If I were to place a thought bubble over Smokey in the above photo, it would say “Namaste!”
The first time I actually paid attention to the use of the word “Namaste” was watching one of the many PBS specials by Wayne Dyer. I watched all of his recordings and read all of his books. He was an incredible man. Here’s is an excellent primer:
If you haven’t caught WD, he’s worth a watch and read.
Jimmy Moran quotes him in An Alien Appeal. “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Before hearing “Namaste” explained by Dr. Dyer, I just assumed the word was the Hindu equivalent of my Catholic faith expression “Peace Be With You.”
Having spent a good deal of my younger life involved with martial arts, I had experienced it often exchanged as a greeting or as a farewell.
Literally, the Sanskrit word means “I bow to you.”
The Meaning of Namaste
However, as Wayne Dyer explained it, Namaste meant “the divine in me, acknowledges the divine in you.”
You see, WD believed that we all come from and therefore are an embodiment of “Source,” the “Creator,” “God.” We are all connected by that divine light within us. As such, we are only limited by our beliefs.
Jesus got it. The kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:20-21.
As one particular Yogi put it:
“When we say Namaste, we are recognizing the same divine light in others and acknowledging their infinite potential as well. By doing so, we are showing respect and gratitude for the unique soul that resides within them. This recognition of the light within each other allows us to connect on a deeper level and form a sense of unity, regardless of our external differences.”
My concept of Namaste extends beyond the human form. I see the divine in all creatures.
Which is why I am a vegetarian.
I can understand why many yoga practitioners incorporate other creatures into their practice, especially if there is alcohol involved. Taking up Yoga is on my bucket list.
https://www.thirstcolorado.com/source/2019/10/15/namaste-with-fins-paws-hooves-tails-and-snouts
The fall I turned 55, my kids sprung for a ticket for me to see Dr. Wayne Dyer live at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan. The event was scheduled around my birthday in November.
Earlier that summer, I had been injured trying to tackle a charging Maeve, the huge rescue AmStaff (yes, from The Claire Saga), as she raced to get past me on the driveway to our home on Mosholu Avenue, in Da Bronx.
I landed hard on the cement, with my right elbow catching most of the impact. It ruptured the fluid-filled sac (bursa) at the tip of the elbow.
My wife (a Nurse) and SIL, Tara, an ER nurse, both diagnosed it and demanded I go to the ER. Fuck that.
My right arm looked like I borrowed it from Popeye. My elbow extended to a three inch tent. No matter what I did as a home remedy – I don’t go to doctors – nothing would reduce its size or pain. So, being a t[h]ick mick, I learned to live with it and wore a lot of long sleeved shirts.
Watching WD speak live was electrifying. He hit all of the high notes I had learned from him in his recordings and books. And while he played to a packed house, he made you feel that it was just you and him in the room.
When the event ended, WD hung around the front of the amphitheater and accepted anyone who approached him. I didn’t want to be one of those guys, but I said fuck it, this could be my only chance, so I filtered my way through the crowd. When I finally reached the man, he smiled and said hello, thanked me for coming, then reached and shook my right hand, using a two handed shake, holding my hand for an extra few seconds. It was hypnotic. Euphoric. I would have still been standing there, right now, if someone behind me didn’t jostle me.
The next morning, when I awoke, my right elbow was completely healed.
On top of the complete repair of the sac, the notable audible click that pre-existed that injury whenever I bent that elbow that I had experienced for decades after a rough and tumble life has never returned.
WD has crossed the veil, but the impact of that moment has never left me.
I am a huge believer in the “I am” philosophy espoused by WD and earlier pioneers like Neville Goddard.
So, Namaste Dr. Wayne Dyer and all five of my fine readers. I see your divine light. Remain open to the magic in this world.
Now, I need to go cuddle some kitties and make my rounds, and acknowledge the divinity in everything around me.
So, let us all make today another great one.
One Response
Is that a prison tat on that hairy limb/appendage?
Again, you are very Franciscan in your neo-pagan soul.
Namaste, Tommy-sama🙏🫶📿✝️