Namaste

Namaste is a Sanskrit greeting originating in India, used as both a greeting and a farewell. In the context of yoga classes, it is typically spoken at the end of class while the hands are in Anjali Mudra (prayer position at the heart) with a slight bow — a gesture of respect, gratitude, and acknowledgment.

The Meaning

"Namaste" is generally translated as "the divine in me honors/recognizes the divine in you," though more literal translations offer "I bow to you" or "salutations to you." The gesture acknowledges that beneath our individual differences, we share the same fundamental essence or consciousness.

Pronunciation

Na-MA-stay (emphasis on second syllable), not NA-mah-stay.

Cultural Context

Namaste is deeply embedded in Indian culture as an everyday greeting — used in contexts far beyond yoga. When Westerners adopt Namaste exclusively as a yoga-class ritual while being unaware of its broader cultural context, this can be viewed as cultural appropriation.

Many contemporary yoga teachers are thoughtful about this context — explaining the word's meaning and broader cultural significance rather than treating it as a yoga buzzword.

Anjali Mudra

The accompanying gesture — palms pressed together at the heart with fingertips pointing upward — is Anjali Mudra, the gesture of offering. The physical gesture of bowing with hands at the heart reduces the ego (by bowing) while acknowledging the heart connection (hands at the heart center).

Many practitioners find this closing ritual a valuable moment of transition from the yoga space back into daily life.