Namo guru
Translation
I bow to my teachers.
Commentary
The prayer starts with a bow, a bow to the teachers you have now, the teachers you studied with in the past, and all the teachers you will have in the future. Out of respect and appreciation for the country and language in which these teachings originally arose, the homage is in Sanskrit, the formal religious language of India. A physical gesture of respect and appreciation—joining the palms of your hands together and bowing your head—is not out of place here. To honor the past invites support, nourishment, and inspiration from those who have gone before. To honor the past with your body, speech, heart, and mind is to make that invitation tangible and active in your whole being.