This time we are off to Denmark. As a tribe, generation after generation, the Danes have adopted a lifestyle which is so life-enhancing that they are considered to be the happiest people on earth. Their particular philosophy of living is known as ‘hygge’ and it is being explored nowadays by many for its beneficial qualities.
In the dictionary we find the meaning of hygge (pronounced as ‘hue-gah’ or ‘hoo-guh’), as ‘a complete absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming, taking pleasure from the presence of gentle, soothing things’.
The Danes are not particularly religious but they consider hygge as a sustainable way of living – a spiritual code by which to live a healthy and happy life. It is a structure for a lifestyle that creates balance and a relationship between people that avoids friction. It is a way of looking at life and the way they relate to each other.
The dynamic of a tribe is to incorporate and support everyone where nobody is left out. It offers protection for self-preservation. Such qualities like balance, connectedness and a sense of safety are intrinsic values.
So, how can one apply this to his daily life? There are various aspects to hygge that can be broken down and explored.
Hygge is a sensory experience where all the senses are engaged
• Outside drama can be handled by adopting a quiet stability and an inner awareness.
• Creating a harmonious atmosphere and a mood of contentment in our surroundings will help us to buffer us from outside drama by creating a sacred place where we make sure that nothing is allowed to disturb our inner peace.
• This is a tribe mentality where its concept is extension, incorporating everyone for a sense of belonging in a circle of warmth where its members cluster together for affirmation and connectedness.
• An atmosphere is created for a sense of trust where everyone feels safe in expressing himself.
• A belief that one belongs to the now, which means that there is no need to run away from what is happening. This gives one a kind of strength and reduces anxiety.
• The creation of a sense of shelter, an embracing where we shelter each other, reminiscent of the womb where it was safe, warm and nourished.
• Adoption of daily practices with symbols of care – treats that makes us feel good such as a nice cup of coffee, a stroll by the sea, curling in bed with a good book or pampering ourselves for enriching our lives.
• Cultivating good memories which are life affirming, while avoiding destructive ones.
• Adopting a welcoming heart while being discerning with what seems questionable to us to keep our inner sacred space clean and not get compromised by others.
• Embracing simplicity, where less is more, the ordinary is sacred and authenticity is the ultimate.
Hygge is a sensory experience where all the senses are engaged: good smells that affect our moods; sounds through engagement with another and being all present; taste of food that is both nourishing and enjoyable; sight by being aware of delusions and aiming for truth; and touch, with pleasant textures and soothing feeling of such things as curvy furniture or sculptures.
The hygge concept is all about being, rather than having, for an enhanced and happy life – something we can adopt into our lives too. The hygge lifestyle is about creating a life that is beautiful and finding joy in the simple pleasures life offers.
It is the art of creating intimacy with ourselves, friends and our homes. Keywords that pertain to hygge are cosiness, charm, happiness, contentedness, security, familiarity, comfort, reassurance, kinship and simpleness.
It requires a consciousness for a certain slowness and the ability to not just be present but recognise and enjoy the present.
One of the authors of the World Happiness Report, which rates countries for their level of happiness, says that “we need urgently to learn from COVID-19 that we must aim for well-being rather than mere wealth”.
And hygge provides this wholesome philosophy for well-being perfectly.
Mary Attard, freelance writer, photographer