Chain letter

By Vichara


Today I invite you to participate in a chain letter. No this is not the kind that if you don't send this to 10 people you know in the next 5 minutes bad luck will come your way. No, it's a chain letter that has no obligations, but simple to execute. Just pick 1 person you know and send them a quick, simple note. A single compassionate message in one line or a few words. This will create a small wave of positive energy and like a small stone in a pond, watch it out and possibly back to you. If it does and you feel so inclined...send another. Remember, keep it simple because the sometimes the simplest things can be profound.

chiropteran • \kye-RAHP-tuh-run\ • noun
: any of an order of night-flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings : bat

Example Sentence:
The vampire hunters were greeted by swarms of chiropterans as they entered Dracula's castle.

Did you know?
"Chiroptera" is the name of the order of the only mammal capable of true flight, the bat. The name is influenced by the hand-like wings of bats, which are formed from four elongated "fingers" covered by a cutaneous membrane. It is based on the Greek words for "hand," "cheir," and "wing," "pteron." "Cheir" also had a hand in the formation of the word "surgery," which is ultimately derived from the ancient word "cheirourgos," meaning "doing by hand." "Pteron" is widely used in technical names of flying insects. It’s also the ancestor of a well-known, common word: "helicopter," which joins “pteron” with Greek "heliko," meaning "spiral.”

Not out there...

By Vichara


As resilient as some hearts are they still need patience, love & compassion. The fight that we have internally over decisions that seem unsolvable can all be reconciled by recognizing that the answers are not completely "out there" but within and out there. They can be only be found by recognizing the everything in inter-connected. Of every movement, every thought, every expression and every act of compassion not only to ourselves but to others at the same time. Even though we are all unique individuals we are still part of a much larger ever-changing canvas. A continuously moving masterpiece.

palpable • \PAL-puh-bul\ • adjective
1 : capable of being touched or felt : tangible
2 : obvious, plain

Example Sentence:
There was a palpable excitement in the air as the actors prepared to go on stage on opening night.

Did you know?
The word "palpable" has been used in English since the 14th century. It derives from the Latin word “palpare,” meaning "stroke" or "caress” -- the same root that gives us the word "palpitation." The Latin verb is also a linguistic ancestor of the verb "feel." "Palpable" can be used to describe things that can be felt through the skin, such as a palpable sweat, but even more frequently is used in reference to things that cannot be touched but are still so easy to perceive that it is as though they could be touched -- such as a palpable tension in the air.

Reflecting out…

By Vichara


Before external change can happen, internal change must be initiated. Like the stone thrown into a pond of water, the ripples of simple acts of compassion, patience and love you give to yourself will radiate out to those around you pliable to change. Others will receive not all of what you radiate but fragments will and as it did with you, result in that small impact and ripple out and back to you and others.

manticore • \MAN-tih-kor\ • noun
: a legendary animal with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon or scorpion

Example Sentence:
The book, a collection of fantastic tales, has on its cover a vivid illustration of a wild-eyed manticore chasing a hunter.

Did you know?
A mythical creature of ancient fables, the manticore keeps company with the better-known unicorn, dragon, and griffin. Descriptions of the manticore's features sometimes differ (some accounts mention porcupine quills or poisonous spikes, for example; others depict the tail as having a serpent's head), but the animal is by all accounts a dreadful beast. The word "manticore" came to English through Greek and Latin, and is probably ultimately of Iranian origin. Etymologists think it is related to an Old Persian word for "man-eater."

Objects of desire…

By Vichara


There are times that we can feel like one of those greyhound dogs racing around a track trying to catch that elusive, artificial rabbit. In the mind of the greyhound the rabbit is real, the object of desire and fulfillment. But because of the deceptive and short-term memory with the nature of these attempts for fulfillment, the greyhound forgets that the rabbit is not real in as much the same way we fall prey to the smoke and mirrors of desire. We see the glitter and perceived charm of something desirable that has been dangled in front of us but once acquired it holds little emotional value. The attachment to things keeps us prisoners of our own desires. Like the old adage, all that glitters is not gold, holds true as those things that have great value are those things that can’t be acquired by monetary means, but by the heart.

exoteric • \ek-suh-TAIR-ik\ • adjective
1 : suitable to be imparted to the public
2 : belonging to the outer or less initiate circle
3 : external

Example Sentence:
As specialist writing for a broader audience, Annette faces the challenge of producing an exoteric synthesis of complex information.

