Archive for January, 2010
Hello!
A huge big hug to all of you who came along to 9am Yoga Flow this morning!
You had no idea what you were in for but you jumped in with amazing enthusiasm regardless!
***108 Sun Salutations***
WELL DONE!
I hope you are enjoying the rest of your day relaxing and doing the things you love ![]()
108?
The Indian Subcontinent rosary or set of mantra counting has 108 beads.
108 has been a sacred number in the Indian Subcontinent for a very long time.
This number is explained in many different ways:
The ancient Indians were excellent mathematicians and 108 may be the product of a precise mathematical operation (e.g. 1 power 1 x 2 power 2 x 3 power 3 = 108) which was thought to have special numerological significance.
Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 to 1st power=1; 2 to 2nd power=4 (2×2); 3 to 3rd power=27 (3x3x3). 1X4x27=108
Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti. 54 times 2 is 108.
ri Yantra: On the Sri Yantra there are marmas where three lines intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersections has masculine and feminine, shiva and shakti qualities. 54 x 2 equals 108. Thus, there are 108 points that define the Sri Yantra as well as the human body.
9 times 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108. Also, 1 plus 8 equals 9. That 9 times 12 equals 108.
Heart Chakra: The chakras are the intersections of energy lines, and there are said to be a total of 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra. One of them, sushumna leads to the crown chakra, and is said to be the path to Self-realization.
Marmas: Marmas or marmastanas are like energy intersections called chakras, except have fewer energy lines converging to form them. There are said to be 108 marmas in the subtle body.
Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 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 called namshas or chandrakalas. 9 times 12 equals 108. Chandra is moon, and kalas are the divisions within a whole.
lanets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.
Gopis of Krishna: In the Krishna tradition, there were said to be 108 gopis or maid servants of Krishna.
, 0, and 8: 1 stands for God or higher Truth, 0 stands for emptiness or completeness in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for infinity or eternity.
Sun and Earth: The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth.
Numerical scale: The 1 of 108, and the 8 of 108, when added together equals 9, which is the number of the numerical scale, i.e. 1, 2, 3 … 10, etc., where 0 is not a number.
Smaller divisions: The number 108 is divided, such as in half, third, quarter, or twelfth, so that some malas have 54, 36, 27, or 9 beads.
Islam: The number 108 is used in Islam to refer to God.
Jain: In the Jain religion, 108 are the combined virtues of five categories of holy ones, including 12, 8, 36, 25, and 27 virtues respectively.
Sikh: The Sikh tradition has a mala of 108 knots tied in a string of wool, rather than beads.
Chinese: The Chinese Buddhists and Taoists use a 108 bead mala, which is called su-chu, and has three dividing beads, so the mala is divided into three parts of 36 each.
Stages of the soul: Said that Atman, the human soul or center goes through 108 stages on the journey.
Meru: This is a larger bead, not part of the 108. It is not tied in the sequence of the other beads. It is the quiding bead, the one that marks the beginning and end of the mala.
Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.
Pythagorean: The nine is the limit of all numbers, all others existing and coming from the same. ie: 0 to 9 is all one needs to make up an infinite amount of numbers.
We have listed below 108 Upanishads as per the list contained in the Muktikopanishad . We have arranged them in four categories according to the particular Veda to which each of them belong.
igveda(10): Aitareya , Atmabodha, Kaushitaki, Mudgala, Nirvana, Nadabindu, Akshamaya, Tripura, Bahvruka, Saubhagyalakshmi.
ajurveda(50): Katha, Taittiriya , Isavasya , Brihadaranyaka, Akshi, Ekakshara, Garbha, Prnagnihotra, Svetasvatara, Sariraka, Sukarahasya, Skanda, Sarvasara, Adhyatma, Niralamba, Paingala, Mantrika, Muktika, Subala, Avadhuta, Katharudra, Brahma, Jabala, Turiyatita, Paramahamsa, Bhikshuka, Yajnavalkya, Satyayani, Amrtanada, Amrtabindu, Kshurika, Tejobindu, Dhyanabindu, Brahmavidya, YogakundalinI, Yogatattva, Yogasikha, Varaha, Advayataraka, Trisikhibrahmana, mandalabrahmana, Hamsa, Kalisantaraaa, Narayana, Tarasara, Kalagnirudra, Dakshinamurti, Pancabrahma, Rudrahrdaya, SarasvatIrahasya.
