Greetings....
Under the topic "Greetings", Joseph Campbell wrote the following with regards to the Eastern tradition of hands in a 'prayer' position accompanied with a slight bow....
"The position of the palms together, this we use when we pray do we not? That is a greeting which says that the 'god that is in you recognises the god in the other'. These people (of India) are aware of the divine presence in all things. When you enter an Indian home as a guest, you are greeted as a visiting deity."
This physical greeting is often accompanied by the spoken word Namasté, which is pronounced "nah-mah-STAY"
Namasté or Namaskar (from Sanskrit namah te) is a South Asian greeting originating in India, which is used when both hello and goodbye would be used in English. The meaning is quite different, however. It is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with the hands pressed together, palms touching, in front of the chest.
In a religious context this word can be taken to mean any of these:
"The position of the palms together, this we use when we pray do we not? That is a greeting which says that the 'god that is in you recognises the god in the other'. These people (of India) are aware of the divine presence in all things. When you enter an Indian home as a guest, you are greeted as a visiting deity."
This physical greeting is often accompanied by the spoken word Namasté, which is pronounced "nah-mah-STAY"
Namasté or Namaskar (from Sanskrit namah te) is a South Asian greeting originating in India, which is used when both hello and goodbye would be used in English. The meaning is quite different, however. It is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with the hands pressed together, palms touching, in front of the chest.
In a religious context this word can be taken to mean any of these:
- The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you.
- I greet that place where you and I are one.
- I salute the Light of God in you.
- I bow to the divine in you.
- I recognize that within each of us is a place where Divinity dwells, and when we are in that place, we are One.
In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honor to the sacredness and interconnection of all, as well as to the source of that interconnection. Namaskar is the term for such greetings, and is also used as a greeting itself.
Namasté can be used as a greeting for all ages, all genders, all races. Namasté greetings can be given to friends, family members, and also strangers.
The gesture used when bowing in Namasté is the bringing of both hands together, palms touching, in front of the person -- usually at the chest, or a higher level such as below the chin, below the nose, or above the head.
This gesture is a mudra; a well-recognised symbolic hand position in eastern religions. One hand represents the higher, spiritual nature, while the other represents the worldly self. By combining the two, the person making the gesture is attempting to rise above his differences with others, and connect himself to the person he bows to. The bow is a symbolic bow of love and respect.
So to all my readers, my friends....
Namaste
Namaste
