A plateau of understanding...

By Vichara


A resilient and supple heart will be lead by divine grace to a place of more acceptance. A place where the tools of love, patience and compassion will be ultimately more associable and more desirable then weapons of retribution, hatred and selfishness.

chawbacon • \CHAW-bay-kun\ • noun
: bumpkin, hick

Example Sentence:
Larry has been living in the city for almost a year, but he’s still as much of
a chawbacon as the day he left the farm.

Did you know?
“Chaw” is an alteration of “chew” that is still used in some English dialects, especially in rural areas. Cured pork, or bacon, was a staple of some rural folks’ diets in the past. Since the 16th century, “chaw” has been combined with “bacon” to create a ludicrous name for an uncultured yokel. Over the centuries, the word has lent its delicious dialect flavor to a wide range of publications, but it has become less common in recent decades. Today, city dwellers are as likely as country folk to chow down on bacon, and the word “chawbacon” isn’t often on the lips of either group.

By Vichara


A scholarly person is one who has read many books; an educated person is one who knows what is popular among people. Do not try to be scholarly or educated, but be yourself.

accentuate • \ak-SEN-shu-wayt\ • verb
: accent, emphasize; also : intensify

Example Sentence:
Job-seekers are encouraged to accentuate their most valuable skills and experience, and to downplay any gaps in their work history.

Did you know?
When you "accentuate" something, you put an "accent" (or emphasis) on it. So it will come as no surprise to learn that etymologists have traced "accentuate" back to "accentus," the Latin word for "accent." "Accentus," in turn, combines the prefix "ad-" with "cantus," meaning "song." Other descendants of "accentus" in English include "accent" itself, as well as "accentual" ("of, relating to, or characterized by accent").

Honesty...

By Vichara


There is a great fear in transparency. Listening to a radio program a very powerful man admitted that in the current financial troubles of the world, that a certain accountability could be needed to dispel the fraudulent appearance of how business practices work…but not too much. In those four words lies the possible confession. In admitting that change is needed, he qualifies it with a need not to go too far because at that point they would all need to be honest. How dreadful, they would need to be honest and admit practices that hide the deception in their daily activities that divert honest monies from those that could equally share and step away from the extreme disparity that continues to be perpetrated on the world’s population. Honesty…what a concept.

hypaethral • \hye-PEETH-rul\ • adjective
*1 : having a roofless central space
2 : open to the sky
Example Sentence:
During our tour of Egypt, we visited the hypaethral temple of Philae, which was dismantled and relocated after the construction of a dam caused its original site to be submersed.
Did you know?
Ancient Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius used the Latin word "hypaethrus" to describe temples in which the “cella” (the part of the temple housing an image of the deity) was wholly or partially uncovered. “Hypaethrus” is a word sculpted from the Greek prefix "hypo-," meaning "under or beneath," and the Greek word "aithēr," meaning "air or heaven." In the late-18th century, English classicists adopted the remodeled form "hypaethral" in their writings of ancient architecture. Another adjective that they occasionally employed is "cleithral," which designates temples having roofed central spaces. (“Cleithral” comes from "kleithra," the Greek word for "lattice.")

The igniting moment...

By Vichara


There is a still point that can be reached. But actually when you reach it, it becomes the complete opposite. It becomes the flash point of change. As the culmination of ideas, thoughts, passions and epiphanies reach the plateau of realization and one assumes a quiet release you will experience the igniting moment of change. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines for the day!

litany • \LIH-tuh-nee\ • noun
1 : a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the leader with alternate responses by the congregation
2 a : a resonant or repetitive chant *b : a usually lengthy recitation or enumeration c : a sizable series or set

Example Sentence:
The student offered the usual litany of excuses for being late.