amaVeda(16): Kena, Chandogya, Mahat, Maitrayani, Vajrasuci, Savitri, Aruneya, Kundika, Maitreyi, Samnyasa, Jabaladarsana, Yogacudaman, Avyakta, Vasudevai, Jabali, Rudrakshajabala.
tharvaveda(32): Prasna , Mandukya, Mundaka, Atma, Surya, Narada-Parivrajakas, Parabrahma, Paramahamsa-Parivrajakas, Pasupatha-Brahma, Mahavakya, Sandilya, Krishna, Garuda, Gopalatapani, Tripadavibhuti-mahnarayana, Dattatreya, Kaivalya, NrsimhatapanI, Ramatapani, Ramarahasya, HayagrIva, Atharvasikha, Atharvasira, Ganapati, Brhajjabala, Bhasmajabala, Sarabha, Annapurna, TripuratapanI, Devi, Bhavana, SIta.
We must agree that all measuring systems are merely reference frames. They give us a starting point. It doesn’t really matter if you call them farenheits or cycles. All science is based on fundamental assumptions of the mechanics of this universe. Yet, these assumptions, if correct, connect like building blocks.
uch in the same way, the number ‘108’ is just a reference frame. It is symbolic of a bigger picture: that of humility. When devotees recite 108 Hanuman Chalisas, in their minds they believe, they are proving their love for God, and that there is in fact a need to prove their love. When devotees assign a 108 names to Shri Ganesh, they are once again gauging their devotion through numbers. This, of course, may be considered unreasonable, since it suggests that 108 chants are more effective than 109 chants. How do they know this? Have they proved it? Is 108 the magic number of the universe? No, it is not! It is a reference frame. What is important is that a system is imposed to guide us through the fundamental struggles encountered in any evolutional process. Otherwise, chaos and anarchy follow and nothing gets done.
aving said that, I will show you justifications from a few subcultures in India. Obviously, I consider the Vedic rationale to be the most consistent with the fundamental laws of this universe. The others have borrowed and built, but it still smells of Vedic beginnings.
n present times, we can find many rationales for the proliferation of ‘108’ throughout our scriptures. In fact, this number seems to garner its unfair share of attention from myriad cults and faith systems around the world. I will give you a few justifications that have been brought to my attention.
JYOTISH SHASTRA {VEDIC SYSTEM}
his universe was created by the five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth. From these elements came the three attributes: Raj {birth}, Sat {protection} and Tam {destruction or death.}
he mathematical or geographical evidence proves that one circle has 360 degrees in space. Why is this circle or wheel of life considered to be of 360 degrees only? If we take a circle and start dividing it using the four elements and three attributes, all the logic can be observed.
he circle itself, is considered the first element of space, since we must consume space in drawing a circle. In this space {or circle}, the four remaining elements and three attributes create the idea of time. The circle is divisible by the product of four elements multiplied by three attributes. This involves the belief that the three attributes exist in the circle. By moving three times, each element completes its revolution.
o now we have the number 12 {3 x 4}. This division gave birth to our 12 months, and also to the 12 horas {1/2 of the day or Ahoratri}. We now have 360 degrees as well as 12 divisions. We can now further divide the wheel of time: there are 27 fixed stars (nakshatras) along with three attributes that divide the time in smaller portions. So this 27 + 3 = 30 is interpreted as 30 degrees or days of one part of the wheel (circle) or month. All of this is only half of a day. The night is yet unaccounted for. Therefore, we multiply these 30 degrees by 2. This gives us our reference of 60 seconds in a minute.
hus the 360º x 30º = 10,800. Zero {0} is considered ‘Purna’ or complete. So we take out the last zeros and are left with 108. The idea of our total universe is represented by this number of 108. Offering 108, devotees believe that they are showing ultimate or complete respect to the Supreme.
here are many other justifications but all can be traced back to this system. A few are explained below:
SHOSHU BUDDHIST:
ollowers use 108 beads in their malas. They implement the following formula:
x 3 x 2 x3 = 108
senses [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, thought]
aspects of time [past, present, future]
condition of heart [pure or impure]
possibilties of sentiment [like, dislike, indifference]
BUDDHA’S FOOTPRINT:
ll Buddhists accept the Buddha Footprint with its 108 Auspicious Illustrations. These areas are considered to have been marked on the Buddha’s left foot when his body was discovered.
