What does it mean Namaste? The meaning of Namaste is full of spirituality and intention. It comes to us as something new and exotic through yoga but it is a tradition that in India has a very broad and deep meaning.
Here are the details of what it means Namaste, the most traditional use and how its values can transform you.
What does it mean Namaste
The word Namaste comes from Sanskrit and is composed of two words: the first one is namas which means "greeting, reverence or worship" and derives from the root nam which means "to bow", and the second one is you which means "to you, to you". Therefore the meaning of Namaste would be "I bow to you", or "salutations to you". This greeting represents a philosophy of life.
The origin of Namaste and the symbology in the meaning of Namaste
The origin of Namaste took place in India. In the past, the word Namaste was used in mantras and to worship gods or spiritual masters, while the popular greeting was the Hari Om mantra, (still used in spiritual circles). It was in the nineteenth century when it began to be used Namaste as a greeting among Hindus and in the mid-twentieth century spread to the West through yoga. In India it is not common to greet each other with physical contact as in many other countries.
The greeting of Namaste, either by placing both hands together in front of the chest and pronouncing the word Namaste or without pronouncing it, is a greeting to others in which there is no need for physical contact.. The symbology of Namaste elevates the greeting to a much deeper level as it not only greets our material self but also our inner self, our soul. Due to the passage of the British Raj through the country and the influence of the West in recent years, the gesture of shaking hands in business meetings and even among friends has spread. The Namaste greeting is still the most used gesture of respect in the Indian geography by the followers of Hinduism.
The use of Namaste or Namaskar in India and the world
In India the word Namaste is used both to greet and to say goodbye, it is also used to say thank you and to show respect. This verb form is usually accompanied by the mudra Namaste , anjali which is performed with the palms open and joined in prayer position (hands in the form of prayer) at chest height, with a slight bow of the head. This salutation (with the mudra anjali) is used by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists in both India and Nepal, and its use has spread to other Asian countries. In Asia the mudra alone means Namaste without the need to pronounce it verbally.
The term Namaste has some variants such as Namaskar , Namaskaram. In general terms they can all be used in the same way but if we go into their meaning in depth each one has its particularities. These differences are invisible to our understanding but perceptible to Indian users. The word Namaskar is considered a more formal greeting. It is made up of namas and kara which comes from the verb to do and means "performance or the act of doing". Therefore the literal translation of namaskar is "the act of bowing". When addressing a group of people it is better to use Namaskar since it encompasses the act and is not addressed to a particular person.
"The divine in me greets the divine in you."
How to make the greeting and what it means Namaste with mudras
The greeting Namaste can be only verbal by pronouncing the word, verbal accompanied by the gesture or mudra and even the gesture alone can be done without the need for verbal pronunciation. It will still have the meaning of Namaste complete and profound The mudra Namaste , anjali consists of placing the palms of the hands together in front of the chest and tilting the head slightly towards the hands. However, depending on the intention we want to put the greeting there are several variants in the placement of the hands. I will explain them to you:
- As a greeting, respect or thanks: Putting the palms of the hands together in front of the chest (prayer gesture that symbolically has the hands in front of the heart), where the heart chakra is located and slightly bowing the head. You can also place your hands in prayer mode in front of the forehead or the third eye chakra.
- Reverence to a deity or holiness: Placing the hands in prayer mode on the forehead and bowing the head.
Meaning of Namaste in yoga and from a more spiritual level
The word Namaste has become very popular in the West due to its use in yoga and meditation classes. It is often used as a greeting at the beginning of the class and to close the class as a symbol of humility and respect for the practice of yoga..
What does it mean Namaste from the most spiritual level
There is a belief that each of us possesses the "divine spark" in our heart. The gesture of Namaste is the spiritual representation with which we honor the god in the person we greet. As a result of this belief, several poetic and very profound meanings for the use of Namaste in its maximum expression (verbal form and mudra):
- "The divine in me greets the divine in you."
- "I am honored by the spirit in you, which is also in me."
- "I greet God within you."
- "His spirit and my spirit are one."
- "The divinity within me perceives and worships the divinity within you."
Now that you know what it means Namaste and its origin I invite you to use it as it is the most dignified and sincere greeting that can be offered to a person.
Leave a Reply