Booooooooo!!!!

By Vichara


BOO! We’re you scared? Did you get frightened? Don’t worry it’s not a nasty ghoulish goblin here to make you shiver with fright; it’s something scarier it’s…YOU! Ooooooh no! Yes you creator of all the fearful things, the master of mayhem & macabre. Scarier than Chuckie, Jason & Freddy, it’s you. How do you stop being so scared? It’s not with a crucifix and garlic, it’s something more rare than exotic potions, lotions and incantations it’s with…compassion. Compassion for yourself and others around you. By adding a dollop of this magical property into your lives the walls of resistance and reticence begin to reduce themselves and your vision of existence starts to become clearer. And from clarity comes understanding and equanimity. But since it’s Halloween don’t forget a wooden stake in case you run into a vampire!...BOOOO!!!

pescatarian • \pess-kuh-TAIR-ee-un\ • noun
: one whose diet includes fish but no meat

Example Sentence:
As she savored the bite of fish taco -- a food she had dearly missed since being on her vegetarian diet -- Gwyneth thought to herself, "I'll just have to consider myself a pescatarian instead."

Did you know?
The word "vegetarian" sprouted up in 1839. "Fruitarian" ("a person who lives on fruit") ripened by 1893. In 1944, vegetarians who consume no animal or dairy products began calling themselves "vegans." Then, in 1993, those who eat fish but no other meat chose "pesce," the Italian word for "fish," to create the designation "pescatarian." In that same year, "meatatarian" was served up as a word for those whose diet largely includes meat; that word is rare, however, and is usually used in informal and humorous ways, making it the type of fare not included in our dictionaries. Another fairly recent dietary word that we will be chewing over when we next update our dictionary is "flexitarian," a person who follows a mostly vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish.

So much with so little...

By Vichara


We need so little, but want so much. We speak so much, but have so little to say. We can travel so far, but get much further just where we are. The pitfalls and pleasures of bring able to live in a time and place where opportunities and “things” are in abundance for those that can find the means and ways to obtain and can acquire. We revel in these items with their cleverness and ingenuity and even believe that we could not live without them. So many things, so much noise designed for a vision of someone we believe we are but this vision of ourselves is so far in the distance, we can never catch up with it. For those who want to, stop, pull back the reins a bit of perceived need and instead of using 10 things to get through a day, use 1 and use it well. Instead of speaking volumes without great substance, speak less but with clarity and compassion.

hobnob • \HAHB-nahb\ • verb
: to associate familiarly

Example Sentence:
Bill hoped his new job as a reporter would give him an opportunity to hobnob with politicians and other notables.

Did you know?
"Hob" and "nob" first came together in print in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, when Sir Toby Belch warned Viola (who was disguised as a man) that Sir Andrew wanted to duel. "Hob, nob is his word," said Sir Toby, using "hob nob" to mean something like "hit or miss." Sir Toby's term is probably an alteration of "habnab," a phrase that meant "to have or not have, however it may turn out." After Shakespeare's day, "hob" and "nob" became established in the phrases "to drink hob or nob" and "to drink hobnob," which were used to mean "to drink alternately to each other." Since "drinking hobnob" was generally done among friends, "hobnob" came to refer to congenial social interaction.

All aboard...

By Vichara


There are times our minds feel like a commuter train. There are many stops along the way where we unload and pickup. Stops like Concern, Aversion, Regret, Frustration and Anger. However on this same track line there a few other stops that we sometimes forget to stop at along the way. There is Empathy, Respect, Encouragement, Forgiveness and Hope. The stops are determined by what train line you get on in the morning when you get up. Before you reach that ticket window in the morning decide what train you will ride, the Indifference Express or the Compassion Choo-Choo. It’s your ride and if you find yourself on a train where you do not like the view you can always transfer over. Ready?...All aboard!!!

jingoism • \JING-goh-is-uhm\ • noun
: extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy

Example Sentence:
Albert Einstein was a pacifist who found German jingoism, with its ultra-nationalistic ideology and militaristic policy, so objectionable that he left his homeland in 1933, never to return.

