Bön is the oldest extant spiritual tradition of Tibet. Though its religious supremacy ended in the 8th century, the shamanistic religion has had a lasting influence on the practice of Buddhism in the region. For example, Bön’s cult of divine kingship was reformulated in Tibetan Buddhism as the reincarnation of lamas, and its oracular priests have their counterpart in Buddhist soothsayers. Both Bönpos and Buddhists practice circumambulation, but they do so in what fundamentally different way? Discuss
Month: May 2021
endeavor
silent
St. Brendan's Day
St. Brendan, who lived in the 6th century and is one of the most popular Irish saints, is alleged to be the author of Navigatio Brendani (the story of a journey to a land across the ocean). No one, including St. Brendan, knew where he had been when he returned, but a number of legends developed over the centuries. In 1977, an Irishman named Tim Severin built a boat out of leather as described in Navigatio and set out to follow St. Brendan’s instructions. He ended up in Newfoundland, giving credence to the theory that St. Brendan reached America 1,000 years before Columbus. Discuss
bring (something) into effect
To cause (something) to apply, begin operating, or take effect; to begin implementing or enforcing (something). Watch the video
The Last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
One of history’s great romantic heroines, Cleopatra was the last ruler of Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty. From 51 BCE, she ruled successively with her two brother-husbands and then her son. The latter, she claimed, was fathered by Julius Caesar, who had become her lover after entering Egypt in 48 BCE in pursuit of Pompey. She was with Caesar in Rome when he was assassinated, after which she returned to Egypt and soon met her last husband, Mark Antony, Caesar’s heir apparent. How does their story end? Discuss
egoist
theatre
box office – An office in a theatre for booking seats, originally from “hiring a box.” More…
in the wings – An expression from the theatre, referring to the areas on the sides of the stage hidden from the audience. More…
scenery, scenic – Scenery was originally theatrical—”a stage depiction of nature”—and it came to be applied to nature itself; scenic first pertained to the theatre and meant “dramatic, theatrical.” More…
Race of the Ceri
The Race of the Ceri (Candles) held in Gubbio, Umbria, Italy, every May 15 is thought by some to have originated in pre-Christian times because its date coincides with the Ides of May in the pagan calendar, but the better-founded explanation is that it commemorates the city’s patron, St. Ubaldo Baldassini. The candles for which the event is named are heavy, tower-like structures reinforced with iron bands. These are taken in procession to the Piazza dei Consoli; then, upon a signal, the bearers run with the candles up to the top of Mount Ingino, where they are offered to St. Ubaldo. Discuss
Williamina Paton Stevens Fleming (1857)
Shortly after Fleming emigrated from Scotland to the US with her husband, their marriage failed. Forced to support herself, she worked as a housekeeper for the director of the Harvard College Observatory, who soon hired her to do clerical work at the observatory. She quickly rose through the ranks and went on to make significant contributions to the field of astronomy—classifying thousands of stars and discovering numerous variable stars and novae. At what age did her formal education end? Discuss