Unity, Stillness, Infinite possibility

There are 108 beads on a Mala, or set of Mantra counting beads - sort of like a Hindu Rosary.  It is said that if you chant your mantra 108 times, once for each bead, you will imbue the Mala with your mantra, and you can bear it like a talisman.  But what is the significance of 108?

Mathematicians can pontificate on the meaning of this number, and the connections between 108 and various truths and statistics in our universe are interesting, if not startling (108 is a number divisible by the sum of its digits.  1+8=9.  9 times 12 = 108.  There are/were 9 planets in our solar system.  There are 12 months in a year. The angles in a pentagon equal 108 degrees.  The diameter of our sun is 108 times that of the Earth.  The atomic weight of silver/Argentum is 108.  The first manned space mission, by Yuri Gagarin, lasted 108 minutes.).

The connection to yogic spirituality are even more extensive (there are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet, each with a masculine and feminine form.  54 times 2 = 108.  It is said that in calm meditation, a person need only take 108 breaths in a day.  There are 108 Indian goddess names.  Buddhists ring a bell 108 times to ring in the new year.  The River Ganges spans a longitude of 12 degrees and a latitude of 9 degrees.  12 times 9 is 108.  There are 108 texts of the Upanishads.).

But quite simply, 1 = God, a Higher truth, Singular Unity among all.  0 = Emptiness, stillness.  8 = Infinity or Eternity.

I just registered for my very first Triathlon.  Not the traditional sort of triathlon, I'll admit - it's a "Mindfulness Triathlon".  It's a one day festival put on by Wanderlust to invite citizens to explore the concepts of pushing your body, calming your mind, and connecting with others.  They aim to do this by hosting a 5K run/walk, a meditation session, followed by a group yoga practice.  This festival is called Wanderlust 108 and I'm pretty psyched about it!  I'll report back...

In the meantime, I encourage you to look for signs of Unity, Stillness, and Infinite possibility either in your practice or your daily life!