Arianna Huffington (b. 1950):
Nationally-syndicated columnist and best-selling author, she is best known for her non-partisan political commentary. A former conservative Republican, she now describes herself as a 'compassionate and progressive populist.' Recently, she ran for governor of CA in the 2003 recall election.

Bardo:
A Tibetan word meaning "intermediate state,” it refers to the state of existence intermediate between two lives on earth. In the West it may also refer to times when our usual way of life becomes suspended

Beatitudes: In the gospels (Matthew 5:2-12 and Luke 6:20-26) the eight blessings uttered by Jesus at the opening of the Sermon on the Mount. Some of the most famous include: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” and “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

The Book of Revelations:
The last book of the New Testament, it foretells the apocalypse of our world, including visions of victory over evil and persecution, as well as the triumph of God and martyrs.

Gandalf:
A fictional character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The wise and powerful Gandalf is an archetypal fantasy wizard as depicted with long, white hair; a long, white beard; and robes.

MahatmaGandhi (1869-1948):
Indian, nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize (though he never won, due to political dissent on the prize committee), who used non-violent methods to fight for the oppressed, and led the movement for independence from British rule in India. His philosophy of non-violent resistance inspired many other political leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Dalai Lama.

Rex Harrison (1908-1990):
Critically-acclaimed English film and stage actor whose career spanned over five decades. He is best known for playing Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady on Broadway, and in the 1964 Oscar-winning Best Picture.

Sari:
A garment worn by many Indian women. It usually consists of eight yards of fabric, which can be draped in various styles.

Thornton Wilder (1897-1975):
An American playwright and novelist, Wilder’s works helped define American life in the early twentieth century. His plays include Our Town, The Skin of our Teeth and The Matchmaker, which was later adapted into the popular musical Hello, Dolly! by Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman.