Namaste

[smittenbyu]

Over the course of the decades living abroad I have had so many strange people (yes, strange people who were also strangers) randomly yell a "namaste" to show off their Indian speaking abilities (usually they are also the people who think all Indians speak Indian and are not aware that we have 15 official languages, and English is not one of them). I have learnt to politely smile and say a hello and walk on. If there was one thing my parents taught me, and my community did it was to be polite and courteous.

But you don't yell a namaste. It's wrong. It's not done. You see the namaste slowly disappearing in India as the "Hi!"s and handshakes take over. It's often (in the cities) seen as something backward and un-modern thing to do. I seem to catch the elders by surprise sometimes when I do a namaste!

This morning as I was running into my class my yoga teacher was getting her cup of black tea. She stopped, put her cup down and did the most sincere, genuine namaskar that I have not seen even an Indian do in the longest of times. It stopped me dead in my tracks and I reciprocated.

If done right, it's unbelievably calming, it helps you bring yourself together, to focus on one thing, the being in front of you. It also makes you put away your smartphones and whatever other modern gadgets that interrupt most everyone's conversations these days! ;)

We were brought up on campus to say namastes to all uncles and aunties. No shortcuts allowed, although we occasionally snuck away with it. Even today when I see the uncles and aunties I stop and do a proper namaste. As we grew up and in the west, it's turned into a nod of the head/a quick bow (like gentleman just touching the tip of his hat) with a spoken namaste.

I am not all religious and all but spiritually I see it as a way to acknowledge finding the other person important and valued. It shares some positive vibes and I can still feel that wonderful energy from the teacher, her smile, her warmth, and her welcome!

Comments

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

The namaste at the end of my yoga class is a wonderful moment. It feels like a connection with the teacher and the others in the class. Very calming and lovely.

[ms-hecubus.livejournal.com]

It is a beautiful greeting if meant. I can see why, in our decreasingly spiritual world, it would be passing out of fashion. So many people are no longer raised to acknowledge the divine, neither Gods nor the beauty on earth.

[neslihan.livejournal.com]

This is, like, ~~almost~~ related!!

Is veganism very popular in India?? I am editing an Indian medical paper right now that says "According to dietary habits, 57 patients (52.7%) were vegans while the rest consumed a mixed diet", and I am finding it really hard to believe that they didn't actually mean "vegetarians". Do you think that their sentence could be right, or is this worth asking them about??

[smittenbyu]

You should ask them about it. I think they meant vegetarian. In India we confuse ourselves too. There are people who claim vegetarians and eat chicken occasionally! Maybe they were attempting to label those who are 100% vegetarian with no occasional consumption of meat as vegans. But in my whole extended family and hubby's side too, we only know two who are vegan, well, actually only one, the other is because of her spouse but she eats vegetarian fare going out. So, anecdotally, we don't fit the statistic at all!

[neslihan.livejournal.com]

Thanks!! I obviously don't want to let wrong things slip by, but I also feel like a real jerk to be like "HURRRRR, are you sure this is right?" for something that is, in fact, totally right, so I am glad for your cultural feedback! I'll ask about this. :) Vegetarianism at that rate wouldn't have surprised me so much (at least not for India), but if over HALF of their elderly patients are REALLY vegan, then they are in some wacky hippie-cult village and totally forgot to mention that in their presentation of the patients' history - or at least that is what I thought! :P

[meri-sielu.livejournal.com]

This was lovely to read. I get quite upset when people don't respect cultures and use things like the Namaste without meaning. In a way it's sad that it happens so often that when someone genuinely uses it with genuine feeling that it is so shocking and disarming. It's lovely that there are still people who genuinely recognise the true meaning of such things out there. :)

[spacefem.livejournal.com]

the western world adopted something from another culture and screwed it up? i'm shocked!

nah. i hear you. good writeup.