Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, is a series of 12 (yoga) postures performed in a single, graceful flow. Each movement is coordinated with the breath. Inhale as you extend or stretch, and exhale as you fold or contract. The Sun Salutation builds strength and increases flexibility.

On Saturday, the Mid-Missouri Show-Me Yoga Center holds a semi-annual event during which we attempt to complete this series of postures 108 times. I’ve never done more than 5 or 10 so this should be interesting.

One of the instructors has asked me to bring a video camera to capture some of this so, between working the camera and doing the postures, it’s likely I won’t get my 108 this time but I’ll be ready in 6 months.

UPDATE: Thanks to Matt for point us to this info on the significance of “108”:

Renowned mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence. This number also connects the Sun, Moon, and Earth: The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters. Such phenomena have given rise to many examples of ritual significance.

Back when Henry was my doctor, he put me on a cholesterol-lowering drug. My level wasn’t all that high but he believed there were significant benefits from getting  it as low as possible and had read of other benefits.

From a story in the New York Times: "A large new study suggests that millions more people could benefit from taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins, even if they have low cholesterol, because the drugs can significantly lower their risk of heart attacks, strokes and death." And, "…half of heart attacks and strokes occur in people without high cholesterol."

So, along with my fish oil and vitamin C, I take a little blue statin pill every morning. The cost is about $4.00 a month.

That I’m going to yoga classes while on vacation is testament to how much I enjoy them. With kids back in school, there was flood of moms at last night’s class. And one other guy. We did the should stand.

Apparently being upside down is good for you because it allows the blood to flow in the other direction. And, I confess, I did experience some mild euphoria from the exercise.

And I can assure you, this is exercise. By the time we were finished I was sweaty and panting. If you don’t feel as good as you would like to, try a yoga class.

Last night’s yoga class focused on the forward bend. We spent almost 90 minutes stretching, loosening muscles and joints, learning a little about body mechanics.

Kevin, the instructor, pointed out that touching our toes (or the floor) wasn’t really the point of our exercises, but merely a small measure of our progress.

It’s been a while since I touched my toes without bending my knees. At the beginning of the lesson, I was a good 6 inches from the floor and my lower back went to Defcon One. But by the end of the lesson, I was able to touch the floor (while making sounds that would shake a Gitmo guard).

At one point I was looking back between my legs at a middle-aged woman, bent double with her elbows on the floor. Oh my.

Last night’s lesson erased any notion that yoga is not exercise. When it was over, I hobbled down the stairs to my car and had a good long cry.

Feeling a little stiff these days. Muscles don’t have the elasticity they once did. So I decided to take a yoga class. A couple of the volunteer instructors are regulars at the Coffee Zone. So I decided to check it out.

There were only five of us in tonight’s class and the other four were too polite to laugh out loud when I made little mewling sounds. But I must say I enjoyed the hour and plan to go back. My Christmas card will be me touching my toes.

From a story at The Guardian: "The cholesterol-lowering drugs statins may also slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, according to US researchers who examined the brains of 110 elderly people after they died. They found the brains of patients who had not taken the drugs were more likely to show signs of the disease."

My pop died of Alzheimer’s, as did Barb’s. Not pretty. This study is comforting to those of us who have been taking statins for years.