How 'Namaste' Flew Away From Us
"Namaste" has a meaning among Hindi speakers. But in the U.S., the word has been wrangled out of its context and tossed around to mean whatever people want it to.
It's often how you know yoga class is over: The teacher faces the class with their hands together in a bow, saying "Namaste." Maybe you bow and say it back.
But that's not the only place you'll encounter "namaste." In the years since yoga became commercially popular in the United States, the word has taken on a life of its own. Namaste has found its way onto t-shirts, welcome mats, mugs, socks, pencil cases, and tote bags.
And that's just the word on its own. Let's not forget the namaste puns and catch phrases: "." "." "."