Talk:Navel gazing

This is a real
this is a real word, but probably belongs in wiktionary and not in wikipedia. >>sparkit| TALK << 00:53, August 30, 2005 (UTC)

If omphaloskepsis does not belong here then neither does omphalology


 * Well, it has an actual application as a meditative technique, and is a source of much sophomoric humour at the expense of meditators, so it has potential to be a proper article. Fire Star 01:14, 30 August 2005 (UTC)

The first sentence on the article page is lifted right out of Merriam-Webster, word for word.

Forgive the idiocy, but having no idea what this term meant when I first heard it, I assumed it was a euphemism for someone giving a man a blow-job. Because that's where the eyes would look. Still, such silliness is to be expected with a silly phrase, I suppose. --El Pollo Diablo (Talk) 15:26, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd like to know where the actual phrase "navel gazing" comes from. Who first coined it? I once thought it was from a science fiction short story (unfortunately I forget what it was) but later I realised that the story was referencing something already known - but what, exactly? The Bible perhaps, or another ancient text... or something more modern? Stuff like this would make the article more useful. 203.87.74.230 (talk) 22:35, 18 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Merriam-Webster gives 1925 as the date of the first recorded use of omphaloskepsis. It's also a fact that Aldous Huxley uses it in his novel Those Barren Leaves, published in 1925. So my guess is that that's the origin of the word. Huxley did invent his share of new words, so I wouldn't be surprised if he coined it, but I'm not 100% sure. If somebody can confirm or deny this, that would be great. 67.171.39.251 (talk) 07:59, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

The correct way to write the word is "omphaloskopisis"Amadeus webern (talk) —Preceding undated comment was added at 11:34, 10 October 2008 (UTC).

From some rock/boulder in Greece. Where life sprang fourth, considered the navel of the world, contemplating it was something you did/do while in Greece. Someone should find a pic, then we could comtemplate it. Sounds wiki worthy, if a bit silly. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.226.20.93 (talk) 07:45, 27 February 2010 (UTC)


 * Um...I think you are referring to the omphalos; however, that is not related to omphaloskepsis. The latter term is derived from the spiritual practice of Eastern Orthodox monks, in practicing hesychasm.

Negative usage?
I had heard that, historically, the term omphaloskepsis ("navel-gazing") has been used in the past by Roman Catholics as a criticism of the Orthodox Church's practice of the Jesus Prayer. But I can't find a source for this. Does anyone have any information about this?

Too Wordy
This seems like it was written by a smug high school student enjoying their use of obscure words for the sake of it. When people think navel gazing, they think navel gazing. I believe the term occurs far more than Omphaloskepsis. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 144.173.179.250 (talk) 11:40, 13 May 2013 (UTC)

Requested move 28 July 2020

 * The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion. 

The result of the move request was: moved. —usernamekiran (talk) 18:43, 5 August 2020 (UTC)

Omphaloskepsis → Navel gazing – "Navel gazing" is by far the more commonly known and used term. For empirical data, see this Google ngram search. Afterwards, the article should be edited so it's less about the word "omphaloskepsis", though, of course, that should be given as the alternate term. Largoplazo (talk) 12:33, 28 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Support per nom.--Ortizesp (talk) 15:07, 28 July 2020 (UTC)


 * The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.