Latest / Abide Meditation App / The Coziest SLEEPY Story _ The Season of Hygge _ Calming Bedtime Story for Sleep
Transcript
- 0:02Speaker 1: Good evening, and welcome to Get Sleepy, the podcast where
- 0:08Speaker 1: we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas,
- 0:17Speaker 1: and I'm your host. Thank you so much for tuning in.
- 0:22Speaker 1: It really does mean a lot to have your company. Tonight,
- 0:28Speaker 1: we'll journey into the world of hoogie, That's the Danish
- 0:32Speaker 1: word spelt H-Y-double-G-E. And we'll travel to the heart of
- 0:38Speaker 1: Scandinavia to learn more about this cozy word and experience
- 0:44Speaker 1: its essence for ourselves. Before we begin tonight's story, I'd
- 0:54Speaker 1: like you to close your eyes. And picture the most
- 0:59Speaker 1: comfortable winter setting you can imagine. One that brings you peace,
- 1:08Speaker 1: warmth and happiness. It could be when you're nestled beneath
- 1:16Speaker 1: a thick blanket by a fireplace on a cold day.
- 1:23Speaker 1: Or reading a book in a comfy armchair by candlelight.
- 1:31Speaker 1: It may be sipping on a hot drink in your
- 1:34Speaker 1: favorite cafe, peering onto the street through the steamed glass windows.
- 1:43Speaker 1: Or maybe it's wrapping gifts for loved ones with festive
- 1:49Speaker 1: music playing in the background. Whatever the perfect moment you
- 1:58Speaker 1: imagine might be, let these feelings of coziness, comfort and
- 2:06Speaker 1: contentment envelop you now. Stay in that pleasant sense of
- 2:18Speaker 1: warmth and happiness as we move through our story tonight.
- 2:29Speaker 1: And as you continue to relax and make your way
- 2:33Speaker 1: towards sleep, feel yourself being wrapped in the comfort and
- 2:40Speaker 1: coziness of this very moment. You're warm and safe in bed.
- 2:52Speaker 1: And that is the essence of hygge. There are many
- 3:23Speaker 1: different ways in which one might explain what hygge actually is.
- 3:30Speaker 1: It's often linked to coziness and comfort, but also to
- 3:35Speaker 1: friendship and togetherness, ritual and tradition. And really, It's hard
- 3:44Speaker 1: to put into words what hygge means. Like love or happiness,
- 3:52Speaker 1: we struggle to describe it, but we know it when
- 3:57Speaker 1: we feel it. It's the essence of safety and comfort,
- 4:05Speaker 1: or the magic of the holidays you experienced as a child.
- 4:11Speaker 1: It's like listening to a thunderstorm from the comfort of
- 4:15Speaker 1: your bed with freshly laundered sheets. Like a familiar scent
- 4:22Speaker 1: that stops you in your tracks and reminds you of
- 4:26Speaker 1: a loved one. Or a taste of the delicious pie
- 4:31Speaker 1: your grandmother always makes. It's a sense of being home,
- 4:40Speaker 1: no matter where you are. One might describe a particularly
- 4:47Speaker 1: cozy-looking living room as being hygge-ly or hygge-like. You can
- 4:56Speaker 1: use the word to describe a lovely scarf, a family recipe,
- 5:02Speaker 1: or a particularly nice candle. And yet, it's also something
- 5:08Speaker 1: that can be done you can reminisce about your wonderful
- 5:14Speaker 1: weekend and the hugelig time that was had by all.
- 5:22Speaker 1: The written word can be traced back to the 1700s,
- 5:27Speaker 1: at a time when Denmark and Norway were part of
- 5:30Speaker 1: a union. As a spoken word, its roots run far deeper.
