nəməste
Posted: November 13, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout, Yoga | Tags: Buddhism, compassion, crossfit, Divinity, free range, freshly pressed, gluten free, god, Greeting, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, Middle East, motivation, musings, Namaste, natural, nature, Omaha, Pakistan, paleo, passion, perspective, pilates, running, Sanskrit, walking, whole foods, writing, yoga 21 CommentsMankind’s biggest blunder, ignorance. Mankind’s second, infallible-
Chances are at the end of yoga practice, you awkwardly have heard fellow yogis use the word “nəməste“ with their hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards. Usually nəməste is associated with eastern religious traditions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Loosely translated from Sanskrit nəməste means: “The God in me recognizes the God in you” or “The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.”
The more I think about it and reflect on this greeting, the more I think its pretty cool. Just imagine if we were to interact with other(s) during the course of the day by basically stating that I honor, recognize and appreciate the divine within you? How could you not treat those around you ethically and with loving kindness?
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I often lament about my time spent in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As-salam alaykum (Muslim) carries great weight in my heart as a greeting of “peace be upon you.” Back in ‘Murica though, greetings such as Hi, Hello, How’s it going, Sup Bro and so forth are frivolous. These wasted greetings really don’t communicate much, they are not dense with meaning and purpose. A friendly greeting of any kind and one of peace is certainly fine. Although, I have come to be especially fond of the nəməste greeting, given what the word actually means. nəməste offers a more enriching and important message to me.
Maybe we all should embrace nəməste regardless of our spiritual, religious tradition or what part of the world we are in?
Daily Meditation:
Doing the right thing for ourselves and others means finding a way to see the sacred, the divine, within all. May nəməste serve as a constant reminder to do this. If you witness sacredness in some cool folks today? Chances are then you are likely to treat them with compassion, care, and respect …
नमस्ते
CultFit 
A very special post. Thank you.
May your heart be filled with kindness today, take care! 🙂
Namaste, ‘bro… how’s that? 😉
Brilliant 🙂
I like this thank you~~~Aquine (nəməste)!
🙂
Your kind thoughts mean a lot to me – pretty cool! Take care today my friend and be well. 🙂
I love, too, how in the Muslim world, they begin and end everything with a sacred phrase, dedicating all they do, a house they enter or leave, etc.to a higher source.
Part of me deeply misses this, its not to say we are lacking decorum and respect – I’ll say this, gratitude and kindness here are deeply watered down. I have had the pleasure many of times to be a guest in a local villagers home in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where my only gift to them and their gift to me, was a kind gesture and kind words.
What capacity led you to be in those areas? Traveler, the service, job? How wonderful to be able to meet the locals. The area looks like it has alot of beautiful places and people. Yes, there is a great amount of respect and decorum in these areas. People forget that with all the media that screams otherwise.
This is definitely one of those conversations we need to have off line 😉
For a period of three years, as a civilian, I worked in these areas … Might I suggest a book I love to you? The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is simply a breathtaking read that will intimately place you in many of the places I lived. 🙂
I love the idea of finding the sacred and divine within every interaction.
“Just imagine if we were to interact with other(s) during the course of the day by basically stating that I honor, recognize and appreciate the divine within you? How could you not treat those around you ethically and with loving kindness?”
I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head there. N’uff said.
Very much enjoyed this lovely and enlightening post. As an ignorant westerner who has not travelled to the Middle East I fine myself astonished that such a thoughtful and gentle greeting can come from the same womb as the folks who gave us the horror of 9/11 and try regularly to destroy us and themselves in the bargain.
If you ever find yourself in Omaha, please allow me to buy you a beer at VFW Post 8334, or at the American Legion Post 34. It would be my pleasure. We can share war stories and what its like to experience loss, pain and suffering during trying times.
If we step back and offer perspective to this post, its one of sharing greetings that are dense with meaning- eye to eye, face to face, from the heart. Nothing more and certainly nothing less. Take care today, be well, Shabbat shalom my friend.
Namaste!
Thanks for stopping over and hangin’ out for a bit, you are more than welcome to kick your shoes and stay awhile … Take care and be well!
Reblogged this on March Forth and commented:
Namaste amigos!
Wonderful greeting. Thank you.
My pleasure and thank you so much for stopping over, it means a lot to me. Take care and please be well!
Thanks so much for liking my yoga post today. It means a lot. I love what you wrote about the word, “Namaste.” I’ve been teaching yoga for almost ten years now, and it is always special to end the class with “Namaste.”
I should be the one thanking you – your spirit and kindness are truly a blessing. Thank you for stopping over, may your heart be filled with happiness this afternoon. 🙂