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Exploring the Sacred Significance of 108 through Sun Salutations

This post is a reflection from our teacher, Lindsay Silver, on the significance of 108 for her summer solstice practice. Lindsay, a 2024 graduate of the Mahasana School of Yoga and Ayurveda, currently teaches Yogilates on Thursdays at 5:30 pm. Join us as she shares her sacred summer solstice birthday experience and explores the deeper meaning behind 108 sun salutations.

Every few years I am lucky enough to have my birthday fall on the summer solstice—a cosmic gift. Every year I look forward to planning as much time outdoors as I can manage—a personal gift.

As a novel endeavor, this year I chose to start my day by completing 108 sun salutations.

Being a newly certified yoga instructor, most open tabs on my phone and computer are yoga centric. A recent article pushed my direction pertained to 108 sun salutations as a practice associate to the seasons change.

Intrigued, I researched further, starting with the significance of 108. If you’d like to read more about the significance of 108, here’s one of the blogs I researched.

A short overview of the significance of 108 from a beginner’s perspective

  • Each meditation piece strings 108 Mala beads
  • Ancient Ayurvedic texts chart 108 Marma points throughout our body
  • Buddhist temple bells chime 108 times to mark the end of an old year and start of a new
  • In yoga, the number 108 represents spiritual completion.

In yogic tradition it is customary to complete 108 sun salutations at summer solstice, winter solstice, spring and fall equinox. It struck me as a particularly appropriate and exciting time to try a new—to me—and potentially challenging practice that honors both the sun’s sacred energy at its most abundant phase as well as the start of my new year.

108 Sun Salutations

I planned the practice by breaking it into segments for a total of 12 rounds.

7 Surya Namaskar A’s

I began with seven rounds of Sun Salutation A. This is the foundational sun salutation sequence.

  • Begin in mountain pose.
  • Inhale: Arms overhead.
  • Exhale: Forward fold
  • Inhale: Flat Back
  • Exhale: Hop/step to chaturanga
  • Inhale: Upward facing dog
  • Exhale: Downward facing dog (then hold for 5 breaths)
  • Exhale: Hop/step to front
  • Inhale: Flat back
  • Exhale: Forward fold
  • Inhale: Upward facing salute (arms overhead)
  • Exhale: Mountain pose

2 Surya Namaskar B’s

Sun Salutation B is an expanded version of Sun Salutations A. Here, the sequence simply adds Chair and Warrior 1 to the practice. These are more intense, build more heat, and one round is doing both sides in warrior 1.

  • Begin in mountain pose.
  • Inhale: Chair
  • Exhale: Forward fold
  • Inhale: Flat back
  • Exhale: Hop/step to chaturanga
  • Inhale: Upward facing dog
  • Exhale: Downward facing dog
  • Exhale: Step foot to Warrior 1
  • Inhale: Rise up to Warrior 1
  • Exhale: Vinyasa
  • Repeat on opposite foot
  • Exhale: Downward Facing Dog (stay for 5 breaths)
  • Exhale: Hop/Step to front
  • Inhale: Flat back
  • Exhale: Forward fold
  • Inhale: Chair
  • Exhale: Mountain pose

I positioned my mat Eastward and began at sunrise.

In total, the practice took me 1 hour and 25 minutes. Throughout this time, I experienced some beautiful chaturangas and graceful hops as well as choppy and effortful vinyasas.

I continually reminded myself to be present in the moment and thankful for the breath that has remained with me throughout my lifetime. Being familiar with activities that require physical endurance and mental stamina, my takeaway was in feeling just as I do at the end of a long run or sweaty workout.

Accomplished.

My Conclusion

Will I repeat it at each seasonal transition? That remains to be seen. However, if any part of this resonates or intrigues you, try it or try some variation.

Perhaps the fall equinox or winter solstice speaks to you as a way of inviting the sun’s warmth during the coldest time of year.

As a firm believer in the benefits of trying something new, it may become for you a treasured ritual.

Would you like to try the 108 practice?

Comment below if you’d like Asana to offer a 108 sun salutations practice on the equinox or winter solstice this year.

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