- 5:39Speaker 1: Examining these roots can help to establish a better understanding
- 5:44Speaker 1: of what tuge truly means. In terms of etymology, huge
- 5:53Speaker 1: can be linked to older words, meaning to embrace, to
- 5:58Speaker 1: give courage or comfort, and to think or consider. The
- 6:06Speaker 1: modern word used today is typically translated as coziness. So
- 6:14Speaker 1: whilst its precise origin is unknown, a combination of these
- 6:19Speaker 1: paints a clearer picture. Huge is a feeling of comfort, physical, mental,
- 6:30Speaker 1: and emotional. It's a time to be mindful, thoughtful, and
- 6:37Speaker 1: considerate of those around you, as well as yourself. Huge
- 6:43Speaker 1: feeds your sense of well-being, like a loving hug from
- 6:47Speaker 1: an old friend. Being that it's linked to the enjoyment
- 6:53Speaker 1: and traditions of each individual, it's entirely possible to experience
- 7:00Speaker 1: Huge year-round. One might feel it in July, at a
- 7:07Speaker 1: potluck barbecue with friends and family. Or at the dinner
- 7:12Speaker 1: table in October as you share the events of your
- 7:16Speaker 1: day over a homemade pumpkin soup. You might feel it
- 7:22Speaker 1: in April as you stand at a window and watch
- 7:26Speaker 1: the rain fall outside. Or in January as you settle
- 7:32Speaker 1: in for your monthly movie night with friends. But Tugi
- 7:40Speaker 1: is most commonly associated with the winter season. After all,
- 7:48Speaker 1: it's during this chilly and festive time that so many
- 7:52Speaker 1: of us celebrate the rituals and traditions that evoke feelings
- 7:57Speaker 1: of warmth and comfort. It's during the holidays that we
- 8:04Speaker 1: create the kind of magical experiences that live on in
- 8:08Speaker 1: our memories. And it's through this period, too, that we
- 8:15Speaker 1: tend to seek out our creature comforts the most. When
- 8:21Speaker 1: days are short and the temperatures are icy, there's nothing
- 8:26Speaker 1: quite like the pleasure of a warm blanket and a
- 8:31Speaker 1: cup of hot chocolate. Perhaps this speaks to the mindset
- 8:39Speaker 1: of the North when it comes to hygge and well-being overall.
- 8:46Speaker 1: Rather than bemoaning the coming of winter, it's preferable instead
- 8:52Speaker 1: to find countless ways of embracing it. With a focus
- 8:57Speaker 1: on hygge, one might create endless opportunities to express gratitude
- 9:03Speaker 1: in any season or circumstance. One of the best ways
- 9:10Speaker 1: to really know what hygge might look like and feel
- 9:13Speaker 1: like is to experience it for ourselves. So, let's do
- 9:21Speaker 1: that now. Let's travel to Denmark and step into the
- 9:28Speaker 1: coziest scene imaginable. Picture a wintry countryside. The hilly landscape
- 9:40Speaker 1: is covered in a blanket of thick white snow. The
- 9:46Speaker 1: days are short, and though it's only late afternoon, the
- 9:52Speaker 1: light is already fading. Step by step, you trudge along
- 10:00Speaker 1: the flat, snowy path, relishing the comfort of your clothing.
- 10:08Speaker 1: Your coat feels lovely and soft wrapped around you, offering
- 10:13Speaker 1: warmth and protection. This warmth extends to your feet and
- 10:20Speaker 1: hands by means of heavy boots and woolen mittens. Your
- 10:28Speaker 1: scarf and hat are equally snuggly. All around you, the
- 10:37Speaker 1: light continues to dim. The falling snow becomes brighter against
- 10:43Speaker 1: the dark blue sky. And you watch enchanted as it
- 10:51Speaker 1: dances and twirls upon the horizon. The quiet stillness of
- 10:59Speaker 1: your surroundings is punctuated only by the sound of your
- 11:04Speaker 1: own boots crunching through the snow underfoot. In the distance now,
- 11:14Speaker 1: you see your destination, A beautiful log cabin, radiating golden
- 11:22Speaker 1: light from its windows and smoke from its chimney top.
