Guest guest Posted March 31, 2002 Report Share Posted March 31, 2002 > >Please note author's comment that the word 'Namaskar' refers to the act of >greeting. > >The actual greeting s/b NAMASTE. > > > >> >>March 1998 >> >>Publisher : >>Hindu Vivek Kendra >>5/12, Kamat Industrial Estate, >>396 Veer Savarkar Road, >>Opp. Siddhi Vinayak Temple, >>Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 400 025. >>Tel. 422 1440, 422 5639. >>Fax. (91-22) 436 37 56. >>Executive: G. V. Ashtekar >> >>Printer : >>Siddhi Offset Pvt. Ltd. >>5/12, Kamat Industrial Estate. >>Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 400 025 >> >> >>THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED IN PART OR WHOLE WITH DUE >>ACKNOWLEDGEMENT >> >> >>THE WORD - NAMASKAR >> >>"Shake hands and come out fighting." It's the referee's final counsel to >>two pugilists about to beat >>each other's brains out with clenched fists. Even outside the ring, a >>handshake can be a little >>off-putting. When one returns to the West from an extended sojourn in >>Bharat or elsewhere in Asia, the >>hand suddenly thrust forward can seem more ominous than friendly, >>especially if the hand offered is that >>of a stranger. Of course, one soon acclimatises and the menacing aspect >>of this salutation subsides. >> >>Perhaps that moment of intimidation derives from the history of the >>handshake. According to one >>anthropologist, the handshake evolved in medieval Europe, during the >>times of knights. It seems not all >>were laudable Lancelots or gallant Gallahads. More than a few would >>approach opponents with concealed >>weapons and when within striking distance do the needful, driving dagger >>or striking sword into the >>unguarded paladin. >> >>To fend off the fear of a foe's foul foil, knights took to offering >>their open and visibly empty hand to >>each other. It was a kind of surety, a gesture of trust which said, >>"See, I am unarmed, so you may >>safely let me approach." As the story goes, soon the gesture itself took >>on meaning and the less noble, >>less lethal man on the street adopted the handshake as the proper way to >>greet others. >> >>In much of the world today, people do not shake hands when they meet. >>They may hug formally or kiss one >>another on the cheek, as in eastern Europe and Arab states. They may bow >>softly, eyes turned to the >>ground, as in Japan and China. The Hawaiian greeting, termed "honi," >>consists of placing the nostril >>gently beside that of the person greeted, a kind of sharing of breath, >>which is life and Pran(a). >> >>For, Hindu(s), of course, the greeting of choice is "Namaste," the two >>hands pressed together and held >>near the heart with the head gently bowed as one says, "Namaste." Thus >>it is both a spoken greeting and >>a gesture, a Mantr(a) and a Mudr(a). The prayerful hand position is a >>Mudr(a) called Anjali, from the >>root Anj, "to adorn, honor, celebrate 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. >> >>In Sanskrit "Namas" means, "bow, obeisance, reverential salutation." It >>comes from the root Nam, which >>carries meanings of bending, bowing, humbly submitting and becoming >>silent. "Te" means "to you." Thus >>"namaste" means "I bow to you." the act of greeting is called >>"Namaskaram,Namaskara" and "Namaskar" >>in the varied languages of the subcontinent. >> >>Namaste has become a veritable icon of what is Bharatiya. Indeed, there >>must be a Bharatiya law which >>requires every travel brochure. calendar and poster to include an image >>of someone with palms pressed >>together, conveying to the world Bharat's hospitality, spirituality and >>graceful consciousness. You knew >>all that, of course, but perhaps you did not know that there can be >>subtle ways of enhancing the >>gesture, as in the West one might shake another's hand too strongly to >>impress and overpower them or too >>briefly, indicating the withholding of genuine welcome. >> >>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 Brahmarandhra, 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). >> >>It is always interesting, often revealing and occasionally enlightening >>to muse about the everyday >>cultural traits and habits each nation and community evolves, for in the >>little things our big ideas >>about life find direct and personal expression. Take, for instance, the >>different ways that American and >>Japanese tool-makers approach the same task. A saw for cutting lumber, >>if designed in the U.S., is made >>in such a way that the carpenter's stroke away from his body does the >>cutting. But in Japan saws are >>engineered so that cutting takes place as the carpenter draws the saw >>toward himself. A