Beyond the clutter of negativity...

By Vichara


With all of the cynicism we need to create opportunities for belief. The keenly honed jaded attitude that we seemed to adopt over the years has robbed us of the time we need to enjoy the wonder of things. Can we somehow push aside the clutter of negativity that can sometimes gather and engage in more fulfilling use of our time? I know it can be difficult and one day melds into another. I believe that as the food and water we ingest to sustain our bodies we also need belief and wonder to be a part of our daily regime. I wish there was a place of gathering beyond the confines of doctrine and religion where it is safe to exchange our beliefs. A gathering place that is filled with encouragement instead of judgment. Perhaps this is called-friendship?

reprobate • \REP-ruh-bayt\ • noun
1 : a person foreordained to damnation
*2 : a depraved person : scoundrel
Example Sentence:
"He was just an old reprobate who lived poor and died broke...." (Richard Peck, A Long Way from Chicago)
Did you know?
These days, calling someone a "reprobate" is hardly a condemnation to hellfire and brimstone, but the original reprobates of the 16th century were hardened sinners who had fallen from God's grace. By the 19th century, "reprobate" had acquired the milder, but still utterly condemnatory, sense of "a depraved person." Gradually, though, the criticism implied by "reprobate" became touched with tolerance and even a bit of humor. It is now most likely to be used as it was in this August 1995 New Yorker magazine article about the death of musician Jerry Garcia: "It was suddenly obvious that Garcia had become, against all odds, an American icon: by Thursday morning, the avuncular old reprobate had smuggled his way onto the front pages of newspapers around the world."

The cards that we play...

By Vichara


There are days when life seems like playing cards with everyone but the cards are blank and no one is sure of the rules. Sure you know that you are engaged in some kind of exercise and because there are cards there is something tangible but there is a missing part. What is the missing part? Is it understanding? Is it compassion? Is it empathy? Is it belief? Or is it just plain human decency? What is the goal of this game that we engage in for our waking hours? Is there some satisfying conclusion that we are aiming for? To some it may be small while others grand but we all will have some wish for the outcome. I know that this thought brings up more questions than answers but perhaps that is the goal. To put images on the cards that we play and to let us know that we are all playing a fair game.

chevron • \SHEV-run\ • noun
1 a : a figure, pattern, or object having the shape of a V or an inverted V: as b : a heraldic charge consisting of two diagonal stripes meeting at an angle usually with the point up * c : a sleeve badge that indicates the wearer's rank and service (as in the armed forces)
Example Sentence:
"A young cavalry soldier in a red uniform, with the three chevrons of a sergeant upon his sleeve, strode up the aisle, with an embarrassment which was only the more marked by the intense vigour of his step.…" (Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd)
Did you know?
First appearing in English in the 14th century, "chevron" derives via Middle English and Anglo-French from the Vulgar Latin word "caprio," meaning "rafter" (probably due to its resemblance to two adjoining roof beams). It is also related to the Latin noun "caper," meaning "goat," again likely based on the resemblance of a V-shape to a goat’s horns. "Caper" is also an ancestor of "Capricorn," the tenth sign of the zodiac, represented by a goat. The resemblance of "chevron" to "chèvre," the French word for "goat" and our word for a kind of cheese that comes from goat’s milk, is no coincidence, as that word derives from "caper" as well.

Timing...

By Vichara


Sometimes it seems like it is all a matter of timing. When you needed to move-the last time it over took-believing is an issue if-waking steadily along the path-you can see that the steps are taken-what can’t you see will not you are at the center of the issues-confiscate your dreams back from those that mean-is there another way to seek-meditate on those thoughts that-forward-you-dreams-dreams-and believe-hurt you-you’re in control-to steal them away-peace will bring things all into perspective. The shuffling of thoughts will occur when there is restlessness inside. When you take time to be in the moment things will fall into place to be reflected on more clearly. Sometimes it seems like it is all a matter of timing.

uxorial • \uk-SOR-ee-ul\ • adjective
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a wife
Example Sentence:
“He watered the plants, cleared aspen leaves and debris from the rock garden, and cut the lawn … without any uxorial prompting.” (Rois M. Beal, The Washington Post, July 19, 2007)
Did you know?
With help from "-ial," "-ious," and "-icide," the Latin word "uxor," meaning "wife," has given us the English words "uxorial," "uxorious" (meaning "excessively fond of or submissive to a wife"), and "uxoricide" ("murder of a wife by her husband" or "a wife murderer"). Do we have equivalent "husband" words? Well, sort of. "Maritus" means "husband" in Latin, so "marital" can mean "of or relating to a husband and his role in marriage" (although "maritus" also means "married," and the "of or relating to marriage or the married state" sense of "marital" is far more common). And while "mariticide" is "spouse killing," it can also be specifically "husband-killing."

