Namaste. Where does this word we oftentimes hear come from? What does it mean and what is the purpose of us using it?
Namaste stems from Sanskrit, the ancient language of Nepal and India. Obviously, it has transcended its origin and is, today, commonly used in India and in countries with strong Buddhist tradition. In the West, it is widely used in circles in which yoga practices are a common ground. It is used as an expression of greeting or wishing well, as well as a means of saying goodbye at the end of each yoga class.
It is a term that can be fostered by all religions and can be utilized without any religious connotation.
“Namas”, which means "reverence" or "salutation," derives from “nam”, which carries the meaning of "to bow" or "to incline." The suffix “te” means "to you." Thus, namaste literally means "I reverence you" or "I bow to you."
Other than its strictly semantic aspect, the philosophical aspect of the word has a more beautiful and profound meaning, which conveys a very noble way of greeting a person.
The bodily attitude that commonly accompanies the pronunciation of the word, let’s say the mudrã मुद्रा (a word stemming from the Sanskrit that designates the symbology of the gestures) is the placement of the hands with their palms opened and put together at the center of the chest with a slight bow of the head, which demonstrates acknowledgement and humility in front of the other person.
Besides the word being commonly used in the West together with the hands position, in the East, however, the gesture alone (which is done in silence) expresses its meaning without the necessity to verbalize the word. Depending on the goal of the reverence, the position of the hands may vary, being either at forehead height or even on top of the head.
On the other hand, the usage of the term does not need to be accompanied by the gesture of uniting the hands or the greeting. It can simply be represented by an internal attitude of a person towards the other by challenging oneself to seek the best they have to offer to the other person and, at the same time, acknowledging and admiring the greatness of the other person. When we do this reverence or just simply think about it, we are signalizing to the other person that we are moving beyond our differences by
connecting ourselves to them in an attitude of equality.
Namaste goes way beyond a mere greeting. It is an extremely loving salutation that comes from within. It is no coincidence that the hands are placed near the chest, which, in turn, is near the heart. When verbalizing it, the person must look for what is most sacred in him or herself, in order to greet the best part of the other person.
Symbolically, when the head bows, it is as if the ego left and the gesture came straight from the heart, and the union of the left hand with the right demonstrates a sign of respect from he who salutes. The word “respect” stems from the Latin "respicere", which means “look again or carefully”. When we take this knowledge into consideration, we can allow our vision to transform into an attitude of enchantment for the process of the other, into a reverence that arises from the perception that our pace is not superior nor inferior to that of the other person, but simply different.
When used with an understanding, the expression establishes a true bond with the other individual and shows a deep humility in front of them. It evokes the idea that all people share the same essence, the same energy, the same universe. It is like both the word and the action have a very strong pacifying force.
During yoga classes, we usually use namaste at the end of the practice because it is the moment where the mind is less active, and the environment of the classroom is more prone to the realization of the act connected to its true meaning. By doing so, a connection is established between the teacher and the student, where one greets the other in a sign of mutual gratitude for the shared moment.
The fact alone of comprehending the ancient meaning of this word makes us pronounce it with much greater coherence and instigates us to consciously participate in all wisdom implicit in this greeting, which, in a rather poetic interpretation, states:
"I honor this place inside of you, where the whole universe resides; I honor this place in you, of love and light, of truth and peace; And when I am in this place inside of me and you are in this place inside of you, we are one."
And, to everyone who has been looking for this understanding, I say to
you: Namaste!
Paula Botelho
Co-Founder & Teacher at Yuna Yoga
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