Talk:Namaste
Meaning of Namaste[edit]
The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you."
To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.
We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.
For a teacher and student, Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.
Ideally, Namaste should be done both at the beginning and at the end of class. Usually, it is done at the end of class because the mind is less active and the energy in the room is more peaceful. The teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward her students and her own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow—the truth that we are all one when we live from the heart.
http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/822
Namaste[edit]
Subject: Re: Namaste Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,alt.religion.hindu,
alt.fan.jai-maharaj,hawaii.nortle, alt.religion.vaisnava
From: jai@mantra.com (Dr. Jai Maharaj) Date: Sat, 16 Aug 1997 22:26:20 UTC
In article <33f57cea.0@mapperley.innotts.co.uk>, ukindia@innotts.co.uk (amar joshi) wrote: > I am lookingh to verify the correct spelling and > definition of the word "Namastee" from sandskrit.
Commonly written "Namaste", it is pronounced as "Namastay" with the first two a's as the first a in "America" and the ay as in "stay", but with the t pronounced soft with the area just behind the tip of the tongue pressing against the upper-front teeth with no air passing (as the t in "tamasha").
- Jai Maharaj
> I have been told it means something like to > pay homage to the inner light in all living things. > Can you help me with this??? > sgray@javanet.com
I had occasion to post the following in 1993 and 1996:
Subject: Re: Sukhmani says Namaskaar to Brahmins From: Dr. Jai Maharaj <jai@mantra.com> Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.punjab,
soc.culture.indian.delhi,alt.fan.jai-maharaj, soc.culture.indian.gujarati,soc.culture.indian.marathi, soc.culture.indian.telugu,soc.culture.indian.karnataka, soc.culture.indian.kerala,soc.culture.bengali
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 1996 14:01:55 -1000
In the article <30F7BAD4.5907@sky.net>, of Sat, 13 Jan 1996 07:59:48 -0600, Rahul Anand Narain <narain@sky.net> wrote:
COLLinda wrote:
>> What is the difference (if any) in saying "Namaste" and >> "Namaskar"? Are they addressed to or used by different people? >> Or are they essentially identical? I've heard people using >> both, but I haven't noticed any pattern. / Linda Nelson, >> Chicago Online > > Jai Maharaj had a lovely post regarding this. a couple of years > ago or so. I had had saved it but am not able to locate it. > Maybe he can repost the article?
There have been several posts on the subject during the last few years, but I think the following authorized reproduction from HINDUISM TODAY is one of the best. For subscription and other information about Hinduism Today, please connect with the Web site at this URL: http://www.HinduismToday.kauai.hi.us/ashram/ Hinduism today is a full-color, international monthly which has been published continuously since January 1979. Copyright 1993 by Himalayan Academy. ISSN: 0896-0801. All Rights Reserved. Please see full copyright notice at the end of the article. N::N "Shake hands and come out fighting." It's the referee's A::A final counsel to two pugilists about to beat each other's M::M brains out with clenched fists. Even outside the ring, a A::A handshake can be a little off-putting. When one returns S::S to the West from an extended sojourn in Bharat or T::T elsewhere in Asia, the hand suddenly thrust forward can E::E seem more ominous than friendly, especially if the hand offered is that of a stranger. Of course, one soon acclimates and the menacing aspect of this salutation subsides. Perhaps that moment of intimidation derives from the history of the handshake. According to one anthropologist, the handshake evolved in medieval Europe, during the times of knights. It seems not all were laudable Lancelots or gallant Gallahads. More than a few would approach opponents with concealed weapons and when within striking distance do the needful, driving dagger or striking sword into the unguarded paladin. To fend off the fear of a foe's foul foil, knights took to offering their open and visibly empty hand to each other. It was a kind of surety, a gesture of trust which said, "See, I am unarmed, so you may safely let me approach." As the story goes, soon the gesture itself took on meaning and the less noble, less lethal man on the street adopted the handshake as the proper way to greet others. In much of the world today, people do not shake hands when they meet. They may hug formally or kiss one another on the cheek, as in eastern Europe and Arab states. They may bow softly, eyes turned to the ground, as in Japan and China. The Hawaiian greeting, termed "honi," consists of placing the nostril gently beside that of the person greeted, a kind of sharing of breath, which is life and Pran(a). For, Hindu(s), of course, the greeting of choice is "Namaste," the two hands pressed together and held near the heart with the head gently bowed as one says, "Namaste." Thus it is both a spoken greeting and a gesture, a Mantr(a) and a Mudr(a). The prayerful hand position is a Mudr(a) called Anjali, from the root Anj, "to adorn, honor, celebrate or anoint." The hands held in union signify the oneness of an apparently dual cosmos, the bringing together of spirit and matter, or the self meeting the Self. It has been said that the right hand represents the higher nature or that which is divine in us, while the left hand represents the lower, worldly nature. In Sanskrit "Namas" means, "bow, obeisance, reverential salutation." It comes from the root Nam, which carries meanings of bending, bowing, humbly submitting and becoming silent. "Te" means "to you." Thus "namaste" means "I bow to you." the act of greeting is called "Namaskaram," "Namaskara" and "Namaskar" in the varied languages of the subcontinent. Namaste has become a veritable icon of what is Bharatiye. Indeed, there must be a Bharatiye law which requires every travel brochure. calendar and poster to include an image of someone with palms pressed together, conveying to the world Bharat's hospitality, spirituality and graceful consciousness. You knew all that, of course, but perhaps you did not know that there can be subtle ways of enhancing the gesture, as in the West one might shake another's hand