Honk if you are happy...

By Vichara


As I was on my way home last night I passed a couple of young men standing on the corner of a busy street holding a sign. Their sign read “Honk If You Are Happy!”. In the seconds it took to pass them by I evaluated but I did not honk. Normally I may have unreservedly honked away but in that intuitive moment of reflection I did not reach for the horn. Yes there are a number of things that I am happy about. Isolated bits of life do stand out and shine but other parts do not rise up into the light. This is just a simple fact and honest assessment of how I feel and I would venture a guess how others feel as well. Perhaps engaging with this type of brutal honesty will facilitate the happy parts we have into elevating the not happy parts into the light for a fresh look. With this new assessment and honesty there may be an opportunity to find more of a reason to honk.

shibboleth • \SHIB-uh-luth\ • noun
1 : catchword, slogan
2 : a widely held belief or truism
3 : a custom or usage regarded as distinctive of a particular group
Example Sentence:
“Taxpayers beware: Don't buy into the shibboleth that more money automatically translates into better schools.” (Press Journal [Vero Beach, FL], July 27, 2003)
Did you know?
The Bible's Book of Judges (12:4-6) tells the story of the Ephraimites, who, after they were routed by the Gileadite army, tried to retreat by sneaking across a ford of the Jordan River that was held by their enemy. The Gileadites, wary of the ploy, asked every soldier who tried to cross if he was an Ephraimite. When the soldier said "no," he was asked to say "shibboleth" (which means "stream" in Hebrew). Gileadites pronounced the word "shibboleth," but Ephramites said "sibboleth." Anyone who left out the initial "sh" was killed on the spot. When English speakers first borrowed "shibboleth," they used it to mean "test phrase," but it has acquired additional meanings since that time.

Are you cognizant?...

By Vichara


How much can you get away with? There seems to be evident a sense by some to see how much they can get away with in a day with even the smallest of things. Like a child thinking that the adult is not around they push the limits. They see how far they can wait before they run out of lane in traffic and cut in front of somebody. Park in places not assigned to them, leave dirty dishes in a sink, paper towels on the floor and things unattended. Possibly believing they do not need to pay attention, somebody else will take care of it; they have their own set of rules, lazy, inconsiderate or just plain self-involved. Your wake both physically and mentally does leave its mark so it’s just plain decent if you were cognizant of this fact. It may take a minute longer to finish or wait but isn’t that better than bringing on some karmic backlash that will sooner or later will happen?

nefarious • \nih-FAIR-ee-us\ • adjective
: flagrantly wicked or impious : evil
Example Sentence:
"We now learn that the two sides may have been working together in nefarious ways in some kind of conspiracy that transcends national boundaries and allegiances." (Paul A. Cantor, Gilligan Unbound)
Did you know?
"Vicious" and "villainous" are two wicked synonyms of "nefarious," and, like "nefarious," both mean "highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct." But these synonyms are not used in exactly the same way in all situations. "Vicious" may imply moral depravity or it may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence. "Villainous" applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic, while "nefarious" (which derives from the Latin noun "nefas," meaning "crime") suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct. "Nefarious" first appeared in English in the early 17th century, whereas "vicious" and "villainous" preceded "nefarious" by about two hundred years.

Just sitting around?...

By Vichara


People who may think that when you sit in meditation is just sitting around and doing nothing but breathing are misinformed. On the surface a person sitting just seems to be just involved in some exercise of being still and not dealing with anything. While yes in the very obvious physical this is true and you are being still but inside things are moving along. With this exercise you give your body and mind a chance to re-engage and connect. It gives your entire system the opportunity to slow down for a period of time and set the controls of the body up once again to deal with the events of the day. While sitting the channels that need the vital sustaining elements have a chance to open up and fill. While those switches and gears are being set up for the day the time spent sitting clears the internal horizon. So when you do take that first step into your day your ability to “see” is greatly enhanced…even sometimes with the aid of caffeine.