BUDDHISM
108 beads on the Hindu maalaa {rosary}
08 Arhats or Holy Ones
HINDUISM
108 Gopis {consorts} of Lord Krishna
08 Holy places for Vaishnavas
08 beads on the Japa maalaa {rosary}
08 Upanishads
08 Divyadeshes – Divine or Sacred Tirtha throughout India and Nepal
08 sacred water taps in Muktinath – Nepal
TANTRA SHASTRA
108 Pitha {Sacred Places}
he story goes that Lord Shiva was in deep and incessant meditation. His asceticism was creating great heat in the universe. All existence was in peril and Lord Brahma was deeply concerned. Lord Brahma asked the Mother of the Universe, Maa Shakti, to use Her strength and wile to seduce Lord Shiva. Maa Shakti agreed and was born as Sati, daughter of Shri Daksha. Lord Shiva was so entranced by Sati’s asceticism and extraordinary beauty that he took human form and they were married. Years later, at a feast, Sati’s father insulted Lord Shiva. Sati was so humiliated that she began a deep meditation which led to her immolation. Lord Shiva was completely heart broken. He reached into the sacrificial fire and pulled out as much of His beloved’s body as he could grab. As He ascended to heaven, bits of Sati’s body fell to earth. 108 bits to be precise! In time, these places were acknowledged and worshipped.
ANATANA DHARMA:
n a book by Khurana, the explanation closely mirrors the original Vedic justifications:
circle has 360 degrees, which when multiplied by 60 gives us 21,600 minutes in a circle. 60 comes from the 60 ‘ghatis’ which Sanatana Dharmiks believe in. One ghati is equal to 24 minutes and 60 ghatis come to 24 hours.
ne ghati is divided into 60 parts or ‘palas’.
o the 60 ghatis multiplied by 60 palasa comes to 3,600.
his is further multiplied by 60 (becase a pala contains 60 vipalas) which gives us 21,600.
alf of this is for the day, and the other half for the night. So, 21,600
ivided by 2 gives us 10,800. For practical purposes, we use 108. Using the
umber 108 helps us coordinate the rhythm of time and space & we remain in harmony with the spiritual powers of nature.
I barely slept a wink last night, my mind racing with random thoughts, ideas, inspirations…
On awakening everything was still a bit wobbly, I was banging into things, tripping up, spilling things!!!
Don’t worry, I wasn’t drunk… It is normal for me to feel like this the day before Full Moon!
On days like these I have to just allow things to be as they are.
This morning I thoroughly enjoyed a tranquil Primary Series to settle my soul.
I feel this moon cycle is an important one for us all to observe.
Not only is it the first Full Moon of 2010 but it is also a bit like a second chance at starting again this gregorian year.
The full moon represents the peak of the cycle in terms of energy and so it is a time to ‘break through’ barriers as opposed to making new beginnings…
However, with this also being a marker for the end of the dark winter and the approach is made for Spring, I think we should all be given a second chance, right!?
With the full moon on our door steps tomorrow morning I am excitedly planning a very special Yoga Flow class!
(The actual full moon being at 6:18am)
The moon will by 9am be a fraction past it’s peak yet it’s pull on us mere mortals will still be strong.
Usually in yoga traditions yoga asana practice is avoided completely due to the energy of the body being a little tested.
Since the moon has such a powerful effect on us if you do choose to practice, take it easy and be VERY AWARE as any injuries incurred will take longer to heal.
Choose a very fluid yet focused practice to balance you out for the rest of the day…. and hey, don’t fight the moon, he’s a lot bigger than you!
Why not come along to Stockbridge House for Yoga Flow 9am-10:30am!
This class is designed to carry you through the day and perhaps the rest of the year on a much more positive and uplifted note!
We will break through any stagnancys’ and leave feeling truly alive!
I have also decided that this class is by donation of whatever you can afford for those of you who are not able to afford full recommended donation of £10.
The more the merrier! This is in actual fact an appeal…! Please come, the more shiny souls I can gather for this event the better!

FYI: Mars and the full moon pair up to provide a grand celestial spectacle tonight. The red planet, now 62 million miles from Earth, will be at its brightest this year as it lines up opposite the sun. At around 9pm TONIGHT, Mars will be above and to the left of the moon, about the length of an outstretched fist away. Mars is looking really quite red and impressive at the moment, and the moon will be full. It’s going to be a great sight . A pair of binoculars and a clear out-of-town sky will reveal an added bonus – the “beehive” star cluster – between the two objects.
