Why Namasté?

'Namasté' isn't just a gesture that belongs to Hindus. It isn't religious although it was initially practised  by Hindus.

'Namasté' is a deeper and much more spiritual switch that enables in ascension of individual souls and thus in that of the planet.

The internet is full of loose translations, often grammatically incorrect, however correct in emphasising what the term implies . From my little knowledge of Sanskrit I take the privilege of sharing my understanding of the term and what it stands for. The information I thus share is to the best of my knowledge and is not taken from any references. I request that any corrections needed be pointed out.

Importance of the word:

'Namasté' may be read as a combination of two words 'namah' and 'te'.
'Namah' implies 'to pray' or 'to bow', not physically but from a mental point of view. 'To bow' implies 'shedding of ego' in this context. It is not 'prayer' as people offer to God or deities. Nonetheless, no conventional prayer can be successful unless the ego is shed. Hence, 'namah' is significant in prayers as well as in daily greetings. This is also why most Sanskrit Shlokas and chants have 'namah' somewhere in them. For instance, 'om namah shivay' wherein we shed our ego (or, so to say, surrender) to lord Shiv.

'Te' means 'to you'

The term 'Namasté' thus implies '(I) bow to you' which actually means 'I surrender my ego to you'

Often the gesture is associated with a physical bowing of the head. That is complimentary and Namasté doesn't necessarily require us to bow physically as it is the bending of ego that is far more important than bowing of the head. Those who lose in wars also bow their head to the victor. It doesn't guarantee allegiance. It doesn't imply that there shall be peace. Often such people get back with much vengeance!

Namasté, or bending of the ego on the other hand, is the foundation of peace! For when we bend our ego, we see the divine in the other. When we see divine in all, we have no problem in accepting their point of view.
Bending the ego kills superiority complex and when we are not superior to anyone, we are free from the fear of becoming inferior to anyone. When we are free from fear, we are free from greed and jealousy as lack of this fear renders the competition worthless.
And when we see the divine that is present in all,  we are not afraid to love all. When we love all, we unite and contributed to peace!

The gesture:

The physical act of 'Namasté' brings the  together, close to each other and to the heart chakra. This is also very significant. Hands are tools of magic. Like mouth is a portal for the entry of food, our hands are portals for exchange of energy.
Usually, the left hand is receptive while the right hand transmits. When we bring the palms together, we neither receive nor radiate any energy to or from the other person. In a way it is protective to both as a greeting may be made at anytime irrespective of our state of mind and while greeting someone, we don't know their energy either. Folding the palms together protect both the people involved from transmission of unwanted energy.
(This is also why most deities are shown with their right palm facing us as that signifies their grace radiating out us. But harnessing energy using consciousness and intent is another topic.)

Bringing the palms together also shiftd our consciousness to them and subsequently as we bring them close to the heart chakra , we shift our consciousness to it. This ensures that our greeting is from a place of 'love'. Love cannot be without mutual respect and we cannot honour the divine in anyone unless we love and respect them.

The knowledge of the gesture enables us to focus on the intent behind the term. The entire process is akin to casting a spell for universal peace and brotherhood!

The simple yet profound act of 'Namasté' is a powerful act of watering the tree of peace that can wither unless it is carefully nurtured.

The act of Namasté unites us and I encourage you to try to simply speak it and then speak it with the gesture and intent. You will notice the difference yourself!

Mahashivratri

Mahashivratri, perhaps the most significant Hindu festival, is celebrated on chaturdashi tithi of krishnpaksha of phagun maas (14th day of the lunar cycle).
Perhaps this explains the waning crescent on Lord Shiva's head.

Lord Shiva, the most compassionate God/Diety/Adi guru as well as the God of destruction, is also shown to have his third eye (pineal gland/seat of spirituality) open.

Ideally each 14th day of the waning moon phase is Shivratri, Mahashivratri being the most significant.

To everyone, this day holds its own significance. Some celebrate it as the union of Shiva and Shakti, his consort.
Some, celebrate it as the day when Lord Shiva attained Mount Kailash like stillness (deepest state of meditation).
I figure it means the same.
Vigyan Bhairav describes Shakti as the face of Shiva as well as the path unto Him. It also, in its various dialogues between Shiva and Shakti, describes the various paths to attain perfect state of mediation (or the state of Shiva) which also includes divine union.
So we can all agree that basically Shivratri is a night of spiritual evolution. It is celebrated by a day long fast and a night long vigil. A person who wants to observe this pious day stays upright all night long. The most significant time is that of midnight (calculated as the time exactly midway between sun set and sunrise) (not 0000hrs!)

