Saturday, September 22, 2007

108 Sun Salutations

Last week I signed up for the Global Mala Project at my yoga studio. Around the world, students of yoga are coming together to form a "mala around the earth." As part of my participation in the global offering, I signed up for 108 Sun Salutations.

I didn't think I had the strength for 108 Sun Salutations, and I knew my arms and shoulders are going to ache like crazy. But it seems so crazy I just wanted to try.

I did it. 108 Sun Salutations, even though towards the end I had to modify my Upward Dog to Cobra and my Chaturanga was getting sloppy.

I didn't really tell many people about signing up for the 108 Sun Salutations, because there was a thought at the back of my mind to back out. 108 Sun Salutations was intimidating -- but why was I afraid? Perhaps if I can't complete all 108, I was afraid I would be judged badly. Or perhaps I would judge myself badly for failing. showed up anyway, wearing my Nike outfit, because I really like the slogan to "Just Do It" -- "For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business."

For the final 27 Sun Salutations, the teacher told us to dedicate it to the Divine, to do it with a smile. And so towards the end, as I was stretching my arms upwards to salute the sun, I allowed myself to move into the most exuberant backbends, both as offering, and to receive. There is a lot in my life to be grateful for.

And I survived 108 Sun Salutations! Yay!

Namaste.

2 comments:

purplefugue said...

You're fantastic! I blush in shame. I didn't make it. I had a Yin class the night before for 1hr 30 min, got home at nearly 11pm then 'died' till 12pm the next day from sheer exhaustion and a week's worth of waking up early for work! If only it was held in the early afternoon instead of like 9am on a Saturday morning!!! Shoot!

darkorpheus said...

Hey, if it makes you feel better, I still have aching muscles from all those Sun Salutations. :)

Oh, why did I do it? Probably because it was crazy.

But you have yoga class so late? Can't be easy. Take care.