Wooden Namaste

The origins of the word namaste are very ancient. Derived from Sanskrit and composed of "namas", which means "greeting", "reverence" (from "nam" = "to bow", "to bend") and the suffix "te" = "to you", the expression is literally translatable as "I bow to you". However, its meaning is much deeper: the word namaste (which originated in the India and Nepal region about 3000 years ago) is in fact used in many regions of Asia as a form of greeting, both when meeting and when parting, but also to thank, ask for something, and as a sign of respect, accompanied by the symbolic gesture ("mudra") of joining the hands in prayer, bringing the palms together with the fingers pointing upwards and holding them at chest height, while simultaneously making a slight bow of the head. The word thus acquires deep spiritual values and its most correct translation is "I bow to the divine qualities within you" (or "the divine spark in me recognizes the divine spark in you"; "I unite my body and mind, focusing on my divine potential, and I bow to the same divine potential within you"). The ultimate meaning of this greeting is therefore the recognition of the equality and sacredness that lies within each of us, thus establishing a kind of connection between people, approached with an attitude of deep humility (another meaning of namaste is "nothing belongs to me").