Discover Your Hygge

I have been watching The Ganges with Sue Perkins. In the first episode she makes the arduous trek to the source of the river and shares that the reason for this journey to India to give herself time and space to grieve. It saddened me that this is how she felt. I do not think it is true that we need to travel hundreds of miles, or experience another culture in order to delve into the deepest parts of ourselves. However, I think Sue is right that our lifestyles and culture often fight against the space and time that we truly need. It becomes a matter of recognition and choice.

First, I need to recognise that life is so busy and noisy that my inner self has no opportunity to stop, to think, or even breathe. Then, and this is perhaps the hardest part, I need to make time, create a space that will allow my inner self the chance to surface.

We fill our lives with tasks, technology and so many distractions that we lose out on time for our minds to wander. Our minds are full of to do lists and what’s next questions and half-started conversations with people that never seem to get completed because there is always the next thing to move on to.

Recently I was given the gift of some quality time and space; a friend paid for a visit to Kew Gardens. It was lovely. There was time for chatter and catching up. There was also space to be silent, to just sit and take in the amazing sculptures and plants. It was wonderful to audibly gasp at the vibrancy and variety and to consider the still, small voice behind it all.

I have been learning about the Danish concept of hygge – experiencing happiness or cosiness. This might be lighting candles in the evening, snuggling under a blanket with a book, wrapping up and staring at the stars, a bubble bath, putting the world to rights with a friend and your chosen alcoholic tipple or a whole host of other activities. My understanding is hygge is creating an atmosphere where the inner you sighs with pleasure, your senses are in some way cuddled and a feeling of well-being ensues.

Children create these moments without trying. I have had the pleasure of building inside dens. These become houses or boats, depending on the architect’s imagination. Why did we grow out of building dens? It’s such fun creating a space with all the softest furnishings and then adding a roof (to somehow make it feel more secret or mysterious). I’ll let you into a secret: sometimes I make a den and there are no children around. Try it. Read a book in it, take a nap, or have an indoor picnic.

In these moments my soul is a little less weary, a little less worn. It may seem frivolous to plan time to build a den, to stare at stars or to wander aimlessly in nature when there is so much to be done. Academics have ivory towers, MP’s take baths, and even Immanuel Kant took daily walks. It is time to discover your hygge.

Time for you is precious. Time to heal your soul is priceless. Therefore this time should be guarded. It won’t just happen; you will need to create it. Mark it in your diary and stop the world from encroaching on it. Go on try it, you might just like it.