hummock • \HUM-uk\ • noun
*1 : a rounded knoll or hillock
2 : a ridge of ice
3 : a fertile area in the southern United States and especially Florida that is usually higher than its surroundings and that is characterized by hardwood vegetation and deep humus-rich soil
Example Sentence:
Cattle and sparse vegetation dot a rolling landscape of hummocks and shallow valleys.
Did you know?
"Hummock" first appeared in English in the mid-1500s as an alteration of "hammock," another word which can be used for a small hill. This "hammock" is not related to the "hammock" we use to refer to a swinging bed made of netting or canvas. That "hammock" comes from the Spanish "hamaca," and ultimately from Taino, a language spoken by the original inhabitants of the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas. The origins of the other "hammock" and the related "hummock" are still obscure, though they are related to Middle Low German "hummel" ("small height") and "hump" ("bump"). English also borrowed "hump," another word which can refer to a small hill or hummock.

Objects may appear larger...

By Vichara


Objects may appear larger is written on most of the rear view mirrors in the vehicles that we drive. Of course in this forum you know it is placed there to remind us to be cognizant of moving objects that are whizzing past all the time. Where this warning is not written in plain sight is in our daily lives. We encounter so many things in our day that will seem so much larger than they appear. Something somebody says in passing that is probably a whisper seems like a scream. An encounter with an issue you are dealing with that on the surface to others maybe small as a gnat but looms to you so large they appear like a monster from a silly “B” movie. Perhaps in these moments when distortion misaligns the actual truth we need to get up and walk away from the mirror for a moment until whatever you are dealing with reduces to it’s actual size. Then driving forward with clarity and equanimity the possible overwhelming presence of objects will be reduced to it’s actual manageable size. Don’t forget to use your turn signals.

copacetic • \koh-puh-SET-ik\ • adjective
: very satisfactory
Example Sentence:
Although Julie and Emma were barely on speaking terms last week, they now say that they have patched things up and everything is copacetic.
Did you know?
Theories about the origin of "copacetic" abound. The tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson believed he had coined the word as a boy in Richmond, Virginia. When patrons of his shoeshine stand would ask, "How’s everything this morning?" he would reply, "Oh jes’ copacetic, boss; jes’ copacetic." But the word was current in Southern Black English perhaps as early as 1880, so it seems unlikely that Robinson (born in 1878) could have invented the term. Another explanation is that the word is from the Hebrew phrase "kol be sedher," meaning "everything is in order." Possibly it was coined by Harlem blacks working in Jewish businesses. The word’s popularity among Southern blacks, however, points to its originating in one of the Southern cities in which Jewish communities thrived, such as Atlanta.

Sailing in calmer waters...

By Vichara


When I “sit” some mornings the thoughts sometimes come and natter away at something that needs to be taken care of or with what needs to be said to somebody. They spin around and mingle with each other thoughts and create an internal cacophony like sirens on the rocks that tempted and called out to sailors in sea-faring legends. These thoughts can lure you into choppy waters of indecision and mire you into confusion until you are not sure which way is the safe shoreline. Steering away from these sirens and choppy waters may seem difficult but it is a requirement and essential to your survival. It is when you can see the single waves approaching are you able to steer to the shores of equanimity. How do you get to these calmer waters? Drift out farther from the chaotic shoreline to get a better perspective. Solutions that matter will only appear when you rest in calmer waters and when you distance yourself away from the chaotic shoreline we all encounter.

forte • \FORT\ • noun
: something in which one excels : one's strong point
Example Sentence:
The pitcher's forte is definitely his 100-mph fastball, although his curveball is also strong.
Did you know?
"Forte" derives from the sport of fencing -- when English speakers borrowed the word from French in the mid-17th century, it referred to the strongest part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt. It is therefore unsurprising that "forte" eventually developed an extended metaphorical sense for a person's strong point. (Incidentally, "forte" has its counterpoint in the word "foible," meaning both the weakest part of a sword blade and a person's weak point.) There is some controversy over how to correctly pronounce "forte"; common choices in American English are "FOR-tay" and "for-TAY," but many usage commentators recommend rhyming it with "fort." None of these is technically true to the French, in which "forte" would sound more like "for." You can take your choice, knowing that someone somewhere will dislike whichever variant you choose. All, however, are standard.

The other checklist...