- 11:30Speaker 1: It's encircled by huge fir trees, their emerald leaves brushed
- 11:36Speaker 1: with white powder. Behind the trees, tall mountains look on
- 11:44Speaker 1: in peaceful silence. It's like a scene from the front
- 11:49Speaker 1: of a holiday card inviting you to step inside this
- 11:55Speaker 1: winter wonderland. Already, you're gaining a sense of what Hoogie
- 12:06Speaker 1: might be. And this feeling is only amplified as you
- 12:11Speaker 1: shake the snow from your boots and enter the cozy
- 12:15Speaker 1: log cabin. you remove your coat, along with your hat,
- 12:22Speaker 1: gloves and scarf, and lay them across a mahogany stand
- 12:27Speaker 1: in the entranceway. Taking off your shoes and socks, you
- 12:35Speaker 1: replace them with fuzzy slippers laid out beside the door.
- 12:41Speaker 1: Their design is playful, with giant white snowflakes on a
- 12:46Speaker 1: vibrant red background Small white pom-poms dangle from the top seam.
- 12:57Speaker 1: You notice that your own name has been embroidered onto
- 13:01Speaker 1: the right one, which makes you realize that these are
- 13:06Speaker 1: just for you. You feel a childlike sense of joy
- 13:12Speaker 1: as you slip them onto your feet. Inside, your toes
- 13:19Speaker 1: are toasty warm. Now you pause and admire the cabin's interior.
- 13:32Speaker 1: Glossy wooden floorboards are covered with thick, luxurious rugs. The
- 13:40Speaker 1: walls are painted a creamy off-white. To your right, there
- 13:46Speaker 1: sits a beautiful red three-piece suite just behind a rustic
- 13:52Speaker 1: oak coffee table. Directly opposite the sofa is a crackling
- 13:59Speaker 1: log fire encased with a stone fireplace. Its bright golden
- 14:07Speaker 1: flames dance up toward the chimney, spreading light and warmth
- 14:13Speaker 1: across the whole room. To your left is an open-plan
- 14:21Speaker 1: kitchen with smooth marble countertops, lined with jars of various delights.
- 14:30Speaker 1: At the end of the kitchen is a stove. A
- 14:35Speaker 1: single pan sits atop an unlit burner, You walk over
- 14:43Speaker 1: to it and find a large porcelain mug and a
- 14:48Speaker 1: spoon positioned on a tray beside it. There's also an
- 14:54Speaker 1: assortment of little jars. One jar contains tiny pink and
- 15:00Speaker 1: white marshmallows, and another holds thick clotted cream. Three more
- 15:09Speaker 1: reveal shaved curls of milk, dark, and white chocolate. One
- 15:17Speaker 1: at a time, you bring each container towards your nose,
- 15:23Speaker 1: closing your eyes briefly and taking in the sweet, creamy scents.
- 15:34Speaker 1: The pan is full of cold milk. you turn on
- 15:39Speaker 1: the heat and reach for a wooden spoon. You use
- 15:44Speaker 1: it to stir the milk gently as it warms, forming
- 15:50Speaker 1: swells and ripples across the surface. How nice it feels
- 15:57Speaker 1: to slow down like this, to be so completely absorbed
- 16:03Speaker 1: in the simple action of stirring milk in a pan Occasionally,
- 16:12Speaker 1: your attention drifts to the cozy feeling of your slippers,
- 16:18Speaker 1: or to the sound of the crackling fire in the
- 16:20Speaker 1: living room. Your gaze wanders to the window above the stove,
- 16:27Speaker 1: where brilliant white snowflakes continue to twirl in the darkening night.
- 16:35Speaker 1: And all the while, the sound and motion of your
- 16:39Speaker 1: arm Stirring the wooden spoon through the warming milk is
- 16:44Speaker 1: soothing and lovely. Eventually, steam begins to rise from the
- 16:54Speaker 1: pan and tiny bubbles appear in clusters across the surface
- 17:00Speaker 1: of the milk. Turning to the tray, you spoon a
- 17:06Speaker 1: mix of chocolate shavings into the mug. and then carefully
- 17:11Speaker 1: pour the milk over them. You stir the hot chocolate gently,
- 17:20Speaker 1: delighting in the scents that waft up from the mug.