Did you know?
"Exoteric" derives from Latin "exōtericus," which is itself from Greek "exoterikus," meaning "external,” and ultimately from “exo," meaning "outside." "Exō" has a number of offspring in English, including "exotic," "exonerate," "exorbitant," and the combining form “exō-” or “ex-” (as in "exoskeleton" and "exobiology"). The antonym of “exoteric” is "esoteric," meaning "designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone”; it descends from the Greek word for "within," "esō."

Tuning in...

By Vichara


The words I write are not my own, everyone has them. It is only by listening with an open heart that they will appear. The Divine Spirit radio station is available to us all, no matter who we are. There is no special cable hook up but there is a simple agreement plan. By using love, compassion and patience the signal will be stronger and translate in any language to any part of the world.

scofflaw • \SKAHFF-law\ • noun
: a contemptuous law violator

Example Sentence:
The governor’s office set up a database listing the names of scofflaws who hadn’t paid their traffic fines.

Did you know?
In 1924, a wealthy Massachusetts Prohibitionist named Delcevare King sponsored a contest in which he asked participants to coin an appropriate word to mean “a lawless drinker.” King sought a word that would cast violators of Prohibition laws in a light of shame. Two respondents came up independently with the winning word: “scofflaw,” formed by combining the verb “scoff” and the noun “law.” Henry Dale and Kate Butler, also of Massachusetts, split King’s $200 prize. Improbably, despite some early scoffing from language critics, “scofflaw” managed to pick up steam in English and expand to a meaning that went beyond its Prohibition roots, referring to one who violates any law, not just laws related to drinking.

It's in your pocket...

By Vichara


We all have the answers. Let that sink in for a while. Say it to yourself again…we all have the answers. There is the factual and those answers are easily obtainable these days by many means through books, video, teachers, the Internet, etc. Then there s the esoteric and the answers to those humanistic emotional variances that seem remote and unobtainable. All of the keys that will open the doors of understanding are in everyone’s pocket. Our reluctance to getting the “answers” is not based in ignorance but in reluctance of being patient enough to locate the key to each answer that resides in all of us. Sometimes it may take some time to get the answer but with patience you will get there.

lacuna • \luh-KOO-nuh\ • noun
1 : a blank space or a missing part : gap
2 : a small cavity, pit, or discontinuity in an anatomical structure

Example Sentence:
The newly discovered Civil War documents filled many lacunae in the museum's archives.

Did you know?
Exploring the etymology of "lacuna" involves taking a plunge into the pit -- or maybe a leap into the “lacus” (that's the Latin word for "lake"). Latin speakers modified “lacus” into “lacuna,” and used it to mean "pit," "cleft," or "pool." English speakers borrowed the term in the 17th century. Another English word that traces its origin to "lacuna" is "lagoon," which came to us by way of Italian and French.

Expect a miracle…

By Vichara


Expect a miracle! We have seen this quick inspirational quote used in pop culture over the years. But what if we did expect one or at least the essence of the healing core that is embedded in these three words. We are given so many reasons not to be hopeful by all the negativity in 98% of the news on TV, in magazines and newspapers. But buried in all of these, pushed to the side in our daily lives are small miracles chugging along like the little engine that could. Help in your own way to feed the engine of this ambassador of hope with your own compassion…oh and don’t forget your turn to blow the horn on this little engine.

shunpike • \SHUN-pyke\ • noun
: a side road used to avoid the toll on or the speed and traffic of a superhighway

Example Sentence:
When people request directions to our house, I ask them if they prefer to take the turnpike or the shunpike.

Did you know?
America's love affair with the automobile and the development of a national system of superhighways (along with the occasional desire to seek out paths less-traveled) is a story belonging to the 20th century. So the word "shunpike," too, must be a 20th-century phenomenon, right? Nope. Toll roads have actually existed for centuries (the word "turnpike" has meant "tollgate" since at least 1678). In fact, toll roads were quite common in 19th-century America, and "shunpike" has been describing side roads since the middle of that century, almost half a century before the first Model T rolled out of the factory.