By Vichara


We open our eyes in the morning like opening the door to the outside world. There is some trepidation but we know that moving forward is the right thing to do. Still we squint and try to adjust to the light and its duet with the ambient noise and engage to the new day. For the majority of us there will be any number of tasks that will be expected to be completed in a day. A checklist of priorities and responsibilities that hopefully one by one will see its completion. Then there is the other checklist. This is a checklist although not blatantly as evident as the tasks in a day but as important. Things like laughter, love, gratification, support, compassion, comfort and equanimity. While it may be considered just filler in a day to some they are vital. We may not consciously think of mentally checking them off our lists but without them the door to the day is not so easily opened.

wanderlust • \WAHN-der-lust\ • noun
: strong longing for or impulse towards wandering
Example Sentence:
After years of traveling, Philip accepted a job in Minnesota and announced his intention to settle down, but once the first cold snap hit, it didn’t take long for wanderlust to set in again.
Did you know?
"For my part," writes Robert Louis Stevenson in Travels with a Donkey, "I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Sounds like a case of wanderlust if we ever heard one. Those with "wanderlust" don't necessarily need to go anywhere in particular; they just don't care to stay in one spot. The etymology of "wanderlust" is a very simple one that you can probably figure out yourself. "Wanderlust" is lust (or "desire") for wandering. The word comes from German, in which "wandern" means "to wander," and "Lust" means "desire."

No reservations needed...

By Vichara


You can’t put in a reservation to the Future - it does not exist. I called the other day to do this but the phone just kept ringing and ringing and ringing. I got tired of waiting, doodling on a piece of paper while I waited for someone to pick up but they never did. I hung up and tried again but I hit the speed dial and by accident I hit the button to the Past. Of course someone picked up right away, in fact several voices picked up. It seemed like there were about 10 voices all of them fighting over each other regaling me with stories of past glories and failures. I tried to politely to interrupt but I finally hung up with the voices still going on. I punched in the next line to call the Future again and heard no dial tone. I waited for a moment and said hello. A voice came right back that sounded kind of like my own but less frenetic and infused with a calming effect. I asked if this was Future and the voice came back in an easy manner that no, this is Now and there is no need for a reservation. He said we’re here always open, 24/7.

magniloquent • \mag-NIL-uh-kwunt\ • adjective
: speaking in or characterized by a high-flown often bombastic style or manner
Example Sentence:
The actor delivered a magniloquent monologue, peppered with metaphors and obscure words.
Did you know?
"Magnus" means "great" in Latin; "loqui" is a Latin verb meaning "to speak." Combine the two and you get "magniloquus," the Latin predecessor of "magniloquent." English speakers started using "magniloquent" in the 1600s -- even though we’d had its synonym "grandiloquent" since the 1500s. ("Grandiloquent" comes from Latin "grandiloquus," which combines "loqui" and "grandis," another word for "great" in Latin.) Today, these synonyms continue to exist side by side and to be used interchangeably, though "grandiloquent" is the more common of the two.

How it measures up...

By Vichara


We live in a world that is constantly being measured even with what may be considered mundane to some. How fast you go, how slow you go, how white your smile is or how happy or sad you are. For my daughters it could be how cool one person is over another or which TV character is better than another. For my wife it is how she is judged in how well she can ride a horse and for me perhaps if what I write here is a good thought or not. Yes, I do realize that certain gauging systems are set up for practical measurements to achieve results that are required. What I am more concerned is where measurements are used for things that frankly may not need measuring. Does it really matter if that TV character is better than another, one color is better, how someone else rides a horse or my thoughts are better one day over another? I believe the only measurement which should we be using is how it makes you feel without measuring things in acceptability of others. Are you happy? Are you content? Are you inspired?

glower • \GLOW-er (the OW is as in "cow")\ • verb
: to look or stare with sullen annoyance or anger
Example Sentence:
I could sense Katherine glowering at me after I took her usual parking spot.
Did you know?
Do words of uncertain origin make you scowl? If so, "glower" may put a frown on your face, because only part of its history can be validated. The well-established part of its story leads us to Scotland, where "glower" (or "glowren," to use the older Scottish form of the word) has been used since the late Middle Ages. Originally, the word meant simply "to look intently" or "to stare in amazement," but by the late 1700s, glowering stares were being associated with anger instead of astonishment. Beyond that, however, the history of the word is murky. The most we can say is that "glower" is a distant relative of Middle Low German "glūren," which means "to be overcast," and of Middle Dutch "gloeren," meaning "to leer."

Walking among the dead...