Did you know?
"Litany" came to English through Anglo-French and Late Latin, and ultimately from the Greek word "litaneia," meaning "entreaty." A "litany" refers literally to a type of prayer in which a series of lines are spoken alternately by a leader and a congregation. Recent decades have seen the development of three figurative senses. The chant-like quality of a literal litany led to the "repetitive chant" sense. Next, the repetitious nature of the original litany led to the "lengthy recitation" sense. Finally, the “lengthy recitation” sense led to the meaning “a sizable series or set.”

A moral compass...

By Vichara


“What the outstanding person does, others will try to do. The standards such people create will be followed by the whole world”. Taken from the Hindu sacred text called the Bhagavad Gita that dates back between the 5th and 2nd century BC, these words have even more relevance considering the moral and political changes we are witnessing. There is a need and cry to cut away the obese malignant weeds of greed and excess and to form a new standard of fairness and compassion. “The ignorant work for their own profit, the wise work for the welfare of the world, without thought for themselves”. Again from the Gita. The short 18 chapters of this document was used as a moral compass by Gandhi for most of his life and even today still can be one of the many texts to guide our lives. “Perform all work carefully, guided by compassion”.

reticent • \RET-uh-sunt\ • adj
1 : inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech : reserved
2 : restrained in expression, presentation, or appearance
3 : reluctant

Example Sentence:
Unlike the chatty, gregarious protagonists of his novel, the author is quite reticent in public.

Did you know?
"Reticent" first appeared about 170 years ago, but the "reluctant" sense of "reticent" is a mid-20th century introduction. Though it is now well-established, this newer sense bothers some people, particularly because it has veered away from the word's Latin origins -- "reticent" is from the verb “reticēre,” meaning "to keep silent." But there is some sense in the way the newer meaning developed. We first tended to use the "reluctant" sense of "reticent" when the context was speech (as in "reticent to talk about her past"), thus keeping the word close to its "silent" sense. Eventually, however, exclusive association with speech was abandoned. Now one can be "reticent" to do anything.

Just trying to figure "this" out...

By Vichara


Like most of you I too am trying to figure all “this” out as well. These moments I sit and try to bring in the reins of my emotions and thoughts until there is a quiet moment is a challenge, as it is foal l of us. But as I have read, whatever can run, can also stand still. We are al capable of taking hold of life’s remote control…just for a moment. Who knows in that moment you might see someone else in that moment and through the acknowledgement, recognize like all of us, we are just trying to figure “this out”.

non sequitur • \NAHN-SEK-wuh-ter\ • noun
1 : an inference that does not follow from the premises
*2 : a statement (as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said
Example Sentence:
The professor's lecture was a jumble of non sequiturs and irrelevant observations.
Did you know?
In Latin, "non sequitur" means "it does not follow." The phrase was borrowed into English in the 1500s by people who made a formal study of logic. For them it meant a conclusion that does not follow from the statements that lead to it. But we now use "non sequitur" for any kind of statement that seems to come out of the blue. The Latin verb "sequi" ("to follow") has actually led the way for a number of English words. A "sequel" follows the original novel, film, or television show. Someone "obsequious" follows another about, flattering and fawning. And an action is often followed by its "consequence."

A balance...

By Vichara


There can be no fighting, if there is no attachment. There can be no greed, with no attachment. There can be no resentment, with no attachment. I am not insisting that you acquiesce on every level. No, this form of non-attachment weighs out the merits of both sides, sees the needs of both, understands the possible outcomes and shares the positive and negative aspects of all actions. When you have the ability to lose everything, you have the ability to have everything.

gravid • \GRAV-id\ • adjective
1 : pregnant
2 : distended with or full of eggs

Example Sentence:
“The film is about the world of mixed martial arts, a subject gravid with possibilities.” (Allen Barra, The New York Sun, April 29, 2008)

Did you know?
"Gravid" comes from Latin "gravis," meaning “heavy.” It can refer to a female who is literally pregnant, and it also has the figurative meanings of "pregnant”: “full or teeming” and “meaningful.” Thus, a writer may be gravid with ideas as she sits down to write; a cloud may be gravid with rain; or a speaker may make a gravid pause before announcing his remarkable findings.

