Divination, a noun, is a performance by individuals such as fortune tellers or tarot card readers. It carries the weight of history and is often considered an occult practice and not to be taken seriously. In ancient times, one might imagine someone “reading” bones or rocks to uncover meaning. The Oracles of Delphi, steeped in history, provide a window into the concept’s past.
The word divine is a close synonym when it is used to indicate insight or gaining an understanding of something. Diviners also use divining rods to find water.
“In Asia, tea leaves are often used as a divination tool to explore the past, present, and future.”
“People have read tarot cards in different ways over centuries, and many believers think of them as a tool for divination or looking into the unknown.”
“The show did not specify which divination practices were the most common today, but tarot and palm reading are not the only ones.”
Sonder is also a noun (sort of a noun) but does not appear in Webster’s Dictionary. The word sonder occasionally appears in the names of coffee shops and other unassociated forums. Sonder may not appear yet because it is new. It was coined in 2012 by John Koenig in his blog, “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.”
The meaning of sonder seems somewhat unclear, but it is the feeling one gets when realizing that we all have a story to tell in which we are the lead character, a supporting character, and perhaps even an extra in our life’s journey.
When I first heard the word, asunder came to mind, and it took a few seconds to realize it was different. Closely related phonetically would be sunder, which means breaking something apart or separating it.
“As John sat on the train observing his fellow passengers, he was struck with a sonder, a realization that each had a different story to tell.”
“We all sonder when we ponder the life’s story of the people we encounter while sitting in the library, a coffee shop, or a classroom.”
“Walking through the crowded streets, a wave of sonder washed over me, making me ponder the countless untold stories of the strangers I passed.”
Of course, these two words can be combined into a single sentence.
“As she practiced divination, she felt a deep sense of sonder, realizing that each person seeking her tarot card readings had a life filled with unique experiences and untold stories.”
“During her divination session with her crystal ball, she was struck by a profound sense of sonder, understanding that each individual’s future she glimpsed was part of a rich tapestry of personal experiences.”
