Omphaloskepsis

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌɒmfələˈskɛpsɪs/

Definitions

1. The practice of meditative self-reflection centered on the navel promotes introspection and awareness of one's inner thoughts
2. Engaging in a form of contemplation that focuses on the navel, fostering deep introspection and insight into oneself
3. The act of concentrating meditation on the navel area to encourage introspective thought

Etymology: Omphaloskepsis is a coinage built from two Greek words: "omphalós," meaning navel, and "sképsis," meaning perception or reflection. Put together, it describes gazing at one's own navel as a route to meditation, a practice that the word's makers evidently had in mind as a deliberately comic image of inward focus. The Greek roots are ancient, but the compound itself is modern. It belongs to the later coinage tradition that builds scientific and technical terms from classical elements, so no ancient Greek writer would have recognised it as a word. Its meaning has stayed close to its literal parts: a navel-focused contemplation that turns attention from the outside world to one's own thoughts.

Synonyms: navel-gazing