Master the Art of Hygge,
the Danish Antidote to Winter
BY FLORENCE
LEVINE
Had it with winter?
Take a page out of
the Danes’ book,
“Hygge”! An antidote to
their v-e-r-y long, frigid
cold, and dark winter,
what do they know that
we don't?
Picture this: Step into a
Danish home during the
long, dark winter. You'll
likely find friends and family
gathered around a table
over good food, with candles
flickering on mantles to
give the room a warm sense
of coziness that Danes call
‘Hygge’, “a comforting
feeling of togetherness and
well- being…despite the
frigid winds rattling the
windows.” (Dan Buettner,
“Blue Zones of Happiness”)
We can't stop winter
from descending its veil
of darkness upon us at
4:45, except by escaping to
Naples or Waikiki, like our
own Sheryl and Carl! And
those of us remaining here in New
York can only ine ectively dream.
But I did find an upside that is within
our control: Hygge! Pronounced
‘hew-ga’, it’s a feeling of coziness
and well-being.
We don't need to reinvent the
wheel. Why not take a page out of
the Danes’ book! All you need is
good company: friends and food,
a hot drink, a fireplace, fuzzy
clothing (think: Sherpa blankets,
slippers, sweaters). Or alone doing
what carries you away, makes you
feel good.
Positive Psychology calls it
“flow,” immersed in the moment.
Some say Hygge is best done with
others and that “The best predictor
of whether we are happy or not is
our social relationships.” According
to Meik Wiking in his best seller,
“The Little Book of Hygge: Danish
Secrets to Happy Living,” Denmark
has one of the happiest populations
in the world. Make friends a
priority, he says:
Focus on conversation, turn o
electronics
Curl up next to a fireplace,
Sip hot cocoa,
Wear fuzzy clothing, a cashmere
cowl caressing your cheek.
Like shining a flashlight on a diamond
in the midst of an ordinary
day, finding your Hygge
is worth paying attention
to, worthy of a space in
our gratitude journal, and
- repeatable!!
In a slightly looser interpretation
of the word,
some of us found that “feel
good” place right here, in
Tai Chi class. Under Joe’s
choreographed spell, we
follow his lead in unison…
to peace and balance. We
pass through his doorway,
thereafter too preoccupied
to think about anything
except: Now where do I
put my right hand? My left?
My right foot? And my left?
For me, it takes tremendous
focus to stay in sync. But
unlike true Hygge, here in
Tai Chi it’s sans food.
(Bet you never heard of
Tai Chi class with delicious
roast beef sandwiches!) We
thank you for the oasis, Joe.
It's quite doable to find
Hygge here, in winter. Just
invite a friend - to Buffy’s
or the VIP room, candlelit
(OK-battery operated!).
Choose your spot.
My grandson, Jonathan, found
Hygge in running. Curious, I asked
him about his moment of knowing:
“I ran my first freshman mile and
won the race in 4:41. I was ‘super-
pumped’ (17 year old teen talk),
and wanted to get better,” his words
the clue. He's had a passion for
running since, and came in second
for his high school team in Solon,
Ohio. But it's not so much in the
winning. It's the feeling he has, of
his team, his friends, Friday night
pizza dinners served by the moms.
A friend Bobbi discovered her
calling from a Hygge moment with
a very bright young lady locked into
a disabled body. Bobbi felt a calling
to help people like this and took
that feel good well-being all the
way to a doctorate and a career
in psychology. So did my father. I
wish I could ask him what Hygge
moment inspired him.
As a kid I found Hygge by accident,
curled up on the couch under
a wool throw, savoring a bowl of
ice cream while riveted to a Charlie
Chan movie. Remember, #1 son?
The cozy feeling, scary enough
scenes in the candlelit dark, still
intrigue me.
And when my mother warmed
my socks in the oven on a cold
morning, I remember the phenomenal
feeling of warmth!
Today some favorite Hygge
moments for me are savoring
warm cookies/hot apple pie out-
of-the-oven with good family and
friends, whipped cream great but
not mandatory, reading something
compelling by the fireplace in the
den, and the bunch of nature's
daisies, buttercup yellow centers, a
portend of glorious spring to come.
I can't think of a better way to tie
up my thoughts than the words of
Anna Quindlen, Pulitzer
Prize winner. She's sitting on the
boardwalk with a homeless man,
both their legs dangling over the
edge, facing the ocean. She asks
him why he doesn't go to one of the
shelters. “Look at the view young
lady. Look at the view.” And every
day, in some little way, I try to do
what he said, look at the view.
That's all. Words of wisdom from a
man with not a dime in his pocket,
no place to go, nowhere to be. Look
at the view. When I do what he said,
I am never disappointed.”
Now THAT’S Hygge!
Photos courtesy of Florence
Levine
Florence’s grandson Jonathan finds his Hygge
Instructor Joe teaches Tai Chi 26 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ December 2019