My brother has a brother-in-law who considers himself a Buddhist. We see each other a few times a year – generally major holidays and the occasional birthday party. I wont speak to his “faith” but it seems to require little more than a vague belief in “spirituality” and inner peace. In keeping with this he never fails to place his hands together, bow slightly and solemnly mumble “nah-mah-stay” whenever we meet. My traditional comeback is something like “Cut the voodoo shit Jeff and go get me a beer … and while you’re at it, get yourself one too.”

Nah-mah-stay. It’s always sounded pretentious to me – like something the horny yoga instructor whispers to the better looking women in his class at the feel-good universal holistic healing center. But, like anything it does have a legitimate meaning. Namaste – and I will quote here – “represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. “Nama” means bow, “as” means I, and “te” means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means “bow me you” or “I bow to you.””

It sounds meaningful and spiritual albeit rather vague. To be honest, I never though much about spirits or spirituality. I can’t say I am totally convinced there are such things. I’m guilty of rolling my eyes whenever someone sincerely describe their significant other as their “soul-mate.” I can feel the sarcasm welling up inside me. These people are fooling themselves. That sort of thing just does not exist. Secretly I’m jealous. I’ve never had a soul mate. Never felt that connection.

When I visit my friend for the first time, wine in hand, I come as a friend and yet I feel something new, something different. It’s a strange familiarity – like I’ve always known her. I feel like something inside me/us reaches out to each other. It creates an extra dimension to everything we do together – every conversation, every gesture, every look, every touch.

Was it our souls connecting? Perhaps. Maybe it was just chemical or hormonal? Don’t know. I know it was a singular feeling – of safety, of being with a someone I’ve known forever. It’s a feeling I’ve never felt before … and probably won’t again.

Namaste – I bow to the divine spark inside her, from one soul to another.