Word & Breath—Day 3, Mellifluous: 10-Minute Daily Meditation

Welcome to Word and Breath.

Today's meditation is about the word,

Mellifluous,

Which is one of my favourite words.

We'll begin by settling with the breath,

And then I'll share the meaning of the word,

And we'll explore it together in stillness.

Take a comfortable seat on a chair or the floor.

Rest your hands gently in your lap.

Close your eyes or let your gaze soften.

Take a slow breath in,

And a long breath out.

Feel the air flowing in,

And let your breath settle back into its natural rhythm.

Notice the smoothness of the breath,

The way it moves without effort,

A gentle current,

Flowing and steady.

Our word today is mellifluous.

Mellifluous means sweet-sounding,

Flowing smoothly,

Like honey in sound.

The word comes from Latin roots,

Mel- meaning honey,

And fluere- meaning to flow.

It is often used to describe a voice or music,

Or a sound in nature that feels rich,

Gentle and soothing.

Something that glides into the ear,

Settles in the body,

And brings a sense of ease,

Maybe even joy.

Mellifluous speech or melody doesn't push,

It pours.

It is smoothness in motion.

As you breathe,

Begin to silently repeat the word,

Mellifluous.

Inhale,

Mellifluous.

Exhale,

Mellifluous.

Let the word itself flow with your breath.

Not rushed,

Not forced,

Just smooth,

Even,

Gentle.

Imagine it as sound,

A slow,

Honeyed series of notes gliding through the air.

Feel that ease and beauty within you.

Each repetition,

Part of that soft current,

Like music moving quietly inside you.

If your mind wanders,

Simply return to the word.

Return to its smoothness,

Its warmth,

Its sweetness.

Now imagine the idea of this mellifluous sound extending outward,

As if your breath itself sings gently into the room.

Soft,

Calm,

Unbroken.

Now,

Let the word rest gently in you,

And just focus on your breath,

Allowing the idea of mellifluous to echo softly in your awareness.

Remember that feeling of ease if your mind wanders.

Just gently bring it back,

No judgement.

Now let go of your focus,

And gently return your attention back to your breath,

Back to your body where you're sitting.

Feel the support of your body,

And of the chair or floor beneath you.

Begin to notice the room around you,

As you gently open your eyes when you're ready.

Carry that idea of the mellifluous flow of breath and sound with you back into your day.

Thank you for joining me for this meditation.

Check back again for another word that we can explore together.