Meaning of Namaste
A Divine Gesture

namaste meaning

In my first yoga experience I recall the solemn gesture and phrase everyone used in greeting and departure…I did not return the offering of “Namaste” because I was uncomfortable saying something that I didn’t know the meaning of. I asked several people after class what it meant and the answers I got were varied and obscure…The reason for that is because it is a divine surrender of the spirit. A bit hard to define in the literal. The literal translation is ” I bow to you”…However, the meaning is of infinite and divine beauty.
Namaste is a gesture that acknowledges a Divine spark within each of us. Our hands are placed gently together at the heart chakra in acknowledgment of the soul within each of us tapping together when we bow to one another in Namaste. I love that…A divine reaching out…soul to soul….spirit to spirit…heart to heart.
Namaste is done by gently pressing the palms together as if you have a delicate rice cracker between the palms and do not wish to break it. It is preformed this way so that there is space for the free flowing energy being given and
received.

Namaste 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 in a very deep gesture of respect and acknowledgement.

So, let us press our hands together, bow our head, and close our eyes…we will come together energetically to this beautiful divine space…we are connected…we are timeless…we are ego-less. We surrender our hearts in deep respect and reach out to one another…spirit to spirit… soul to soul.
Namaste …with love, respect, and gratitude. xoxox, Laura