Would you be happier?...

By Vichara


If we knew what tomorrow would bring, would we be happier? All of the events of our lives would be lined up and hold no mystery or adventure. We would know what we would encounter around every turn, know whom we would meet, love and laugh with before it happened. Take away any surprise or stress wit each waking moment. While we would certainly enjoy some aspects of this mode of living would bring I believe that for the most part it would be boring. We would be living for a known future and not being present with each moment.

deportment • \dih-PORT-munt\ • noun
: the manner in which one conducts oneself : behavior

Example Sentence:
The school expects students to dress in proper attire and maintain a respectful level of deportment throughout the day.

Did you know?
"Deportment" evolved from the verb "deport," meaning "to behave especially in accord with a code," which in turn came to us through Middle French from Latin “deportare,” meaning "to carry away." (You may also know "deport" as a verb meaning "to send out of the country"; that sense is newer and is derived directly from Latin “deportare.”) "Deportment" can simply refer to one's demeanor, or it can refer to behavior formed by breeding or training and often conforming to conventional rules of propriety: "Are you not gratified that I am so rapidly gaining correct ideas of female propriety and sedate deportment?" wrote 17-year-old Emily Dickinson to her brother Austin.

Even in a small way...

By Vichara


Regardless of your position in life, your status amongst the rich and famous, the powerful and meek, we are all comprised of exact chemical combination to produce this thinking, talking humanoid being. Some will abuse this presence 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.

blithesome • \BLYTHE-sum\ • adj
: gay, merry

Example Sentence:
In The Gilded Age: A Tale of To-Day, Mark Twain's Laura, who had been struck by love, wondered why she had never before noticed "how blithesome the world was."

Did you know?
"Blithesome" comes from "blithe," a word that has been a part of English since before the 12th century. "Blithe" can mean "casual" and "heedless" as well as "joyful" and "lighthearted," but "blithesome" obviously makes use of only the "joyful, lighthearted" sense. "Blithesome" didn't show up in print in English until 1724, and is now relatively uncommon, but you'll find it in the works of such authors as Charles Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, Mark Twain, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The small steps...

By Vichara


While the grand schemes and big plans in life are essential to inspire us to greater things, we must remember it is the small steps that bring us to the ultimate end. In the small steps we learn the necessary benchmarks that will gauge our progression to whatever goal we are reaching for. It is in the small steps where we learn the tolerance and compassion not only for others but for ourselves.

prehension • \pree-HEN-shun\ • noun
1 : the act of taking hold, seizing, or grasping
2 : mental understanding : comprehension
3 : apprehension by the senses

Example Sentence:
The new surgery claims to offer an increase in hand prehension and successful use of the hand after a nerve transplant.

Did you know?
It's easy to grasp the origins of "prehension" -- it descends from the Latin verb "prehendere," which means "to seize” or “to grasp." Other descendants of "prehendere" in English include "apprehend," "comprehend" ("to grasp the nature or significance of"), "prehensile" ("adapted for seizing or grasping"), "prison," "reprise," and "reprisal." Even the English word "get" comes to us from the same ancient root that led to the Latin "prehendere."

Radiate...

By Vichara


When you’re alone and you think no one notices the changes happening to you, someone does. When you’re alone and you think no one sees when you are happy, someone does. When you’re alone and you think no one feels your anxiety and heartache, someone does. When you’re alone and you think no one wants to be around you, someone does. Of course that someone is you because any shift in your physical or mental being is first acknowledged by yourself, but here is the seed. Nurture this, honor this because these are the essential elements of change that not only affect your individual surroundings but also in the respect of these radiate out and change the world around you. Acknowledge the beacon that you are, shine and change the world. We all can.

circumspect • \SER-kum-spekt\ • adjective
: careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences : prudent

Example Sentence:
“Indications are that school boards, uncertain of what voters will do, have been more circumspect in drafting budgets.” (The Star-Ledger [Newark, New Jersey], April 7, 2008)

