Why 108 Beads?
A Mala has 108 beads and 1 guru or center bead. Why 108? Surely, there are more than 108 why. Some people believe the soul has 108 stages in its journey. Others say that enlightenment can happen by taking only 108 breaths a day, while you are meditating deeply.
We have compiled the 8 of the most interesting significance of 108 in the practice of Mala Meditation:
Heart Chakra: The chakras are, as the name suggests a spiritual map for navigating your energy lines. There is supposed to be a total of 108 at one spot: Your heart center. One, in particular, is called "Sushumna" - which can lead you on this enlightening journey towards Self-realization.
1, 0, and 8: Some say that 1 stands for God or higher Truth or Divine Consciousness, 0 stands for emptiness or void in spiritual practice, and 8 stands for infinity or eternity.
Planets and Stars: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times that of the Earth. The distance between the Sun and the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun. There are 12 astrological signs and 9 planets. The sum of 12 times 9 equals 108.
Sanskrit: Many choose to recite their mantra in Sanskrit, the ancient script of India. The Saksrit alphabet has 54 letters. Each letter has a feminine and masculine version, Shiva and Shakti — totaling 108.
108 is a Harshad (great joy) number in Sanskrit, which is an integer divisible by the sum of its digits.
Ayurveda: There are 108 Marma Points in the human body. Marma points are places on the body where two or more types of tissue meet. They are not just limited to this though. Marma points are places where parts of your life force meet prana or breath. The three Ayurvedic doshas Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are believed to reside in these lines.
Spiritual: 108 Earthly Desires in Buddhism that everyone must overcome. There are also 108 Defilements in Buddhism. In India, there are 108 Pithas or sacred locations. Tibetans have 108 sacred books. Each Hindu deity has 108 names.
There are 54 days and 54 nights (total: 108) between Soul’s Day (November 2) and Christmas (December 25). The significance of the number lies in the fact that light changed to darkness a total of 108 times, and the reverse occurred just as many times within those two dates.
Mathematics: Powers of 1, 2, and 3 in math: 1 raised to 1st power equals1; 2 raised to 2nd power equals 4 (2x2); 3 raised to 3rd power equals 27 (3x3x3). 1x4x27=108.
The number 108 has special significance for Leonardo Fibonacci (of the Fibonacci Sequence), who thought it bore a resemblance to the completeness of existence. The golden ratio is also connected to the Fibonacci sequence.
108 is related to the sacred and auspicious number 9. The sum of 1 + 0 + 8 is 9. 108 and 9 have many mathematical relationships.
108 Feelings in a Human: Buddhism and Hinduism believe that we all have 108 different types of feelings. There are 36 feelings based on the past, 36 based on the present, and 36 based on ambition and goals.
We hope that this article has helped you understand the significance of the auspicious number 108. Join us as we explore more about spirituality and mindfulness together.
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