Namaste
What does Joining your Palms Together, across your Chest, and saying Namaste mean
A sheer virus has introduced many firsts across the globe. From doing away with hugs, kisses, and handshakes, the virus has brought in changes that have now become the norm.
Many world leaders among others have since been using the age old ‘Namaste’ instead of handshakes, to greet people.
Namaste originates from the Sanskrit word, which means, ‘I bow to you’. It indicates a greeting, which silently says, ‘stay well’. Another interpretation describes Namaste as — ‘the divine in me honors the divine in you’.
It is also seen as an act of worship.
Namaste has been understood through these various interpretations, all almost culminating at ‘respect’ shown towards another.
What struck me most appropriate is an interpretation, which suggests that namaste is an action that demonstrates, ‘I am centered’. Think about it, when a person puts his/her palms together across the chest — saying namaste, don’t we see an alignment of sorts?
It is the action, which suggests the mind and senses bow to the heart chakra (the heart chakra is believed to be positioned at the center of the spine, at the heart level), which is the person’s center of kindness, love, responsiveness, and forgiveness.
It is considered that any meeting, however unpremeditated, is a meeting of minds. To go a little deeper into the significance of namaste, it is the reverence, recognizing and thereby valuing the God in the other person.
So next time you meet people and wish them with a simple namaste, be mindful of its significance. It may just spark a great sense of calm in you resonating with the one you greet.
Cheers to more respect among our humankind.
