OK, I'm an Aussie living in NZ, and sometimes a 'little' outspoken, so someone, please tell me, what the hell does NAMASTE mean.

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Haha!! Jon, this has to be the funniest thing you have ever said I think I did a double-take when I saw this coming from you!!

We will learn the answer together.......

Nemaste
Ann x

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Namaste! : )

Essentially it means "I bow to you" and can be used as both a greeting and a farewell. It comes from the Sanskrit root "nama", which means to bow or surrender or words to that effect. So when someone says "namaste" they are basically saying a humble hello or farewell in which they are internally bowing (sometimes physically to), but not just to the person but also to the Divine within that person.

Om Shanti
Neil

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Thank you Neil for enlightening me, but now you use Om Shanti. What does that mean?

Thank you Ann, namaste, and Om Shanti, I think.

Last edited: 27-10-2007 08:18:00 PM

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Namaste Jon,

'Om Shanti' isn't really a traditional verbal farewell, many though seem to use it as a sign off. It comes from the Upanishads (Hindu non-dualism texts from around 3000 years ago), which traditionally end in "Om Shanti Shanti Shanti". "Om" doesn't really mean anything as such, rather it is considered in some traditions to be the primary causal sound of creation (at the risk of getting too philosophical here!). More of a vibration than a word with a finite meaning in the traditional sense of languages. While "Shanti" means "Peace". So before I end up writing way more than I should, it basically means 'Om Peace'.

Om Shanti
Neil

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Great info and thank you Neil. Interesting stuff.
So, Namaste and Om shanti to you.

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When I was studying Reiki my Master Teacher taight me this as the meaning of Namaste
I honour the place in you
In which the universe dwells,
I honour the place in you
Which is of love,
Of truth, of light,
And of peace.
When you are in that place in you,
And I am in that place in me,
We are one.
Namaste
Soraya
Reiki Master Teacher

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Thank you Soraya.

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Just a little more in depth...

www.theholisticshop.com/acatalog/Namaste.html

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Coming from the land of Namaste and Om Shanti....I can humbly say that Neil is right. Also, Namaste is every day greeting in Indian households. It also is a casual "hello"-mostly to elders or someone that you don't know. In the deeper meaning as I remember my Sanskrit teacher told me, million yrs ago, that when you bring your two hands together , right by your heart, you welcome and respect the person in front of you saying "Namaste."
Hope I didn't confuse anyone!

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My yoga instructor defines it as a greeting/farewell "from the Higher being in her to the Higher being in me" and vice versa.

Om Shanti, that's news to me. Thank you.

Cheers.
Ronnie

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Hi Ronnie,All,
I think your yoga teacher is confusing the greeting of Namaskar with Namaste. Namaskar is basically ' the Divine in me salutes the Divine in you' or words to that effect.
One of the reasons for pressing the palms together in front of the heart chakra is energetic protection.
When I was in India in January for shaktipat a fellow student who I met was contaminated by outsiders who he came into contact with for about 15 minutes. He felt quite ill for about 2 hrs afterwards. Normally after shaktipat one is not allowed away from the ashram to prevent this very thing happening as your energy system is very vunerable.
L&L
Dave

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This is entirely beautiful on Namaste!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcgNJ7cgDVs


Ann x

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Thank you Ann, quite beautiful.

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