The abuse of words…

By Vichara


Words can divide and conquer but their biggest asset is unite. Everyday we have been hearing disparaging and negative words being used to discredit or to misalign what others have done or said. The numbing effect of these words to some, results in a shrug and turning away. Instead of calling on those who speak dismissively to account and give justification for the destructive things they say, we walk away. We need to collectively stop the abuse of words and to build a foundation of positive and supportive language that will inspire each other daily. Not just in small ways, but in small compassionate ways as well.

aggress • \uh-GRESS\ • verb
: to commit aggression : to act aggressively

Example Sentence:
Certain indicators, such as irritability, can indicate an animal's likelihood to aggress.

Did you know?
"Aggress" and its more familiar relatives, "aggression" and "aggressive," derive from the Latin verb "aggredi," meaning "to approach, attack, or undertake." When "aggress" was first used in English in the 16th century, it meant "to approach," but that use is now obsolete. The current meaning of the word has been with us since the early 18th century. Back then, the noun "aggress" ("an attack") appeared occasionally as well, but time has relegated that use to obsolescence, too.

Hey it’s the weekend! …

By Vichara


Happy Friday to everyone! Yeah the weekend is here! For many of us we look forward so much to the couple days at the week’s end to relax and enjoy life. But for millions today this will be their last day on this physical plane of existence, no weekend for them. The garden they were going to work on, not Saturday. That book they were going to read on a lazy Sunday, not going to happen. That phone call you were going to make to Mom, not going to be dialed. Yes there are more hours afforded to you on the weekends but I believe things should be not put off for the sake of 2 days. Start that book now, pick a flower for your desk today, call that person even just to say “hey”. This can all be gone in an instant.

genius • \JEEN-yus\ • noun
1 : a single strongly marked capacity or aptitude
2 : extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity
3 : a person endowed with transcendent mental superiority; especially : a person with a very high IQ

Example Sentence:
Those children have a genius for getting into trouble!

Did you know?
The belief system of the ancient Romans included spirits that were somewhere in between gods and humans and were thought to accompany each person through life as a protector. The Latin name for this spirit was "genius," which came from the verb "gignere," meaning "to beget." This sense of "attendant spirit" was first borrowed into English in the early 16th century. Part of such a spirit's role was to protect a person's moral character, and from that idea an extended sense developed in the 16th century meaning "an identifying character." In time, that meaning was extended to cover a special ability for doing something, and eventually "genius" acquired senses referring particularly to "very great intelligence" and "people of great intelligence.

Just for you...

By Vichara


There is certainly enough to read in this world and you should dive in at any opportunity into the great writers and thinkers throughout history. However, as important is for you to write yourself on a daily basis. Just a note or tow, a passing thought or perhaps a small epiphany that may arise in a quiet moment. Keep a small journal, just for yourself. These will record, just for you, the guideposts and stepping stones that will shape where you want and like to go. You will be surprised that when you give yourself a compassionate moment what will be born from your thoughts. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that your life is ordinary.

castigate • \KASS-tuh-gayt\ • verb
: to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism

Example Sentence:
Before sentencing, the judge angrily castigated the two young defendants for their malicious act of vandalism.

Did you know?
“Castigate” has a synonym in “chastise” -- both verbs mean to punish or to censure someone. Fittingly, both words derive from the same root: the Latin “castigare,” formed from the words for “pure” (“castus”) and “to drive” (“agere”). (“Castus” also gave us the noun “caste,” meaning “social class or rank.”) Another verb derived from “castigare” is “chasten,” which can also mean “to discipline by punishment” but more commonly means “to subdue or make humble” (as in “chastened by his foolish error”). “Castigate” is the youngest of the three verbs in English, dating from the early 17th century, some three centuries after “chasten” and “chastise.”

Starting with you...

By Vichara


All the kindness that we get is as a result of what we give. All of the compassion that is imparted to you is given by you. The love that you receive is reflected by what you give. Through the interconnectivity of everything that happens in a day, you are the ground zero of all that happens to you. There is nothing that happens that didn’t start with a step, word or thought from you. You create your own world. If you want to be happy, start by making others happy.

palmary • \PAL-muh-ree\ • adj
: outstanding, best

Example Sentence:
Louis Pasteur is best known for originating pasteurization, but he also made palmary contributions in the field of immunology, including finding a vaccination for anthrax.

