To a New Year, a new start...

By Vichara


What makes you think makes you feel. What makes you feel ignites a change. The choice is yours if the change will escalate the good intentions of the bad intentions you have. While simplistic in structure this catalyst point can be profound. As this year winds down on our calendar many look at the impending New Year with the outlook of a new start, another chance to start afresh. While it’s wonderful to hold this intent be realistic in that there can never be immediate change and there will always be lingering personality traits that will always linger. Let them linger and if you see them as negative let them linger as well. Be cognizant of them but not letting them be dominant will allow those good intentions that you dream for the New Year to form a new foundation of thoughts and actions.

zany • \ZAY-nee\ • noun
1 : a subordinate clown or acrobat in old comedies who mimics ludicrously the tricks of the principal
2 : one who acts the buffoon to amuse others
3 : a foolish, eccentric, or crazy person

Example Sentence:
My brother's friends are an unpredictable bunch of zanies.

Did you know?
Zanies have been theatrical buffoons since the heyday of the Italian commedia dell’arte, which introduced those knavish clowns. The Italian "zanni" was a stock servant character, often an intelligent and proud valet with abundant common sense, a love of practical jokes, and a tendency to be quarrelsome, cowardly, envious, vindictive, and treacherous. Zanni, the Italian name for the character, comes from a dialect nickname for Giovanni, the Italian form of John. The character quickly spread throughout European theater circles, inspiring such familiar characters as Pierrot and Harlequin, and by the late 1500s an anglicized version of the noun “zany” was introduced to English-speaking audiences by no less a playwright than William Shakespeare (in Loveas Labouras Lost).

Time better spent...

By Vichara


We proceed with the actions in a day supported by a conviction that what we do is justified. The justification is hopefully based in self-knowledge and having discerned the difference between right and wrong…but where did those definitions come from? From what someone has told you or what you believe? When you employ and develop your intuitive senses, the truth in that recognizing this companion of life as it is, we can use the time spent in fear more purposely by inspiring and helping each other to be happy.

xeric • \ZEER-ik\ • adjective
: characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture

Example Sentence:
Many cacti have thick, succulent stems that can store enough water to allow them to survive even in xeric habitats.

Did you know?
By the late 1800s, botanists were using the terms “xerophyte” and “xerophytic” for plants that were well adapted for survival in dry environments. But some felt the need of a more generic word that included both animals and plants. In 1926 that group proposed using “xeric” (derived from "xēros," the Greek word for “dry”) as a more generalized term for either flora or fauna. They further suggested that “xerophytic … be entirely abandoned as useless and misleading.” Not everyone liked the idea. In fact, the Ecological Society of America stated that “xeric” was “not desirable,” preferring terms such as “arid.” Others declared that “xeric” should refer only to habitats, not to organisms. Scientists used it anyway, and by the 1940s “xeric” was well documented in scientific literature.

Merry Ho Ho Ho to you...

By Vichara


Merry Ho Ho Ho to all of you. It is 9:03 pm here on the west coast and it's officially Christmas day for some of you. Things are a lot different since we were kids and since we have lost some of our friends that gave Christmas a bit more meaning we feel a sense of sadness. While we miss those that have departed here we still have each other even though we are many miles from each other. And while we are miles from each other we must recognize that the miles are simply an archaic measurement and have no bearing on the bond that we have as compassionate souls. One of my many hopes is that the enhanced compassion and sense of giving is not restricted to just one day or a few days at the end of December but will make it's way into the fabric of our daily lives and can be indelibly incorporated into all acts that we do. I know it’s a lot to ask but let's just try.

Ever present...