- 17:26Speaker 1: To finish it off, you drop in a spoonful of
- 17:29Speaker 1: clotted cream and top it with fluffy marshmallows. With mug
- 17:39Speaker 1: in hand, you step into the living room and take
- 17:43Speaker 1: a seat on the plush fabric of the sofa. Bringing
- 17:49Speaker 1: your feet up towards you, you lean back into the
- 17:53Speaker 1: ruby red cushions and gaze into the fireplace opposite. How
- 18:02Speaker 1: mesmerizing it is, you think, the way the flames rise
- 18:07Speaker 1: and fall from the glowing logs at their base and
- 18:13Speaker 1: the way the fire's warmth moves across your face even
- 18:19Speaker 1: as you begin sipping the creamy hot chocolate your eyes
- 18:24Speaker 1: remain fixed upon the raw beauty of the fireplace in
- 18:34Speaker 1: this moment you feel utterly content. You find yourself feeling
- 18:44Speaker 1: a little reflective too. Perhaps it's because the scent and
- 18:50Speaker 1: taste of this wintry drink is filled with memory and meaning.
- 18:58Speaker 1: You're reminded of happy moments from your youth that were
- 19:03Speaker 1: steeped in love and kindness. You think of the warmth
- 19:09Speaker 1: of family and friendship. These feelings wash over you as
- 19:17Speaker 1: you drink sip by sip. This is hygge, you think
- 19:27Speaker 1: to yourself. No sooner has the thought crossed your mind
- 19:36Speaker 1: Then you hear a gentle knocking at the front door.
- 19:42Speaker 1: Having emptied the mug, you set it down upon the
- 19:45Speaker 1: coffee table, climb off the sofa, and head to the door.
- 19:54Speaker 1: When you open it, you're delighted to see a small
- 19:58Speaker 1: group of your friends. Like you an hour ago, they
- 20:04Speaker 1: are bundled up in thick winter coats, and their cold
- 20:09Speaker 1: faces are partially hidden by woolen scarves and hats. They're
- 20:17Speaker 1: a merry bunch, too, laughing and joking about the temperature
- 20:24Speaker 1: as they swap boots for slippers. They drape their outdoor
- 20:30Speaker 1: wear across the wooden stand, just as you did. Then,
- 20:37Speaker 1: one by one, your friends greet you with a long,
- 20:42Speaker 1: heartfelt embrace. A hug that warms you from your smile
- 20:50Speaker 1: to your slippers. Now the evening can truly begin. Two
- 20:59Speaker 1: of your friends head into the kitchen, while another motions
- 21:03Speaker 1: towards a record player in the corner of the room.
- 21:09Speaker 1: She begins flicking through your record collection, occasionally poking fun
- 21:14Speaker 1: at your taste in music, as friends do. That results
- 21:21Speaker 1: in a bout of hearty laughter from all. The conversation
- 21:27Speaker 1: flows so easily and naturally, as if you've never been apart. Eventually,
- 21:37Speaker 1: your friend picks out a record that all of you
- 21:40Speaker 1: can agree upon. She puts it on and the first
- 21:46Speaker 1: notes drift through the joy-filled room. Then, she comes to
- 21:53Speaker 1: join you on the couch where together you sit and
- 21:58Speaker 1: listen quietly. There's something rather lovely about the sound of vinyl,
- 22:07Speaker 1: you think, regardless of what's playing. Even before the music begins,
- 22:14Speaker 1: you enjoy the sound of the table turning, the needle
- 22:19Speaker 1: touching the grooves, and the crackle of the record. It
- 22:26Speaker 1: fits the ambience of the evening perfectly. Your other friends
- 22:35Speaker 1: enter the living room now, carrying a tray with delicious snacks.
- 22:42Speaker 1: In the center of the coffee table, they set down
- 22:46Speaker 1: a charcuterie board. There are thick wedges of all your
- 22:53Speaker 1: favorite cheeses, along with sun-dried tomatoes, peppers, and olives, drizzled
- 23:01Speaker 1: with oil. Their bright colours are vivid in the firelight.
