Kundalini comes from the word kundal, which means lock of hair from the beloved. The unlocking of this hair is the awakening of kundalini energy, a powerful force that exists in every human. In kundalini yoga, mantras using mala beads, usually 108 in count, are performed to assist you in awakening this energy.
Kundalini Mantras
In kundalini yoga, mantras are used as a technique for regulating the mind. A common mantra used in kundalini yoga is "sat nam," which means truth identity. This mantra is repeated while holding a set of mala beads. The 108 beads are strung together with a tassel on the end. For each bead, a breath is taken and sat nam is recited until you have completed 108 repetitions. The first 100 are considered complete with the remaining eight for errors.
Heart Chakra
In "Kundalini Awakening," author John Selby recommends focusing your kundalini meditation on the heart chakra. Chakras are energy centers in your body. Selby recommends allowing kundalini energy to come from the heart and travel in all directions. There are 108 energy lines that form the heart chakra, thus making the number 108 significant while performing kundalini mantras.
Numbers
The significance of the number 108 in kundalini yoga can also be explained through numbers. The 108 is considered a harshad number, meaning it is a number divisible by its digits. Harshad means "great joy" in Sanskrit. It is also said that each digit in 108 has a special meaning. The number 1 in 108 stands for God or a higher power, 0 stands for completeness in spiritual practice and 8 stands for eternity.
Mythology
In Eastern mythology, the number 108 has different meanings. It is said that if you can calm your breathing down to just 108 breaths a day, you will reach enlightenment. The Upanishads, an ancient Eastern wisdom text, is said to have 108 sections. People also supposedly have 108 feelings; 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present and 36 related to the future.
References
- "Kundalini Yoga"; Shakta Kaur Khalsa, 2000
- Swamij; Meaning of 108 Beads on a Mala; Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
- "Kundalini Awakening"; John Selby, 1992
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