By Vichara


There is an old Chinese proverb that states when you are friendly, humble and polite, the divine spirit will come to you as naturally as the water flowing down in the valley. I believe that this stream is ever present, in whatever you label you call it and it is merely diverted by distractions from our attention. Sometimes we just need to be reminded by example that this divine spirit that connects us all does exist. All you need to do is one simple act of love, compassion and patience during the day and that stream will be flowing right in front of you.

videlicet • \vuh-DEH-luh-set\ • adverb
: that is to say : namely
Example Sentence:
The restaurant is famous for several dishes: videlicet, arroz con pollo, olla podrida, and carne asada.
Did you know?
The abbreviation of "videlicet" is "viz," and people often wonder how the "z" got there. There is no "z" in the word's Latin roots, "viderē" ("to see") and "licet" ("it is permitted"). As it turns out, the "z" in "viz" originally wasn't a "z" at all. It was a symbol that looked like a "z" and that was used in medieval manuscripts to indicate the contraction of Latin words ending in "-et." When the symbol was carried into English, it was converted into the more familiar "z."

A new way of thinking...

By Vichara


We become a little more reflective at this point in the year and channel our efforts in more of a humanistic giving way. We are called upon this condition by the Christian calendar that marks the anniversary of a young mans’ birth, a man that tried to shift the conscious of people away from idol worship to an approach of love and respect, regardless of your station in life. While it would be respectful to celebrate the births of other great icons of faith like the Buddha, Muhammad, Krishna, Moses, Abraham, etc, it could create commercial marketplace chaos. But what if we were to take the core goodwill message of love, honor & respect that is focused on for a few days at this time and disperse them evenly over 365 days of our calendar year? Perhaps it could turn this last minute, chaotic rush of goodwill into a full year of harmonious bliss.

simulacrum • \sim-yuh-LAK-rum\ • noun
1 : image, representation
2 : an insubstantial form or semblance of something : trace

Example Sentence:
The magazine is still in publication, but, since the change in ownership, it is but a simulacrum of its former self.

Did you know?
It's not a figment of your imagination; there is a similarity between "simulacrum" and "simulate." Both of those English words derive from "simulare," a Latin verb meaning "to copy, represent, or feign." In its earliest English uses, "simulacrum" named something that provided an image or representation (as, for instance, a portrait, marble statue, or wax figure representing a person). Perhaps because a simulacrum, no matter how skillfully done, is not the real thing, the word gained an extended sense emphasizing the superficiality or insubstantiality of a thing.

Each step...

By Vichara


We’ve grown up and become adults and the playground just got bigger. We argue and laugh, just like we did when we did as kids in the park but now it is bigger, more sophisticated and deadlier. This is not a video game. When you pull the trigger, the bullet can’t be pulled back. You can’t re-set the game. The words unleashed, will make it’s mark. The cause will have its effect, the action a reaction. Choose from a more meaningful armament. Walk softly but carry a big heart, conscious of how it leaves it’s mark.

bifurcate • \BYE-fer-kayt\ • verb
: to divide or cause to divide into two branches or parts
Example Sentence:
The proposed restructuring would bifurcate the company.
Did you know?
Yogi Berra, the baseball great who was noted for his head-scratching quotes, is purported to have said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Yogi’s advice might not offer much help when making tough decisions in life, but perhaps it will help you remember today’s word, “bifurcate.” A road that bifurcates splits in two like the one in Yogi’s adage. Other things can bifurcate as well, such as an organization that splits into two factions. “Bifurcate” derives from the Latin “bifurcus,” meaning “two-pronged,” a combination of the prefix “bi-” (“two”) and the noun “furca” (“fork”). “Furca,” as you can probably tell, gave us our word “fork.”

Call now!...

