The Meaning of Namaste
Thanks to Leila for the great inspiration to this post.
Namaste means, in one Southern preacher's unique way of explaining:
This reminded me that: In Sanskrit and modern Indo-Aryan languages, mitra means "friend." And I recalled that during our yoga classes, we do Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Namaskara (as it's alternately spelled) is the Hindi translation of Namaste, which is Sanskrit.
In the more advanced classes, we will use the Sanskrit mantras associated with the 12 parts of the Sun Salutation. Wikipedia has a good description of these movements and their history, although the technique shown in the photos is not nearly as precise as I would teach it.
The first step is to place the hands together and say:
1) Om Mitraya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, our friend)
2) Om Ravaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, the source of activity)
3) Om Suryaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who shines)
4) Om Bhavane Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who illuminates)- PLEASE ignore the hand-drawn pose on the link, the knee is too far in front of the foot.
5) Om Khagaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who flies high like a bird)
6) Om Pooshne Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who raises us all)
7) Om Hiranyagarbaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, the creator)- PLEASE ignore lack of toe pointing & hips too high in hand-drawn pose on link
8) Om Marichaye Namah (Salutations to the Sun, the beautiful or symbol of beauty)
9) Om Adityaya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, the son of Aditi- mythologically, the mother of all the 9 planets) PLEASE ignore the hand-drawn pose on the link, the knee is too far in front of the foot.
10) Om Savitre Namah (Salutations to the Sun, who is both mother and father)
11) Om Arkaya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, who is praiseworthy)
12) Om Bhaskaraya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, him who gives Enlightenment)
When we say "Namaste", we also place the palms together at the heart. As our friend the pastor above said- "the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you." Keeping this in mind- our inherent One-ness when we meet is important for our planet as a whole, and how we treat each other. There are too many other ways to get off track.
Symbolically, this means two becoming one- me and my friend, were two, and now we have met, and become one. I am certain that the word 'meet' itself has it's etymology in 'mitra'.
Namaste means, in one Southern preacher's unique way of explaining:
This reminded me that: In Sanskrit and modern Indo-Aryan languages, mitra means "friend." And I recalled that during our yoga classes, we do Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Namaskara (as it's alternately spelled) is the Hindi translation of Namaste, which is Sanskrit.
In the more advanced classes, we will use the Sanskrit mantras associated with the 12 parts of the Sun Salutation. Wikipedia has a good description of these movements and their history, although the technique shown in the photos is not nearly as precise as I would teach it.
The first step is to place the hands together and say:
1) Om Mitraya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, our friend)
2) Om Ravaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, the source of activity)
3) Om Suryaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who shines)
4) Om Bhavane Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who illuminates)- PLEASE ignore the hand-drawn pose on the link, the knee is too far in front of the foot.
5) Om Khagaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who flies high like a bird)
6) Om Pooshne Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, who raises us all)
7) Om Hiranyagarbaya Namah, (Salutations to the Sun, the creator)- PLEASE ignore lack of toe pointing & hips too high in hand-drawn pose on link
8) Om Marichaye Namah (Salutations to the Sun, the beautiful or symbol of beauty)
9) Om Adityaya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, the son of Aditi- mythologically, the mother of all the 9 planets) PLEASE ignore the hand-drawn pose on the link, the knee is too far in front of the foot.
10) Om Savitre Namah (Salutations to the Sun, who is both mother and father)
11) Om Arkaya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, who is praiseworthy)
12) Om Bhaskaraya Namah (Salutations to the Sun, him who gives Enlightenment)
When we say "Namaste", we also place the palms together at the heart. As our friend the pastor above said- "the divinity in me salutes the divinity in you." Keeping this in mind- our inherent One-ness when we meet is important for our planet as a whole, and how we treat each other. There are too many other ways to get off track.
Symbolically, this means two becoming one- me and my friend, were two, and now we have met, and become one. I am certain that the word 'meet' itself has it's etymology in 'mitra'.
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