Did you know?
English speakers have been using "palmary" since the 1600s, and its history stretches back even further than that. It was the ancient Romans who first used their “palmarius” to describe someone or something extraordinary. “Palmarius” literally translates as "deserving the palm." But what does that mean exactly? Was it inspired by palms of hands coming together in applause? That would be a good guess, but the direct inspiration for “palmarius” was the palm leaf given to a victor in a sports competition. That other palm, the one on the hand, is loosely related. The Romans thought the palm tree's leaves resembled an outstretched palm of the hand; they thus used their word “palma” for both meanings, just as we do with "palm" in English.

Enough time?...

By Vichara


Is there enough time to do everything you want in one day? The answer is of course no. The interactions we have with others and their lives will divert our intentions from what we personally think is important to theirs. But in the diversion could be lie the answer(s) you may have been waiting to hear. Some believe that our daily interactions are not based in chance but with some reasons…could be?

facetious • \fuh-SEE-shuss\ • adjective
1 : joking or jesting often inappropriately : waggish
2 : meant to be humorous or funny : not serious

Example Sentence:
Gwen was being facetious when she used the word "classy" to describe Bill's brightly colored necktie.

Did you know?
"Facetious" came to English from the Middle French word "facetieux," which traces to the Latin word "facetia," meaning "jest." "Facetia" seems to have made only one other lasting contribution to the English language: "facetiae," meaning "witty or humorous writings or sayings." "Facetiae," which comes from the plural of "facetia" and is pronounced fuh-SEE-shee-ee or fuh-SEE-shee-eye, is a far less common word than "facetious," but it does show up occasionally. For example, in a letter to the editor published in the Seattle Times, August 26, 1995, a reader used the following words to describe a column written by the humorist Dave Barry: "Hey, it's a HUMOR column, based entirely upon facetiae."

A paradigm shift...

By Vichara


There is so much manipulation that happens even in the smallest of communities. In the larger corporate world to find a “chink” in the armor of those that you deal with is seen as virtuous by some. On a smaller scale, a child sees a lack of ability in another and will make fun of that person. Either one is a sad reflection of their inabilities to take a perceived deficiency and twist it to their own gain and amusement. Of course this type of activity goes on everyday and has been, without good merit, accepted human behavior. But what if we could change that paradigm starting with just each one of us and like a small stone tossed into a puddle, ripple out to others changing manipulation to understanding and compassion.

posse • \PAH-see\ • noun
1 : a large group often with a common interest
2 : a body of persons summoned by a sheriff to assist in preserving the public peace usually in an emergency
3 : a group of people temporarily organized to make a search (as for a lost child)
4 : one’s attendants or associates

Example Sentence:
"On the Saturday morning we used to watch anxiously for the usual signs of activity and when we saw a large barrel of beer being escorted up the streets by a posse of small boys, we knew that all was well." (Edmund Barber, Country Life, October 12, 1951)

Did you know?
"Posse" started out as a technical term in law, part of the term "posse comitatus," which in Medieval Latin meant "power or authority of the county." As such, it referred to a group of citizens summoned by a sheriff to preserve the public peace as allowed for by law. "Preserving the public peace" so often meant hunting down a supposed criminal that "posse" eventually came to mean any group organized to make a search or embark on a mission. In even broader use it can refer to any group, period. Sometimes nowadays that group is a gang or a rock band but it can as easily be any group -- of politicians, models, architects, tourists, children, or what have you -- acting in concert.

Just a short time here...

By Vichara


Regardless of your position in life, your status amongst the rich and famous, the powerful or the meek, we are all comprised of the exact chemical combination to produce this breathing, thinking, talking humanoid being. Some will abuse this gift while in their lifetime and others will ignite the compassionate elements and try to leave this world a little bit better. Face it, we will all die at some point. Wouldn’t you want to use this small amount of time that has been given to you to make a difference in the world? Even in a small unselfish way. It’s up to you.

indagate • \IN-duh-gayt\ • verb
: to search into : investigate

Example Sentence:
The defense attorneys requested an adjournment so that they could fully indagate the new evidence.