Did you know?
"Jingoism" originated during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, when many British citizens were hostile toward Russia and felt Britain should intervene in the conflict. Supporters of the cause expressed their sentiments in a music-hall ditty with this refrain:
"We don't want to fight, yet by jingo if we do,
We've got the ships, we've got the men,
We've got the money, too!"
Someone holding the attitude implied in the song became known as a "jingo" or "jingoist," and the attitude itself was dubbed "jingoism." The "jingo" in the tune is probably a euphemism for "Jesus."

Going first...

By Vichara


“You go first!” “No, you go first” A lot of people don’t like being first, being the first in line, maybe even you…but you are going first. You may not think you so but you are right at the head of the line by just being you. You are first because there is only one of you. You are first with very unique qualities and things you do. You are first in the way you talk, walk and react. You may think that you are the same as others but even with what you perceive as the same, in the variations there will never, ever be another you…ever. So while you think you follow in step with others you blaze new trails, even in small ways, by just being you. Don’t discard this thought, use this to bolster the confidence you have and enhance the unique individuality you possess to step out first, like we do everyday.

inhere • \in-HEER\ • verb

: to be inherent : to be a fixed element or attribute
Example Sentence:
Competitiveness inheres in the successful athlete's nature.

Did you know?
You're probably familiar with "inherent," the adjective meaning "part of the constitution or natural character of something," but were you aware of its less common relative "inhere"? This verb looks like it could be a back-formation of "inherent" (a back-formation is a word created by removing a prefix or suffix from an existing word). But "inhere" is actually the older word. It first appeared in print in the 15th century, while "inherent" didn't show up until the late 16th century. Both are derived from the Latin verb "inhaerēre" ("to inhere"), which was itself formed by combining "in-" with "haerēre," a verb meaning "to adhere."

Koan #13...

By Vichara


Koan Monday is back…”Make medicine from suffering”. Sounds strange to use the many forms of suffering to cure what ails you but using suffering, as a tool of a restorative measure, will help you find the answers. When we try to avoid suffering it is like patients in a hospital refusing to take their medicine. They never get well. Zen master Yun-Men says “medicine cures illness, all the world is medicine”. Use what we learn from the world and suffering to develop our own cures to not only help ourselves but those around us based in compassion. By trusting the natural process of life and embracing the suffering that comes our way we allow it to heal us.

encomium • \en-KOH-mee-um\ • noun

: glowing and warmly enthusiastic praise; also : an expression of this
Example Sentence:
"The book is beautifully written and unquestioningly deserves the encomiums of critics who compared it to 'The Great Gatsby' for its elegiac tone." (David Milofsky, The Denver Post, August 2, 2009)

Did you know?
"The love of praise, howe're concealed by art / Reigns more or less, and glows in every heart." British writer Edward Young knew how much people love to hear praise -- and so did the ancient Greeks, the originators of "encomium." They formalized that particular expression of praise and named it an "enkōmion," from their terms "en," meaning "in," and "kōmos," meaning "celebration." The original encomiums were eulogies or panegyrics, often ones prepared in honor of a victor in the Olympics. The term was later broadened to refer to any laudatory ode. Since then encomiums have been written praising everyone from Julius Caesar to Elton John, although not all have been entirely serious -- one of the best known is the satirical "Moriae Encomium" ("Praise of Folly") by Erasmus.

Standing guard...

By Vichara


Tradition calls upon one self to react and feel specific ways to various events in life both happy and sad. Being somewhat dictated by these expected and pre-described reactions can only lead to confusion and self-deception. You need to trust in how you feel and what you feel and in reacting naturally to the situations your response will be honest and in the present. Try to be cognizant of the possible manipulation that may be used on you. Breathe and figuratively step back to check in with yourself. Allow you to gauge the best way to participate or step away from every situation. This will guard your heart, your mind and bolster your natural mechanism to deal with fools and manipulators.

rebus • \REE-bus\ • noun
: a representation of syllables or words by means of pictures or symbols; also : a riddle made up of such pictures or symbols

Example Sentence:
The answer to yesterday’s rebus, which showed a man on an Ark, a spider web, and a spoon stirring coffee, was "Noah Webster."

