The Conclusion of The Dharma of Tennis - Namaste

Namaste

If you have watched more than a few tennis matches, you know that protocol for completion of a match is: acknowledge your partner with a handshake, hug or high-five; walk to the net and do the same with your opponents – win or lose. You’ve likely seen this done graciously … or not so much. You may also have seen a player refuse to acknowledge his/her opponent at all – generating disapproval from onlookers – and I’m sure, future embarrassment to the player who chose, in a moment of weakness, to forego the usual custom. Perhaps, even you have succumbed to this unfortunate moment of ingratitude.

“Yoga” derives from the word “yoke” and means “union” – as in the union of ox with cart. As such, in yoga, we complete each session with hands held in prayer position at our chests, a humble bow towards each other, and a spoken “Namaste.”  Namaste, simply worded, means “I honor you as I honor myself” or “we are connected” – as in the ox with the cart. For me, the handshake at the end of the match signifies the end of competition and the continuance of being one with each other and the world around us – a world in which we are lucky enough to be able to have some competitive fun – at our leisure. A “Namaste” at the end of a yoga session or a handshake at the end of a tennis match is a small way – a butterfly flapping its wings – for you and I to make the world a better place in which to live. We’ve recreated together. Win or lose, we’ve exercised, interacted, absorbed vitamin D from the sunshine and – at least for a couple hours – diffused the cares of the world around us. I personally love that moment of recognition and gratitude. Perhaps it would be invigorating to recall this sentiment between points, games and sets as well. At the very least, next time you go to the net to either give or receive congratulations for a match well played, remember how fortunate you are to be here, now.

Great match… and Namaste, dear reader! Many thanks for sticking with The Dharma of Tennis blog.

And remember, if you'd like to re-read the D. of T. top to bottom, rather than the other way around, download it to your Kindle for $1.69 from Amazon. Just click on http://www.amazon.com/The-Dharma-Tennis-Judi-Beck-ebook/dp/B00E0QFLA4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395772356&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Dharma+of+Tennis and Voila! You have your very own copy. Better yet, get 3 or 7 of your tennis buddies and take the Dharma of Tennis workshop with Sandy and me! It's a great personal and teambuilding experience.