I was recently chatting with dear friends who were expressing their delight in a recent out-of-town visit with close family. They had felt a deep sense of connection and enjoyment not always present during visits over the years —perhaps a similar memory from your own life comes to mind? A particular experience with family or friends that really stand out as deeply warm, loving, sheltering, and comfortable. This is “Hygge” (pronounced hoo-gah).
The Book of Hygge – The Danish Art of Contentment, Comfort, and Connection provides a rich description of a delightful lifestyle perspective from a culture and country far away.
Hygge is a very old and multi-layered practice and simultaneously quite simple. The book explains, “Hygge happens when we commit to the pleasure of the present moment in its simplicity. It’s there in the things we do that give everyday life value, and meaning, that comfort us, make us feel at home, rooted and generous.” Interestingly, Hygge’s center is around feelings of togetherness and belonging; however, one can also enjoy Hygge alone. Consider a slow walk along the coast or in the forest and fully absorbing the majesty of sight, sound, smell, and the gentle caress of a breeze on your skin … that’s Hygge.
In a nutshell, I’ve come to understand the practice as really sinking in and being present in a moment. Whether with others, alone in nature, or enjoying the familiarity of a place, it’s a full sensory experience of now. I’ve been attracted to the concept of Hygge since I first heard of it. I dusted off old candles, gathered up my coziest blankets, and discovered a new appreciation for an old pair of slippers. To really experience Hygge may take a bit of practice but the full enjoyment of a candle flickering on a dark night is a good place to start. It’s a wonderful concept to play around with, perhaps especially, during the winter months. The long nights will be with us a bit longer and we can’t change that. We can embrace and enjoy it.
If you’d like to learn more, I recommend the book. It’s full of information, ideas, history, lovely quotes and enticing pictures. I received it as a gift from a lovely Danish friend who also quite enjoyed trying to teach me to pronounce Hygge properly. I never quite got the pronunciation but I’m beginning to understand the value of incorporating more of it into everyday life. You can certainly delve deeper—or merely take a slow deep breath, light some candles now and then, and be really present with yourself and with others. That’s Hygge.
If you’re interested in coming together in a safe, comfortable setting to explore more about living in harmony with the energy of our natural world and building a strong foundation around our habits of health, join us as we launch the first of a series of seasonal seminars: https://fiveseasonswayfinder.com/seminars/.
Hyg dig! (translation: have fun—with richness)
– Denise