Did you know?
A rebus communicates its message by means of pictures or symbols whose names sound like various parts of a word, phrase, or sentence. For example, a picture of a can of tomatoes, followed by the letters UC and a picture of a well means "Can you see well?" In Latin, the word "rebus" means "by things"; "rebus" is a form of the Latin word "res," which means "thing." English speakers started using the word "rebus" for picture writing in the early 1600s.

Special event today...

By Vichara


There is a special event happening today. Of course keeping in mind the time zones for each of you this will happen at 3:05 pm no matter where you are. There is no need to prepare, other than a jacket if needed, because we will all be going outside for this event for a few minutes. At 3:05 step outside (without cell phones, crack berries, walkie talkies or things that go beep) and look to the northeast. Stand or sit and look to the northeast for 5 minutes to see this singular event happening today and only today. When finished I / we would all be interested in what you saw so feel to post a comment on this page. Looking forward to 3:05 pm today!

rugose • \ROO-gohss\ • adjective
1 : full of wrinkles
2 : having the veinlets sunken and the spaces between elevated

Example Sentence:
Sam has happy memories of being a child in his grandmother's lap, stroking her soft, rugose face.

Did you know?
"Rugose" was borrowed into English in the late 17th century from the Latin adjective "rugosus" ("wrinkled"), which itself derives from "ruga" ("wrinkle"). One descendant of "ruga" that you'll probably recognize is "corrugate," which initially meant "to form or shape into wrinkles or folds." Another, which might be more familiar to scientists, is "rugulose," meaning "finely wrinkled." In addition, there is the noun "rugosity," which can refer to either the quality or state of being full of wrinkles or an individual wrinkled place.

Be hungry for life...

By Vichara


Be hungry for life. Look at what you are seeing like it will be the last time you see it. “Here” is where the colors will become more vivid, “here is where the sounds of nature more pronounced and sweeter, “here” is where the fragrance of tree, flowers and fruit will seem just a bit more enhanced. Of course it is your choice. You can reach for this deeper sense of connection with the world around you or keep rushing by with impatience that will never give you the quality you deserve and need. It can all start right now.

quash • \KWAHSH\ • verb
: to nullify especially by judicial action

Example Sentence:
Thanks to a loophole in the law, the defendant's lawyers were able to persuade the judge to quash the indictment against their client.

Did you know?
There are two "quash" verbs in English, and although their meanings are vaguely similar, they have entirely different origins. Both essentially mean to get rid of something -- you can quash a rumor, for example, or you can quash a judicial order. The legal term "quash" (defined above) comes from an Anglo-French word, "casser," meaning "to annul," and ultimately from Latin "cassus," meaning "void." The other "quash" means "to suppress or extinguish summarily and completely." It derives from the Middle English word "quashen," meaning "to smash," and ultimately from a form of the Latin verb "quatere," meaning "to shake."

More than a scratch...

By Vichara


Look into the eyes of those you meet. Ask them really how they are doing without judgment and know that they just want the same things that you want. Perhaps you can help; perhaps you have some words of encouragement. Maybe they have words to help you. Extend that “hand” with all that surrounds it. Change the world around you, even if it is just a little bit. The playwright George Bernard Shaw said that he wanted to leave a mark in the world, even if it was just a scratch. I think we can all do better than just a simple scratch.

handsel • \HAN-sul\ • noun
1 : a gift made as a token of good wishes or luck
2 : money given by a buyer to a seller to bind a bargain

Example Sentence:
Having signed the papers and handed over the agreed-upon handsel of $200, Caroline was now the proud owner of a small sailing skiff.

