Namaste

The Sherpas' view of the universe is dominated by pujas; rituals and prayers and a knowledge that their gods are not just abstract concepts but living, present beings that can influence the human experience in very direct ways. Sherpas look for the divine in everything and everywhere........from the trees, mountain peaks, and sacred river confluences to the daily greeting of "Namaste" which literally means "I greet the divine inside you". It is used very generically to mean "hello", "goodbye", "good morning" or "goodnight". But think how wonderful it is to meet a total stranger on the trekking trail, join your palms together in front of your chest, bow slightly forward, and utter the greeting "Namaste"......the spirit in me meets the spirit in you. This goes a long way in breaking down all of those barriers that we work so hard to build up around ourselves for emotional, physical and psychological protection! I have found that "Namaste" is an incredibly disarming gesture of divine acknowledgement......