By Vichara


We walk among the dead even though they are breathing, walking and talking. The dead are mired in a self-possessed world where there is very little cognizant value that they give others beyond the perfunctory tasks they perform for the dead. The dead believe they are seeing but their vision is myopic at best and life’s peripheral existence does not even illuminate in their eyes to any great extent. The dead can hear but there is very little that registers other then their voices and maybe some of what the other dead are saying. There is some confusion for the dead when thing don’t go quite the way they want it to go but like an over-stimulated child they drop whatever it was and go on. In their wake the dead leave the debris of unfulfilled promises that they made to others to get what they wanted. The dead see only themselves. The question when you look in the mirror – are you alive or one of the dead?

archetype • \AHR-kih-type\ • noun
: the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies : prototype; also : a perfect example
Example Sentence:
"A redeveloped Tonsley Park will be an archetype of the new economy … an economy that is knowledge-based, environmentally sustainable and responsive to climate change." (Brian Cunningham, The [Australia] Advertiser, February 9, 2010)
Did you know?
"Archetype" derives via Latin from the Greek adjective "archetypos" ("archetypal"), formed from the verb "archein" ("to begin" or "to rule") and the noun "typos" ("type"). ("Archein" also gave us the prefix "arch-," meaning "principal" or "extreme" and used to form such words as "archenemy," "archduke," and "archconservative.") "Archetype" has specific uses in the fields of philosophy and psychology. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato, for example, believed that all things have ideal forms (aka archetypes) of which real things are merely shadows or copies. And in the psychology of C. G. Jung, "archetype" refers to an inherited idea or mode of thought that is present in the unconscious of the individual. In everyday prose, however, "archetype" is most commonly used to mean "a perfect example of something."

Revealing through the mundane...

By Vichara


A slight in perception will often lead you to discoveries that would you normally pass over. In our daily activities there are many elements of repetition. But like a fine craftsman /woman repeatedly buffing a fine piece of metal or wood it will soon reveal a beauty that only comes from diligent and careful focus. While we may view some activities as plainly boring, these same movements of mind and body could reveal to you and those around you a hidden treasure that will help you and others. Reflect in the mundane and through your diligence discover something that could change your perceptions.

haywire • \HAY-wyre\ • adverb or adjective
*1 : being out of order or having gone wrong
2 : emotionally or mentally upset or out of control : crazy
Example Sentence:
The company's e-mailing system went haywire and sent out multiple copies of the advertisement to its subscribers.
Did you know?
The wire used in baling hay -- haywire -- is often used in makeshift repairs. This hurried and temporary use of haywire gave rise to the adjective "haywire." When the adjective was first used in the early 20th century, it was primarily found in the phrase "haywire outfit," which originally denoted a poorly equipped group of loggers and then anything that was flimsy or patched together. This led to a "hastily patched-up" sense, which, in turn, gave us the more commonly used meaning, "being out of order or having gone wrong." The "crazy" sense of "haywire" may have been suggested by the difficulty of handling the springy wire, its tendency to get tangled around legs, or the disorderly appearance of the temporary repair jobs for which it was used.

The equinox...

By Vichara


We are again at the point of the year where the woes of winter start to fade and the promise of new life starts to become evident in the outside world. The green shoots appearing, the buds starting to form and the variety of birds start to change. Yes all of this on the outside but we also can use this equinox of change with our own inside world – with our minds and vision. We have an opportunity with the spring equinox to clear the debris internally and turn the soil for the planting of new thoughts and new ideas with acceptance and understanding. Consider what seeds you want to plant this year and how they will affect the overall garden. Be patient with the new growth in your new garden because nothing will flourish without this element.

sub rosa • \sub-ROH-zuh\ • adverb
: in confidence : secretly
Example Sentence:
The private investigator met sub rosa with his client to show her photos of her husband rendezvousing at various local establishments with another woman.
Did you know?
"Sub rosa" literally means "under the rose" in New Latin. Since ancient times, the rose has often been associated with secrecy. In ancient mythology, Cupid gave a rose to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to keep him from telling about the indiscretions of Venus. Ceilings of dining rooms have been decorated with carvings of roses, reportedly to remind guests that what was said at the table should be kept confidential. Roses have also been placed over confessionals as a symbol of the confidentiality of confession. "Sub rosa" entered the English language in the 17th century, and even before then, people were using the English version, "under the rose." Earlier still, "unter der Rose" was apparently used in Germany, where the phrase is thought to have originated.

Joie de vivre...

