Proposition_
Cosiness is a form of self-care that allows the self to be all but absent – It is a feeling of being held. It is caring for the self by returning to a feeling of being held, being supported. It is not self-indulgent, nor lazy.
Consciously considering cosy when the environment is dark, cold and uncertain is a tool of survival.
Definition_
Cosy. An English word that comes from High German meaning “to cuddle”.
In American English it is spelt as it sounds. In both American and British English, the adjective is used to describe places and relationships, primarily. It is a stalwart of Autumn advertising and is most associated with fires, blankets and hot drinks.
Ngram search: cozy=>*_NOUN, 27/10/2020
Ngram search: cozy=>*_VERB, 27/10/2020
Ngram search: cosy=>*_VERB
Cosy has cultural variance. Gezellig (NL) ; Accogliente (IT) ; Gemutlich (GER) ; Przytulny (POL) ; Ζεστός (GR) ; Rahat (TUR) ; Aaraam (Hindi) ; Kaiteki-sa (JAP) can translate as cosy, friendly, welcoming, intimate, convenient, warm. Cosy ranges in meaning from secure amongst people to secure in a place or action. The aesthetics of cosy depend on proximity to the equator and how often you find yourself tilting away from the sun.
Cosiness is an advertising campaign, pulling on our desire for comfort.
Cosiness when practiced consciously can create security, safety, steadiness. A place or setting that allows you to drop your guard, to become tender and trusting. A place that offers respite from the world and the chaotic stories it holds.
Terms of Practice_
Cosy concerns our whole being. It requires a backdrop and a stage and lighting, sound and props. More than that, it requires temperature control and consideration for taste and smell.
What does the space look like? It is small, or at least appears so. Your back is touching at least one wall and a cushion, blanket. Other walls support at least one of your sides. The lighting is low and warm. An incandescent soft white/warm white (maybe 2700 Kelvins). Or a candle. Or the moon. We think of a fire in a fireplace. Instead of coal or wood, perhaps a cluster of candles. Really, think womb. Womb lighting, warmth, structure.
Cosy attention = soft-focus and present. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. “To be free from pressure and solicitation”.
Cosy comestibles. In darker seasons, the sun slids out of the sky and onto our plates.
Pumpkins, beetroots, turnips, carrots, chestnuts, red apples with golden cores
;
Bouton d'or/canary, jaune soleil/cadmium, orange, coquelicot, rouge vif/bright red, mais champignon, saumon/buff, aurore/dawn pink, chauvre/oyster.
Parting note_
The tea drank as part of a cosiness ritual can become a cosy haven/shelter for microbes.
Creating cosy actions and places also generates security for more-than-humans.
Cosiness is not solely a human pursuit.
gutlining 