REPOST: I was asked about the current enthusiasm for practicing 108 Sun salutations and when it started. I really have no idea but I found this old post from May 2009 of my doing it and going by the comments it seems to have been not uncommon back then, on the Solstice say. Recently I had a student here in Japan who mentioned she wanted to practice 108 sun salutations so I'm curious why it is suddenly so popular. See my page at the top of the blog titled The Ashtanga Key, it's all about Sun Salutations. Scroll down and you'll find my posts on the Origin of the Sun Salutation, how it became an exercise fad, and in the posts near the top why Krishnamacharya discouraged excessive amounts of sun Salutations as well as how it taught their practice with mantras to Ramaswami.
A couple of hours after the 108 now my arms and shoulders still ache a little, as do my wrists and my neck. The wrists and neck are probably a result of how I half float/jump up to standing from DD. Apart from that, I feel good, no bloodied feet Ursula (thanks to my nice soft Yogitoes perhaps).
I made a video of part of it. My camera only shoots 15 minutes, so I made three and stitched them together. I changed my headband after 20 because I was dripping sweat ( I weighed myself before and I was 78.4, I weighed myself again afterward and I was 77.6, I sweated almost 2 kilos, as you can see from my mat). When I pressed Record for the last part I must have pressed too hard because I moved the camera and lost the clock. This is going to be a very very boring video but maybe it's OK if you fast-forward a couple of times.
108 Sun Salutations at TRIYOGA London http://www.triyoga.co.uk/story.php?titleid=1436
From 8.30am to 10.30am on Sunday, May 31st, the 13th day after Guruji‘s passing, Joey Miles will be counting through 108 Sun Salutations (or as many as you can manage up to 108!). If you prefer, just come and sit. Nikki Slade will then lead us in a chant in Guruji‘s honor. All are welcome. Tea and biscuits will be shared afterward. This will be our way of expressing the gratitude we feel and a way of honoring this much-loved and hugely respected teacher.
I won't be going to TriYoga tomorrow but am planning on doing the 108 at home tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM ( plus a 30-minute Savasana/Rest afterward).
I'm still a little confused, however, as to how to go about it. Do we still take the five-breath count in downward dog when doing 108 of the buggers or do we go straight back to upward dog on the next inhale?
Counting is also a concern, how best to avoid losing count. I'm thinking ten GO stones at the end of my mat, moving one over every ten Sury's. The thing is I don't want to spend the whole time worrying about losing count.
UPDATE
A couple of hours after the 108 now my arms and shoulders still ache a little, as do my wrists and my neck. The wrists and neck are probably a result of how I half float/jump up to standing from DD. Apart from that, I feel good, no bloodied feet Ursula (thanks to my nice soft Yogitoes perhaps).I went straight from downward dog back up to standing without taking a five-breath count, I would have been there all day otherwise. I started at 8.30 and finished at 9.22 so just over 50 minutes. Think I was probably going too fast, I tried slowing it down at one point but ended up back at the same pace.
My count was awful. I put ten Go stones at the end of my mat, counted ten Sury's in my head, and then took off a stone at the end of the tenth. I kept losing count and according to the video I ended up doing 13 instead of 10 before I moved the first stone.
I made a video of part of it. My camera only shoots 15 minutes, so I made three and stitched them together. I changed my headband after 20 because I was dripping sweat ( I weighed myself before and I was 78.4, I weighed myself again afterward and I was 77.6, I sweated almost 2 kilos, as you can see from my mat). When I pressed Record for the last part I must have pressed too hard because I moved the camera and lost the clock. This is going to be a very very boring video but maybe it's OK if you fast-forward a couple of times.
In the end, I only rested/stayed in Savasana for 15 minutes. The heating had gone off and it was getting cold. I'm sure Guruji understands.
An interesting experience, 108 is just about right. Halfway through, you start to feel tired of it and have to force yourself to keep going, but then it feels OK again and you get into a nice rhythm. It would be a nice meditation if you didn't have to worry about the count.
