How you can bring Light into the Dark.

The days are getting shorter and the nights are becoming longer.

With the commencement of the autumn and winter time, many people notice that the lack of daylight goes for their state of mind. Statistically seen, the mood of almost every third person in Germany drops down into the cellar region. Women seem to suffer a lot more under the seasonal blues: 36 percent of them fall into a down feeling or even a depression induring the dark times of the year – whereas only every fourth man is affected with 24 percent.

This down feeling is mostly caused by the lack of light during the cold time of the year, which has an effect on the hormones of people. Without light the body produces less endorphins, which cause good feelings and produces a small amount of the „happy hormone“ serotonin. Daylight is therefore the best therapy against the so-called winter blues. Whoever can get a quarter of an hour of fresh air outside can do the best thing to prevent a depression, even during bad weather.

Something different – do you know what „Namaste´“ means?

Namaste´ is both a spoken Indian expression and a symbolic gesture used when greeting each other or in parting. Pronounced „na-ma-stay“, the term derives from Sanskrit and literally means „I bow to you.“ It's more commonly translated as „the divine light in me honours the divine light in you“. Namaste´ is the recognition that we are all equal and share a common divinity.

Many yoga teachers open and close their classes by performing namaste as a sign of appreciation and honour for their students, inviting them to connect with their own heart and truth. Westerners who have adopted the term and gesture generally endow it with a deeply sacred intention. In modern South-East Asia, on the other hand, many people use namaste more informally to greet others in everyday life. Nonetheless, many people in India and elsewhere believe that the greeting is more than a simple „hello“ or „hi“ and use it to recognize that everyone shares a common and sacred divinity.

To perform the namaste gesture, place your palms together in a prayer position in front of your heart and slightly bow your head. You may also close your eyes if you wish. In the West, people usually speak the word namaste as they bow, but in India it's understood that the gesture alone carries the same meaning. To indicate especially deep respect, you may put your hands together in front of your forehead (the site of the mystic eye), gently bow your head, and then bring your hands down to your heart.

Try it out with your family. Even though this gesture may seem foreign to us, it is a beautiful way to honour the people in your life.

Namaste´