By Vichara


Now available for an unlimited time, not sold in stores with no suggested retail value. No discounts, no shipping costs and immediate delivery. A perennial favorite of all generations – Compassion. Do not hesitate to get some today. Plenty in stock and a never-ending supply in our warehouses – Compassion. Something so strong, durable and refreshing you will want to give some to all that you meet. Call today operators are standing by, 24 / 7…1-800-146-7348, 1-800-1HO-PE4U.


kickshaw • \KICK-shaw\ • noun
1 : a fancy dish
*2 : a showy trifle
Example Sentence:
The shop was filled with refrigerator magnets, back-scratchers, snow globes, and other kickshaws, all adorned with images of smiling pigs.
Did you know?
“Kickshaw” began its career in the late 16th century as a borrowing from the French "quelque chose" -- literally, “something.” In line with the French pronunciation of the day, the “l” was dropped and the word was anglicized as "kickshaws" or "kickshoes." English speakers soon lost all consciousness of the word’s French origin and, by taking "kickshaws" as plural, created the new singular noun “kickshaw.”

Water will flow...

By Vichara


Water will flow and make it’s way to wherever it is accepted and needed, much like compassion and knowledge. You can open up the channels and release but unless they can find a home in hearts and minds they will lay dormant and dry up. It is up to each one of us to open up our personal reservoirs and direct these streams to the arid regions of the hearts and minds that we meet.

remora • \rih-MOR-uh\ • noun
*1 : any of various marine fishes that have a suction disk on the head by means of which they cling especially to other fishes
2 : hindrance, drag
Example Sentence:
Remoras feed on parasites culled from their host's skin and scraps from their host's meals.
Did you know?
Also known as "shark suckers" or "suckerfish," remoras are long, thin, dark fishes that are distributed throughout the world in warm seas. Ancient sailors believed remoras had the power to slow or even stop a ship by attaching themselves to it; the name "remora," which means "delay" in Latin, arose from this ancient superstition. The poor remora’s reputation isn’t much better today. Even though remoras don’t harm their hosts, they are popularly thought of as unwanted guests who get a free ride and a free meal by way of the efforts of others. It is therefore common to see "remora" used metaphorically in such contexts as "hungry paparazzi who attach themselves like remoras to celebrities."

Right around the corner...

By Vichara


The world will always keep spinning around the sun and the sun will rise and set. There is nothing we can do personally to stop or slow this down. It is the cruising speed of life. Many try to exceed this pace through ways both physically using machines and chemically using drugs. Trouble is that by moving at this induced speed you will rush by the very answers you may be looking for. Take some time to slow down, the answers are right around the corner.

prelapsarian • \pree-lap-SAIR-ee-un\ • adjective
: characteristic of or belonging to the time or state before the fall of humankind
Example Sentence:
In the afternoon we walked through the idyllic gardens, noting their prelapsarian charm.
Did you know?
"Prelapsarian" is the latest creation in the "lapsarian" family, which is etymologically related to Latin "lapsus," meaning "slip" or "fall." "Supralapsarian" is the firstborn, appearing in 1633 as a word for someone who held the belief that people were predestined to either eternal life or eternal death before the Creation and the Fall (the event in the Bible when Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Garden of Eden because they had sinned against God). Next in line is "sublapsarian," which refers to a person who adhered to the view that God foresaw and permitted the Fall and after the Fall decreed predestination to eternal life as a means of saving some of the human race. That word first appears in 1656 and was followed by its synonym, "infralapsarian," in distant 1731. "Postlapsarian," meaning "of, relating to, or characteristic of the time or state after the Fall," appeared two years later, and "prelapsarian" was delayed until 1879.

The ability to have everything...

By Vichara


There can be no fighting, if there is no attachment. There can be no greed, when there is no attachment. There can be no resentment, when there is no attachment. I am not insisting a non-attachment where you acquiesce all that you have in a subservient way. No, this type of non-attachment weighs out the merits of both sides, sees the needs of both, understands the possible outcome and shares in the positive and negative aspects of all actions. When you have the ability to lose everything, you have the ability to have everything.

