Ahh relaxing. It is one of my favorite things to do. Cozy up on the couch, stay indoors, get a massage, meditate and stretch- I love it all! But I find it comes with a abundance of guilt. Like a small annoying dog yapping at my feet, I hear an inner voice that tells me to "get up"... "Do something"... "What is next" ... "You have a bunch of other things you SHOULD be doing". This annoying voice in some instances can be extremely helpful. I get all sorts of things done on a weekend. It pushes me and now my family to go go go which creates great fun and amazing memories. However, as I get older I realize that I am cheating on my great relationship with relaxation by also dating my thoughts at the same time.
Yogis say that the secret to meditation is to allow free flow of thoughts. Don't hold on - just let them go. One in, one out. For me this is near impossible. At a recent massage I began mentally putting together my packing list for a trip three weeks away. It then occurred to me - I have a hard time letting go.
Part of this is because of the negative connotations that go along with relaxing. Think about it. Look at how we view relaxing in this country. We even refer to it with the flippantcy of a torrid affair; bum around, couch potato, lazy bones, and so on. So why so much shame? Why the guilt?
And then I found it. The key to being faithful to relaxation. HYGGE
Hygge is the idea that helps Denmark regularly rate as one of the happiest countries in the world. I have been fascinated for years at the happiness of Danes. Despite long, dark winters they are still the happiest and part of that is due to Hygge. Loosely translated at "togetherness," and "coziness," though it's not a physical state, it's a mental one. This Danish NPR commenter sums up some specifics: "Hygge is a deep sense of cosy that can originate from many different sources. According to VisitDenmark (the country's official tourism site): "The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Friends and family — that’s hygge too. And let’s not forget the eating and drinking — preferably sitting around the table for hours on end discussing the big and small things in life." Hygge's high season is winter, and Christmas lights, candles galore, and other manifestations of warmth and light, including warm alcoholic beverages, are key to the concept.
Hygge gives a more pleasing name, a voice to relaxing. It gives permission to do all of the things that I enjoy doing and diminishes the yapping dog telling me I should be more productive. Hygge IS productive. It rejuvenates us. It allows us to enjoy the slow life. The important things.
As you go into your weekend I challenge you to indulge in Hygge. And if you are like me, maybe this time you can really let go.
No comments:
Post a Comment