By Vichara


Your “voice” is unique and there will never be another one like…ever. There is a tendency by some either by some emotional upheaval or a past event to diminish the importance of your voice. It may have been constricted by a parent, relative, teacher or a collection of all of them but more than likely someone you knew. Being cut off from the fuel of confidence your voice became thinner and small but no matter what happened it is still there and can be heard and wants to be heard. I am not advocating an over the top presence, bordering on obnoxious - no, more like a tempered voice of confidence supported by Joie de vivre. Your existence, this life and your voice will never happen again, give it the life it deserves and speak up. Share or write it down like the nut writing these thoughts. Don’t be afraid. We all have merit and have something to say. A voice that is unique and only yours.

will-o'-the-wisp • \will-uh-thuh-WISP\ • noun
1 : a light that appears at night over marshy ground
*2 : a misleading or elusive goal or hope
Example Sentence:
Though her friends think she's chasing a will-o'-the-wisp, Alexis is determined to quit her job and follow her dream of becoming a pop music star.
Did you know?
The will-o'-the-wisp is a flame-like phosphorescence caused by gases from decaying plants in marshy areas. In olden days, it was personified as "Will with the wisp," a sprite who carried a fleeting "wisp" of light. Foolish travelers were said to try to follow the light and were then led astray into the marsh. (An 18th-century fairy tale described Will as one "who bears the wispy fire to trail the swains among the mire.") The light was first known, and still also is, as "Ignis Fatuus," which in Latin means "foolish fire." Eventually, the name "will-o'-the-wisp" was extended to any impractical or unattainable goal.

The embers of interest...

By Vichara


Where can we go today that is different than yesterday? They say that variety is the spice of life and they’re many that believe this to be true and lead to a fulfilled life. However is another way we could go today that could allow us to travel great distances without going that far? No, I am not advocating shuffling to your sofa and turning on the travel channel. I thinking more from thought to realization, interest to passion and curiosity to completion. Not just the physical road of adventure and more of the cerebral road of conquest. We all hopefully have many interests but is there perhaps one of two these days that are burning embers of interest in your mind? Perhaps with spring right around the corner this may create a catalyst to add fuel to the fire and allow you to pursue this one interest. We are bundles of dreams and desires. It’s spring plant a new seed and help it grow!

petard • \puh-TAHRD\ • noun
1 : a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall
2 : a firework that explodes with a loud report
Example Sentence:
"The blast occurred on Sunday afternoon in a farmer's house in the Anhui Province, destroying six rooms which stored materials for making petards and firecrackers." (RIA Novosti, January 11, 2010)
Did you know?
Aside from historical references to siege warfare, and occasional contemporary references to fireworks, "petard" is almost always encountered in variations of the phrase "hoist with one's own petard," meaning "victimized or hurt by one's own scheme." The phrase comes from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "For 'tis the sport to have the enginer / Hoist with his own petar." "Hoist" in this case is the past participle of the verb "hoise," meaning "to lift or raise," and "petar(d)" refers to an explosive device used in siege warfare. Hamlet uses the example of the engineer (the person who sets the explosive device) being blown into the air by his own device as a metaphor for those who schemed against Hamlet being undone by their own schemes. The phrase has endured, even if its literal meaning has largely been forgotten.

The spark...

By Vichara


So you breathe, so you live. So you live, so you create. From creation comes inspiration and from inspiration is the spark you will share and help those around you. Each and every one of us has this ability and it is stirring as you read this. This is your life, you have the right, the qualifications so ignite and inspire.

eclectic • \ih-KLEK-tik\ • adjective
1 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles
*2 : composed of elements drawn from various sources; also : heterogeneous
Example Sentence:
The new downtown restaurant offers an eclectic mix of appetizers and entrees at reasonable prices.
Did you know?
"Eclectic" comes from a Greek verb meaning "to select" and was originally applied to ancient philosophers who were not committed to any single system of philosophy; instead, these philosophers selected whichever doctrines pleased them from every school of thought. Later, the word's use broadened to cover other selective natures. "Hard by, the central slab is thick with books / Diverse, but which the true eclectic mind / Knows how to group, and gather out of each / Their frequent wisdoms...." In this 19th century example from a poem by Arthur Joseph Munby, for example, the word is applied to literature lovers who cull selective works from libraries

Swing and sway, the natural way...