Thanks also to all of you who responded so kindly to my last post ![]()
Big Full Moon Style Love
S xxx
When I was 11 I was making the scary transition from Primary 6 to High School.
I remember worrying about how worried I was about fitting in, finding new friends and keeping the ones I had.
Believe it or not, this was one of the main reason I decided to ignore my mothers warnings of EMF’s permanantly damaging my brain cells and took it apon myself to aquire a mobile phone… I thought, like many kids these days, if I had a mobile phone (or now it’s more like a blackberry/iPhone!) I’d be sure to fit in and not miss out on anything.
Sooner or later my mum found out…
(hiding under the covers sending pointless text messages until the early hours; ’r u cumin to da shop 2moro at lnch? lv s x’)
…And she went mad!
No wonder the thing was not only radiating my brain but it was also taking over my life!
Somehow I talked her round… I lied and told her it was a gift from my best friend. I fluttered my eyelashes and eventually she gave in.
It seems impossible to imagine that this even happened now as my mums’ text messages are now a common occurrence!
But not for long…!!!
No, don’t worry, I have not taken it upon myself to sabotage every mobile phone I can find.
I have instead decided to take upon myself and again que Ghandhi;
“Be the change you want to see in the world…”
I don’t know how many times over the past 12 years I’ve heard people say mid mobile phone converstaion…
“I better go, i’m getting a hot ear…!”
Doesn’t this tell us something?!? (apart from that they’re done speaking to you for today)
It tells me it’s time to make a change.
So, you will notice my phone number is no longer active.
You can still get me by email or by home phone, all detailed in my contact section.
Gone are the days of frantic struggling at traffic lights to check if it’s my phone making that irritating (not to mention radiating) BLEEP!!
No more catching me when I don’t want to be caught!
I have attached a great article down below which I received not so long ago, just before deciding to do the big TURN OFF!!!
YIPPPEEEE!!!! I AM FRREEEEEE!!!!
Thanks to modern technology many of us are living in a sea of electromagnetic pollution. Philip Weeks explores the potential health risks, and the steps you can take to reduce your exposure.
When Lisa came to see me she was suffering from a lot of common complaints. At 36 she had chronic insomnia, fatigue, ongoing viral infections and depression. However, what marked her as a little different was that she was a therapist who was having a lot of good treatment by a number of practitioners and nothing seemed to be really working. She was not making any tangible progress even though she had been detoxing and taking homeopathic and herbal medicine.
When I undertook bio-resonance testing on her it was difficult to get clear readings. This can happen when there is a complicated health picture but also because disturbances in the body have their own signals. These signals create a lot of ‘noise’ in the body, with the presence of the different discordant frequencies. Essentially, cells communicate with each other through subtle electromagnetic signals of their own. When this is disturbed, dis-ease arises.
With testing, the overwhelming factor was that she was suffering from some kind of electromagnetic overload. She worked for a telecommunications company and used a mobile. Week days were spent in an office full of computers, and at home she had Wi-Fi (wireless internet connection). Lisa didn’t think that her electromagnetic field exposure was any more than anybody else’s. It was only when she hired a number of machines that test levels of electromagnetic pollution that she realized she had a big problem at home.
In her home she could view 18 different Wi-Fi connections from neighbours whose connections were spilling into her home. She also found that there was a radiation hot spot from the local mobile phone mast in her bedroom.
Essentially, all of the external radiation of ‘electro smog’ was undermining her core level of health. As high electromagnetic fields – or EMF’s – are such a new phenomenon, the human body doesn’t recognize what they are. People can come down with viral-like symptoms or unexplainable health problems. I believe the immune system thinks it has been infected and reacts as it would to a continual viral, bacterial or a toxic onslaught.
Some people need to substantially reduce their exposure to EMF’s for a period of time in order to get back into balance. Lisa took a number of steps to achieve this. She ditched the Wi-Fi at home, switching her internet access to a wired connection. She then immediately got a wire mesh which went around her bed, a lot like a mosquito net, until she got the house sorted out. This screened out the EMF’s almost completely from where she was sleeping. Within a few days she started to feel better and within a week her sleep greatly improved.