hebetude • \HEB-uh-tood\ • noun
: lethargy, dullness
Example Sentence:
The hebetude and ennui displayed by such bright students was just one sign that they were not being sufficiently challenged in their classes.
Did you know?
"Hebetude" usually suggests mental dullness, often marked by laziness or torpor. As such, it was a good word for one Queenslander correspondent, who wrote in a letter to the editor of the Weekend Australian of "an epidemic of hebetude among young people who … are placing too great a reliance on electronic devices to do their thinking and remembering." "Hebetude" comes from Late Latin "hebetudo," which means pretty much the same thing as our word. It is also closely related to the Latin word for "dull" -- "hebes," which has extended meanings such as "obtuse," "doltish," and "stupid." Other "hebe-" words in English include "hebetudinous" ("marked by hebetude") and "hebetate" ("to make dull").

One small victory...

By Vichara


You can’t move forward without reflecting on the past. Use these lessons learned from these experiences and illuminate them with the light of compassion and forgiveness in order to transcend their pettiness. Formulate a foundation, not of retribution but a foundation of unification. Using this tack many new paths will become a reality in this 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.

exculpate • \EK-skull-payt\ • verb
: to clear from alleged fault or guilt
Example Sentence:
The lawyer claimed to have recently discovered evidence that would exculpate her client.
Did you know?
You need not take the blame if you're unfamiliar with the origins of "exculpate," but there's a hint in this sentence. The word, which was adopted in the late 17th century from Medieval Latin "exculpatus," traces back to the Latin noun "culpa," meaning "blame." Some other descendants of "culpa" in English include "culpable" ("meriting condemnation or blame") and "inculpate" ("incriminate"), as well as the considerably rarer "culpatory" ("accusing") and "disculpate" (a synonym of "exculpate"). You may also be familiar with the borrowed Latin phrase "mea culpa," which translates directly as "through my fault" and is used in English to mean "a formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error."

Building a foundation of compassion...

By Vichara


While we all in one way or another end this part of the year where the act of giving to others caps off and resolves one year, let’s not forget the other 364 days of the year. Yes, it is wonderful to celebrate but why not shake things up and pick a random date sometime next year that you give something to that food bank, help with a kid’s group, assist in a senior’s center or any number of things to help someone else. Then when that date approaches, pick another one randomly and do something else. You see where this is going right? Building a foundation of compassion that is just not celebrated in December but gradually in each month for not only others but yourself as well.

lothario • \loh-THAIR-ee-oh\ • noun
: a man whose chief interest is seducing women

Example Sentence:
Marie denounced her ex-boyfriend as a conniving lothario who liked to play the field but who had no interest in making a real commitment.

Did you know?
"Lothario" comes from The Fair Penitent (1703), a tragedy by Nicholas Rowe. In the play, Lothario is a notorious seducer, extremely attractive but beneath his charming exterior a haughty and unfeeling scoundrel. He seduces Calista, an unfaithful wife and later the fair penitent of the title. After the play was published, the character of Lothario became a stock figure in English literature. For example, Samuel Richardson modeled the character of Lovelace on Lothario in his 1748 novel Clarissa. As the character became well known, his name became progressively more generic, and since the 18th century the word "lothario" has been used for a foppish, unscrupulous rake.

Good morning...

By Vichara


The sun is up, you’re breathing, you are probably one of the lucky ones that will have some food this morning, what’s left to do? I’m not talking in the figurative sense but in the literal sense as well. Is there an unreachable thing you can start to take a few steps forward with? Is there an extra ounce of forgiveness you can give to yourself or someone else?

derelict • \DAIR-uh-likt\ • adjective
1 : abandoned especially by the owner or occupant : run-down
2 : lacking a sense of duty : negligent

Example Sentence:
In letting the children stay up late into the night, watching television, the babysitter was derelict in her duty.

Did you know?
The Latin verb "relinquere" left behind a few English derivatives. This word, itself meaning "to leave behind," is the root of our "derelict." Something derelict has been left behind, or at least appears that way. In another sense, someone derelict leaves behind or neglects his or her duties or obligations. Another descendent of "relinquere" is "relinquish," meaning "to leave behind," "to give up," or "to release." "Relic" is another example of a word that ultimately comes from "relinquere." "Relics," in the original sense of the term, referred to things treasured for their association with a saint or martyr -- that is, objects saints and martyrs had left behind.

