NAMASTE

Weekly Seed of Inspiration

Does saying Namaste at the end of a yoga session resonate with you? Have you ever used this sacred gesture off your mat? Do you understand the significance? 

Namaste is a formal expression and greeting of deep respect, a word from Sanskrit that means "I bow to you." It is a customary Hindu manner of respectfully greeting and honoring a person or group at any time of day.

Namaste is a non-contact greeting that profoundly recognizes and sees into someone's heart and soul. Although it is a term typically used to say hello or greet another, the most common interpretation of Namaste is "The Divine In Me Honors The Divine In You," or "The Light In Me Acknowledges The Light In You." This is a common interpretation originally from the Hindu belief that God resides in everyone. Hence, any person you greet deserves the same respect you would give God. It's an acknowledgment of the Soul in you and of the Soul in another. It sees beyond the physical and is intended to acknowledge the deeper non-humanness Self we each possess and are a part of. 

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. 

The hand gesture associated with Namaste is called Anjali Mudra. The drawing together of one's palms at the heart is used as a posture of composure and of returning to one's heart. This gesture is used in yoga traditions as a sign of respect. Bringing the hands together at the heart increases the flow of divine love, kindness, and compassion.  

The gesture of Namaste is a beautiful and meaningful way of showing respect, honor, humility, and gratitude. Typically, in the West, Namaste is infused into the end of a yoga session. Historically, Namaste signifies an attitude of reverence and humility, fosters a sense of connection and respect, and enhances how one relates to others by honoring the Divine within oneself and others throughout the day. 

What if we took Namaste off the mat and started seeing and greeting everyone through the lens of light, love, unity, divinity, and Oneness? What if we incorporated Namaste into our lives not just as a greeting or a sacred gesture but also as a way of saluting all life with honor and reverence? 

Like anything, when we infuse what we do with intention, pure awareness, love, and grace, our foggy lens of deception, judgment, ill will, and enmity has the capacity to shift. Practicing a heartfelt gesture such as Namaste helps you see yourself in another and vice versa.  The Divine Self/Higher Self/ God Self within you is Infinite Consciousness, constant and unchanging, birthless and deathless. It is the Oneness from which all life comes and to which all life returns. It is our innate sameness. 

I do believe that some people come into our lives to unknowingly teach us a lesson that requires us to practice recognizing the light and divinity in them. We are challenged to see beyond the character flaw, especially when tension, irritation, or grievance is present. Only sometimes easy, but with deliberate intention, the choice is always available.

The choice is always ours: see through the eyes of LOVE or see through the eyes of judgment and malevolence? 

I choose to see through the eyes of LOVE 

In Joy and with Love,

N A M A S T E 

ૐ♡

"Believe in Magic"