- 23:08Speaker 1: There are also thin slices of freshly baked bread beside
- 23:14Speaker 1: a softening block of golden butter. Around the outside of
- 23:22Speaker 1: the board is a wonderful selection of sweet treats. There
- 23:28Speaker 1: are swirled knots of sugared pastry, ginger snaps, biscuits dipped
- 23:34Speaker 1: in chocolate, and much more. Each of you takes a
- 23:41Speaker 1: plate and fills it with whatever you'd like. You eat slowly,
- 23:49Speaker 1: savoring every bite from first to last. You're struck by
- 23:56Speaker 1: how lovely this moment is. It feels wonderful to be
- 24:02Speaker 1: surrounded by friends, enjoying the tastes, textures and aromas of
- 24:09Speaker 1: good food. Once you've finished the main course, you and
- 24:17Speaker 1: your friends move on to the sweets and pastries. You
- 24:23Speaker 1: take a piece of buttery shortbread and a bite of
- 24:27Speaker 1: soft yet crumbly fudge One bowl in particular stands out
- 24:36Speaker 1: amongst the others. It's bright red and homemade in appearance.
- 24:45Speaker 1: Lifting it up to the firelight, you see your own
- 24:49Speaker 1: name painted on the side. Glancing at your friends, you
- 24:55Speaker 1: realize they've brought this special treat just for you. Looking inside,
- 25:05Speaker 1: you see a kind of sweet that you haven't had
- 25:08Speaker 1: since you were a child. You must have mentioned it
- 25:13Speaker 1: to your friends at some point, and they remembered. The
- 25:19Speaker 1: realization fills you with feelings of acceptance and care. You
- 25:28Speaker 1: pick one out of the bowl and bring it to
- 25:31Speaker 1: your lips, You enjoy it slowly and mindfully, basking in
- 25:38Speaker 1: the familiar taste and texture. It's just as you remember it.
- 25:48Speaker 1: To you, this is one of the tastes of your childhood,
- 25:53Speaker 1: and it's magnificent. How lucky you are to have friends
- 25:58Speaker 1: like this, who would make such a thoughtful gesture. As
- 26:07Speaker 1: you sit together, reminiscing about times long past, you feel
- 26:14Speaker 1: wholly connected to the people around you. A little while later,
- 26:25Speaker 1: someone suggests playing a board game. Each of you helps
- 26:30Speaker 1: to clean up the table, carrying plates and bowls into
- 26:35Speaker 1: the kitchen and stacking them neatly by the sink. One
- 26:43Speaker 1: of your friends begins setting up the game on the
- 26:46Speaker 1: wooden table, reading the rules aloud, and asking that you
- 26:51Speaker 1: each choose a playing piece. Another friend kneels beside the fireplace,
- 26:59Speaker 1: adding fresh logs from a wicker basket on the stone hearth.
- 27:06Speaker 1: With a metal poker, he carefully arranges the logs amongst
- 27:11Speaker 1: the burning embers. You walk over to the record player,
- 27:19Speaker 1: where the sound of the music has been replaced by
- 27:23Speaker 1: the needle on spinning vinyl. You stop the record and
- 27:29Speaker 1: pick it up. It's a gentle procedure. requiring care and delicacy.
- 27:38Speaker 1: In fact, your hands barely touch the outer edge of
- 27:43Speaker 1: the circle as you turn it upside down and set
- 27:48Speaker 1: it back upon the player. Then you lift the needle
- 27:55Speaker 1: before slowly lowering it onto this side. Seconds later, Music
- 28:03Speaker 1: begins to play once more. You're about to sit down
- 28:11Speaker 1: when you catch sight of the cabin window and the
- 28:15Speaker 1: darkness that has settled outside. Even with the fire, the
- 28:22Speaker 1: room would benefit from a little more light. From a
- 28:28Speaker 1: wooden shelf positioned above the mantelpiece, You take down a
- 28:33Speaker 1: set of white pillar candles resting on circular brass stands
- 28:39Speaker 1: along with a single box of matches. You position each
- 28:46Speaker 1: one safely around the room. Then you strike the match
- 28:52Speaker 1: and light each candle. The candles illuminate the game board
- 28:59Speaker 1: and the faces of your companions with their soft, golden glow.