By Vichara


How much swing in your step is measured by how much sway in your heart. If you are not swaying you can’t swing and you are right back where you started. So I guess the natural question would be how do you get the “sway” happening? Well this is what you do. You go out and buy yourself a nice new outfit that is comfortable and roomy. Pick up a nice comfortable pair of shoes, soft and not tight. Get your hair done, nails fixed up, shower (and shave for guys) and slap on some good smelly stuff. When all done download or buy some Dean Martin music, push the coffee table out of the way, turn Dean on and…ok, there I no need for all of that. To get the sway is just another lesson in being here. Sway is all based in a mental attitude. When the perception is not mired in the past or disillusioned by the future it ignites the possibilities of the moment. Your step is not dragging but elevated allowing you to…sway! And when you sway you…anyone?...swing!

lave • \LAYV\ • verb
1 a : wash, bathe * b : to flow along or against
2 : pour
Example Sentence:
"There are few traces of man's hand to be seen. The water laves the shore as it did a thousand years ago." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden)
Did you know?
"Lave" is a simple, monosyllabic word that magically makes the mundane act of washing poetic. Shakespeare used it in The Taming of the Shrew, when Gremio assured the father of his beloved Bianca that she would have "basins and ewers to lave her dainty hands." And in Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop, Nell "laved her hands and face, and cooled her feet before setting forth to walk again." The poetry of "lave" is also heard when describing water washing against the shore, as in our example sentence, or even the pouring of water: "He … laved a few cool drops upon his brow" (John Lockhart, Reginald Dalton). Before washing our hands of "lave," we'll tell you its etymology: it, as well as "lavatory," comes from Latin "lavare," meaning "to wash."

Do the hokey pokey...

By Vichara


You put your right thought in, you put your right thought out, you put your right thought in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about. There is numerous times where our thoughts and actions seem to be childlike in execution. The insecure feeling of putting forth any effort in that it will be ridiculed judged or misunderstood. Regardless of how old or how we believe we are sophisticated and mature beings there is still a percentage of what we do that is refracted in childish behavior. The sandbox is still there but it now has cubicles, corner windows, computers and shiny toys to play with. On top of that the games that were perhaps once innocent have become more manipulative and deceptive. Is there a way to level the playground? Not really, just be cognizant of these things when asked to “play” today.

journeyman • \JER-nee-mun\ • noun
1 : a worker who has learned a trade and works for another person
*2 : an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer
Example Sentence:
The team is ready to trade three of its rookie hopefuls for the journeyman pitcher.
Did you know?
The "journey" in "journeyman" refers to a sense of this familiar word not often used anymore: "a day's labor." This sense of "journey" was first used in the 14th century. When "journeyman" appeared the following century, it originally referred to a person who, having learned a handicraft or trade through an apprenticeship, worked for daily wages. In the 16th century, "journeyman" picked up a figurative (and mainly deprecatory) sense; namely, "one who drudges for another." These days, however, "journeyman" has little to do with drudgery, and lots to do with knowing a trade inside out.

Calling Today...

By Vichara


When I got up this morning I put a call in for “Today”-I just got Today’s voice mail. It said, in that cheery slightly condescending way, “I’m sorry I missed your call but you know that if you are receiving this message the day has already started.” I was waiting for the beep to leave a message but there was this brief pause and it continued. Today finished by saying “if you truly want to meet me you need to stop hanging around so much with “Past” and his annoying friend “Future”. Past just ends up re-hashing stuff over and over and the Future paints stories of what you want to hear, not what truly is real. Meet me here soon, but I can’t wait – BEEEEEP!

licit • \LISS-it\ • adjective
: conforming to the requirements of the law : not forbidden by law : permissible
Example Sentence:
"We are focusing on making government institutions more accountable and effective, promoting the rule of law, [and] stimulating licit economic activity, especially in agriculture." (Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, April 23, 2009)
Did you know?
"Licit" is far less common than its antonym "illicit," but you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the former is the older of the two. Not by much, though: the first known use of "licit" in print is from 1483, whereas "illicit" shows up in print for the first time in 1506. For some reason "illicit" took off while "licit" just plodded along. When "licit" appears these days it often modifies "drugs" or "crops." Meanwhile, "illicit" shows up before words like "thrill" and "passion" (as well as "gambling," "relationship," "activities," and, of course, "drugs" and "crops.") The Latin word "licitus," meaning "lawful," is the root of the pair; "licitus" itself is from "licēre," meaning "to be permitted."

Meeting at high noon...

