Namaste – WOMEN in RECOVERY

Restore me to Balance in Body, Mind, and Spirit

Remove everything from my Consciousness and Body

that is not in Perfect Alignment with Your Loving Plan for Me.

Namaste (Devanagari: नमस्ते; formal: Namaskar/Namaskaram) is a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a salutation upon their parting. A non-contact form of salutation is traditionally preferred in India and Namaste is the most common form of such a salutation. In Nepal, younger persons usually initiate the exchange with their elders. Initiating the exchange is seen as a sign of respect in other hierarchical settings.

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. This gesture, called Abhinandan, Añjali Mudrā or Pranamasana, can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning.

As it is most commonly used, namaste is roughly equivalent to “greetings” or “good day,” in English. As against shaking hands, kissing or embracing each other in other cultures, Namaste is a non-contact form of respectful greeting and can be used universally while meeting a person of different gender, age or social status.

Namaskār (Devnagari/Hindi: नमस्कार) literally means “I bow to [your] form”.

“The spirit in me respects the spirit in you,” “the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you,” and others, are relatively modern interpretations, based on literal translations of the Sanskrit root of namaste.[citation needed] They are usually associated with western Yoga and New Age movements.

Namaste is also used as a friendly greeting in written communication, or generally between people when they meet. When used at funerals to greet the guests, the verbal part is usually omitted. When the hand position is higher, it usually means reverence and/or worship. The expression with hands placed on top of one’s head is usually the sign of utmost reverence or respect. When the gesture is performed with hands in front of the chest, it is usually considered as aayushman.

The aayushman gesture is also a cultural symbol of Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan hospitality.

In Nepalese culture, namaste is performed when a younger family member meets older relatives. It also varies depending upon social status and prestige. The person with lower status or prestige performs namaste first to show respect for the higher station the other person has achieved.

In Sikh scripture Namaste, Namastung or Namastvung is referenced as salutation to the Primal being, the One God. The salutation is followed by an attribute respecting a quality of the creator of all religions, Akal.

In Sindh, Pakistan, the añjali mudra, though extremely rare, is still maintained even by Sindhi Muslims.

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Namaste = Divine Oneness

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