yoga on the beach for Global MalaAn epic day! This morning (Sept. 20, 2009) we gathered a community of yogis from Kauai together to joyfully participate in the worldwide event and intention of Global Mala.

The Global Mala Yoga for Peace Project belongs to the global yoga community and is a seed of a world-wide experiment into the power of meditation in action.

The purpose of the Global Mala is to unite the global yoga community from every continent, school or approach to form a “mala around the earth” through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108 at Fall Equinox as the yoga world’s offering to further the UN International Peace Day.

On this day we gathered at Anini Beach Park on the north shore of Kauai and shined out our heart’s deepest wishes for unity, peace and loving kindness to all.  Here’s a little glimpse:

tropical flowers on anini beach

Beautifying the Space

A couple of students blessed our already picture-perfect setting with a gorgeous and colorful bouquet of tropical flowers!  We used this as a focal point to our circle, just in front of the expansive horizon of the magnificent blue ocean.   What a treat!

We are so blessed to be surrounded by such beauty here.  As I was doing down dog, I would look between my legs in wonderment of this beautiful island!  The steady mountains, the glistening water.  Nature also greeted to us by the playful touch of the ocean breeze and the feel of the earthy ground, literally beneath us.

We additionally beautified the space with laughter, smiles and open-hearted expressions.

What is the significance of the #108?

There seems to be a multitude of reasons that the  #108 weighs in with such significance in numerology.   A couple ways I like seeing the number 108 in it’s symbology:

  1. SUN AND EARTH:  the sun is 108x the diameter of the Earth
  2. HEART CHAKRA:  there are said to be 108 energy lines converging to form the heart chakra

Additionally, when you add the numbers that make up 108 together (1+0+8) you get 9.

The Significance Of The Number 9

sun salutations on the beachAccording to Lisa Lenard and Kay Lagerquis in their book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Numerology the number 9 has such a beautiful significance.

The number 9 embraces the principle of “letting go and letting God.” What an amazing principle to live our lives with!  A principle that supports us in walking with faith and surrendering to the divine. Quoting Lisa and Kay’s book “The 9 understands that there is only one people, one religion, one race, one nation, and one creed-universal unity.  The service of the 9 is to promote, in small and large ways, the unity of humankind.”

Some of the vibrational attributes of the number 9 that were palpable during our 108 Sun Salutation offerings were:

  • Loving
  • Caring
  • Forgiving
  • Releasing
  • Transforming

Prayers for Peace

There are an innumerable about of ways that one can offer their hearts during the annual event of Global Mala.

Here on Kauai we gathered a small group at the sea side, under the shade of a beautiful tree, with 108 sun salutations.  Some of our yogis had only done yoga a couple of times before, some were seasoned practitioners, and there was even a pregnant mother in the mix!  We opened the first 9 salutations with a prayer for world peace, and then I lead the group through the remaining 100!

Here are a few of the quotes used in the opening of our first 109 sun salutations:

  • “I offer you peace.  I offer you love.  I offer you friendship.  I see your beauty.  I hear your need.  I feel your feelings.  My wisdom flows from the Highest Source.  I salute that Source in you.  Let us work together for unity and love.”  -Gandhi’s Prayer for Peace
  • “Let your love flow outward through the universe, To its height, its depth, its broad extent, A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.  There as you stand or walk, Sit or lie down, As long as you are awake, Strive for this with a one-pointed mind; Your life will bring heaven to earth.”  -Sutta Nipata
  • “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be know as the Children of God.  But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those that abuse you.  To those who strike you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well.  Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask them again.  And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”  -Christian prayer for peace
  • Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges, the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.  Let the rain was away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.  Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.  Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.  Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly.  So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color.  Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness.  So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrows of our neighbors.  And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors.  Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.  And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.”  -a prayer for the world by Rabbi Harold Kushner in 2003

In the middle of our prayer in motion offering of 108 sun salutations we opted to get off of our mats and do a few rounds right on Mother Earth!  What a beautiful connection this was as we were reminded of her unconditional support, as well as a sweet reminder to walk lightly.

To all that participated, all around the earth, many mahalos for your offerings.  As a group we not only lovingly offered our heart out for the greater good, we also felt the pouring of love flowing right back at us!

The lesson that also permeated me through-out this experience was this simple truth:

Peace Inside=Peace Outside

Global Mala 2009