Did you know?
A close examination of "indagate" reveals that it's a rather uncommon word. If we delve into the past, we discover that it first appeared in an English dictionary in 1623. Probing further, we see that its synonym "investigate" was already a hundred years old at the time. Despite the fact that our search turns up the derivatives "indagation," "indagator," "indagatory," and "indagative," we see that none of these words was ever used as widely as "investigation," "investigator," "investigatory," and "investigative." If we hunt for the etymology of "indagate," we sniff out the Latin verb "indagare" ("to track"), which often referred, as did Latin "investigare," specifically to tracking done by hunting dogs.

That missing piece…

By Vichara


I believe that each one of us holds a piece of a gigantic jigsaw puzzle that everybody is trying to put together. The trouble lies in that we don’t recognize the others that hold a piece that we are looking for and they with us. For whatever reasons, prejudice, indifference, self-involvement or fear, some of the puzzles will be left unresolved. Next time you are drawn to someone for some strange reason that helps you with that missing piece, you will understand.

glom • \GLAHM\ • verb
1 : take, steal
2 : seize, catch

Example Sentence:
“She signed an affidavit of confession attesting she glommed more than $284,000, the company contends.” (Frank Donnelly, Staten Island Advance, September 15, 2008)

Did you know?
It's a classic case of glomming: Americans seized on "glaum" (a term from Scots dialect that basically means "grab") and appropriated it as our own, changing it to "glom" in the process. "Glom" first meant "steal" (as in the purse-snatching, robber kind of stealing), but over time that meaning got stretched. Today, "glom" often figuratively extends that original "steal" sense. A busy professional might glom a weekend getaway, for example. "Glom" also appears frequently in the phrase "glom on to," which can mean "to appropriate for one's own use" ("glom on to another's idea"); "to grab hold of" ("glom on to the last cookie"); or "to latch on to" ("glom on to an opinion" or "glom on to an influential friend.

A new approach…

By Vichara


While most of us can identify the fears we have there are certain fears, which we cannot label or reveal. These fears refuse to be revealed because it would confront and destroy the last barrier of knowing completely oneself and our true purpose, which are both connected. By facing this fear of impermanence we will see that it is not a nihilistic but an optimistic way to see each day and act as a catalyst for a new approach to see the world and our place in it.

puissant • \PWISS-unt\ • adj
: of great force or vigor : strong, powerful

Example Sentence:
Laurie was aware of the restaurant critic's puissant influence in the industry, so she became quite nervous when she spotted him sitting at a table in her café.

Did you know?
"Puissant" has some powerful ties to some more commonplace English words. Although "puissant" has a considerably fancier feel than "power" and "potent," all three words share the same Latin ancestor: "posse," a verb meaning "to be able." "Power" came to us by way of Anglo-French "poer," which is itself thought to have come from "potēre," a Vulgar Latin alteration of "posse." "Potent" came from "potent-, potens," a present participle of "posse." From "poer" came the adjective "pussant," meaning "able" or "powerful" in Anglo-French, and English speakers borrowed that to form "puissant" in the 15th century

Even in a small way...

By Vichara


What good is saying something if you do not do it? Altruistic thoughts are inspiring but unless there is an action that results, they are empty. Take the very small seed that may form while you read this or at sometime during the day and take even a small step forward with it. All great adventures start with the smallest step forward.

agrarian • \uh-GRAIR-ee-un\ • adjective
1 : of or relating to fields or lands or their tenure
2 *a : of, relating to, or characteristic of farmers or their way of life b : organized or designed to promote agricultural interests

Example Sentence:
Since buying their organic farm three years ago, Ken and Sheila have been gradually adjusting to an agrarian lifestyle.

Did you know?
Today, an acre is generally considered to be a unit of land measuring 43,560 square feet (4,047 square meters). Before that standard was set, it's believed that an acre represented a rougher measurement -- the amount of land that could be plowed in one day with a yoke of oxen. Both "acre" and today's word, "agrarian," derive from the Latin noun "ager" and the Greek noun "agros," meaning "field." (You can probably guess that "agriculture" is another descendant.) "Agrarian," first used in English in the 17th century, describes things pertaining to the cultivation of fields, as well as the farmers who cultivate them.