Did you know?
"Circumspect," "cautious," "wary," and "chary" all imply looking before you leap, but each puts a unique spin on being careful in the face of risk or danger. "Circumspect," which descends from Latin “circum-” (“around”) and “specere” (“to look”), implies the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding (as in "he is circumspect in business dealings"). "Cautious" suggests fear of danger and the exercise of forethought that it prompts (as in "a cautious driver"). "Wary" emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in sensing danger and cunning in escaping it (as in "keep a wary eye on the competition"). "Chary" implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely (as in "she is chary of signing papers without reading them first").

Question everything...

By Vichara


Question everything. Question why you did what you just did. Question why you decided to do something and acted tat way. Question the way you spoke to that person. Question how you felt when you left the room. This is not to create a self-imposed paranoia state. No, it is to heighten the senses and how we come to the world at every moment. As well this is not to make you so hypersensitive and fearful. No, it is to hopefully strip away the thrashing about in how we spend a majority of our day and to rise up through the turbulent waters of maya to a place where we can easily float along aware of everything and yet buoyant with confidence that all can be resolved with a patient, compassionate heart.

battue • \bat-TOO\ • noun
: the beating of woods and bushes to flush game; also : a hunt in which this procedure is used

Example Sentence:
During the battue, rabbits scampered out of the bushes where they had been hiding and toward the open field.

Did you know?
The battue is a technique practiced by hunters in order to give them a clean shot at their targets. The hunters’ assistants (or sometimes the hunters themselves) rap sticks against trees and bushes in order to scare animals out of the woods and into open space. The practice appears to have originated in France, which is probably why the word “battue,” which debuted in English in the early 19th century, derives from the feminine past participle of the French verb “battre,” meaning “to beat.” Although some hunting traditionalists decried the practice as either cruel or unsportsmanlike when it began, the battue survives today, as does the word for it.

Be here now...

By Vichara


They say that youth is wasted on the youth and that there is no appreciation for what is being given to them. I think much worse is that the “present” is wasted on the majority. There are so many fixated on the past and the possible regrets and what if’s and just as many consumed with the anxiety of the future. Either one of these states, especially the past, can’t be changed. Being caught in ether one of these states robs you of what is going on right now and the guidance needed for the next step. Being present can be a difficult state of mind for most as most of our daily activities dictate the desire to be in both. However being present has a way of smoothing out the rough spots o the perceived past and will open up the vistas that will come next.

pantheon • \PAN-thee-ahn\ • noun
1 : a temple dedicated to all the gods; also : the gods of a people
2 : a group of illustrious persons

Example Sentence:
With his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame, the former player joined a pantheon of legends from the sport.

Did you know?
Some of the earliest uses of this word in the English language refer to that most famous Pantheon, the circular domed temple built in Rome more than 19 centuries ago (and still standing). We can easily identify the origins of the temple's name, which the Romans borrowed from the Greek word for a temple honoring all their gods. That Greek word, “pantheion,” combines “pan-” ("all") and “theos” ("god"). Later on, in English, "all the gods" was used to mean just that -- a pantheon could be a collective of gods (as "the Egyptian pantheon"). We stop short of worshiping outstanding men and women as actual gods, of course, but nevertheless, in the 19th century we also began using “pantheon” as a word for any eminent company of the highly venerated.

Your morning exercise...

By Vichara


A resilient and supple heart will be lead buy divine grace to a place of more acceptance. A place where the tools of love, patience and compassion will be ultimately more accessible and more desirable than the weapons of retribution, hatred and selfishness. So folks another day has come to us and another chance to stretch out on the exercise mat of the world and strengthen the core muscles of your compassionate nature not only to yourself but to those around you.

cabotage • \KAB-uh-tahzh\ • noun
1 : trade or transport in coastal waters or airspace or between two points within a country
2 : the right to engage in coastal trade or transport

Example Sentence:
Some assert that the problem would be resolved if the government would simply relax restrictions on cabotage.