Reaching out and in...

By Vichara


We reach out in prayer, meditation and in reflection for help from however we describe it, the universe, god, divine presence, etc. While it is definitely good to reach out we must also reach within and release ourselves from the trouble that has been inside us all. As a good friend has told me, “we must heal ourselves”. By reaching out and in we expose both sides of this troubled coin to all of the healing powers that exist.

carpaccio • \kar-PAH-chee-oh\ • noun
: thinly sliced raw meat or fish served with a sauce -- often used postpositively

Example Sentence:
"Though the menu is large, stick with the steaks and the beef carpaccio at this sleek, airy restaurant." (The San Francisco Chronicle, July 31, 2008)

Did you know?
Carpaccio is not the only dish named after a person, though its name might have the most artful origin. Created in 1950 by Venetian restaurateur Giuseppe Cipriani, carpaccio is named after Vittore Carpaccio, the Renaissance painter. Cipriani created the dish for the Countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo, who had been under doctor’s orders to avoid cooked meats. According to Cipriani’s memoir, he chose to name the dish after Carpaccio because the red in the beef matched the colors found in Carpaccio’s paintings. Recently, some restaurants have begun using the term for similarly prepared non-meat dishes (such as pear carpaccio).

The karma wheel..

By Vichara


In the “Big Karmic Wheel of Life”, we will think “what the hell is going on and why are these people bothering me? When our inner voice call out in distain it may be time to pause and contemplate what karma have we created personally to bring about these situations. Personally? Wow, that is a tough to think about that we ourselves personally have helped create these situations that trouble us…but we have. Maybe in a little way or in a big way, all things are inter-connected and we have an obligation to be personally responsible for our thoughts and actions. After all, we create them. Now turn the light off before you leave!

golem • \GOH-lum\ • noun
1 : an artificial being in Hebrew folklore endowed with life
2 : someone or something resembling a golem

Example Sentence:
With the flick of a switch, the scientist brought life to his creation, then watched with awe as the golem rose from the table.

Did you know?
The Hebrew ancestor of the word "golem" meant "shapeless mass," and the original golems started as lumps of clay that were formed into figures and brought to life by means of a charm or a combination of letters forming a sacred word. In the Middle Ages, golems were thought to be the perfect servants; their only fault was that they were sometimes too literal or mechanical in fulfilling their masters' orders. In the 16th century, the golem was thought of as a protector of the Jews in times of persecution. But by the late 1800s, "golem" had acquired a less friendly second sense, referring to a man-made monster that inspired many of the back-from-the-dead creations of classic horror fiction.

Shhhh...

By Vichara


There is an old Arabic proverb that goes, “Only speak when your words are better that your silence”. However there is great fear for many people to be just silent in general. For some silence just needs to be filled with noise to mask the fear of being alone with oneself. Don’t fear silence, from it can be born beautiful and wise thoughts. It’s ok to be quiet.

ineffable • \in-EFF-uh-bul\ • adjective
1 *a : incapable of being expressed in words : indescribable b : unspeakable
2 : not to be uttered : taboo

Example Sentence:
Ed felt an ineffable joy at the sight of his son walking toward him from the plane.

Did you know?
"Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness," wrote Frederick Douglass in his autobiography. Reading Douglass's words, it's easy to see that "ineffable" means "indescribable" or "unspeakable." And when we break down the word to its Latin roots, it's easy to see how those meanings came about. "Ineffable" comes from "ineffabilis," which joins the prefix "in-," meaning "not," with the adjective "effabilis," meaning "capable of being expressed." "Effabilis" comes from "effari" ("to speak out"), which in turn comes from "ex-" and "fari" ("to speak").

