If youre away from home, feeling a bit blue or searching for some comfort, the Danes have a solution. Its called “hygge”, and its becoming a sensation around the globe.
Emerging from Danish culture, but popularized by the British in 2016, hygge is much more than just a word. It is a whole world of customs and behaviors designed to make people feel good together.
The hygge concept is hard to define. It refers to the sense of well-being you get when your family is gathered together at new year or Christmas. It is all about the pleasant sensations of home: the scents of your mothers cooking, your partners arm around your shoulder, a warm mug of tea in your hand and so on.
If you want to feel what hygge is like, light a few candles and settle in for a cozy evening on the sofa, perhaps listening to some soft music.
Hygge is an antidote to stress. It is impossible to measure, but you know when youve got it because a gentle warmth starts spreading through your body.
Another important part of hygge is that it does not involve modern technology. Its a digital detox designed to relax your exhausted mind and eyes. So, put down that smartphone and turn off the computer. They are definitely not hygge.
What you need to do if you want to get down with the Danes is to imagine yourself back in an earlier time, sitting in front of a blazing fire and listening to your granddad telling a story as the smell of something delicious wafts in from the kitchen. Imagine the restful calm and peace.
You should also know that hygge is not about healthy eating or frenzied exercise regimes. In fact, its just the opposite. Youre supposed to indulge in a little bit of what you fancy: some naughty-but-nice treats. So, sugary snacks and calorie-laden cakes are in.
Let yourself be carried on a wave of nostalgia back to your birthplace, and remember with a smile the old nursery rhymes and childhood songs of your distant youth. If it helps, wrap yourself in a warm blanket and cuddle up with one of your favorite books (not a tablet or e-reader).
If Denmark seems too remote, then think of old Beijing with its hutong and courtyard houses. Picture yourself huddled around a traditional stove with your loved ones, munching on dumplings and chatting about the old days.
Let yourself drift back in time to a period where nothing is urgent, and there is no need to respond to any e-mails or text messages. They did not exist back then.
Now youve really understood hygge without even having to set foot in Copenhagen.
如果你出門(mén)在外,感到有一點(diǎn)小憂(yōu)傷或是想尋求一絲安慰,丹麥人有辦法。這種叫作“hygge”的文化現(xiàn)在在全世界都引起了轟動(dòng)。
雖起源于丹麥文化,不過(guò)2016年開(kāi)始在英國(guó)流行,“hygge”可不僅是一個(gè)單詞那么簡(jiǎn)單。它是一種習(xí)俗和行為,目的是讓人們感到愜意。
“hygge”的概念很難定義。它指的是一家人在新年或圣誕節(jié)時(shí)團(tuán)聚的那種幸福的感覺(jué)。滿(mǎn)滿(mǎn)地是你在家里的那種舒適感:媽媽在做飯的香味,伴侶靠在肩膀,你手上有暖暖的一杯茶,等等。
如果你想感受一下“hygge”是什么樣子,點(diǎn)幾支蠟燭,窩在沙發(fā)上度過(guò)一個(gè)安逸的夜晚,最好還能再來(lái)點(diǎn)輕音樂(lè)。
“hygge”是壓力的一味解藥。它難以測(cè)量,不過(guò)當(dāng)你置身其中時(shí),你一定會(huì)知道它的存在——因?yàn)橛幸环N暖暖的溫柔會(huì)漫延你的全身。
“hygge”的另一個(gè)重要組成部分是它不包含任何現(xiàn)代科技。它是一種數(shù)字排毒,來(lái)放松你的心靈和眼睛。所以,放下手機(jī),關(guān)掉電腦。它們完全不是“hygge”。
如果你想像丹麥人那樣,你需要做的就是想象自己回到了小時(shí)候,坐在火爐前,聽(tīng)爺爺講著故事,廚房里飄來(lái)陣陣香味。想象一下這種平和安寧的感覺(jué)。
你還應(yīng)該知道“hygge”不是指健康的飲食或是瘋狂的鍛煉,事實(shí)上,恰恰相反。你應(yīng)當(dāng)沉湎于一些你喜歡的東西中:一些淘氣卻有趣的小東西。所以,甜點(diǎn)或含有熱量的蛋糕很不錯(cuò)。
讓自己沉浸在一種思鄉(xiāng)情懷中,微笑地憶起在遙遠(yuǎn)的小時(shí)唱過(guò)的古老的童謠、兒歌。如果這有幫助,裹一張溫暖的毛毯,蜷縮在里面,翻閱一本你最?lèi)?ài)的書(shū)(不是平板或者電子書(shū))。
如果覺(jué)得丹麥人這種方式太遙不可及,那么試想一下老北京的胡同和四合院。想象自己和親愛(ài)的家人們圍坐在火爐旁,吃著香噴噴的餃子,閑聊著往事。
讓自己穿越到一段慢時(shí)光里,不需要回電郵或是短信。那時(shí)它們都不存在。
現(xiàn)在,無(wú)須去哥本哈根(丹麥?zhǔn)锥迹?,你就能真正理解“hygge”。