"Contemplating one's navel"

[moonfall]

My Shakespeare professor uses this phrase practically on a daily basis. It apparently means something along the lines of "soliloquizing." (Hamlet's "To Be or Not to Be" speech is an example of contemplating his navel.) I never heard it before, so the first time he said it, I thought he meant that Richard III really was thinking about his belly button at some point in the play. Is it a common phrase in the UK?

[Ieuan ab Arthur]

Hi Moonfall:

Originally Posted by moonfall

My Shakespeare professor uses this phrase practically on a daily basis. It apparently means something along the lines of "soliloquizing." (Hamlet's "To Be or Not to Be" speech is an example of contemplating his navel.) I never heard it before, so the first time he said it, I thought he meant that Richard III really was thinking about his belly button at some point in the play. Is it a common phrase in the UK?

I don't know about those across the pond, but I use the phrase (and it's compatriot "navel gazing") frequently enough.

Of course, when I contemplate my navel, the only enlightment I seem to achieve is that I need to clean the lint out of my bellybutton

Here's what the Online Etymology Dictionary has to say about it - see the last couple lines.

Ta ra 'wan,

Ieuan "navel officer" ab Arthur

[Noctilca]

I've heard the phrase used a few times in reference to meditation (although not very often). Although, I have to admit that the first thing that's popping to mind is that episode of Perfect Strangers when Balki is telling Larry about the origin of "lint paintings" on his home island of Mypos:

"The first one was done by Brektos, our spiritual leader in the storybook days, and the legend says that he went up on the mountain for sixty day and sixty night to contemplate his navel. And when he came down he had...a lint painting."

But, erm, yeah - Ieuan ab Arthur's link is much more helpful

[violetbon]

I have heard the phrase used to imply that one is extremely self-centered.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

It comes from the early days of Transcendental Meditation. Meditation involves bypassing the senses: this is why users chant a mantra, and fill their eyesight with an unusual image. Some use a mandala. Some use their own navel. Some close their eyes.

Alas, it has taken on a connotation of being self-centered, but the original meaning of this was much more benign: it was to indicate a person merely being "centered," and bypassing the illusions of the senses.

As with so many things, the extreme claims for the benefits of TM are garbage and hooey. You can't fly, and it won't bring about world peace. But the lesser claims have some validity. It is certainly relaxing, and helps a lot with everyday stress. It appears to lower the heart-rate. And if you have an hour to kill, it's better for you than watching daytime tv!

Silas

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

It comes from the early days of Transcendental Meditation. Meditation involves bypassing the senses: this is why users chant a mantra, and fill their eyesight with an unusual image. Some use a mandala. Some use their own navel. Some close their eyes.

Alas, it has taken on a connotation of being self-centered, but the original meaning of this was much more benign: it was to indicate a person merely being "centered," and bypassing the illusions of the senses.

As with so many things, the extreme claims for the benefits of TM are garbage and hooey. You can't fly, and it won't bring about world peace. But the lesser claims have some validity. It is certainly relaxing, and helps a lot with everyday stress. It appears to lower the heart-rate. And if you have an hour to kill, it's better for you than watching daytime tv!

Silas

How self-centered - taking time to be more relaxed, calm, and healthy. Don't you know you're supposed to be constantly pushing yourself to do things for other people until it kills you!?!?!?!?!?



ETA: I already am having decaf - why do you ask?

[liebeslied]

There's a fun word for it: omphaloskepsis.
Is it a made-up word? Yes, they all are!

[CatPurrson]

I haven't heard this one in a while, but my dad used to say it pretty often, as in "Why don't you go sit in a corner and contemplate your navel?" Dadspeak for "Shut up and leave me alone."

If I recall correctly, my college lit prof referred to scenes like that one in Hamlet much the same way-- though I could be mistaken. He wasn't a native English speaker, so I'm not sure if he'd use an expression like that.

I like the expression, though!

Cat"Conteplating sleep"Purrson

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

It is certainly relaxing, and helps a lot with everyday stress. It appears to lower the heart-rate. And if you have an hour to kill, it's better for you than watching daytime tv!

And, according to something I've read somewhere, it's indistinguishable from sleep when you monitor the brain activity, so of course it should be relaxing.

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by violetbon

I have heard the phrase used to imply that one is extremely self-centered.

... or, to quote french author Frédéric Dard:


... some people are so self-centered that they believe their navel is the hole left by God's compass when he drew the universe, instead of realizing it's just a useful cavity to put salt in when you eat hard-boiled eggs in bed.

[Joostik]

Indeed the expression "navelstaren", staring at ones navel, is used in Dutch as well.

[Silas Sparkhammer]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

... or, to quote french author Frédéric Dard:

... some people are so self-centered that they believe their navel is the hole left by God's compass when he drew the universe, instead of realizing it's just a useful cavity to put salt in when you eat hard-boiled eggs in bed.

Magnificent!

It's also a very good container for apricot brandy in small doses (requires either very high spinal flexibility or at least one intimate companion.)

Silas

I saw the title of this thread and I just started giggling! I had a history teacher in my junior year of high school tell us this all the time. Usually it was because he had to check on something with the teacher he team-taught with for the class before mine or if he wanted someone to sit down and be quiet. I always thought it was funny, the supposed deeper meaning of the phrase is not needed for me...just sit there and think about that little hole in your tummy and keep your pie hole shut!

[Dropbear]

Originally Posted by Silas Sparkhammer

Magnificent!

It's also a very good container for apricot brandy in small doses (requires either very high spinal flexibility or at least one intimate companion.)

Silas

Which leads me to ponder whether I'll ever get the chance to say:

"He's so self absorbed he drinks apricot brandy from his own navel."

Dropbear

[para1]

I always understood it to mean the same as "examining your eyelids for holes" or taking a little nap. But definitley similar to meditaion or day dreaming.

[Themis]

Originally Posted by Dropbear

Which leads me to ponder whether I'll ever get the chance to say:

"He's so self absorbed he drinks apricot brandy from his own navel."

Dropbear

I am going to FORCE this statement into the first appropriate conversation forthwith. Thank you, kind sir!

I've heard it used for an expression of meditation and focus, like Silas states. It's different, then, that the phrase "shoe-gazing"? Because I've only heard that used disparagingly to describe certain types of angsty teenagers.

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Joostik

Indeed the expression "navelstaren", staring at ones navel, is used in Dutch as well.

And in Swedish: navelskådande.

[Tarquin Farquart]

Originally Posted by Themis

I've heard it used for an expression of meditation and focus, like Silas states. It's different, then, that the phrase "shoe-gazing"? Because I've only heard that used disparagingly to describe certain types of angsty teenagers.

I've heard shoe-gazing but used with a different meaning than that.

[DadOf3]

Today's Rudy Park comic strip uses the phrase. It seems to mean self-centred or at least self-absorbed the way it's used in this strip. I always took it as being in a meditative state.

[Themis]

Originally Posted by Tarquin Farquart

I've heard shoe-gazing but used with a different meaning than that.

That's hilarious, because I love and still listen to ALL those bands.