A new bailout...

By Vichara


With all of the rescue packages being proposed in the financial sectors of the world, there is another plan that needs to be formulated that is equally as important. We need a compassion bailout. And who is going to fund this bailout; you and I. We all have the ways and means to make an impact. As always this time of the year calls for us to give presents and to be more forgiving to those around us all because of certain date on the calendar. I think there is a need to look beyond these singular calendar dates and forge a movement in our individual hearts to react and to act in giving to others not just by gifts paid for by plastic, but given through compassion. Incorporate this in our daily live and everyday thoughts. A bailout of hope, a bailout of mutual support. A bailout of believing that we can make a difference, even in a small way.

dragoon • \druh-GOON\ • verb
1 : to subjugate or persecute by harsh use of troops
2 : to force into submission or compliance especially by violent measures

Example Sentence:
Boys of all ages were taken from their families and dragooned into fighting for the rebel armies.

Did you know?
A dragoon was a mounted European infantryman of the 17th and 18th centuries armed with a firearm called by the same name. No arm-twisting should be needed to get you to believe that the firearm's name, which came to English from French, is derived from its semblance to a fire-breathing dragon when fired. History has recorded the dragonish nature of the dragoons who persecuted the French Protestants in the 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV. The persecution by means of the dragoons led to the use of the word "dragoon" as a verb.

Change...

By Vichara


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

prolix • \proh-LIKS\ • adjective
1 : unduly prolonged or drawn out : too long
2 : marked by or using an excess of words

Example Sentence:
Legal writing is not always prolix; after all, the word “brief” refers to a legal document, and most judges demand that briefs be brief.

Did you know?
There's no way to talk about "prolix" without being redundant, verbose, and wordy. That's because the word is a synonym of all of those long-winded terms. Of those words, "prolix” is the one most likely to suggest unreasonable and tedious dwelling on details. It derives from “prolixus,” a Latin term meaning "extended" or "copious." “Prolixus" originated from a combination of the prefix “pro-” (which means "forward") and the past participle of “liquēre,” a verb meaning "to be fluid." True to that history, something that is prolix flows

Breathe...

By Vichara


With all of the onomatopoeia of life that is constantly clanging around us the most essential sound that we could hear is our own breathing. When was the last time amongst the din of existence you deeply heard your own breathing? Being reminded that this simple bodily action ignites the pistons of our existence. Find at least a few moments in a day to feel the inhalation and exhalation. Be mindful and cognizant of this precious gift of life we have been given. The value of which I do not believe many of us will ever appreciate. Regardless of what level of appreciation we may achieve, at least find one quiet moment each day to acknowledge that this waltz on earth may only last for one song.

alienist • \AY-lee-uh-nist\ • noun
: psychiatrist

Example Sentence:
Julius Wagner von Jauregg was a gifted alienist and neurologist who was awarded the 1927 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.

Did you know?
"Alienist" looks and sounds like it should mean "someone who studies aliens," and in fact "alienist" and "alien" are related -- both are ultimately derived from the Latin word “alius,” meaning "other." In the case of "alienist," the etymological trail leads from Latin to French, where the adjective “aliene” ("insane") gave rise to the noun “alieniste,” referring to a doctor who treats the insane. "Alienist" first appeared in print in English in 1864. It was preceded by the other “alius” descendants, "alien" (14th century) and "alienate" (used as a verb since the early 16th century). "Alienist" is much rarer than "psychiatrist" these days, but at one time it was the preferred term.

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.

Chain letter

By Vichara


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

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

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

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

Not out there...

By Vichara


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

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

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

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

Reflecting out…

By Vichara


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

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

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

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

Objects of desire…

By Vichara


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

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

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

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

Tuning in...

By Vichara


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

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

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

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

It's in your pocket...

By Vichara


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

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

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

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

Expect a miracle…

By Vichara


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

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

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

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