108 Sun Salutations... My Way

For years I have seen events pop up around New Years or the change of season for "New You" events, in particular - 108 Sun Salutations, honestly the thought of it has always intriqued me.  I am in fairly good health, but I am in my 40's, and through being more aware of my body notice when I may have overdone things.  It's for this very reason why I have never actually attempted it.  I know, I'm sure these events most likely allow people to go at their own pace, do their own salutation version, and even suggest people stop when needed, but I still just wasn't ready to give it a go.

This year was no different, as New Years rolled around I was getting all kinds of notifications for "New You" kind of events, I think I may even have used that wording myself in the past.  While I, and others, who may have used the "New You" language meant no harm or judgement, that wording got me thinking.  I have taken a long time, utilized many tools, and am still learning to love...me, as I am.  Sure, there are adjustments that I can make to improve my health and relationships, but the me I am is good, and I don't want to be new, I'll save new for my next life ;).   Just because I've come to the realization that I like me, doesn't mean I should sit back and not be an active participant in my life, that just doesn't feel healthy or positive for where I am in my life.  Alright, so what can I do to keep working on creating a more positive me?  You know, pushing myself when needed, but also being wise enough to know when that is enough.

Well, this brings me back to the idea of 108 Sun Salutations.  First, let me say that salutations can just simply be a way to move the body.  Getting the heart pumping, blood flowing, lymph moving, muscles awakening is urgently important to do on a consistent basis.   Personally, I use salutations on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.  For me, the sun should be honored, not as a god, but as the energetic entity that it is. When I think about how important the sun is for my and my family's health, happiness, and the planet, how can I not feel immense gratitude towards it?  Sun and/or moon salutations are a movement of action that conveys connection between that energy and myself.  Reaching my arms up towards the sky is liberating for my soul, it's like reaching out to another and saying hi, or giving them a hug.  By allowing my body to then flow downwards doesn't mean I'm worshipping, rather it's a way to show a tremendous amount of gratitude.  Let's face it, if the sun and moon didn't exist, neither would we.  Life is sustained on this planet because of them, so I don't want to belittle their significance.

The thought of doing so many salutations in a row is also appealing to me because it means that I am committing to something.  Commitment, and the follow through of commitment, can be powerful driving forces in personal shifts.  However, that same thought of doing that many in a row left me wondering - would I feel bad if I didn't finish? would I force myself to the end in spite of what my body might be saying?  would I cause physical suffering in order to avoid mental/emotional suffering?  While I contemplated these thoughts, I knew one thing for sure, that this year I really felt drawn to committing to 108 Sun Salutations.  The more I thought about, and how I have been working so hard at being authentic to myself and others, I knew my 108 Sun Salutations weren't going to be like I've seen on social media.  And I felt super okay with this, the problem was that I still wasn't quiet sure what it would look like.

At times I like to push myself, as this is helpful in my growth, but I knew darn well that if I attempted 108 at once there was no way I would be getting out of bed for the next few days.  I didn't want that, I didn't want to feel such an accomplishment to then only feel horrible afterwards, my body didn't deserve that!  So, Tiffany, what was the plan?  And why 108?  The number 108 has a ton of references, from astrology to physiology to religion/faith (Hindu, Buddhism, Christian) to subtle anatomy, and I can't remember exactly where I read this version, but it's by far my favorite...
1 = Higher Power, something greater than ourselves
0 = Unity, connection to all things
8 = Infinity, we are eternal

Now that we have the significance of 108 mentally noted, what did my 108 Sun Salutations look like?  I came up with a plan that allowed me to make a commitment AND honor my physical body.  Here's what it looked like...

• Beginning on a Sunday, I started my 108 Sun Salutation journey.
• Each day, for six days, I did 18 rounds of Sun Salutation A.  
• Each day, before I began, I would center and warm up/stretch.
• Each day, while I was practicing my 18 rounds, I would stay present in each movement.
• Each day, after I completed my 18 rounds, I would pause/center/meditate, gently stretch.
• Each day, after I was done, I would rub, or soak, my body in rosemary essential oil.  

By the end of the sixth day, I felt thrilled that I reached my goal, got to practice something I had been thinking about for awhile, and that I took care of myself doing it.  This was my plan, there are many options for how to accomplish 108 Sun Salutations if it's something you might want to try, and there are many versions of salutations that can be utilized.  If doing 108 at once works for you then go for it, but if it doesn't, allow the opportunity to still experience it, just going about it a different way.