She used anti-EMF paint on the walls where most of the radiation was getting in. It usually contains zinc, which blocks electromagnetic signals from penetrating walls. This blocked the majority of the radiation coming from the neighbours’ Wi-Fi. She then got a window net for the bedroom to block the residue of the mobile phone masts.
After eight weeks she felt she was making a recovery. She was not as prone to viral infections and was at last sleeping well and feeling more energetic.
I used a number of herbal remedies to help her body make the adjustment necessary: burdock and yellow dock to help the deep immune system, and bugleweed and Siberian ginseng for toxins and radiation. ‘Chel-8’, although primarily for heavy metal poisoning, is very effective for reducing electro-sensitivity and helps cells communicate with each other. Twelve months on, Lisa is in very good health and still does regular detoxification and follows a good diet. However, she is conscious about the level of electromagnetic exposure in her home and workplace and keeps it as low as possible.
The inconvenient truth
Most of us will have heard of the many concerns regarding EMF’s. There are researchers in the field who have established compelling links between overhead cables, pylons and illness. Many people living near mobile phone masts suffer from symptoms of tiredness, depression, immune deficiencies and increased mental health issues – symptoms which subside when they reduced their exposure by moving house or by implementing EMF protection measures.
Dr. George Carlo is a public health scientist who headed the first multi-million dollar research programme funded by the cell phone industry. After six years, his research discovered very alarming discoveries linking mobile/cellular phones to serious health problems and diseases. On submitting his findings to the industry, he was discredited and his research ignored by the very people who paid him to carry it out. He came to certain conclusions regarding how EMF’s cause damage (however, Wi-Fi is a newer area that urgently needs more research):
Professor Lawrie Challis is on the committee for mobile phone safety research in the UK, funded by the government and related industries. Because of the incredibly small number of studies into levels of exposure to Wi-Fi in schools, he is highlighting the potential growth of health problems in children. His main concern is children using a laptop while using Wi-Fi, and he had this to say on the subject:
“With a desktop computer, the transmitter will be in the tower. This might be perhaps 20cms from your leg and the exposure would then be around 1% of that from a mobile phone. However if you put a laptop straight on your lap and are using Wi-Fi, you could be around 2cms from the transmitter, and receiving comparable exposure to that from a mobile phone.
“Children are much more sensitive than adults to a number of other dangers, such as pollutants like lead and UV radiation, so if there should be a problem with mobiles, then it may be a bigger problem for children. Since we advise that children should be discouraged from using mobile phones, we should also discourage children from placing their laptop on their lap when they are using Wi-Fi.”
Recently, a lawsuit was filed in a suburb of Chicago by parents against a school on the grounds that exposure to Wi-Fi could potentially cause neurological damage to their children. Lakehead University in Canada has banned the use of Wi-Fi networks over fears about possible links between EMF’s and cancer. In the UK, many teachers and parents are pressing for a total Wi-Fi ban in schools.
Until it can be proved the technology is safe, pupils are being used as “guinea pigs in a large-scale experiment”, according to the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT). Regarding general EMF exposure Professor Ross Adey, a researcher on EMF’s, concluded from his studies that they can:
We are going to have an ever-increasing exposure to the electromagnetic field as technology plays a larger part in all of our lives. Mobile phone masts are gradually connecting the world’s population and alarmingly, many cities are proudly boasting complete Wi-Fi coverage for their residents. So at the moment at least we are all bathing in a certain amount of electromagnetic smog. I personally think the further we get from nature, the more we are going to run into problems. In my view, it is not healthy to be paranoid about factors beyond our control. But it is healthy to take reasonable steps to limit the risks as much as we can.
How to lower your electromagnetic load
Online resources
www.powerwatch.org.uk has a large resource of information on EMF’s and you can also hire machines to test levels in your house and buy the screening paint
www.electric-fields.bris.ac.uk The Human Radiation Effects Group – a resource concerning the environmental factors linking childhood leukaemia and EMF’s.
www.botanicalhealth.co.uk manufactures Chel-8, which is what I use with patients who are suffering from electromagnetic-related conditions.
About the Author
Philip Weeks is a master herbalist, naturopath and licensed acupuncturist. He sees patients from all over the world at his clinics in Hereford and London. For more information see www.philipweeks.org or telephone 01342 265565.
This article appeared in the Spring 2008 issue of Get Fresh! magazine.