Regardless of culture, humans seem to have a universal need to greet one another upon meeting and parting. Bowing in Japan, hand-clapping variations in African countries, and saying hello and shaking hands or hugging in English cultures – are just a few of the most commonly known salutations. While customs and traditions vary, there does seem to one greeting that is becoming more popular worldwide – that of Namaste.

Simplistic Gestures of Universal Oneness

Often used by Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, and other religions, Namaste is also revered within spiritual circles and meditation and yoga classes, and it’s being embraced far beyond its South Asian origins. You’ll often hear it spoken in combination with a slight bow and the Anjali Mudra – the placement of the hands together pulled close to the heart in a fashion similar to a prayer pose.

Use of the Mudra position to the heart and raised to the forehead is most often utilized in North and South India where formal versions of Namaste called Namaskar and Namaskara are common. Along with Namaste, these gestures represent surrendering ego to the spirit – recognizing that the life force within us as individuals is the same as that within everything and everyone.

Finally, a Word We Can All Agree On

Remarkably, the principle interpretations of Namaste have yet to be skewed by ‘new world linguistics’ or portrayed in a negative light. An example is the greeting ‘as-salamu alaykum,’ which is typically translated as ‘May peace be upon you,’ but is highly misinterpreted by fear mongers and those who aren’t ‘in the know’ so to speak. However, Namaste’s meaning is still universally recognized as one of peace, honor, and respect. So what does Namaste mean exactly?

The Meaning of Namaste: It’s a Spiritual Connection

The literal translation of this greeting varies with each language; however, they are all pretty much saying the same thing. In Sanskrit, the word ‘namah’ means bow, ‘as’ means I,, and ‘te’ means you, translating into “I bow to you.” A Hindi friend once explained that Namaskar is translated from ‘namoh’ and ‘sanskar’ translating loosely into English as “I bow to godly/good qualities within you,’ as her culture always tries to see the good in all things. (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE…)