Essence
May 23, 2009
es*sence
Pronunciation [es-uhns]
–noun
1. the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing or its significant individual feature or features: Freedom is the very essence of our democracy.
2. a substance obtained from a plant, drug, or the like, by distillation, infusion, etc., and containing its characteristic properties in concentrated form.
3. an alcoholic solution of an essential oil; spirit.
4. a perfume; scent.
5. Philosophy. the inward nature, true substance, or constitution of anything, as opposed to what is accidental, phenomenal, illusory, etc.
6. something that exists, esp. a spiritual or immaterial entity.
—Idioms
7. in essence, essentially; at bottom, often despite appearances: For all his bluster, he is in essence a shy person.
8. of the essence, absolutely essential; critical; crucial: In chess, cool nerves are of the essence.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME essencia < ML, for L essentia.
Synonyms:
1. substance, spirit, lifeblood, heart, principle, soul, core.
* * *
Often we know a word but have gotten so use to its meaning and uses that the word can become glossed over or even misused in some cases. I find it is useful to sometimes look up the meaning of words I can already define. If for nothing more than keeping the essence of a word truly in focus.
As it indicates in its definition, essence, for me, is a very spiritual word with a powerful meaning. Cut away everything unnecessary or trivial and you are left with the essential, unveiled and naturally bare. It can be a very beautiful nudity but it can also be a hideous truth. However, even the hideous truth is laid bare, unable to disguise itself and lay in wait for the pounce of negativity. This is a luxury we are rarely afforded in our lives, the ability to see, not only the beautiful essence of good things, but also to easily identify the hideous things buried beneath layers of decorative disguise.
I have heard it said that everything has an aura, and the aura is part of that object's and/or being's essence. I have even read guides and books that claim to tell you how such things can be read. I have actually seen what could be described as auras. In a classroom at Danville Area Community College, they were hard to miss against the white dry-erase board behind the teachers. One teacher in particular stood blanketed in a bright yellow glow with a twinge of grass-green closest to her skin and hair. Of course, I could only see the parts highlight by the starkly white dry-erase board.
Apparently I have felt an aura before as well. It is an interesting exercise, regardless of what it truly is. I'm inclined to think, if not something as spiritual as an aura, it is at least a sort of minor electrically charged field built from friction. The exercise is to rub your hands together quickly, but lightly for at least 20 seconds. After this, you hold your hands in front of you, palms parallel to and facing each other. Next, you slowly move your hands away, and then back toward each other without letting them touch. Half a foot to half an inch should be the maximum and minimum space as you move your hands toward and away from each other. Repeat this several times and you might notice a feeling as though you are squishing something between your hands when you move them closer and feel a release of pressure when you move them apart again.
Maybe that is part of our essence, but rather than an aura, perhaps, what is really our essence is energy and what you are feeling is a difficult to notice field of energy on the friction-charged skin of your palms. A small part of your essence.
My essence makes me think of a purplish-blue color, like is found in wisteria. I couldn't begin to tell you what color any aura I may have is.
Saronai
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