By Vichara


Two thoughts meet and face each other like Wild West gunslingers at high noon. Who is faster at engaging the synopses that will culminate in a victory with the grey matter of the brain? Who will be faster, hit the mark and gain dominance? The right thought, the wrong thought. The calculated or the impulsive, which one will, it be? In that split second with that one dominant thought our lives change. This thought gunfight happens so many times in a day that we do not keep track. So how do we know that the decision to raise the hand of victory in that microsecond is the right one? Is it in the intuitive moral compass that hopefully cultivated? Spiritual guides that mysteriously lead you through to safety? I am not completely sure with only 51 years on this planet. But I do believe if the paths that we have traversed are infused with the lessons from those of good moral integrity that our hands and hearts will be then soundly guided and we will ultimately win the battle at high noon.

transmogrify • \transs-MAH-gruh-fye\ • verb
: to change or alter greatly and often with grotesque or humorous effect
Example Sentence:
With the help of an interior decorator, Max transmogrified his drab, cluttered apartment into a stylish yet functional bachelor pad.
Did you know?
We know that the prefix "trans-" means "across" or "beyond" and appears in many words that evoke change, such as "transform" and "transpire," but we don't know the exact origins of "transmogrify." The 17th-century dramatist, novelist, and poet Aphra Behn, who is regarded as England's first female professional writer, was among the first English authors to use the word. In her 1671 comic play The Amorous Prince, Behn wrote, "I wou'd Love would transmogriphy me to a maid now." A century later, Scottish poet Robert Burns plied the word again in verse, aptly capturing the grotesque and sometimes humorous effect of transmogrification: "Social life and Glee sit down, . . . Till, quite transmugrify'd, they're grown Debauchery and Drinking."

The gallery of life...

By Vichara


Losing a person to the final stage of death feels like a chip has been taken away from the much larger stone sculpture of life. While we think of the sculpture as permanent and strong it too is subject to the state of impermanence. With every person that we witness leaving here one more piece falls away and is filled with memories. At some point the sculpture may become thin of substance and thick with memories. It will change from a sculpture to a watercolor painting, faded in some places but with brush strokes of love and compassion. There is no wrong or right with this scenario – it is just the way it is. We don’t accept this in servitude to the transition but acceptance with its natural outcome. The gallery of our lifetime will house many works of art and the collections will change daily. Our admission to this gallery is with equanimity. Try not to rush through the exhibits in the gallery but stop and appreciate the transitional beauty.

didactic • \dye-DAK-tik\ • adjective
1 a : designed or intended to teach * b : intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment
2 : making moral observations
Example Sentence:
Many of the shows on the channel are didactic, teaching children about such things as the importance of recycling, exercise, and honesty through the actions of animated characters.
Did you know?
"Didaktikos" is a Greek word that means "apt at teaching." It comes from "didaskein," meaning "to teach." Something "didactic" does just that: teaches or instructs. "Didactic" conveyed that neutral meaning when it was first borrowed in the 17th century, and still does; a didactic piece of writing is one that is meant to be instructive as well as artistic. Parables are generally didactic because they aim to teach a moral lesson. "Didactic" now sometimes has negative connotations, too, however. Something "didactic" is often overburdened with instruction to the point of being dull. Or it might be pompously instructive or moralistic.

Sheer will...

By Vichara


We are superstitious about superstitions;

Don’t step on the crack unless you…
Throw the salt over your shoulder…
Turn around three times and spit…
Rub the rabbit foot…
Don’t let a black cat cross…

We use incantations, spells and chanting all in the attempt for the most part to stop something from happening to you, friends or family member. In others words trying to control what may be unavoidable…or not. While many cultures have their talismans and prayers at the core of these attempts to change the outcome is the sheer will. That is it. It is not that any one object contains magical properties; it is the focus of sheer will that will be effective with the outcome. If you want to change you can. Step by step do the work to get it done. Inch by inch gather your tools to build a better foundation. Don’t kill another rabbit for its foot – do the work yourself!

asterisk • \ASS-tuh-risk\ • noun
: the character * used in printing or writing as a reference mark, as an indication of the omission of letters or words, to denote a hypothetical or unattested linguistic form, or for various arbitrary meanings
Example Sentence:
Words in the text that are defined in the glossary are marked with an asterisk for quick reference.
Did you know?
If someone asked you to associate the word "asterisk" with a heavenly body, you would probably have no problem relating it to a star -- even if you didn't know that the word "asterisk" derives from "asteriskos," a Greek word meaning "little star." "Asterisk" has been a part of the constellation of English since at least the late 1300s, but it is far from the only shining star in our language. The Greek forms "astēr," "astro," and "astrum" (all of which mean "star") still cast their light in English by way of such words as "asteroid," "astral," and "disaster" (which originally meant "an unfavorable aspect of a planet or star"). Even "star" itself is a distant relative of "asterisk."