Did you know?
Coastlines were once so important to the French that they came up with a verb to name the act of sailing along a coast: "caboter." That verb gave rise to the French noun “cabotage,” which named trade or transport along a coast. In the 16th century, the French legally limited their lucrative coastal trade, declaring that only French ships could trade in French ports. They called the right to conduct such trading "cabotage" too. Other nations soon embraced both the concept of trade restrictions and the French name for trading rights, and expanded the idea to inland trade as well. Later, English speakers also applied "cabotage" to the rights that allowed.

The connection...

By Vichara


Between us exists a thread that connects everyone. On the macro level it may not appear that big but on a micro level it is hunormous (I know, that’s a made-up word). Within these very strong fibrous strands that connects us all is all of the hopes, dreams, pain, inspiration, anxiety, the collective range of human life that has been shared and will continue to be shared. For those that become cognizant of these fibers, will recognize when one of the foundation strands of love and compassion is weak in a fellow being and help pull it taught for them and in turn they to you.

jettison • \JET-uh-sun\ • verb
1 : to throw (goods) overboard to lighten a ship or aircraft in distress
2 : discard

Example Sentence:
When they realized their plan was not going to work, the committee jettisoned the idea and thought up a new one.

Did you know?
“Jettison” comes from the Anglo-French noun “geteson,” meaning “action of throwing,” and is ultimately from the Latin verb “jactare,” meaning “to throw.” The noun “jettison” (“a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship’s load in time of distress”) entered English in the 15th century; the verb has been with us since the 19th century. The noun is also the source of the word “jetsam” (“jettisoned goods”), which is often paired with “flotsam”(“floating wreckage”). These days you don’t have to be on a sinking ship to jettison something. In addition to literally “throwing overboard,” “jettison” means simply “to get rid of.” You might jettison some old magazines that are cluttering your house. Or you might make a plan but jettison it at the last minute, as in our example sentence.

Your mission...

By Vichara


Rescue the heart, rescue the mind, and rescue the spirit. Rescue them all from being hijacked by delusionary aspects that they are being subjected to on a daily basis. Take the time each day, either as you start your day or at the end, to remind yourself the true values that sustain and fortify us. Love, to further build a union between us all. Patience, to develop the space to see things clearly and Compassion in order to cultivate true empathy.

fastidious • \fas-TID-ee-us\ • adjective
1 : having high and often unpredictable standards
2 : showing a meticulous or demanding attitude

Example Sentence:
These designer handbags are beautiful and have clearly been made with fastidious attention to detail.

Did you know?
There's nothing offensive about fastidious workmanship, and yet the word "fastidious" traces to the Latin noun "fastidium," meaning "aversion" or "disgust." "Fastidium" itself is probably a combination of the Latin words "fastus," meaning "arrogance," and "taedium," meaning "irksomeness" or "disgust."("Taedium" also gave us our "tedium.") In keeping with its Latin roots, "fastidious" once meant "haughty," "disgusting," and "disgusted," although those uses are now archaic or obsolete. The word came to be applied to someone who is squeamish or overly difficult to please, and later, to work which reflects a demanding or precise attitude.

Maybe today?...

By Vichara


This could be the moment of change. This could be the day of revelation. This could be the time that one epiphany you have been waiting for makes it’s appearance. All of the events, thoughts, feelings and experiences could gather together, stand up in front of you and smile. Are you ready? They’re ready for you. Open your heart and let them be a force of good change and cat as a catalyst for a more fulfilling life.

umami • \oo-MAH-mee\ • noun
: a taste sensation that is meaty or savory and is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (as glutamate and aspartate)

Example Sentence:
"Vegetarian dishes are usually difficult to meld with big red wines unless the dish includes umami, from ingredients such as intensely flavored mushrooms…." (The San Francisco Chronicle, August 22, 2008)

Did you know?
A Japanese scientist was the first to discover the savory taste of the amino acid glutamic acid, which was found to occur in soup stocks made with seaweed. This fifth basic taste -- alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter -- was named "umami," meaning "savoriness" in Japanese. Umami can be experienced in foods such as mushrooms, anchovies, and mature cheeses, as well as in foods enhanced with monosodium glutamate, or MSG, a sodium salt derived from glutamic acid.