The question is why night? Why darkness? Why waning moon? Most festivals especially those that are supposed to bring in prosperity, are observed during the waxing phase of the moon. Waxing phase is the phase that is observed by religions that follow the moon (which includes pagan/wiccan religions too) as the phase of 'increment'.
So why the waning phase for mahashivratri?
Dark is sadly associated with the devil, by the naive. Dark (and waning moon) signifies 'banishing'. Each month, Shivratri encourages us to banish ignorance and attain spiritual advancement, Mahashivratri being the most powerful night amongst them all. Similar banishing rituals are held by those who follow Paganism/Wicca.

Shiva, the destroyer, destroys 'all that is' like material objects around us so we may attain 'all that isn't' (Shiva) that is void/dark depths and truths of the universe.

Light creates distractions by showing us all sorts of illusions. When there is no light, there are no illusions, only truth.

Truth alone can help us all evolve as a species. In the absolute truth, there is love compassion and kindness. Thus, Lord Shiva is known as the most compassionate-The destroyer of 'all that is' and the giver of knowledge and truth...

Mahashivratri is an opportunity to seek and ask, an opportunity to grow and evolve.

Happy Mahashivratri!
Namaste

The evolution of faith

EVOLUTION OF FAITH

An unknown and possibly irrational belief in something or someone is faith. We may have faith in God, in ourselves, in someone we love and so on. It could be said that faith is the greatest strength of us humans. On the contrary, it could also be said that faith is essentially a defence mechanism we humans evolved to 'cling on to a blade of grass' so that we sail through a challenge.
Presently, faith is almost as crippling as it is reassuring since people now depend on their faith for every thing big or small, right or wrong. Over the years faith has evolved from an unseen and unsung Samaritan to a poor scape goat as people dump any mishap, any blame on their faiths or the manifestations of those faiths.

If we look back over the ages we would realise that originally there was fear. It was fear of the unknown and the inexplicable that tormented the ancient humans. In their "ignorance" the ancient humans saw the divine in the possibly destructive and thus they eventually started resting their faiths into them. Thus, the scorching sun, the mighty winds, the deep waters and other elements of our nature became the first to be coronated 'God'. Wild fires were the wrath of unhappy 'Gods' while the life affirming rains and the bounties of harvest were the gifts.

When faith was independent of religion, world knew more peace.

There was no religion save the one that celebrated life. All positive and life affirming forces were 'Gods' and all destructive forces were either 'wrath of God' or 'anti God'.
The strongest was the mightiest and was worshipped. Of all elements, naturally the sun obtained a supreme position.

But winters alone pave way for spring and soon the destructive forces were seen as a part of the story of life of the planet as a whole.
In Hinduism, for instance, these supreme forces were divided into a creative force of Brahma, a preserver Vishnu and a destroyer Mahesh .
Subsequently the wise men developed metaphorical stories around the God and lessons of life became mythology. Artists recorded these as paintings and sculptures and thus the human created the face of the divine.
The practises although remained based on the same principle: worship life (and thus nature )
From nature worship evolved faiths such as Hinduism and Paganism.
Subsequently the humans realised that they themselves are also a part of this immense nature and that in certain simple humanly deeds manifest the greatest divine. Some would call such enlightened humans 'avatars' of God. Some call them 'messiah' or 'guru' but the essence was simple: to acknowledge the manifestation of the intangible divine in mortal humans.
However, faith which was incepted as a mighty force to surrender to, submit to and to live united in peace , slowly evolved into the greatest cradle of wars and crimes as it became the identity of clans and pride of people.

It is saddening that something so beautiful has been so marred by us. Today, people know how to spend hefty amounts of money for their faiths but few know that in the ways in which they claim to follow their faiths they are actually shattering the very foundation of their own faith.
While a faith does unite its followers by becoming their identity,  it also tends to unintentionally divide people on the basis of differences in their faiths. While each and every form of each and every faith that exists today talks about essentially the same issue: universal peace and harmony, it is sad that in apparently "following" their faiths people tend to harbour ill will and hatred towards others.
So faith- a seed of hope, happiness and tolerance has over time grown into an arrogant tree that does not submit to the mighty winds but instead stand tall- ready to be uprooted than to peacefully surrender.

-Kriti Gangwar