The number 108 is a holy and magical number in yoga tradition with great symbolic meaning.
Did you know that..?

  • 108 is a Harshadnumber? This is a number which is divisible by the sum of its separate numbers. Harshad means ‘great joy’ in the ancient Sanskrit language.
  • The Sun’s diameter equals 108 times  the Earth’s diameter? The distance from the Sun to the Earth equals 108 times the Sun’s diameter. And the average distance from the Earth to the Moon equals 108 times the Moon’s diameter.
  • 1 represents Universe (God), 0 represents emptiness or perfection in spiritual practice and 8 represents eternity?
  • Buddha raises 108 questions and gives 108 explanations in the holy Buddhist writings?
  • Great Buddhist temples have 108 steps?
  • Shiva has 108 names, representing his 108 qualitites?
  • 108 in the Koran refers to Allah?
  • Krishna had 108 guardians?
  • It is said that the deeper individual soul, ‘Atman’, experiences 108 phases on its journey to enlightenment?
  • Chakras are the crossroads of lines of energy (nadis)? And that is is said that there are 108 lines of energy to create the heart chakra? The most important one of these is ‘Sushumna nadi’ that leads to the crown chakra, also known as the path to enlightenment.
  • There are 108 marmas (vital pressure points) in Indian medicine?
  • It is said that as humans we know 108 different emotions; 36 of these are related to the past, 36 to the present and 36 to the future.
  • There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet? Each letter consists of a male and female form, Shiva and Shakti: 54 x 2 = 108.
  • 108 equals 4×27, and 27 equals 3×9, and 9 equals 3×3, which refers to the three primal principles: creation (Brahma), sustainment (Vishnu) and destruction or transformation (Shiva).
  • The symbolism of the number 108 is represented in the 108 beads of a prayer cord (Mala) which is used in meditation? Using the mala, the number of 100 beads completes a cycle. The remaining 8 beads are for repair of mistakes. These 8 beads are also considered to be a sacrifice to the universe. One full round with the prayer cord represents a symbolic journey from the earth to the sky, meaning: from ordinary consciousness to higher consciousness.
  • The prehistoric monument Stonehenge has a diameter of about108 feet?
  • According to tradition we execute 108 Sun Salutations during the change of the seasons? By performing 108 Sun Salutations we greet and honour the Sun for giving us vital energy.