Embrace the Cozy!

Are you familiar with the Scandinavian concept of Hygge?

In a landscape that experiences prolonged periods of dark nights and harsh winters, the idea of fully embracing coziness is not a want – but a necessity. It is something that has become deeply woven into the fabric of the culture, and contributes significantly to overall well-being and happiness in this region of the world. It is embraced so intimately, that it is not only an adjective to describe a state of being, but is also a verb – being a very way of taking action to create a cozy experience or environment.

In The Little Book of Hygge, author Meik Wiking shares that while hygge is more widely recognized as a Danish principle, it actually originates from a Norwegian word meaning well-being.” He also shares that while hygge has become synonymous with a state of being cozy, it is not something that can be truly concretely defined – “you don’t spell it, you feel it.”

Hygge includes certain principles for building a cozy ambiance, such as calm, dim lighting (lighting that is most like that of candle or fire light), warm fuzzy blankets, and wearing your favorite, softest sweater. But it also incorporates elements that bring about a sense of safety and happiness, such as warm, nourishing foods and drinks, and spending quality time in the company of those you most care about.

We will keep the concept of hygge in mind as we explore how we might be able to work with the plants to embrace our own sense of cozy.

Set the Space

Our home is often where we spend the majority of our time, and it is important to create an environment that feels cozy and nourishing. This does not necessarily require the purchasing of a slew of new of items, and we can work with the plants to help set the tone of our space. Firstly, there is something primal within us that always wants to feel connected to nature. Instead of purchasing new decor, perhaps take a walk around your neighborhood or out into the woods and collect items to adorn your space with. Garlands of pinecones make for a cottagey-rustic feel to the home, or perhaps you find stones that speak to you that can serve as bookends on the shelf? Additionally, fallen twigs and limbs can make for a gorgeous piece to hang photos or even craft a macrame wall hanging. Use what is available to you to bring nature in!

Additionally, plants around the home are not only protective energetically, but also help to cleanse the air in your home. If just starting out, opt for less expensive and also easy-to-care-for plants such as snake plants or pothos that don’t have as strict lighting requirements, and are often forgiving if we forget to water them for a period of time. These are also easy to propagate plants, should you want to double or triple your inventory over time!

Herbs can also help adorn a space and bring in a sense of a cozier feel. Particularly in the autumn, we are enchanted by visions of witchy cottages with drying herbs or flowers hanging on the wall from the harvest season. This can be a feed-two-birds-with-one-scone opportunity – you can harvest and dry the herbs you may have been growing, and while doing so, have some temporary cozy decor in the home!

Craft Cozy Elixirs & Work with Mulled Spices

It basically feels illegal to call anything cozy if there is the absence of a warm beverage. Aiding in this endeavor is where the herbs can truly shine!

While we have traditional cozy beverages such as hot cider or hot chocolate, we can spice these up (pun intended) with herbal allies. For example, when making the base of our cozy drink, instead of just using water or milk alone, we can infuse nourishing or adaptogenic herbs into the base to add additional beneficial properties. Adaptogenic herbs in particular help us overcome stress in our lives, and help give our immune system a boost, which is always appreciated in the fall when the germs start to become more profound. Some great herbs to work with include Burdock Root, Reishi Mushroom, Eleuthero Root, Shativari, and Ashwagandha.

Additionally, the fall is also the season of the witch – so why not have some fun in making cozy elixirs? These are often drinks that have a warm infusion as a base, but also have some sort of delectable element mixed in to make them creamy such as steamed or frothed coconut cream. Perhaps you might opt to make beautiful golden milk lattes that incorporate fresh Turmeric and Cinnamon, or you might even opt to make a cosmic elixir, playing with color-shifting herbs like Butterfly Blue Pea!

Spice Things up with Fire Cider

This is an absolute staple item to have in any home apothecary in the fall. It has a slew of benefits, including supporting digestion, boosting the immune system, and stoking our inner energetic flame! What makes this extra cozy is that it is a long-standing traditional recipe having been passed down through many generations. While the foundational recipe remains the same, including apple cider vinegar, oranges, horseradish, onion, honey, and an array of medicinal herbs and spices, some recipes have their own special spin or flavor. Perhaps you have a family recipe of your own, or it may be fun to experiment and create one! This is a fun herbal remedy that you can include others in your family in creating. To get you started, we recommend with checking out Rosemary Gladstar’s book (sold in our shop!), as she is credited with popularizing this recipe in our modern culture.

Cozy up with Herbal Folklore

The autumn is simply the season of folklore. We find ourselves intrigued by the stories of old and charmed by the way they have shaped our culture today. The relationship between herbs and folklore is incredibly longstanding and deeply intertwined, present in all cultures around the world. One way to embrace the cozy in connection with the plants is to learn their stories, perhaps reading them while curling up in a warm, fuzzy blanket by the fire. Be sure to also check out our previous blog post where we dive into this concept a bit more!

Sleep Tight with Dream Pillows

A final way we might be able to co-create coziness with the herbs is by working with an herbal dream pillow. Because herbs don’t work with us solely on a physical level, but also energetically, it is thought that by laying our head upon dream-invoking herbs, they can actually help us to dream more frequently and vividly. They have the ability to reach within the deepest recesses of our subconscious and help us to shift into altered states of consciousness to better enhance our lucid dreaming ability. Perhaps this autumn you may opt to craft your own dream pillow, working with herbs such as Mugwort, Lavender, or even Blue Lotus to call in deeper states of dreaming.

Thank you dear readers for joining us in this September post. We hope that this passage felt a bit like a bowl of chicken soup for the soul, and we hope that you continue to explore creative ways to build relationships with our beautiful plant allies. May the remaining days of your summer be ever joyful and filled with gorgeous sunshine, and we will catch you in October!