Did you know?
According to an old custom in the British Isles, the first Monday of the new year is Handsel Monday, a day to give a small gift or good luck charm to children or to those who have served you well. As long ago as the year 1200, English speakers were using the ancestor of "handsel" for any good luck charm, especially one given at the start of some new situation or condition. By the 1500s, traders were using "handsel" for the first cash they earned in the morning -- to them, an omen of good things to follow. Nowadays, it can also be used for the first use or experience of something, especially when such a use gives a taste of things to come.

Mum...

By Vichara


As you may have noticed a couple of weeks ago there was a gap in the "Thought Of The Day" messages. On the 24th of September my Mum transitioned from this life to the next. While of course never truly prepared her death came after a brave struggle with cancer for a number of years. So if you will indulge me with this one entry dedicated to her. From the Sermon on the Mount Christ said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”.

In this passage from this sermon I think of God as the poet Rainer Maria Wilke once suggested that we think of God as a direction, rather than an object. It is in that we look at God as an ideal and a catalyst to embody a good heart, a giving spirit and those qualities that Mum possessed and gave freely not to just family members, but to even the casual of acquaintances.

As an example of this I remember a number of years ago when Mum came to spend Christmas with my wife Corey and I in California with our newly adopted daughter Selena. As we waited by the baggage carousel at the airport fellow passengers from Mum’s flight passed us and would say “see you later Mona”, “good to meet you Mona”, “have a good time Mona”. In that short number of hours from New York to Burbank Mum created new friends to the extent that you felt that those that stopped by knew her for a long time. She had just that effect on people.

Buddhist monks recite daily the Five Remembrances, “I will lose my youth, my health, my dear ones and everything I hold dear, and finally lose life itself, by the very nature of my being human”. Yes these are bitter reminders but we should not think of the fact that all things we hold dear and love as transient and perhaps mean we should love less. We should instead love even more. Suffering, the Buddha said, if it does not diminish love, will transport you to a farther shore. You can bet on that shore will be my Mum waiting for all of us with a big smile, a bingo card (a winning one, of course!), a hearty laugh and a hug & kiss for each one of us.

See you later Mum.

The only difference...

By Vichara


All souls are equal. The only difference between each other is your effort to use love, patience and compassion.

blench • \BLENCH\ • verb
: to draw back or turn aside from lack of courage : flinch

Example Sentence:
"'Let me behold thee then in thy bodily shape, if thou be'st indeed a fiend,' replied the dying knight; 'think not that I will blench from thee.'" (Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe)

Did you know?
If a stranger approaches you in a dark alley, it might cause you to blench. Do you flinch or turn white? Actually, you could do both, and both would be considered blenching because there are two separate verbs spelled "blench" in English. The "blench" that means "flinch" derives from "blencan," an Old English word meaning "to deceive." The "blench" meaning "turn white" is an alteration of "blanch," from the French adjective "blanc" ("white"). Clues to which meaning is intended can often be found in context. The "flinch" use, for example, is strictly intransitive and often followed by "from" or "at" ("blenched from the sight of blood"; "didn’t blench at the sound of thunder"). The "whiten" use, meanwhile, can be intransitive ("his skin blenched with terror") or transitive ("the cold blenched her lips").

The bus is waiting...

By Vichara


Reflect for just a moment on how you are feeling right now, this very minute…don’t drift over to something you need to do next or what happened yesterday, stay here, right now, without drifting. Happy? sad? anxious? peaceful?...it doesn’t matter as long as it is right now. Far too much time is spent in the abstracts of past and future. Yes we do learn from our past and we plan for the concept of the future but by not being here, cognizant of this moment is like waiting at the bus stop and missing the bus. It only stops “now” for you. Get your ticket and don’t miss the bus, there is always a seat waiting for you…now.

oracular • \aw-RAK-yuh-ler\ • adjective
1 : resembling an oracle (as in solemnity of delivery)
2 : of, relating to, or being an oracle

Example Sentence:
A knowledgeable wine drinker herself, Roberta refuses to assign oracular status to professional wine critics; she drinks what she likes, not what has been well-reviewed.

