Cooler Than English Words

नमस्ते   Namaste

It’s the way everyone here greets each other. Palms together in the middle of the body, you say this word and bow your head upon saying hello to others. It’s how people show respect, and unlike in the U.S., this is usually done instead of a handshake or a hug.

It’s more than just a “hello” though, and for several reasons. First of all, by bowing your head when greeting others, you are symbolizing that you are lowering your ego, and completely accepting of that person, exactly how they are. By joining our palms, we are “honoring the god in the person we are meeting.” The word’s literal translation is “my gods are greeting your gods.”

ओम   Om
After our meditation period, and before we chant our mantra, we recite “om” three times. Many people (including me) have no idea that this actually has a meaning. Allow me to enlighten you. 

By saying “om,” we are exhaling all of our air. by humming the “mmmm” at the end, we create a certain vibration and atmosphere that helps bring ourselves more to the present moment. It’s almost as if this noise, for the time being, infests itself into your mind and consumes your thoughts. The roots of the word, which is actually more like “aum,” also have a significance. 

The आ (a) is from the word fire, the उ (u) comes from the wind, and the म (m) comes from the sun. So one word, so small and seemingly insignificant, is actually very important and meaningful.