‘The God in me greets the God in you…..
….and the Spirit in me meets the Spirit in you
Probably nowhere else in the world, a form of personal greeting leaves as deep an impact as the Indian Namaskar or Namaste. The uniquely Indian motif and its mystical symbolism has untold potential for branding.
Namaskar is a complete submission of one to the other, no questions asked, no answers sought.
Not everyone who greets another person with folded hands however is fully aware of this symbolism – “I acknowledge and honor the God in you” and the other returns the gesture with the same meaning, “….And it’s the same God that resides in you.”
How deeply spiritual can you get?
This could be an ideal leitmotif for Indian brands, quite a handful of whom have imbibed it in their names (e.g. Palais Namaskar, a Moroccan luxury hotel in Africa and Namaskar Lounge, an Indian restaurant cum bar in Bristol). The symbolism can creatively be used for various strategic, purposes in healthcare industry, travel and tourism sector, for packaging design in wellness products or even personal care products. There is a lot of imagination locked up there, given the wealth of meaning the motif hides in its heart.
Literally translated Namaskar means ‘to do Namah,’ an abbreviation of ‘Na mamah’ which means ‘not mine’. The gesture (or mudra) is a simple act of bringing both palms together at the level of your heart, join them, and lightly bow your head, while making the pronouncement. A simple greeting that springs from the heart and is reciprocated in kind.
On a much deeper plane, one hand in Namaskar implies the higher, spiritual nature; while the other represents the worldly self. By combining the two, the person making the gesture is assuring the other person that he will attempt to rise above his differences with others, and connect himself with him/her by placing himself on a lower plane.
The beauty of the gesture is that the God-entity is not construed as some sort of a “big man up there in the sky” apart and distinct from the mortals on earth, but as “the divine principle of live” who exists in our midst and resides in our hearts. The gesture instantly connects us to the oneness of our being; to the universality of which we are all a part.
It takes us to the state of Aham Brahman (I am God), where the Self (or Atman) is intricately connected (rather inseparable) from the Supreme Self (or Brahman). This simple gesture thus is a reminder to ourselves and others of the absolute oneness and divinity in each one of us, irrespective of color, creed, beliefs, warts and all. By joining the five fingers of each hand, we achieve a total of ten, the symbol of perfection in Numerology, which is also the mystical number of completion and unity.
And before I forget, there is one, last aspect to this. Biology and the Chinese science of Acupressure and Acupuncture tell us that our palms have a cluster of nerve endings. The modern-day medical science corroborates this thesis. In a classical dance mudra, and especially in Kathakali (the highly evocative Kerala dance form that does not dwell or rely too heavily on words or musical accompaniments) the dancer’s hands speak louder than his tongue, lungs or voice. Indeed there are 24 Basic mudras (hand gestures) in Hasthalakshana Deepika, the ancient treatise that a Kathakali dancer follows.
Yoga follows its own logics of hand mudras, wrenched in the yogis’ deep knowledge of human anatomy. Just by folding your hand in certain ways, you can command your whole body-system to perform in different ways. Hath yogis (ascetics trained in acute physical, mental and spiritual discipline) go so far as to assert that the moment you fold and join your hands, your dualities, i.e. your likes and dislikes, your cravings and aversions; your Id, Ego and Superego begin getting leveled out and you effortlessly attain a state of equanimity and equilibrium. Isn’t that a happy space to be in when you are welcoming someone into your life?
Giving oneness to your expression.
Inviting two energies to flow as one.
Being on the same page.
On the same wavelength.
A crackle of energy…
A sudden elevation in mind and spirit
Boom!
Let’s try and see, if you feel it…..