Each person who lives a spiritual life cannot imagine a day without namaste: a special gesture that carries a great ethical meaning that makes all people equal.
What is namaste?
This is a polite goodwill, used mainly in the regions of India and Nepal, as well as in Tibet. Namaste is expressed by a special movement of the hands: you need to put your palms together on the line of the heart or neck and slightly bow your head forward, as if making a slight bow.
It is important to pronounce the word itself, expressing respect and recognition for the person. Hindus believe that namaste is a form of showing each other comprehensive equality and a willingness to serve one's neighbor, because how can one worship a person whom you do not consider yourself equal?
Translation of "namaste"
To find out how “namaste” is translated, we turn to the ancient language of the Indian people - Sanskrit. This word consists of two particles, “namas”, which means “bow or reverence”, and “those”, meaning “you (you)”. That is, literally, this union of words translates as "reverence to you." You can find the root of the word “nama” in other languages of the world, for example, Latin or German. Surprisingly, translation in other languages has the same meaning: “veneration”.
Divine meaning of gesture
The Indian greeting to the namaste also has a sacred meaning: the most common designation of this word is a free translation: "The Divine in me greets the divine in you." There are other, less well-known interpretations of the gesture: for example, "I bow to you, because the divine principle is laid in you" or "I will give everything that I have to God who is in you." Such dedication is a mundane matter for someone who believes that each of us has a piece of something larger, divine.
It would seem that such a simple traditional gesture, but what a profound meaning lies in such a simple movement and word. This greeting for people has become so commonplace and so habitual that sometimes we don’t think about the value of this action and the word, but if we stop for a moment, put our palms together, take a deep breath, maybe the divine beginning will wake up, which we cowardly ignore.
What does namaste mean for each person in particular? First of all, this is a manifestation of kindness and sincerity: regardless of gender, status and gender, you speak in such a way that you are glad to see the person standing opposite.
Interestingly, Westerners put their hands together only when they turn to God. Western, that is, European, civilization used to separate the Almighty from man, while the eastern one teaches to see the divine in everything.
How to do namaste?
When you want to make a “namaste” gesture, you need to pay special attention to your hands, because in connection with the person you are greeting, the position of your hands will change.
If you are standing before you, an equal person or a person whose social or spiritual position is lower than yours, you need to lay your hands on the line of the heart. Then this gesture will mean that you cordially greet the person standing nearby. To express respect for a revered person or an older person, they fold their hands in the namaste at the level of the eyebrow. This means that you worship him with your whole body, mind and heart. And if you show respect to the Guru or God, then you need to raise your hands above your head, as if to say "I give you myself." It turns out that it’s not so easy to say hello to a person, you also need to put meaning in your greeting in order to secretly express your attitude towards him.
What does namaste mean in yoga practice?
This gesture is very often used in yoga, it is with this action that the lesson usually begins. What does this give the practitioner? Firstly, it is a way of concentration: the mind gradually calms down, attention gradually moves from the external to the internal, and the person becomes more focused.
Secondly, with the help of namaste one can achieve a meditative state: the body gradually relaxes, thoughts subside and observation is replaced by activity. But the most important thing is that this gesture teaches humility, because this quality is one of the most important aspects in spiritual practices, the concept itself lies in pacifying or “taming” your ego. Then the person is no longer chasing after ghostly and lying ideas, he is not worried about such things as fame, money, status, when humbled, the practitioner takes off all the masks from himself and becomes real. By curbing his ego, man devotes the works of his activity to the Almighty, and not to his temporary whims and changeable desires.