too strongly to impress and overpower them or too briefly, indicating the withholding of genuine welcome. In the case of Namaste, a deeper veneration is sometimes expressed by bringing the fingers of the clasped palms to the forehead, where they touch the brow, the site of the mystic Third Eye. A third form of namaste brings the palms completely above the head, a gesture said to focus consciousness in the subtle space just above the Brahma-randhra, the aperture in the Crown Chakr(a). This form is so full of reverence it is reserved for the Almighty and the holiest of Sat Guru(s). It is always interesting, often revealing and occasionally enlightening to muse about the everyday cultural traits and habits each nation and community evolves, for in the little things our Big ideas About Life find direct and personal expression. Take, for instance, the different ways that American and Japanese tool-makers approach the same task. A saw for cutting lumber, if designed in the U.S., is made in such a way that the carpenter's stroke away from his body does the cutting. But in japan saws are engineered so that cutting takes place as the carpenter draws the saw toward himself. A small detail, but it yields a big difference. The American saw can, if leaned into, generate more power, while the Japanese saw provides more control and refinement in the cut, requiring surprisingly less effort. Each has its place in the global toolbox. each speaks -- like the handshake and namaste greetings -- of an underlying perception of man's relationship with things. In the West we are outgoing, forceful, externalized. We are told by Ma bell to "reach out and touch somebody." We are unabashedly acquisitive, defining our progress in life by how much we have -- how much wealth, influence, stored up knowledge, status or whatever. Every culture exhibits these traits to some extent, but in the east Mother is there to remind us, "Reach in and touch the Self." here we are taught to be more introspective, more concerned with the quality of things than their quantity, more attuned with the interior dimension of life. So, there you have it, the whole of Eastern and Western culture summed up in the handshake which reaches out horizontally to greet another, and Namaste which reaches in vertically to acknowledge that, in truth, that there is no other. As a test of how these two greetings differ, imagine you are magically confronted with the Divine. The Paramatma, Almighty, walks up to you on the street. What do you do? reach out to shake His hand? Probably not. Though suitable between man and man, it;' an unseemly expression between man and Paramatma. We never shake hands with paramatma. I mean, what if your palms are sweating? So you namaste instead. the reason it feels natural to namaste before Paramatma is that it is, in its very essence, a spiritual gesture, not a worldly one. By a handshake we acknowledge our equality with others. We reveal our humanity. We convey how strong we are, how nervous, how aggressive or passive. There is bold physicality to it. For these and other reasons, Popes never shake hands. Kings never shake hands. Even mothers don't shake hands with their own children. Namaste is cosmically different. Kings do namaste, Sat Guru(s) namaste and mothers namaste to their own family. We all namaste before the Almighty, a holy man or even a holy place. The namaste gesture bespeaks our inner valuing of the sacredness of all. It betokens our intuition that all souls are divine, in their essence. It reminds us in quite a graphic manner, and with insistent repetition, that we can see Paramatma everywhere and in every human being we meet. It is saying, silently, "I see the Deity in us both, and bow before Him or Her. I acknowledge the holiness of even this mundane meeting. I cannot separate that which is spiritual in us from that which is human and ordinary." And while we are singing the praises of Namaste, it should be observed how efficient a gesture it is in an age of mass communication. A politician, or performer can greet fifty thousand people with a single Namaste, and they can return the honor instantly. In such a situation a handshake is unthinkable and a mere waving of one hand is somehow too frivolous. There are other, more mystical meanings behind Namaste. The nerve current of the body converge in the feet, the solar plexus and the hands. Psychic energy leaves the body at these junctures. To "ground" that energy and balance the flow of Pran(a) streaming through the nerve system, Yogi(s) cross their legs in the lotus posture, and bring their hands together. The Anjali Mudra acts like a simple Yog(ic) Asan(a), balancing and harmonizing our energies, keeping us centered, inwardly poised and mentally protected. It closes our aura, shielding us psychically. It keeps us from becoming too externalized, thus we remain close to our intuitive nature, our super consciousness. Here are some insights into Namaste from a number of Hindu(s): o Namaste elevates one's consciousness, reminding one that all beings, all existence is holy, is the Almighty. It communicates, "I honor or worship the Divinity within you." Also it draws the individual inward for a moment, inspires reflection on the deeper realities, softening the interface between people. It would be difficult or offend or feel animosity toward any one you greet as Paramatma. o Namaste is a gesture of friendship and kindness, also of thanks or special recognition. Mystically it is called "Namaskara Mudra" in the Agami(c) Pooja, and it centers one's energy within the spine. o I've heard it means "I salute the Almighty within you." The true Namaste gesture is is accompanied by bowing the head and shoulders slightly. This is a gesture that lessens our sense of ego and self-centeredness, requiring some humility to do it well -- whereas shaking hands can be quite an arrogant event. o Touching the hands together puts you in touch with your center, your soul. namaste puts you forward as a soul, not an outer personality. o The gesture has a subtle effect on the aura and nerve system. bringing focused attention and a collection of one's forces, so to speak. It also protects against unnecessary psychic connections which are fostered by shaking hands. This might be called a form of purity also -- protecting one's energies. This form of acknowledgment is so lovely, so graceful. Just look at two people in Namaste and you will see so much human beauty and refinement.
