What can the ancients teach us? It is fascinating to see how language develops over time. The evolution of language has a constant and symbiotic relationship with society's perceptions, knowledge, and understanding of the world. The foundational languages, Sanskrit and Latin, now date so far back that they are no longer even spoken languages; yet, they form the basis of almost all languages spoken worldwide today. Sanskrit was a spoken language primarily in a time of Vedic Hindu religion. Because of this, much of its vernacular has connotations interwoven with that belief system. If these four Sanskrit words were added to the English lexicon, it may reacquaint the Western consciousness with a long-held awareness that there is more to be experienced than what we see.
Kalpa: all of nonlinear time.
This concept is hard to grasp because time is generally perceived as past, present, and future. Kalpa is the "cosmic passing of time"- or the space between the creation of the universe and the destruction of the universe, which is timelessness. It has no beginning or end.
Maya: the illusion of multiplicity.
This suggests that all conceptions of "separateness" are illusion and that only unity is real. It also implies that this illusion must exist so that separateness can exist as its opposite to unity. By doing this, unity can truly be felt. That is a lot of meaning for one word!
Maitri: an unconditionally loving relationship with oneself.
This one is self-explanatory, as Western yoga, meditation, and even psychotherapy encourage this practice. Enjoying a good, nonjudgmental relationship with yourself is important. It boils down to having self-awareness and self-care, which is a very healthy thing to have. Imagine having one word to describe this very profound state of mind.
Dhvani: "hidden meaning."
Dhvani CAN mean "echo" or "sound," but it more specifically refers to a literary or poetic work that contains subtleties of meanings so deep that it requires more than one reading to digest.
These Sanskrit words can be a gateway into an esoteric world that Western society could really use. Just imagine all the creative ideas we could come up with if these kinds of words were a part of the daily vocabulary.
