try the 108, but if I do I will be attentively listening to my inner teacher to pace, to adapt my intention, to come to child’s pose, or simply pause to sit in meditation. Meanwhile over these last weeks, I have been again reading more about surya namaskar and its history, evolution, and focused ways to integrate body and breath and intention into its flow. Deepening knowing through study and reflection as much as continuous practice. Understanding more clearly what it means to look to the sun as teacher, move through namaskar A or B, or another of the many variations. Understand a bit more about the why of 108. I am clearer on when to choose between ‘chaturanga dandasana’ and ‘chaturanga namaskara’, 8-limbed pose when coming to your belly, or opting for cobra, ‘bhujanghasana’ instead of upward dog, ‘urdhva mukha svanasana’, especially when doing 108 sunsalutations, in harmonizing body, breath and mind within the pose. I now know that sun salutations date back to the Vedic rituals 2500 0r more years ago, reminded of the ode to the sun of the Gayatri Mantra, and that one might conside integrating a ‘pranam’, or sacred prostration into the flow to quiet and still for a few breaths as one brings belly to earth. Moving with the sun, even as we shift into the shortening of the days that will cause the leaves to fall.
