Namasté: What Does It Actually Mean?

If you’ve ever dived into the fantastic world of meditation, you’ve definitely come across the word Namasté .

The term is widely used in meditation and also in some yoga schools. The word has a deep and spiritual meaning. That’s important to know. This way you know what you are actually saying when you use this word.

The origin of the word Namasté

Namasté is a relatively unknown word, because it comes from distant lands. It means  hello and goodbye.  The word is originally from Hindu and the language associated with it is Sanskrit.

The word is accompanied by a gesture known as mudra . When you  say Namasté , you put your palms together in front of your chest. This is a sign of absolute respect towards the person you are speaking to when you say hello or goodbye.

This is not weird. If you study the etymology of the world, you will find out that namas is a noun that you could translate as ‘greeting’ or ‘reverence’.

Spirituality in meditation and yoga

Meditation and yoga are exercises that give many benefits to the people who practice them. There is a special emphasis  on being aware in the moment and freeing yourself from judgment.

They also focus on other concerns and questions that are controlling your thoughts. That way you can enter a state of connectedness with everything, and your ego disappears.

In yoga and meditation,  Namasté is used to express humility. This is intended not only for every possible listener, but also for the world and the universe.

There are experts who devote themselves entirely to studying the word Namasté.  They have come to the conclusion that ‘namas’ (which we have seen to mean greeting or reverence) can also symbolize ‘nothing of myself’. 

That is a state where you are nothing. And at the same time you are everything. In that state you are connected to the world, but your ego is suppressed. Your brain is calm and you are relaxed, almost in a trance.

Your divine essence

According to tradition, the term Namasté implies  that the divine essence resides within ourselves. Sometimes you have to discover this thanks to the very healthy exercises that we have already talked about.

The moment you reach this ideal state of alertness and calmness at the same time, clasp your hands together. Then you lean forward and say the word.

In this way you give a place to the divine essence that lives within you. But you do the same with everyone and everything around you.

It could be equivalent to using the Catholic faith to kneel and cross as a sign of humility and respect for God. In this case, the word Namasté can be addressed to a God, to the universe or to another person.

But it is not only a sign of respect for someone else, but also for yourself. You are both divine essences and you recognize each other. And you greet each other with respect.

Conclusion

Now you know what it means to say this word. This lets you internalize everything it can give you. And you know how it can make you feel good every time you say it at a yoga or meditation session.

More and more people are getting the benefits of the good that comes from doing these exercises for a few minutes a day. In this way you calm yourself a bit in the noisy world full of obligations that we find ourselves in.

Persevering and knowing what it means to say this strange word will ensure that you get the most out of all the yoga and meditation sessions you will do in the future.

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