Did you know?
When the ancient Greeks had questions or problems that were worrying them, they would often turn to one of their gods for answers by consulting an oracle. The word "oracle" has several meanings. It can refer to the god's answer, to the shrine the worshippers went to when seeking advice, or to a person through whom the god communicated, usually in the form of cryptic verse. (The words "oracular" and "oracle" trace back to the Latin verb "orare," which means "to speak.") Today, "oracle" can simply mean an authoritative pronouncement or a person who makes such pronouncements ("a designer who is an oracle of fashion"). The related adjective "oracular" is used in similar contexts ("a designer who is the oracular voice of fashion").

The parade...

By Vichara


Again the day breaks and awakens from whatever part of the globe you live in, today’s parade of events. At any given time there are millions of parades, some trumpeting quietly, some acknowledging themselves with the not so subtlety of clanging metal of tanks and bullets. We will all participate in one of more of these parades in a day and join others in celebration and communication of unfolding events around us all. We are at times drawn into a parade somewhat unwillingly but once we are there we do all have a choice, to follow along with that parade or guide that parade with others in a new direction based in love, compassion and patience.

wiki • \WIK-ee\ • noun
: a Web site that allows visitors to make changes, contributions, or corrections

Example Sentence:
The corporation has designed a wiki to make communication and collaboration simpler and more efficient among its employees worldwide.

Did you know?
Today, wikis are common stops on the information superhighway; however, they only date to 1995, after computer programmer Ward Cunningham introduced his software WikiWikiWeb to the world. The software, whose name is based on a Hawaiian term for "quick," allows Web site visitors to contribute content to its pages and comment on and make changes to information posted by others. A site using the software is referred to as a "wiki."

A shared vision...

By Vichara


“Till death do us part”. Stern cold words placed in the text of what for some is a truly romantic and wonderful day. However harsh they may be these words serve to underscore the impermanence of our lives and our lives together as couples. If we are lucky to be drawn together with another human and find a common shared vision we should be thankful not of what it can do for us but thankful what we can do to the world we live in. We all have a limited time that has been given to us; use it wisely with a good heart.

limn • \LIM\ • verb
2 : to draw or paint on a surface
*2 : to outline in clear sharp detail : delineate
3 : describe

Example Sentence:
In her novel, Deborah limns a vivid picture of life in the rural America of the 1950s.

Did you know?
Allow us to shed some light on the history of "limn," a word with lustrous origins. "Limn" traces to the Middle French verb "enluminer" and ultimately to the Latin "illuminare," which means "to illuminate." Its use as an English verb dates from the days of Middle English; at first, "limn" referred to the action of illuminating (that is, decorating) medieval manuscripts with gold, silver, or brilliant colors. William Shakespeare extended the term to painting in his poem Venus and Adonis: "Look when a painter would surpass the life / In limning out a well-proportioned steed . . . ."

Change can happen...

By Vichara


With a new day can there be a new change? An obvious question that, considering the exposed fragilities and conflicts, seems to be on the minds of many. I don’t believe that this could be answered in one easy way. Instead of looking out there (T.V., newspapers, internet) for the answers I think that using a figurative mirror on our selves will begin to help. By only reflecting on how we incorporate the world in our lives will be able to help initiate change. Yes it is obvious that the world issues are very large and overwhelming. Do not be discouraged, change can and will come but only if we change ourselves, one small piece at a time. You are not alone, we are not alone, they are not alone, everything is interconnected so if we change, the whole world changes.

MacGuffin • \muh-GUFF-in\ • noun
: an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance

Example Sentence:
The missing document is the MacGuffin that sends the two spies off on an action-packed race around the world, but the real story centers on tension between the main characters.

Did you know?
The first person to use "MacGuffin" as a word for a plot device was Alfred Hitchcock. He borrowed it from an old shaggy-dog story in which some passengers on a train interrogate a fellow passenger carrying a large, strange-looking package. The fellow says the package contains a "MacGuffin," which, he explains, is used to catch tigers in the Scottish Highlands. When the group protests that there are no tigers in the Highlands, the passenger replies, "Well, then, this must not be a MacGuffin." Hitchcock apparently appreciated the way the mysterious package holds the audience’s attention and builds suspense. He recognized that an audience anticipating a solution to a mystery will continue to follow the story even if the initial interest-grabber turns out to be irrelevant.