small detail, >>but it yields a big difference. >> >>The American saw can, if leaned into, generate more power, while the >>Japanese saw provides more control >>and refinement in the cut, requiring surprisingly less effort. Each has >>its place in the global toolbox. >>each speaks — like the handshake and namaste greetings — of an >>underlying perception of man's >>relationship with things. >> >>In the West we are outgoing, forceful, externalized. We are told in USA >>(By telelphone >>company) by Ma Bell to "reach out and touch somebody." We are >>unabashedly acquisitive, defining our >>progress in life by how much we have — how much wealth, influence, >>stored up knowledge, status or >>whatever. Every culture exhibits these traits to some extent, but in the >>east Mother is there to remind >>us, "Reach in and touch the Self." here we are taught to be more >>introspective, more concerned with the >>quality of things than their quantity, more attuned with the interior >>dimension of life. >> >>So, there you have it, the whole of Eastern and Western culture summed >>up in the handshake which reaches >>out horizontally to greet another, and Namaste which reaches in >>vertically to acknowledge that, in >>truth, that there is no other. >> >>As a test of how these two greetings differ, imagine you are magically >>confronted with the Divine. The >>Paramatma, Almighty, walks up to you on the street. What do you do? >>Reach out to shake His hand? >>Probably not. Though suitable between man and man, it;' an unseemly >>expression between man and >>Paramatma. We never shake hands with Paramatma. I mean, what if your >>palms are sweating? >> >>So you namaste instead. The reason it feels natural to namaste before >>Paramatma is that it is, in its >>very essence, a spiritual gesture, not a worldly one. By a handshake we >>acknowledge our equality with >>others. We reveal our humanity. We convey how strong we are, how >>nervous, how aggressive or passive. >>There is bold physicality to it. For these and other reasons, Popes >>never shake hands. Kings never shake >>hands. Even mothers don't shake hands with their own children. >> >>Namaste is cosmically different. Kings do namaste, Sat Guru(s) namaste >>and mothers namaste to their own >>family. We all namaste before the Almighty, a holy man or even a holy >>place. The namaste gesture >>bespeaks our inner valuing of the sacredness of all. It betokens our >>intuition that all souls are >>divine, in their essence. It reminds us in quite a graphic manner, and >>with insistent repetition, that >>we can see Paramatma everywhere and in every human being we meet. It is >>saying, silently, "I see the >>Deity in us both, and bow before Him or Her. I acknowledge the holiness >>of even this mundane meeting. I >>cannot separate that which is spiritual in us from that which is human >>and ordinary." >> >>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. >> >>Here are some insights into Namaste from a number of Hindu(s): >> >>* Namaste elevates one's consciousness, reminding one that all beings, >>all existence is holy, is the >>Almighty. It communicates, "I honor or worship the Divinity within you." >>Also it draws the individual >>inward for a moment, inspires reflection on the deeper realities, >>softening the interface between >>people. It would be difficult or offend or feel animosity toward any one >>you greet as Paramatma. >> >>* Namaste is a gesture of friendship and kindness, also of thanks or >>special recognition. Mystically it >>is called "Namaskara Mudra" in the Agami© Pooja, and it centers one's >>energy within the spine. >> >>* I've heard it means "I salute the Almighty within you." The true >>Namaste gesture is is accompanied by >>bowing the head and shoulders slightly. This is a gesture that lessens >>our sense of ego and >>self-centredness, requiring some humility to do it well — whereas >>shaking hands can be quite an arrogant >>event. >> >>* Touching the hands together puts you in touch with your center, your >>soul. Namaste puts you forward as >>a soul, not an outer personality. >> >>* The gesture has a subtle effect on the aura and nerve system. bringing >>focused attention and a >>collection of one's forces, so to speak. It also protects against >>unnecessary psychic connections which >>are fostered by shaking hands. This might be called a form of purity >>also — protecting one's energies. >> >>This form of acknowledgment is so lovely, so graceful. Just look at two >>people in Namaste and you will >>see so much human beauty and refinement. >> >> > > > _______________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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