TOWARD A COMMON MEANING

In this Glossary each entry starts with relevant excerpts from Webster’s dictionary and concludes with a corresponding optimum empowering definition, concept, or activity.
 

COMMUNITY 1: A Unified body of individuals: as (d) a group with a common characteristic or interest living together in a larger society. (e) a group linked by a common policy. (g) a body of persons of common and esp. professional interests scattered through a larger society.

*An intentional body of people committed to acting in optimum synergy ( latin root syn - together, ergos - to work)

TRANSFORMATION v. To Transform 1: (a) to change in composition or structure. (c) to change in character or condition. n. 1: an act, process, or instance of transforming or being transformed.

*Committment/openness to personal growth and change. Profound personal change.
 

SPIRIT 1: an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms. 5: (a) the activating or essential principle motivating a person.

*Personal and collective expression of spiritual or religious desire (latin root re-ligere, to re-connect). The substance of cohesion in the groupmind. Breath. The Thou Essence.

KNOWLEDGE 1: the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. 5 (a) the sum of what is known; the body of truth, information, and principles aquired by humankind.

*Exploring, learning, and refining ideas and experience through many minds.
 

HEALTH 1: (a) the condition of being sound in mind, body, and spirit. (b) freedom from disease or pain. (c) the general condition of the body.

 WELLNESS * Progressive enhancement of personal well-being, by maximizing harmony with one’s nature and potentials
 

SOCIETY 3 (b) a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests, adj. 3 (a) tending to form cooperative and inter-dependant relationships with one’s fellows. 4: of or related to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society.

 POLITICS 1(b) the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy. (c) the art or science concerned with winning or holding control over a government. adj. 1 (b) of, relating to, or concerned with the making as distinguished from the administration of government policy.

*Awareness and excercise of the power inherent in who we are and what we do.
 

PEACE 1. a state of tranquility or quiet: as (a) freedom from civil disturbance. 2. freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.

 JUSTICE 1. the maintenance or administration of what is just esp. by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishment. *Consensus prior to action.

CONTENT n. 2 (a) substance, gist. (b) essential meaning, significance. 3(a) the matter dealt with in a field. (b) a part, element or complex of parts.

CONTEXT n. connection of words, coherence. weaving together of words 2. the interrelated conditions in which something occurs.

MANAGEMENT v. 1: to handle or direct with a degree of skill or address. to direct or carry on business or affairs. n. 2. judicious means to accomplish an end.

*Coordination involving more than one person by creating environments designed to support self-direction, success, teamwork, and risk-taking.

PLANNING 1. the establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit. 2. © a detailed formulation of a program of action. 3. an orderly arrangement of parts of an overall design or objective.

*Operating from the knowledge that our individual and collective pictures/visions of the future, and the quality of our attention to them, tend to determine what actually happens.
 

EDUCATION 2. the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools. 3. provision of schooling.

*Continuously creating an environment for discovery, and drawing out the innate genius of each person.

CHILDREN n. 1. unborn or recently born person. 2. a young person esp. between infancy and youth.

*Totally dedicated exploring, testing, and learning organisms, with extremely sensitive environmental sensors.
 

BUSINESS 1. purposeful activity. 2. © a particular field of endeavor. 3. (a) commercial or mercantile activity engaged in as a means of livelihood.

*Commercial activity that serves the whole of the environment in which it functions.

ECONOMICS a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

ARTS 1. skill aquired by experience, study, or observation. 4. (a) the conscious use of skill and creative imagination esp. in the production of aesthetic objects.

*The creation of life in harmony with the natural patterns of the Whole. Celebration/actualization of the creative/affective domain of human life.

CREATIVITY v. Create 1. to bring into existence. 2 (b) to produce or bring about by a course of action or behaviour. 4. To produce through imaginative skill.

*Bringing inspiration into space/time reality for oneself and others.
 

SCIENCE 2. (a) a department of systematized knowledge as an object of study. 3. (a) knowledge covering general truths or the operations of general laws esp. as obtained and tested through the scientific method

*The human quest to understand reality. A systematic process of exploration and testing.

TECHNOLOGY (formerly Research) 2 a: applied science b: a technical method of achieving a practical purpose 3: the totality of the means employed to provide objects necessary for human sustenance and comfort.

*Techne (Greek - making in art) creation of life in matter. Application of the fruits of science to the wants and needs of lifekind.
 

EARTH 4. the planet on which we live that is third in order from our sun.

*A living organism that subsumes humanity as a part of its mind and body. Gaia.

ENERGY 2. natural power vigourously exerted. 3. the capacity for doing work.

*The juice of change in physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual actions. Those resources that enhance quality of life by the amplification or minimization of personal effort.
 

COMMUNICATIONS 1. the act or instance of transmitting. 3. (a) a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviour. 5. (b) the technology of the transmission of information (as by the printed word, telecommun- ication, or computer).

*The transfer of understanding from one mind to another, emphasizing interaction and personal sovereignity.

MEDIA n. Medium 1. something in a middle position. 2. a means of effecting or conveying something: (a) a substance regarded as the means of transmission of a force or effect. (b) a channel of communication.

*Effective use of multiple choices to communicate wants, needs, skills, resources,visions, or ideas (i.e. book, audio/video tape, t-shirt, electronic networking, newsletter, bumper sticker, etc.).

THE WHOLE 1. something constituting a complex unity: a coherent system or organization of parts fitting or working together as one. 2. having all its proper parts or components.

*All, everything, or representing such. The category for whole systems(i.e. cell, body, city, earth, universe). All that is. Total interconnection.

SPECTRUM 1 (d) the range of frequencies of sound (or light) waves. 2. a continuous sequence or range.

*A sequence of 12 colors representing 12 pairs of ways people serve themselves and one another.

N.B. In the spirit of true pattern language, all current refinements are tentative understandings. The true whole is a synthesis of all perceptions, so share your suggestions, additions, and inspiration with us.

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JWB jr.

TRK jr.