ashram

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The Word of the Day for November 17 is:=20

ashram   \AHSH-rum\   noun
          1 : a secluded dwelling of a Hindu sage; also : the group of d=
isciples instructed there
    *2 : a religious retreat

Example sentence:
     Susan took a semester off from school in order to practice meditati=
on and yoga at an ashram.

Did you know?
     "Ashram" first appeared in English in the early 1900s and gained tr=
action after Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi founded his famous ashrams at =
Sabarmati near Ahmadabad and at Sevagram near Wardha. The word "ashram" =
derives from a Sanskrit word, =E2=80=9Csrama,=E2=80=9D which means "reli=
gious exertion." Later in the 20th century, English speakers broadened t=
he term "ashram" to encompass any sort of religious retreat, regardless =
of denomination. In addition to practicing yoga and mediation, Susan fro=
m our example sentence may also receive instruction from a religious tea=
cher and do some type of manual or mental work during her stay at the as=
hram.





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