A new light...

By Vichara


You can't move forward without reflecting on the past. Use the lessons learned from these experiences and illuminate them with the light of compassion and forgiveness. Transcend the pettiness that may exist in order to formulate a foundation, not of retribution, but a foundation of unification. Many new paths will become a reality in this new light. Step forward with confidence that together you and the person next to you, that you don't even know, can and will achieve both small and big victories...one small compassionate step at a time.

foray • \FOR-ay\ • noun
1 : a sudden or irregular invasion or attack for war or spoils : raid
2 : a brief excursion or attempt especially outside one's accustomed sphere

Example Sentence:
The book marks the novelist’s first foray into nonfiction.

Did you know?
"Foray" comes from Middle English “forrayen” and probably traces back to an Anglo-French word that meant “raider” or "forager." It's related to the word "forage," which usually means "to wander in search of food or forage." A "foray," in its earliest sense, was a raid for plunder. Relatively recently, "foray" began to take on a broader meaning. In a sense, a "foray" is still a trip into a foreign territory. These days, though, looting and plundering needn't be involved in a "foray." When you take a "foray," you dabble in an area, occupation, or pastime that's new to you.

What if?...

By Vichara


“He grants all prayers”. What if it is not some mystical deity that favors our altruistic prayers but the collected energy that resides in us all. When the collective acknowledges and understands the divine spirit that lives in us all, the mere unison of this ignites the mechanism that would open up the path to the fulfillment of these prayers. What if?

extricate • \EK-struh-kayt\ • verb
1 : to distinguish from a related thing
2 : to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty

Example Sentence:
Joe looked for a way to extricate himself gracefully from the long and tedious conversation with his chatty colleague.

Did you know?
It can take an ample amount of dexterity -- manual, verbal, or mental -- to free yourself from a tangled situation. This can be seen in “extricate,” a word derived from Latin “extricatus,” which combines the prefix “ex-” (“out of”) with the noun “tricae,” meaning “trifles or perplexities.” (The resemblance of “tricae” to our word “trick” is no illusion; it’s an ancestor.) While a number of words (such as “disentangle”) share with “extricate” the meaning of “to free from difficulty,” “extricate” suggests the act of doing so with care and ingenuity, as in “Through months of careful budgeting, he was able to extricate himself from his financial burdens.”

The meaning of life?...

By Vichara


We need to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being question by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and right conduct. Life ultimately means taking responsibility to find the right answer to it's problems and to fulfill the tasks which constantly sets for each individual.

veld • \VELT\ • noun
: a grassland especially of southern Africa usually with scattered shrubs or trees

Example Sentence:
"Less than 200 years ago, thousands upon thousands of quaggas roamed the grassy veld of southern Africa." (Sharon Begley, Newsweek, June 18, 1984)

Did you know?
"Veld" (also spelled "veldt") comes from Afrikaans, the language of the Afrikaners, the descendants of the Dutch and Huguenot people who settled in southern Africa in the 17th century. Literally, "veld" means "field," and is akin to "feld," the Old English predecessor of "field." English speakers adopted the Africa-specific sense of "veld" in the 19th century. "Veld" refers to open country in southern Africa. Different regions of "veld" are distinguished by their elevations. There is the Highveld, the Lowveld, and the Middle Veld, each with different geographical characteristics. Another term associated with "veld" is "kopje" (or “koppie” -- both are pronounced \KAH-pee\). This word came to English from Afrikaans (and ultimately from a Dutch word meaning "small head" or "cup") and refers to a small hill, particularly one on the African veld.