Namasté (nah-mah-stay). You may hear this word at the end of yoga class, but do you know what it means?
Namasté is a salutation of respect and reverence. An Indian greeting, it literally translates to “I bow to you”.
Traditionally the gesture of Anjali Mudra (prayer position of the hands) not only accompanies the word, but is synonymous with its meaning. People passing on the street, family members greeting one another, children acknowledging their elders, and strangers meeting for the first time all join their palms together and bow their heads in respect of one another.
There are many other translations but here are a few:
* I honour the place in you where the entire universe dwells
* The light within me, honours the light within you
* I bow to the place in you that is love, light, and joy
* When you and I bow to our true nature, we are one
* My soul recognises your soul
* We are the same, we are one
* I honour the place in you that is the same as it is in me
What better way to end your class than with this universal acknowledgement of the essence of yoga.
Namaste!
Daniel
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