All Points Bulletin…

By Vichara


We interrupt this program with this special announcement. The FHI (Faith & Hope International) has issued an APB (All Points Bulletin) in the hunt for Compassion. Last seen with Patience, it has not been seen in quite some time and is considered to be vital for the existence of mankind. Armed with Empathy, Compassion has been known to positively affect scores of people if witnessed first hand. Compassion does travel with Love and is considered to have amazing qualities. If seen please embrace and incorporate in your daily lives before it’s too late.

red herring • \RED-HERR-ing\ • noun
1 : a herring cured by salting and slow smoking to a dark brown color
2 : something that distracts attention from the real issue

Example Sentence:
The editorial asserts that the hoopla over the proposed new convention center is a red herring, deflecting attention from the mayor's failure to resolve the budgetary crisis.

Did you know?
Believe it or not, "red herring" has as much to do with hunting dogs as with brightly colored fish. Here's how: A herring is a soft-finned bony fish. People who like to eat herring have long preserved them by salting and slowly smoking them. That process makes a herring turn red or dark brown -- and gives them a very strong smell. Dogs love to sniff such smelly treats, a fact that makes the fi

Cause and effect...

By Vichara


Like an ostrich that keeps it’s head in the sand from what some believe is some kind of fear or denial, there are those that treat the ever growing waves of violence with the young in the same way. Like a sponge that soaks moisture, a child soaks up what it is subjected to. Before a child turns 18 he or she will have seen around 200,000 acts of violence through TV and film. Some would argue that it doesn’t have that much effect but I have read that compared to other countries in the world that here in the good ol’ USA we have become around 18th in education and #1 in incarceration. Somehow I believe there is a connection with this generation being de-sensitized to acts of violence and the rise of heinous acts. We can say stop making these so-called forms of entertainment but we know that it will never happen. Instead let’s try to instill some form of balance with those younger people around us with simple acts of patience and tolerance. Let us lead through example that there is a better way then striking out at others with violence and striking out with compassion.

quondam • \KWAHN-dum\ • adj
: former, sometime

Example Sentence:
A quondam rodeo champ, circuit preacher, and peanut farmer, Baxter has settled into his new life as a stand-up comedian.

Did you know?
Looking for an unusual and creative way to say "former"? "Quondam" (which came to English in the 16th century from Latin quondam, meaning "at one time" or "formerly") certainly fits the bill. Or maybe you'd prefer one of its synonyms: "whilom," "ci-devant" or "preterit." Or you could really go crazy with "umquhile," a word that is extremely rare even in its more natural Scots English setting. "Quondam" itself isn't exactly ubiquitous, but it's used more than any of the other words above. If you're looking for something a bit more pedestrian, you might try yet another synonym: "erstwhile." Despite its wonderfully archaic flavor, "erstwhile" is a highly favored alternative.

And now a commercial message from our sponsor...

By Vichara


And now a commercial message from our sponsor…Not feeling good about yourself? You don’t feel like you are fitting in with the rest? Well our product will make you look good, feel good and give you all that you need. Sounds familiar? The majority of commercials that bombard us are meant to make you feel like if you don’t have this thing that you are not good enough and missing out. You need to buy this thing they are pushing at you or else. By the time they graduate from high school an average child will have seen 360,000 commercials. 360,000 times they are told they are not good enough. Let’s have our own non-televised message to each other, broadcasting 24 / 7, that you are good enough and between us we have everything we need…and you don’t need to make a call in the next 10 minutes or send three easy payments!

fifth column • \FIFTH-KAH-lum\ • noun
: a group of secret sympathizers or supporters of an enemy that engage in espionage or sabotage within defense lines or national borders

Example Sentence:
In the 1950s the Communist Party was denounced in the United States as a fifth column, and many people were unjustly blacklisted as Communist sympathizers.

Did you know?
"Fifth column," a translation of the Spanish "quinta columna," was inspired by a boast by rebel general Emilio Mola during the Spanish Civil War. Mola predicted Madrid would fall as four columns of rebel troops approaching the city were joined by another hidden column of sympathizers within it. In an October 1936 article in The New York Times, William Carney described those secret rebel supporters as the "fifth column," and English speakers seized upon the term. It gained widespread popularity after Ernest Hemingway used it in the title of a 1938 book, and it was often applied (along with derivative forms such as "fifth columnism" and "fifth columnist") to Nazi supporters within foreign nations during World War II.