Spiritual Hygge

Hygge is the Danish concept most closely related in English as a feeling that is cosy or special.

There are many activities in life that can give you that feeling of Hygge, whether with family and friends, or alone in your own space.

Imagine enjoying the comfort of a fire in a log cabin on your own, sharing a hearty meal at home with friends or walking through the woods with the Children (or Grandchildren); all common Hygge inducing moments.

Although, from outside Denmark it may seem like another lifestyle fad, the Danish as a nation have long put a high value on their sense of Hygge.

As people who share a Spiritual belief, it strikes me that the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment and the pursuit of Hygge are closely related.

In both we seek comfort, contentment and ‘things’ that make our souls feel ‘good’.

In today’s busy, modern life it can be difficult to make time to build our Spiritual understanding and strengthen our inner Spirit, but this Danish concept shows us that the simple things in life are just as important.

Spiritual Hygge shows us that the path to feeling ‘better’ is open to everyone, costs very little and is not necessarily dependent on anyone other than the individual’s own capacity to look within.

We can often feel pressure to advance through life as quickly as possible but doing this runs the risk of missing valuable chances to share experiences and maximize our learning opportunities.

To enjoy Spiritual Hygge, perhaps first we should step back and observe our surroundings.  We can take a lead from nature which can be found all around us.  From the fox in the street to the sparrow in the garden, they are closer to the survival instinct than we are with our complex civilizations.  Imagine the sense of satisfaction a squirrel feels when it digs up a nut, knowing that it has secured a food source, or the urban cat that jumps a fence before the barking dog reaches it!

Most of us are incredibly lucky that we don’t have these fundamental survival concerns.

So, this weekend, find contentment in the simple things that you already have access to; as the rest will come in time.  Taste your morning toast more vividly, clean the car with more vigor, observe that busy squirrel…