Category: India

NAMASTé ... It's not just about hygiene!

3/15/2020

We've all been receiving a lot of advice lately about what we can do to avoid becoming sick with the COVID-19 coronavirus. One of the main areas of focus are our hands. We are being advised to wash our hands frequently, use hand sanitizer, avoid touching our face with our hands, not covering our coughs or sneezes with our hands, and to avoid all handshaking!

Because of this advice, many are adopting other practices of social greeting including "elbow bumping", bowing, and using the hand gesture "Namasté". It appears that many of our world leaders have been adopting the Namasté technique recently. There are numerous videos on social media demonstrating this including a particularly humorous one of England's Prince Charles trying desperately to remember to stop shaking hands and adopt the Namasté greeting instead. Even the US President, Donald Trump appears to have adopted Namasté in lieu of his original "elbow bumping" suggestion!

Namasté is a traditional greeting used in India. Much like the traditional greeting of "Aloha" in Hawaii, it means so much more than hello. During my travels in India, it was always the way I was greeted by strangers. If you have ever attended a Yoga class you most likely have heard this Sanskrit word. Namasté is often translated to mean "I bow to you". During my Yoga & Meditation Teacher training at The Chopra Center for Wellbeing with davidji, I was taught that it means so much more. There is a deeper meaning and connection that takes place when one mindfully greets another with Namasté. Although this deeper meaning has several variations, this is my favorite:

" I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace.
When you are in that place in you and
I am in that place in me, we are one. "

That's a pretty powerful way to say hello! I was also taught that when greeting someone with Namasté, you should look the individual directly in their eyes with hands together in prayer and slightly bow. When we look each other directly in the eyes, we are looking into the windows to our souls. We are seeing the truth...the light...the love...the authentic individual beyond their appearance and actions. This reminds me of the greeting, "I see you" used by the Human "Jake" and the Na'vi "Neytiri" in this touching scene in James Cameron's movie, Avatar. And when we truly see each other on that level, it is very hard to feel judgement, hate, fear or a desire to control. I wonder if our world leaders have that in mind when they greet each other with the Namasté hand gesture? I hope so!!!

This current trend of using Namasté may, on the surface, be about hygiene. The optimist in me chooses to believe it is also an indication of a much needed positive shift happening on our planet. It is but one example of our opportunity to bring growth and beneficial change out of the current crisis. Namasté need not be abandoned after we are on the other side of this current pandemic. I encourage you to consider adopting Namasté as your method of greeting others. If you are not comfortable with that, then consider making the commitment to look others directly in their eyes and allow that personal connection; regardless of whether they are strangers, colleagues, family or friends. Allow yourself to see and feel their identity beyond the exterior. Allow yourself to see the divinity in all of life. I believe that this one gesture could make a huge difference in our world. Perhaps more acts of loving kindness towards self and others would follow. Hey... I'm just "namasté-aying" !

Namasté,
🌺wendy

Wendy Koreyva is a Reiki Master and certified Meditation & Yoga Teacher. She founded the Crystal Lotus Meditation & Wellness Center located in Manasqaun, New Jersey in 2011, with the intention of providing a safe and nurturing space for members of her community to experience peace, relaxation, and healing. Wendy’s passion is to assist others in reconnecting to their true selves.
To learn more about Wendy and her classes visit www.tclotus.com.

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NAMASTé ... It's not just about hygiene!

" I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace.
When you are in that place in you and
I am in that place in me, we are one. "

Just breathe

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NAMASTé ... It's not just about hygiene!

" I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace.When you are in that place in you andI am in that place in me, we are one. ​"

Just breathe

Archives

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" I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace.
When you are in that place in you and
I am in that place in me, we are one. "