Why 108?

The number 108 holds various meanings and what is key is that you get to pick what you truly want it to represent.  

Some of our favorite reasons are:

9 x 12: Both of these numbers have been said to have spiritual significance in many traditions. 9 times 12 is 108, 1 plus 8 equals 9 and 9 times 12 equals 108.

Desires: There are said to be 108 earthly desires. 

Lies: There are said to be 108 lies that humans tell.

Heart Chakra: It is believed that there are 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra.

Sanskrit alphabet: There are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Each has masculine and feminine. 54 times 2 is 108.

Pranayama: If one is able to achieve 108 breaths in a day, due to practicing meditation, enlightenment will come.

Pentagon: The angle formed by two adjacent lines in a pentagon equals 108 degrees.

Time: Some say there are 108 feelings, with 36 related to the past, 36 related to the present, and 36 related to the future.

River Ganga: The sacred River Ganga spans a longitude of 12 degrees (79 to 91), and a latitude of 9 degrees (22 to 31). 12 times 9 equals 108.

Planets and Houses: In astrology, there are 12 houses and 9 planets. 12 times 9 equals 108.

Goddess names: There are said to be 108 Indian goddess names.

Sun and Earth: The diameter of the Sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth. The distance from the Sun to the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Sun.

Moon and Earth: The average distance of the Moon from the Earth is 108 times the diameter of the Moon.

Silver and the moon: In the world of astrology, the metal silver is said to represent the moon. The atomic weight of silver is 108.

Meditations: Some say there are 108 different styles of meditation.

Smaller divisions: The number 108 is divided, such as in half, third, quarter, or twelfth, so that some malas have 54, 36, 27, or 9 beads.

Dance: There are 108 forms of dance in the Indian traditions.