circumambulation
Ritual walking around
Circumambulation is the act of walking around something, especially as a ritual or ceremonial practice.
In religious contexts, devotees circumambulate sacred sites, shrines, or objects—Muslims circle the Kaaba, Buddhists walk around stupas, Hindus orbit temples.
The word can also describe any deliberate circling: The circumambulation of the property took twenty minutes.
The verb is circumambulate.
Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
- koraAfrican bridge-harp with twenty-one strings
- pradakshinaRitual clockwise circumambulation
- parikramaRitual circling of sacred sites
- meccaDestination for enthusiasts
Formal moving line
- chantingRhythmic repetitive vocalization
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- prayerAddress to deity
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
ceremony · worship · rites · clockwise · counterclockwise · sacred · reverence · prostration
Buddhist relic monument
Violent governmental overthrow
- circuitClosed electrical pathway
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
- rotationTurning on an axis
- pathRoute for traveling
loop · trajectory · encirclement · round · axis · circular · orbital · revolve
Awareness of the present
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- focusConcentrated attention point
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
- presenceState of being somewhere
stillness · introspection · labyrinth · centering · intention · reflection · concentration · mantra
hajj
Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca
- koraAfrican bridge-harp with twenty-one strings
- pradakshinaRitual clockwise circumambulation
- parikramaRitual circling of sacred sites
procession
Formal moving line
- chantingRhythmic repetitive vocalization
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- prayerAddress to deity
devotion · ceremony · worship · rites · clockwise · counterclockwise · sacred · reverence · prostration · offering
stupa
Buddhist relic monument
sanctuary · monument · pagoda · reliquary · nave · cloister · precinct
revolution
Violent governmental overthrow
path · loop · trajectory · encirclement · round · axis · circular · orbital · revolve · encircle
mindfulness
Awareness of the present
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- focusConcentrated attention point
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
presence · stillness · introspection · labyrinth · centering · intention · reflection · concentration · mantra · breathwork
circumambulationdirect approach
Unsubtle, frontal method
straight path · beeline · direct route · straight line · shortcut
circumambulationprostration
Utter physical or mental depletion
stillness · genuflection · standing still · kneeling · retreat
circumambulationdirectness
Quality of being straightforward
straight talk · getting to the point · bluntness · forthrightness · candor