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Copyright 1993 by Himalayan Academy. ISSN: 0896-0801. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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Edited, formatted for electronic media by Jai Maharaj <jai@mantra.com>
http://www.flex.com/~jai/articles/namaste1.html
Namaste[edit]
Definition: Namaste is a Hindi salutation or greeting. The word Namaste is a combination of the two Sanskrit words: nama, and te. Basically, nama means "to bow" and te means "you." Interpretation: The God/Goddess Spirit within me recognizes and honors the God/Goddess Spirit within you. Mudra of Namaste: Hands are held together at the palms in front of the heart or brow chakra. Head is bowed slightly downward. Eyes are sometimes closed. A Yogic Thank You: Yoga students often repeat "Namaste" at the end of each class as a thank you, honoring their instructor. Equalizer: Namaste is significant because it is a humbling gesture. Namaste is done as a recognition that we are all on equal standings, all of us are children of divinity. We are one. Who Can Namaste? Namaste can be used as a greeting for all ages, all genders, all races. Namaste greetings can be given to friends, family members, and also strangers. Written Notation: The word "Namaste" is often used as a closing notation (without the accompanying prayerful hand and bowing head gestures) in written communications similar to "sincerely," "best regards" or "love." Pronunciation: Nah-mah-stay Also Known As: Gassho (Japanese) Examples: The Namaste salutation was transmitted from ancient India to the countries of South-east Asia, and has now traveled virtually all over the globe.
http://healing.about.com/od/n/g/g_namaste.htm
What is Namaste?[edit]
‘Namaste’ or ‘namaskar’ is the Indian way of greeting each other. Wherever they are – on the street, in the house, in public transport, on vacation or on the phone – when Hindus meet people they know or strangers with whom they want to initiate a conversation, namaste is the customary courtesy greeting to begin with and often to end with. It is not a superficial gesture or a mere word, and is for all people - young and old, friends and strangers.
Namaste According to the Scriptures: Namaste and its common variants ‘namaskar,’ ‘namaskaara’ or ‘namaskaram’, is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas. This is normally understood as prostration but it actually refers to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today, when we greet each other.
The Meaning of Namaste: In Sanskrit the word is namah + te = namaste which means “I bow to you” - my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. The word ‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as "na ma" (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one's ego in the presence of another.
How to Namaste : Bend the arms from the elbow upwards and face the two palms of the hands. Place the two palms together and keep the folded palms in front of the chest. Utter the word namaste and while saying the word bow the head slightly.
Why Namaste: Namaste could be just a casual or formal greeting, a cultural convention or an act of worship. However, there is much more to it than meets the eye. The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we greet one another with namaste, it means, ‘may our minds meet’, indicated by the folded palms placed before the chest. The bowing down of the head is a gracious form of extending friendship in love, respect and humility.
Spiritual Significance of Namaste: The reason why we do namaste has a deeper spiritual significance. It recognizes the belief that the life force, the divinity, the Self or the God in me is the same in all. Acknowledging this oneness with the meeting of the palms, we honor the god in the person we meet.
Namaste in Prayers: During prayers, Hindus not only do namaste but also bow and close their eyes, as it were, to look into the inner spirit. This physical gesture is sometimes accompanied by names of gods like ‘Ram Ram’, ‘Jai Shri Krishna’, ‘Namo Narayana’, ‘Jai Siya Ram’ or just ‘Om Shanti’ – the common refrain in Hindu chants. This is also quite common when two devout Hindus meet - indicating the recognition of the divinity within ourselves and extending a warm welcome to each other.
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