What is the Significance of 108 in Yoga?
Why the number 108?
The number 108 is considered a sacred number in Hinduism, Buddhism and yogic tradition. Malas or Japa beads come in a string of 108 and are used for devotional meditation, mantra and prayer. With each bead a mantra or prayer is repeated to meet a total of 108. The Meru bead is the larger bead or tassel on the mala and is not part of the 108. This is the guiding bead and marks the beginning and end of the mala/chant/prayer/mantra. We lean toward hand made, authentic beads like red carnelian or Rudraksha Tibetan beads.
Fever offers 108 Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar A to celebrate our transition into Spring. Spring is a season of phenomenal renewal. The earth awakens from its slumber and blossoms into new life, new beginnings and new awareness. It is a great time to reflect on health and well being. Together we will flow and breathe to become one body, one heart and one mind.
For those who feel especially drawn to the deeper meaning of ritual and repetition, private yoga sessions offer an opportunity to explore practices like 108 Sun Salutations in a more intentional, supported way. Working one-on-one allows us to pace the breath, movement, and mindset to honor both the physical and symbolic significance of the number without overwhelm. Whether you’re moving through 108 as a seasonal reset, a personal milestone, or a form of moving meditation, private instruction creates the space to approach this sacred practice with clarity, safety, and purpose.
Here are a few interpretations of the significance of the number 108.
- Sanskrit alphabet has 54 letters. Each letter has a masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) energy 54 X 2 = 108
- Desires. There are said to be 108 earthly desires in mortals.
- Time. It is said we have 108 feelings. 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.
- Astrology. There are 12 constellations and 9 arc segments. There are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 X 9 = 108
- The diameter of the sun is 108 times the earth.
Please join us in studio to become one. One Mind. One Body. One Spirit. Check back for more offerings of 108 Sun Salutes or book your private session today.
I’m confused about the astrology. Was it known that there are 9 recognized planets in ancient Hindu times? Are mala beads more of a Buddhist tradition?
Yes The 9 Planets were Well known from Ancient Times According to Astrology in India, Each Planet’s Characters were also Described
For Example; According Science Mars > Red Planets
Long Back Itself In Astrology Mars Was Described as Angaraka
Angaraka Means Red
Yes The 9 Planets were Well known from Ancient Times According to Astrology in India, Each Planet’s Characters were also Described
For Example; According Science Mars > Red Planet
Long Back Itself In Astrology Mars Was Described as Angaraka
Angaraka Means Red
In Vedic astrology are these “planets”: sun, moon, mercury, venus, mars, jupiter, saturn, rahu and ketu. Rahu and Ketu are not real, because they are the nodes of the moon. And in Vedic astrology are 27 signs (nakshatras) and each nakshatras have 4 division, named 4 padas. Look: 27 times 4 is 108!
108 realisations to omniscient enlightenment.
The number 9 is embedded deeply in the core of everything. While there are many instances and explications for the number 108 in many different practices including yoga, tai chi etc, at a more basic level it’s just another instance of the number 9 :) thanks for writing this article.
The meaning of number 9 is also mentioned in the Bible about the superiority of the number.
108 times the diameter of the moon = the distance between the moon and earth.
108 times the diameter of the earth = the diameter of the sun.
108 times the diameter of the sun = the distance between the sun and earth.
Prayer Beads provide a different perception of wearing a necklace, for it connects me to spirituality that is has a universal energy with ancient history. Its empowering!
yes, and any place becomes your altar, almost you become the altar, because you carry your prayer beads, body and soul.
What is Original material of Buhda beads?
Dear friends
I keenly studied your given knowledge about 108 manka in mala’s.
as for my Hindu knowledge the facts about 108is?
there are 14 basics rituals in Hinduism.
1_four sham. 4
2_seven puries 7
3_five kedar. 5
4_seven badri 7
5_five nath. 5
6_five sarover. 5
7_nine forests. 9
8_forteen pryaag. 14
9_five kashi. 5
10_seven saraswati. 7
11_seven gangs. 7
12_seven holi rivers. 7
13_seven areas. 7
14_bariels area. 19
Total=. 108
So friends by this way we can understand the dogma of 108.
on the other hand there are 108 name’s of Lord Rama,shiva.
Thanks,happy new year 2021 for all.🌷🌻🌻🌺🌹🌹🌺🌻🌼🌼🌷🌷🌻🌻🌺🌺🌺🌼🌼🌼🌷🌷🌼🌻🌺🥀🌹🌺🌻🌻
Happy new year.🌹🌹🌺🌷🌷🌼🌻🌺🥀🥀🌺🌻🌻🌻🌻
well post
Great Information !!!
There are many planetary-related effects in our life and also have astrological remedies to solve our planetary-related problems. Astrological remedies like mantras, tantra, yantra, Gems, donation, fasting are very powerful remedies to solve our planetary-related problems.
I just woke up with 108 number in my head…