Why doing Namaste is more than a Gesture

When you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent and some of them are straight. Some of them are evergreens and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light and so it turned that way. And you don’t get emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.

The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying: "You’re too this, or I am too this." That judging mind comes in. So I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.

Ram Dass  

First of all, my virtual greetings to everyone who reads this. I sincerely bow down to you and thank you for taking out some of your precious time to be here.

As Indians, it is our age-old tradition that whenever we meet someone, known or unknown, male or female, irrespective of their caste, creed, race, or other man-made biases, we greet each other with folded hands and a serene smile. It is our welcoming gesture, just like people across the world shake hands or exchange a heartwarming hug. In fact, this greeting has its own physical, psychological, and scientific aspects tethered to it.

Namaskar, or commonly referred to as Namaste, is a form of acknowledgement that fosters a heavenly sentience and splendor in the hearts of all human beings. It reflects the act of respect and submission in a single gesture. The word gets its origin from the Sanskrit word "Namas", which fundamentally translates to gratitude from one soul to another. We express our gratitude as a token of showcasing our happiness upon encountering someone, whether for the first time or for the umpteenth time, the number not having much importance.

A certain process is followed when it comes to saying the word "Namaste" and performing the salutation: firstly, both palms are joined and placed in such a manner that the thumbs are in direct contact with the chest, i.e., the Heart chakra. Then we close our eyes and bow our heads in complete reverence. It is conventionally believed that there is a flow of divine love between the two entities participating in the act in such a way that when one person bows down with connected palms and closed eyes, he is simply surrendering to the God seated in the other person’s heart.

In essence, as mentioned earlier, when we offer our regards with our heads down in front of strangers and even known ones, all the prejudices floating in our heads automatically come to a full stop. We openly surrender in that space and time and become receptive to the other person’s true nature. All our myths, our conceptions of beauty and righteousness, good and evil, discriminatory attitudes regarding physical appearance, origin, and birth, and so on and so forth, begin to loosen their grip in our minds. In that moment, there is simply acceptance—pure and raw acceptance of the divine in humans.

The scientific aspect of Namaskaram is associated with ancient Yoga. In Yogic tradition, when we join our palms, it is referred to as Anjali Mudra. It is also universally acknowledged that our hands and feet in particular are the hotspots for a large number of energy centers. In addition, the tips of our fingers are crucial energy points. Connecting the palms and these fingertips together in this Mudra results in the pressing of pressure points located in the eyes, ears, and brain. A by-product of this gesture is the fact that when these points are activated, we tend to keep that person in mind for a comparatively longer period of time. Equally, while doing Namaste, when we bring our fingertips together, there is a soothing flow of energy from the nerves in the head, building a peaceful connection with the other being as well.

This calming sensation gives a psychological edge to the art of saying Namaste or Pranam. Humans have had conflicting issues since ages, and we have been witnessing the most brutal consequences due to anger and temperamental issues. A study states that heat begins to rise during an argument, it is the best solution to join both hands and put the negative energy to a halt. Surprisingly, it results in a positive impact on the other party too.

Takeaway

No matter what age or generation we are a part of, humans are always going to be consciousness first, body second. As a collective civilization, it is our primary responsibility to look beyond differences and augment a sense of cordial brotherhood. May we rise above our preconceived notions and dive deeper into the art of respecting diversity.

With lots and lots of Love!

Namaste