The staff of Namaste Publishing are a passionate, spiritually-oriented team who publish books, DVDs, and other materials that enrich our experience of stillness, oneness, love, and service.

Publisher's Philosophy

As a publisher, I have no interest in just putting more words out into the world. I am interested only in offering readers significantly unique material that is life-enhancing, even life-altering.

All true change comes about first through inner work. In trying to treat the problems we are facing, we often ignore the only thing that actually matters—the quality of our inner state of being. Solutions are always found on the inner plane. They emerge when we enter a place of heightened consciousness experienced in inner stillness, which is often called "presence."

At Namaste, our overarching mission is to make available publications that acknowledge, celebrate, and encourage others to express their unique essence and thereby come to remember who they really are.

"Namaste" is a Sanskrit word that acknowledges the inestimable value of each individual. It is often used to greet and honor others. Translation: "As I acknowledge and honor the divine presence within myself, so do I acknowledge and honor the divine presence within you."

The extended meaning of the word has been expressed as: "I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place in you that is love, truth, light, and peace. When you are in this place in you, and I am in this place in me, we are one."

To all our readers, I say, "Namaste."

Constance Kellough

A Visionary Mustard Seed:

How NAMASTE PUBLISHING Came into Being

The birth of NAMASTE PUBLISHING is an example of how, if we are open to it, life itself will lead us in every step of our journey of becoming servants of the oneness that seeks to express itself in our myriad forms.

It was early in 1996 that I began to experience a yearning to engage in spiritual practice with a group—or what the East calls a Sangha, which is a Sanskrit word. This desire was such a change for me, since my spiritual practice had for many years been quite private, that I didn’t act on it immediately. I simply noted the presence of this yearning, allowing that it was perhaps a passing whim.

When the yearning didn’t fade, following a meeting in our management consultant boardroom, I mentioned it to one of my colleagues. “That’s interesting,” he said, “because I just met a fellow who arrived from England a few weeks ago and is said to be a spiritual teacher.” 

Surprised and delighted, I responded, “I would like to meet this person.”

“I’ll ask if he would be open to leading sessions in your office,” my colleague said.

A week later, at the end of the workday our office door opened and in walked a gentle, unassuming man who was introduced to me as Eckhart Tolle. From then on, each week he came to our office, where a small group gathered.

As the months went by, Eckhart led us deeper and deeper into a state of stillness, in which we became increasingly attuned to the Presence at the heart of everything.

Eckhart not only exuded the energy of Presence, but he was also able to express perennial spiritual truths in an idiom suited to our times. His clear, contemporary language conveyed deep insights that enabled me to recognize him for the profound and timely teacher he is, especially for the West.

As time passed, I learned that Eckhart was writing a book. Though I thought this was a wonderful idea, it came as a total surprise when, after a semi-private session of spiritual practice during the summer, he asked, “Constance, would you consider being my publisher?”

At the time, I was happily ensconced in my career as a management consultant and knew nothing about publishing. But as I drove home that afternoon, it occurred to me that perhaps it wasn’t just a coincidence that for ten years I had been in the college system as both an instructor and Department Chair of English Literature.

As I thought about the yearning that had arisen in me to engage in a group form of spiritual practice, coinciding as it did with Eckhart’s arrival in Vancouver, I began to see that behind the chronological storylines of Eckhart’s life and my own ran a thread of spiritual intent that was the work of an invisible weaver.

Crossing the Lions Gate Bridge from West Vancouver, I symbolically crossed an inner bridge. Yes, I would be Eckhart’s publisher. Thus the mustard seed was dropped in the soil. 

Of course, I went through the predictable egoic vacillations. I had never published a book. What if I let Eckhart down? And how was I going to find the time and resources to do this?

As Eckhart and I sat together month after month working on his manuscript, we were in complete oneness in feeling compelled to put his teaching out to the world, not knowing or even caring whether it would be read by a handful, several hundred, or many thousands—let alone millions. 

The Power of Now was born into the world in 1997, though many tests of our commitment still lay ahead. As first-time author and publisher, Eckhart and I defied many of the publishing industry norms and practices. With no marketing budget to speak of, in the initial stage, we often walked the books into stores ourselves. Sometimes we met with no interest, while other times a store would order a few copies at a time.

After two failed attempts to convince a Canadian national book distributor to carry The Power of Now, Eckhart suggested that perhaps we just leave it at that. But I wasn’t ready to give up yet. The third attempt met with success, and the rest is publishing history. To date The Power of Now has sold over six million copies and is available in over 30 languages.

Would Eckhart write another book? At all times our publishing decisions were led by life itself, which is where the invisible weaver’s influence is always experienced.

The answer came as Eckhart’s teaching evolved. The Power of Now was followed by Stillness Speaks, then A New Earth. More recently a children’s book, Milton’s Secret, has been added. After the success of The Power of Now, others in the industry were then eager to pick them up and carry them forward. 

Much to my surprise, I was also led to publish other authors. In each case, I didn’t seek them out, but they came to me—as have the handful of staff members who work with me in NAMASTE PUBLISHING. Each step of the way, it has been important not to allow ego to affect our business decisions. Our purpose has never been to become a large publishing concern, but simply to provide an avenue for Presence to raise the consciousness of our fellow humans. 

I am happy to say that when a new author is published, readers who are supportive of our publications take it upon themselves to “spread the word” in whatever way they are able—introducing the book to friends, contacting their email lists, and encouraging bookstores to carry our titles. We owe a great measure of our success to these friends and are deeply grateful for all they do. 

Now, life has guided NAMASTE PUBLISHING to take a further step. In January, 2010, the launch of the NAMASTE GLOBAL COMMUNITY website opened the way for individuals all over the world to participate together in the journey to higher consciousness, encouraging each other on a daily basis through online discussion groups, sharing their experiences and insights, and interacting directly with our authors.  

My own role at NAMASTE PUBLISHING is also evolving. I too have been led to write a book: The Leap—Are You Ready to Live a New Reality? I am now once again also being asked to give teachings and talks, along with our authors. 

Our driving purpose is to bring the reality pointed to by the word “Namaste” to those we serve. This Hindu word originated from the Sanskrit namaskara, which is used to greet a person in a way that signifies honoring the divinity within them.

The extended meaning of Namaste is, “I honor the place in you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place in you that is of love, of truth, of light, and of peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”

Namaste.

Constance Kellough

Related Resources

Meet the Namaste Team

The Namaste Story, a free digital download