Friday 30 September 2016

Bali Greetings


When a gently smiling Balinese clasps their hands together in front of their heart, and greets you with their favourite “Om swasti astu”, they usually finish with a direct search into the soul through your eyes, a nod and even a tap to their heart.  Returning the greeting creates instant connections.

Sometimes, an even deeper connection is honoured when they clasp your fingertips between theirs and hold either in silent meditation or more smiling and nodding. Perhaps you knew each other before, either in this lifetime or another dimension of time or space.

“Om swastiastu” is the most auspicious greeting in the Balinese Hindu culture. They generally do not use the traditional Indian Hindu “Namaste” that has become so well-known because it is practiced around the world during yoga sessions. Namaste is a formal greeting meaning “the divinity within me acknowledges the divinity within you”

“Om swastiastu” is a heartfelt appeal to the gods to show you favour! 
“Om swastiastu” calls on the vast universal energy (OM), to keep you safe, happy and prosperous (swasti), hopefully (astu).

I hope all good comes from all directions
I hope the gods give to you, health, wealth and happiness

This greeting can also be used to greet a lot of people at once where it has a more general hope that we meet with good feelings to create harmonious relationships.

After such a beautiful “Om swastiastu” greeting, you feel acknowledged on a heart to heart, deep soul level. You start to embody the beauty and stillness within, and perhaps you can even feel more healthy wealthy and wise. 

An instant connection is formed, as you acknowledge that you are the same – all part of the same energy, the same universal love, the same…