What does "namaste" mean anyway?

If you've ever been to Yoga, you know it. At the end of each Yoga class, the teacher says goodbye to his students with folded hands, a bow and a "Namasté". But what does it mean?

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«Nama» means bow, «as» means me and«te» you.

So, literally, namaste means "I bow to you." It's how you express your reverence and gratitude for the presence of your counterpart.

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How does the Namaste greeting go?

Among Western yogis and yoginis, the word Namasté is usually pronounced aloud. However, "Namasté" can also be expressed through gestures alone. Namely through "Anjali Mudra". In Hinduism, this gesture is common as a form of greeting, just like shaking hands with us.

 

The gesture "Anjali Mudra" consists of placing the palms of the hands together in front of the chest, the heart chakra. This is supposed to give you energy, as both halves of the brain are united. To express "Namasté", you tilt your head towards the heart with your eyes closed, i.e. a small bow.

 

The extended version, in which the tips of the two index fingers touch the area between the eyes in "Anjali Mudra" while the head is lowered, conveys a particularly high level of respect. For according to the Yoga teachings, this is where the third eye, i.e. the energy center, lies. There are many situations in which it is appropriate to say "Namasté", because it is a gesture of respect. In Yoga, the greeting is usually at the beginning and end of a lesson. With a consciously carried out "Namasté", teacher and students thank each other and express that they recognize in each other a unity that connects everything.

 

If you have ever done Yoga before, you know the wonderful feeling of calmness that comes during a lesson. "Namaste" basically expresses all the things Yoga can do: Gratitude, self-love, finding and keeping your own energy, respect and attentiveness - a small word with a big content.

 

In that sense, «Namasté» from your whole team, Bikram Yoga Zug