Namaste

 

For whatever reason my end of year thoughts draw me to the gesture of Namaste.  We see it in our yoga classes and it IS a great ending, but I think understanding the true nature of Namaste will help us connect deeper to ourselves, others, and our experiences.

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." In a more eloquent way it means "the light of the Divine that exists within me honors and acknowledges that within you and when we acknowledge this, we are one."

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 God's Holy spirit that resides 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. So see, you have already been meditating and didn't even know it!!

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. 

Or challenge now becomes living our yoga off the mat.  How can we take our ‘namaste’ into our life outside of the yoga studio? As we approach the end of the year I have been thinking of all that we have experienced through the year that is coming to an end.  Whether good or bad, an experience can only be positive and strengthen you. It is all how we take it in and how we see the world. It is how we interact with one another.  It is how we view ourselves.  Can we keep that peaceful and centered place within that that we find at the end of our practice—can we take that into everything we do? In everything we experience?

Exhale 2013 and Inhale 2014!

Namaste Yogis.....NAMASTE!!