God is with form as well as formless 2- Namaste !

[Guest guest]

ola, como vai você?( (hello, how are u??)!

 

welcome aboard ! ( bem vindo) !

 

my neighbors are Brazilian and i picked up a few words of 'Portugese'

from them. They are a beautiful couple and love to 'party' a lot ! i

love the 'Brazilian' coffee they serve me , it is the best!

 

Yes ! Hindus greet each other with folded hands and say 'Namaste'

It is pronounced as 'Namastay'

 

There is a 'divine spark '( devamsham) in each and everyone that is

located in the Heart Chakra . The gesture Namaste is simply an

acknowledgement of that 'DIVINE SPARK'

 

"Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore,

Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you."

 

When one uses the Greeting 'Namaste ' , one is using both a 'mantra'

( namaha) and a mudra - when you press your two hands together and

hold it near the heart and bow your head gently, one is also using

an 'Anjali' mudra .( from the root word' anj' - to honor , or anoint.

 

"The hands held in union signify the oneness of an apparently

dual cosmos, the bringing together of spirit and matter, or the

self meeting the Self. It has been said that the right hand

represents the higher nature or that which is divine in us,

while the left hand represents the lower, worldly nature. "

 

To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka,

close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the

hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then

bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form

of respect. Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken

in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the

gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to

say the word while bowing.

 

We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow

of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind

surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself

as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when

done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick,

meditation.

 

In the case of Namaste, a deeper veneration is sometimes

expressed by bringing the fingers of the clasped palms to the

forehead, where they touch the brow, the site of the mystic Third

Eye. A third form of namaste brings the palms completely above

the head, a gesture said to focus consciousness in the subtle

space just above the Brahma-randhra, the aperture in the Crown

Chakr(a). This form is so full of reverence it is reserved for

the Almighty and the holiest of Sat Guru(s).

 

And while we are singing the praises of Namaste, it should be

observed how efficient a gesture it is in an age of mass

communication. A politician, or performer can greet fifty

thousand people with a single Namaste, and they can return the

honor instantly. In such a situation a handshake is unthinkable

and a mere waving of one hand is somehow too frivolous.

 

There are other, more mystical meanings behind Namaste. The nerve

current of the body converge in the feet, the solar plexus and

the hands. Psychic energy leaves the body at these junctures. To

"ground" that energy and balance the flow of Pran(a) streaming

through the nerve system, Yogi(s) cross their legs in the lotus

posture, and bring their hands together. The Anjali Mudra acts

like a simple Yog(ic) Asan(a), balancing and harmonizing our

energies, keeping us centered, inwardly poised and mentally

protected. It closes our aura, shielding us psychically. It keeps

us from becoming too externalized, thus we remain close to our

intuitive nature, our super consciousness.

 

(excerpts from an article in Himalayan Academy )

http://www.flex.com/~jai/articles/namaste1.html

 

Now, 'ji' is used as a 'suffix' and a term of respect - we use this

while addressing 'elders' or 'learned' people! it is more common in

North india. Otherwise one can use the term 'shri or sri' as a

prefix !

 

i was so touched by what all you have written in your introductory

post ! you have dome more 'homework' in your pursuot of Vedantic

philosophy than many of us ! i can see how 'passionate' you are in

the pursuit of Truth!

 

As far the rest of your questions, i will request the more learned

members in this group to address those interesting questions.

 

desculpe!(sorry)!

 

Namaste!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin, "Felipe A. Scolfaro Crema"

<fcrema> wrote:

>

> Namaste Advaitins...

> First, i'd like some explanation, please, as to the meaning of

saluting each other with namaste and ending the first names

with "ji".