Namaste

When you say "Namaste", you join both your hands symmetrically in front of your chest (don't let the hands touch the chest though), as in clapping, and keep them like this while saying the word.

This is a "less-academic" version of the word "Namaskaar". Although this is a Hindi language word, this is prevalent in all parts of India, and well understood by people of all cultures in the country.

In sanskrit the word "NAMAS" means bow and "TE" means to you. Namaste means "I bow to you".

Namaste is the most popular Indian greeting performed by pressing two hands together and holding them near the heart with the head gently bowed as one says "Namaste". There is great symbolism behind this greeting. Both hands depict duality of positive and negative, and bringing the hands together affirms the singleness in the world.

The whole act communicates "You and I are one".

"I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides.

I honor the place in you of love,

of light,

of truth,

of peace.

I honor the place within you where--

if you are in that place in you,

and I am in that place in me--

there is only One of us."

Namasté

a way to be. here. now.

'te' means 'to you'.

In Sankrit, more than one words are often joined together to form one big word which infact may be a sentence in itself. This is known as sandhi.

'Namaste' is one such word, it is 'namah' +' te' = 'I salute you.' or 'I offer my respect to you'

Although generally acceptable and expected, the gesture of 'Namaste' (as explained in w/us above) may or maynot accompany the utterance of 'Namaste'. The gesture of pressing two palms together is a gesture of respect that can be used with any respectful word, or just by itself. Most common use of this gesture is while paying your respect to Gods, for example, in a temple.