Friday, September 21, 2007

Namaste...



I often sign messeges and comments with this. A strange journey led to me using that word, but that is story for another time. People have been asking What it Means. It has Asian roots, both Hindu and Buddhist,and has ancient Sanskrit roots. It is a word that implies both Empathy and Compassion. It is a word of Honor and Humility and Dignity and Respect. It is spoken with softness, and hands pressed together and at heart level. It is pronounced "Nama "( like mama)+ "Stay". It directly translates "I bow to you". But the deeper meaning is " I am with you in Spirit". ( You can always go to Wikipedia, and scroll down the page to all of the meanings, but the meanings are about being Connected to others and Honoring That Connection.)

If you have a word or expression that is from your Culture or your Heritage that means much to you, I would love to hear it....Please share...below. Namaste.

[enigma is taking a little break today due to a wounded eye that needs about 24 hours to heal, so I won't be out visiting blogs much today, and I might be late answering a few emails. Friday Night Music is already picked- so please do come on back later.]

[Click the Title: Jackson Browne" Lives In the Balance"]

FOOTNOTE: (okay, so I didn't even make it 3 hours without coming back to blogatopia- but I can't help it , it is like that big old Lazy Boy sitting by a Fire- it just keeps luring me back...Anyways: PLEASE do go to Spadoman's Blog today, he has a post up Honoring MIA/POW DAY, and it is a beautiful post.....)

13 comments:

TomCat said...

I have no words that some to mind, except for these:

I hope your eye gets better.

jmsjoin said...

Namaste Enigma!
Take care of your eye. I bow to you and I am with you in spirit. You are full of words of wisdom. I have only my untaintable principles.

Daniel said...

Does this mean that you're one-eyed, Enigma? Surely not.

Hope it gets better quickly. Take care!

Anonymous said...

As far as words from my heritage, unfortunately, I come from The Family of Fractured Syntax. Here's an example: Never look a gift horse in the ass (thanks, grandpa, that's been oh so helpful in my life). Another: I could hear you coming with one eye tied behind my back (mom referring to her very loud kids). Drunken uncles always slurred: But I've only had a coupla two three! A grandma always added "look out for each other" to her goodbyes. Now that was a nice one.

I liked hearing what Namaste means to you -- so fitting that a word full of empathy & compassion would resonate with you. Is there perhaps a tatoo/symbol that denotes Namaste?

Please take care of that eye. ~~ D.K.

Larry said...

Get well Enigma and here is something for you to read when you are able.

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070920_100442_7900&source=srch&page=1

the walking man said...

In my culture it is usually expressed as something along this vein, may peace dwell within you as it does within me.


may peace dwell within you as it does within me.

Peace

TWM

No Blood for Hubris said...

Hi, enigma.

Hope you're well.

My translators always told me that it meant, "I salute the god within you."

Not in the god sense, but more like saluting the holy part of another by means of the holy part of oneself.

Granny said...

When you come back, you'll see me sending best wishes to you.

Namaste.

Tina said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tina said...

I shall try this again... grrrr...

Aaaw... an injury?
And of the eye?
So sorry.
I'm sending "up" some healing rays your way.

And I say 2 words that come from my grandfathers.
From my mom's dad, comes the word "Hipahipa." He was stationed in Hawaii during WWII as a Naval diver who did body recovery for downed planes and ships. Hipahipa (pronounced hee-pah hee-pah) is said as a toast when drinking or when excited, like exclaiming "hip hooray!" When something happens that I really like, I clap my hands together and say hipahipa! Oh Buni... how I miss ya.
The second thing that I say is "Salute!" when drinking just about anything at anytime. That comes from my father's dad, who was an Italian immigrant and he would raise a glass (of wine, water, juice, milk... he didn't care) and exclaim "salute" (pronounced saaa-loooh- tee) before tossing it down. I happily do the same thing.
Oh Poppi... how I miss ya, too.

Tom Harper said...

Get well and take care of your eye.

They use Namaste for both hello and goodbye. I don't remember if Namaste is from the Hindi language or from lots of language in that part of the world. The Hindi language also uses the same word to mean yesterday and tomorrow.

Who Hijacked Our Country

sumo said...

So sorry about the eye...take it easy and heal...

enigma4ever said...

Thank you one and all, I will try to get back the blogs by tomorrow eve....depends on how the eye is...Miss you..and grateful for all the wonderful comments...namaste..