Spirit Matters: ‘Hygge’ is everything it intends to be

Many Americans love their “autumn vibes.”

The Danish have an actual word for it.

Hygge.

Merriam Webster defines it in two ways and pronounces it in three:

ˈhyü-gə ˈhü- ˈhu̇- (noun): a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable; (adjective): invoking or fostering a sense of coziness, contentment, and well-being

Whomever defines it, in whichever way, the concept of hygge is “my jam.” (That’s slang for “my favorite song” but has morphed into meaning “something that one particularly likes, enjoys or does well.”)

When I am not embodying hygge by cozying up under a comfy weighted blanket with a cup of peach hot tea and a book, such as “How to be a Wildflower” by Katie Daisy, or listening to a playlist of curated music to soothe and warm the soul, I am busy searching images online that encompass the word for me.

On a side note, since I spend considerable time in book stores when possible, I’ve noticed publishers these days are capitalizing on concepts such as “hygge” that originate with other cultures. They are particularly drawn to Scandinavian and Japanese ways of being, such as lykke (joy and happiness), fika (”a coffee and cake break”), friluftsliv (mindful connection with nature), ikigai (reason for being), wabi sabi (beauty in imperfection) and shinrin-yoku (forest bathing).

Apparently, there is a big audience for borrowing life-with-soul wisdom from other countries. I happen to be a part of that audience, even if I can only do it from my laptop in my little nook in central Illinois.

So, while we Americans use words such as “autumn vibes,” “cozy” or “comfortable,” the Danes’ use of “hygge” encompasses a year-round way of life. They have shorter days and longer nights, so it’s quite “hygge” to light many candles and have piles of blankets lying around.

Hygge also can refer to eating comfort food and the affinity and feeling of closeness you get while with a group of friends. Denmark happens to offer 25 days of paid vacation for all employees each year, and those days can be rolled over to the following year.

Another “hygge” perk.

While autumn and winter are most amenable to “cozy” and “comfortable” habits, those who choose to live a hygge lifestyle can find ways to apply it in the spring and summer as well. For example, nature walks, yin yoga, meditation, writing, painting, gardening, picnicking or relaxing on your porch with an iced tea can be as hygge as some of the more indoor activities.

It’s important to remember everyone’s way of “doing” hygge is going to be different, depending on what they find cozy and comforting. And you will only know what that is by that inexplicable feeling of contentment you get in your heart when you are doing it ... or being with it.

Because hygge isn’t so much about doing as it is a way of being.

And in our country, which prizes production above all things, just “being” is a foreign concept, indeed.

Take a few moments to just be, and consider those activities or people who bring you a sense of coziness, comfort and contentment.

Now, spend more time with them, because you have found your hygge.

SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column that examines experiences common to the human spirit. Contact Jerrilyn Zavada Novak at jzblue33@yahoo.com to share how you engage your spirit in your life and community.