Hundreds Attend Global Mala Including Many From Montclair

Today marked the fourth annual Global Mala event in Newark, an idea conceived by well-known yogini Shiva Rea as a way to fundraise while also drawing attention to community issues at large.

Proceeds of the event, held at Newark Public School, Central High School, went to organizations such as Kula for Karma and Young Survival Coalition.

Participants at the event performed 72 sun salutations and 36 asanas, aka, poses. The number 108 is auspicious in yoga. In particular, one meaning behind the number is that the diameter of the sun is 108 times larger than diameter of the earth.

Over 40 New Jersey yoga studios showed their support for the event. Montclair was highly represented. Asana House sold yoga merchandise and many other goodies to eager buyers. Jillian Pransky led partner restorative poses and savasana, the final resting pose. Pransky also donated her time to the event by helping put together all the gift bags, which included a copy of her guided meditation CD, Relaxmore.

Other Montclair studios that showed their support included Lotus Yoga, Starseed Yoga, Yoga Desha, and Yoga Montclair.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker spoke of living life with peace. "We have many challenges," he said, "but change starts the more you can manifest within yourself."