Namaste.
Namaste !
Considering the worldwide pandemic, namaste seemed like the most appropriate greeting before starting the blog. In more ways than one, it has emerged as the star of all greetings. Let me explain what made me think so.
Namaste is an age old tradition of greeting each other. You fold your hands and bow to each other and say Namaste.You don’t have to rush to sanitize your hands after you greet a person Namaste because you haven’t touched the other person. You can keep your hands to yourself and I can keep mine to myself. At the same time you have added a swag to your greeting by using a traditional method of greeting each other.
A lot of people use this term without knowing what it means. It is not just a greeting used in yoga classes and organic vegetarian stores ( As seen in many countries outside India)
Namaste —- Namaha + Te —– I bow to you —– The divinity in me bows to the divinity in you.
During times like this when all of us are really looking forward to miracles and miracle men/women to stop this pandemic from blowing out of proportion, this greeting seems to be the perfect one.
While we wait for those miracle men/women to do what they can do to stop and prevent this virus, it is also time to acknowledge and appreciate the divinity in one another.
There is a lot that each of us can do by just following the rules set by the health providers.
There is a lot that each of us can do by being considerate of other people’s needs when we buy things for ourselves.
There is a lot that each of us can do by not spreading panic/rumors.
That is the divinity that is expected from each of us now. If that can be evoked by a greeting, then let us all do it.
Amongst all the videos, images and texts that I came across since the outbreak, the one that I really took a note of, (other than the ones issued by authorized medical practitioners) is an old ted talk given by Bill Gates.
In his Ted Talk in 2015 – ‘The Next Outbreak – We are not ready’ , Bill Gates said – “If anything kills more than 10 million people in the next few decades, it’s most likely to be a highly infectious virus, rather than a war. ” He was talking about the ebola outbreak and said we were lucky that it could be restricted to certain number of countries and cities then. He also said, ” Next time we may not be so lucky. You can have a virus where people feel well enough while they are infectious, that they get on a plane or they go to the market.”
And, here we are!
Bill Gates ended his talk by saying , “If we start now, we can be ready for the next epidemic.”
Clearly, we did not start then. Hope we can start NOW!
You can listen to his Ted talk here- Bill Gates Ted Talk 2015
NAMASTE!
Comments
I think it was just a matter of time before a virus came along that we are unable to cope with, and this seems to be the one. And until the medical officials come up with something to at least partially prevent or cure it (and I believe they will), then I think we do need to be sensible about following the recommendations, remembering that others need supplies as well, and as you say, honoring the divinity that exists in each of us. Very well said, Deepa!