- 29:08Speaker 1: And now, you sit upon the fluffy rug between the
- 29:13Speaker 1: hearth and the table, facing your friends. With the fire
- 29:19Speaker 1: behind you, every inch of the board is visible. Although
- 29:26Speaker 1: the sofa was luxurious, it somehow feels even cozier to
- 29:33Speaker 1: sit like this upon the floor. You take off your
- 29:40Speaker 1: slippers now that your feet are warm and toasty and
- 29:45Speaker 1: curl your bare toes into the fabric of the rug.
- 29:53Speaker 1: Outside the cabin, the snow continues to fall. drifting idly
- 29:59Speaker 1: in the evening breeze. It's a beautiful, wintry scene to behold,
- 30:07Speaker 1: even more so when enjoyed from the warmth and comfort
- 30:12Speaker 1: of the cabin. For the next hour or two, you
- 30:20Speaker 1: and your friends play the board game, laughing, joking, and
- 30:26Speaker 1: reminiscing along the way. From your seats around the table,
- 30:33Speaker 1: you lean forward in turn to move your game pieces,
- 30:38Speaker 1: roll the dice, and read out questions to the others.
- 30:45Speaker 1: You are fully present, experiencing the light-hearted fun of the moment.
- 30:56Speaker 1: It occurs to you now that a new memory is
- 30:59Speaker 1: being created, one that you will treasure in the years
- 31:04Speaker 1: to come. You'll no doubt reminisce about this night down
- 31:11Speaker 1: the road. How might you recall it, you wonder? Perhaps
- 31:19Speaker 1: you'll think of that wonderful evening in the log cabin,
- 31:24Speaker 1: with the blazing fire and warm toes, despite inches of
- 31:29Speaker 1: snow outside. Or you'll remember the cozy night you drank
- 31:36Speaker 1: hot chocolate, played board games, and listened to old records.
- 31:45Speaker 1: The memory might flicker back when you're next stirring a
- 31:50Speaker 1: pan of warm milk. lighting a candle in the darkness,
- 31:57Speaker 1: or hugging an old friend. As the night draws on,
- 32:07Speaker 1: some of you begin to yawn. The flames have faded away,
- 32:14Speaker 1: though the charred embers left behind occasionally glow ruby red. Soon,
- 32:24Speaker 1: Each of you will head off to your respective bedrooms,
- 32:28Speaker 1: where a deep and dreamy sleep awaits. Not before you
- 32:35Speaker 1: hug once more and offer words of heartfelt gratitude for
- 32:42Speaker 1: the pleasure of each other's company this evening. What a
- 32:48Speaker 1: marvellous night this has been. Each of you takes a candle,
- 32:57Speaker 1: exchanges your final good nights, and walks to a different door.
- 33:05Speaker 1: One slow step at a time, you find your way
- 33:09Speaker 1: to the comfort of your bedroom. Here, you place the
- 33:16Speaker 1: candle upon the nightstand. and change into silky, full-length pyjamas
- 33:24Speaker 1: laid out upon the bedsheets. They're soft against your skin
- 33:32Speaker 1: and a perfect contrast to the thick blankets. You slide
- 33:39Speaker 1: into bed under the massive cloud-like duvet and snuggle down
- 33:47Speaker 1: under the covers. Above your head, a circular window offers
- 33:56Speaker 1: a view of the wintry landscape. You gaze through it
- 34:03Speaker 1: into the pitch black night where the snow dances so
- 34:09Speaker 1: gracefully on the breeze. Such a scene only makes you
- 34:17Speaker 1: feel even more grateful for the comfort and warmth of
- 34:23Speaker 1: your bed. And now, it's time to rest. You take
- 34:34Speaker 1: a deep breath in, and then let out a happy sigh.
- 34:45Speaker 1: allowing your eyes to close. Then you drift off into
- 34:56Speaker 1: a deep and comfortable sleep on this cozy night.
- 35:38Speaker 2: Thank you. I'm going to take a deep breath in
- 36:06Speaker 2: and out. Thank you. I'm going to take a deep
- 37:07Speaker 2: breath in and out. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going
- 38:18Speaker 2: to take a deep breath. I'm going to take a
- 38:20Speaker 2: deep breath. Thank you for watching. Thank you. Thank you.
- 39:48Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.