Welcome to today's edition of Word and Breath.
Today's meditation is about the Dutch word,
Gezelligheid.
We'll begin by grounding into the senses,
And then explore the warm belonging that this word carries.
Take a comfortable seat.
Allow your body to rest on the chair or cushion or the floor beneath you.
Close your eyes if you'd like,
Or just keep a gentle gaze.
Take a slow breath in and out.
In and out.
In and let it all out.
And let it return to your regular rhythm.
Now bring your attention gently to the top of your head.
Notice any sensation there.
Not trying to change it,
Just noticing.
And let your awareness gently scan down through your body.
Your forehead.
Your jaw.
Your neck.
Continue down through the shoulders.
Along the back.
Your arms and hands.
Your chest,
Rising and falling with each breath.
Your belly.
Feel the weight of your body resting through your hips.
Notice your thighs.
Knees.
Moving down through your lower legs.
And down to the feet.
Just noticing any sensation,
Good or bad.
No judgment.
Just checking in with the body.
And then turning our attention to today's word.
The word is Gezelligheid.
This word comes from Dutch,
And it doesn't have a perfect English translation.
It describes a feeling of cozy togetherness,
Being safe,
Welcome,
And at ease with others.
The word gezellig is related to gezell,
Meaning companion or friend,
And it has been used for centuries to describe the warmth of social connection.
Gezelligheid goes beyond mere comfort or coziness.
It's the shared sense of belonging and presence,
The enjoyment of being part of a moment with others,
Whether laughing with friends over a meal,
Sitting quietly by a fire,
Or simply feeling at home in a space with those you feel connected to.
Bring to mind a time that you felt this sense of togetherness.
Perhaps you were gathered with friends or family.
Perhaps you were simply sitting in a café,
Feeling part of the gentle buzz of life around you.
Notice how your body remembers that sense of belonging.
Perhaps you feel warmth in your chest,
Or the ease in your breath.
How do you feel the quiet joy of being connected?
Imagine this feeling as a soft golden glow between people,
A shared light,
A shared comfort.
You are both giving and receiving it just by being present.
You might imagine that glow inside you,
Reaching out like a golden filament and touching the golden glow inside others around you.
A gentle,
Cozy network that both gives and receives a sense of safety,
Comfort,
And coziness.
Let's breathe in the sense of gazellichide.
Keep your breathing natural,
But when you inhale,
Feel like you are breathing in the warmth of this feeling.
And as you exhale,
You're sending that warmth out into the world.
Inhale warmth.
Exhale warmth.
Inhale connection.
Exhale connection.
You can hold on to the image you've created in your mind,
Or the visualization of this golden light,
Or the breath in and out with warmth and connection in stillness for the next little while.
When you notice your thoughts wandering,
Just gently bringing them back to your anchor of visualization or breathing.
Now,
Let go of your focus on breath or image,
Carrying only the feeling of warmth and connection inside you,
And return to the simple rhythm of your breath,
Beginning to notice the body,
The way it supports you,
Where your hands are,
Where your feet are,
Feeling the whole body,
Beginning to notice the room around you,
Coming back to the present moment.
And when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes.
Thank you for joining me for this meditation.
Check back again for another word that we can explore together.