Life...

By Vichara


We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot live without human affection.

baroque • \buh-ROHK\ • adjective, often capitalized
1 : of or relating to a style of art and music marked by complex forms and bold ornamentation
2 : characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance
3 : irregularly shaped

Example Sentence:
She’s an immensely talented writer, but her baroque prose style is too grandiose for my taste.

Did you know?
"Baroque" came to English from a French word meaning "irregularly shaped." At first, the word in French was used mostly to refer to pearls. Eventually, it came to describe an extravagant style of art characterized by curving lines, gilt, and gold. This type of art, which was prevalent especially in the 17th century, was sometimes considered to be excessively decorated and overly complicated. It makes sense, therefore, that the meaning of the word "baroque" has broadened to include anything that seems excessively ornate or elaborate.

Your wake...

By Vichara


Be cognizant of your own wake, both internally and externally. Internally in your thoughts that you do not create deceptive and negative thoughts that will impede the growth of your heart and keep it from compassionate actions. Externally with your voice and actions so that words and deeds will not hinder another's growth. You have a choice, your wake can create a malicious intent or it can ply the waters of life with grace tempered by love, patience and compassion. It's up to you, you're in control.

polemic • \puh-LEM-ik\ • noun
1 a : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another b : the art or practice of disputation
2 : disputant

Example Sentence:
"He isn't striving for objectivity; this book is part history, part polemic." (Carmela Ciuraru, Christian Science Monitor, June 16, 2009)

Did you know?
When "polemic" was borrowed into English from French "polemique" in the mid-17th century, it referred (as it still can) to a type of hostile attack on someone's ideas. The word traces back to Greek "polemikos," which means "warlike" or "hostile" and in turn comes from the Greek noun "polemos," meaning "war." Other, considerably less common descendants of "polemos" in English include "polemarch" ("a chieftain or military commander in ancient Greece"), "polemoscope" (a kind of binoculars with an oblique mirror), and "polemology" ("the study of war").

One thing to pass on #2...

By Vichara


Not all is what it seems to be and you can change it.


stanch • \STAUNCH\ • verb
1 : to check or stop the flowing of; also : to stop the flow of blood from (a wound)
2 *a : to stop or check in its course b : to make watertight : stop up

Example Sentence:
The company's CEO gave the keynote address at the convention, stanching rumors that he was not recovering well from his surgery.

Did you know?
The verb "stanch" has a lot in common with the adjective "staunch," meaning "steadfast." Not only do both words derive from the Anglo-French word "estancher" (which has the same meaning as "stanch"), but the spelling "s-t-a-n-c-h" is sometimes used for the adjective, and the spelling "s-t-a-u-n-c-h" is sometimes used for the verb. Although both spelling variants have been in reputable use for centuries and both are perfectly standard for either the verb or adjective, "stanch" is the form used most often for the verb and "staunch" is the most common variant for the adjective.

What is left...

By Vichara


This is all we have left, but it is so much more than we think.

spindrift • \SPIN-drift\ • noun
1 : sea spray; especially : spray blown from waves during a gale
2 : fine wind-borne snow or sand
Example Sentence:
"The winds around the mountain were fierce and a long white plume of spindrift trailed from the summit." (Michael Palin, [London] Sunday Times, September 26, 2004)
Did you know?
"Spindrift" first set sail in the mid-18th century under Scottish command. During its first voyage, it was known by the Scottish moniker "speendrift." "Speen" meant "to drive before a strong wind," so a "speendrift" was a drift of spray during such action. In 1823, English speakers recruited the word, but signed it up as "spindrift." At that time, its sole duty was to describe the driving sprays at sea. However, English speakers soon realized that "spindrift" had potential to serve on land as well, and the word was sent ashore to describe driving snow and sand. Today, "spindrift" still serves us commendably at sea and on land.