Gratitude for all the Appreciation

                        HYGGE LIVING

Hygge, a feeling of warmth and contentment, is an essential part of Danish culture. Danish people despite their long and harsh winters are one of the happiest people in the world. They have created hygge to get them through the unbearable weather. Hygge is their winter potion. The Oxford dictionary added the word Hygge to its dictionary in June 2017. Their way of living can be easily embraced as hygge things are easily accessible and uncomplicated to follow to live a life full of gratification.

Relevance for hygge and in turn its magnetism becomes all the more vital for us humans who are locked inside our homes. We are faced with two dissimilar realities, one of desolation and suffering of humans and the other where nature is healing.  People are losing jobs and their means of livelihood. Only some of us have the privilege of means in these pandemic times. So compassion towards the under privileged and a sense of gratitude will go a long way to live a stress free life.

The kind of life we are leading these days to maintain social distancing is nothing but hygge. We are unconsciously following it but subsistence is the key. Life style change will be there whenever we come out of the Covid 19. The old comfort zone has gone and we have to adapt to the new normal. The ones who are able to adapt will be happier and healthier others may have some issues. The mall culture, restaurants and parties will take a step back and we will be more localized in our existence.

Hygge is all about comfort in the paramount way one wants individually. At its core, it is about building intimacy and trust with others. Unhurried relaxation in the company of near and dear ones, connecting to nature and enjoying its sights and sound is all about hygge living. Hygge is about slowing down and relaxing and enjoying the small pleasures of our lives with our loved ones. It is about creating a sanctuary of warmth and coziness that acts as a refuge for us. It is a mental state of coziness and conviviality. “Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom,”   rightly says Meik Wiking in The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well.

There are ways to accomplish Hygge in our being. First of all we should necessitate some time to relax as there will always be something to be worried about in life. Relaxed mind can accomplish tasks in a better way. Secondly, there should not be any guilt for taking timeout for a walk, listening to good music or just relaxing and playing board games with the family. By including soothing essentials into our day to day life makes life more enriching. We must remember that hygge is effortless comfort minus the pretence and worry. Sometimes it may be as simple sitting in the corner of your garden and sipping your favorite tea or as simple as playing with the pet in the garden that is being in the moment and appreciating the things around you.

We are all living a hygge life like cooking various delicacies rather than eating out. Doing our housework and enjoying it and of course trying to grow our own food fulfilling the hygge concept of from farm to table. Now we have all the time to redo our homes and bringing in fresh flowers , twigs, branches from our own garden and make bouquets thereby enhancing our own creativity and of course happiness of being in our homes. We are spending quality time with our loved ones.

Hygge is all about enjoying the simple ways of living and definitely not about chasing after thrills. At its center is the human yearning for uncomplicated comforts, which takes many shapes. It teaches us to be courageous in case of adversities, to conquer sadness or triumph over difficult times. One deserves to be content. Happiness does not lie in the material things but it is found in small things of life.

“Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated.” Confucius   

                      

 

In corona times, it is reassuring to read a poem full of hope, written by a doctor friend.

 

ये वक़्त भी गुज़र जायेगा, देखना तुम।

ये वक़्त भी गुज़र जायेगा, देखना तूम।

नदियों का उबाल भी, करें चट्टानों से सवाल कई,

पनघट पर आकर, खुद ही ठहर जायेगा, देखना तुम।

ये....

उजियारा भले ही चाहे, कर ले कहीं और डेरा,

भोर भए, यकीनन शहर आएगा, देखना तुम।

ये...

माना वादियों में सही, सध रखी हो, चुप्पी सी,

चहचहा पंछी, सुरों का मंज़र लाएगा, देखना तुम।

ये...

भले बीता अरसा एक मेरा, इस नक़ाबपोशी में,

गुमनामी ही मेरी, कयामत पे कहर ढाएगा, देखना तुम।

ये...

सुना एक ज़हर ने है, कर रखा हर सुं अंधेरा,

निगेहबान कई मेरे, ये ही ठोकर खाएगा, देखना तुम।

ये...

क्यूं कर रहा ये दंभ, सासों पे हावी होने का,

मेरी हिम्मत से ना लड़ पाएगा, देखना तुम।

ये...

कई थपेड़े सहे हैं, मेरे आशाओं के शिखर ने,

ये भी टकरा कर, बस बिखर जायेगा, देखना तुम।

ये वक़्त भी गुज़र जायेगा, देखना तुम।

                 ज्योति प्रकाश

                           Wild Commelina

                                                   Wild Oxalis

             

Sharing my thoughts…..

 LIFE IN CORONA TIMES

The Ghedi route in Chandigarh, once abuzz with swanky cars, blaring music; had a new wayfarer the other day, a royal stag. The placid atmosphere was a secure place for him to roam freely. The other day, a leopard was sighted in the City Beautiful in the posh areas, who was later apprehended by the officials.

There are more birds to see around. The number of mynahs has suddenly gone up; even the tiny sunbirds otherwise rarely seen, are all around the place. The sparkling kingfisher is seen in small groups near the fields enjoying the fresh grains. On a pleasant evening, the children’s park normally full of children frolicking around is sans children due to social distancing, and what you see, is a big flock of mynahs land instead. They land in the park, feast on the insects and fly away. Mr. Owl who has been sole owner of his house in the eucalyptus tree for a long time has found a mate in fact two and has a choice between the two. New species of birds are seen in the sky rejoicing new found freshness in the air devoid of pollution.  Vibrant spring flowers are in full bloom and lush trees are soothing to the eye. There is unexplained freshness in the air. The air is cleaner and ozone layer is healing. Mother Nature is truly healing.

In the times of fast communication, easy travel and mall culture, micro level old-fashioned things, like sitting in a garden, enjoying a cup of coffee or playing board games with children, had become outdated. These days’ people are posting pictures of enjoying gardening, cooking, house work, fulfilling hobbies and spending quality time with the family. We are doing all this as we stuck in our houses but in the end, we are the gainers. Of course all this is for only the privileged lot, who has enough resources even in the lockdown period. Poor especially the daily wage earners are suffering as they do not have ways and means to earn their livelihood. They are walking back home to villages hoping that their tiny fields will become their source of livelihood. Are we literally going back to the basics? The people living in remote villages with sparse population, seem to be the safest in today’s scenario. The worst affected in this case are the homeless in the cities who have nothing to eat and no place to go. Lot of people and organizations are reaching out to such people but much needed to be done.

We were not taking the climate change seriously. Look what is happening to us. Due to this lockdown, life is nearly coming down to a standstill all because of a new deadly virus. People are suffering, dying and there is no cure so far. There is a colossal loss to the world economy with very little trade and limited production. Airlines to railways to road transport are badly affected due to the lockdown.

Different historic landmarks around the world these days are impeccable and picture perfect postcard images but have no visitors. How ironic is that.

Zoo, a science fiction series on Netflix comes to my mind. In the series, animals are communicating with each other and taking a revenge on humans. The science fiction seems to be partly coming true when humans are locked in our houses and animals and birds are free. We are in distress and bound in our homes while the birds are moving around freely.

Seeing the nature healing, I hope we humans learn and take care of Mother Nature and it forgives us. I pray that soon we find the cure for COVID 19 which is causing such mayhem all over the place.