A fellow Yogi asked me the other day,
-What does Namaste mean?
I paused, and stumbled over a reply, not because I didn’t feel its meaning within me, but because I didn’t know what definition to give. I have heard dozens of translations of the word Namaste, and there are definitely some I like better than others. My favorite being:
"I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”
This translation seems the most comprehensive. I also have run across this translation which I like:
"All that is best and highest in me greets/salutes all that is best and highest in you."
A translation that I often hear in the yoga community is:
“The light within me honors the light within you.”
And then finally, how about this version, which is a little more spiritual:
"I respect that divinity within you that is also within me.”
The word is Sanskrit, and used through Hindu, Indian, Nepalese and Yogic culture. To get down to the roots of the word, ‘Namas’ means to bow or salute and ‘te’ means to you. So at the very basic level we are saying “I bow to you.” As most of us know, meaning is often lost in translation. The varied definitions above are trying to capture the essence and connotation that is given when the word is said in different settings. The word can be a greeting, a parting, an acknowledgement, etc. It is usually spoken with hands together in front of the heart in Anjali Mudra. For me, whether I extend this salutation to my students at the end of class, or I am the student bowing to my teacher, I am saying it with an abundance of gratitude, respect, appreciation, and love…
And with that I say,
Namaste.
