Hindu culture is full of wisdom and small but invaluable secrets that the West has yet to rediscover. Perhaps one of the most popular words in this culture, which has spread thanks to the practice of yoga, is “namaste”. However, do you know what namaste means? Do you know how much it can bring us?
An essential etymological look
Etymologically speaking, the word “namaste” is composed of two words: “namas”, which means greeting or bow, and “te”, which means “to you”. Therefore, its literal meaning would be: “I greet you” or “I bow to you”.
In fact, this word comes from Sanskrit, one of the oldest Indo-European languages that have been documented and is currently used for liturgical purposes in Buddhism and Hinduism. Hindus use the word namaste both to say goodbye and to say hello. However, it is also used to ask for forgiveness and to say thank you, implying a sign of respect towards the other.
What does namaste mean?
Beyond the etymological disquisitions, the most interesting aspect of this word is revealed when we delve into its philosophical meaning. For example, namaste can be interpreted as “nothing of mine,” which means that we are putting our ego aside to adopt a humble attitude towards the person. Therefore, it is said that when this greeting or farewell is done from the heart, truly adopting that attitude, a very special bond is created between both people since they drop their social masks and connect from the deepest part of their being.
In fact, it is no coincidence that this word was chosen by Buddhism, which states that: “when there is real reverence, the path of the Buddha will not decay.” This means that we will not approach enlightenment until we are able to rid ourselves of all selfishness and ulterior motives, in order to approach another person in a “pure state.”
The meaning of namaste would be something similar to:
“I honor that place inside you
where the entire Universe resides.
I honor that place inside you
where there is love, light, truth and peace.
When you are in that place,
and I am in that place in me,
we are only One.”
How can we apply that meaning in our daily lives?
Namaste is a word that speaks of the need to set aside selfishness, to connect with our inner self and to accept the other person. These three principles are fundamental to finding psychological balance and happiness, especially if we take into account that our greatest source of satisfaction and dissatisfaction are interpersonal relationships.
– Putting aside selfishness. Our society has taught us that “one hand washes the other and both wash the face.” As a result, many people do things expecting something in return. However, true satisfaction only comes when we do something for the simple pleasure of helping, without receiving anything in return. When we put aside our ego and put the needs of the other person first, we grow.
– Connect with our “self”. We are so immersed in the frenzy of everyday life that we hardly have time to be alone with ourselves. If we spend years neglecting our inner “self”, we will end up becoming strangers to ourselves. That is why, every day you should dedicate at least a few minutes to connecting with your passions, desires, concerns and needs. You must learn to know the person who lives inside you, far from social masks. Remember that “everything we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts and is made of our thoughts.”
– Get to know the other person. The rush imposed by our society forces us to relate superficially and sometimes leads us to judge people in a matter of seconds. However, everyone has their own life story and has something to offer us. Therefore, the next time you meet the mailman, the cashier at the supermarket or perhaps that annoying coworker, do not push them away by putting labels on them, simply observe them without judging. You will be able to get to know those around you better and a universe that was previously completely closed will open up to you. You will be amazed to discover that when you observe without prejudice, things and people are not as you thought.
– Understanding that we are part of the Universe. The word namaste not only implies respect for the other person, but also, deep down, the awareness that we are all part of the same Universe. In one way or another, we are all a part of it and, therefore, it is misleading to think that we are more important just because we have a recognized profession or because we have more possessions. In fact, learning to relate to one another implies doing so from a position of equals, where each one has something to contribute.
