Finns are known as introvert and personal space loving people. They enjoy spending time in peace and quiet. They need something grounding and something that makes them feel like nothing’s gonna change. As we all know the performance orientation dominates our society and that is what strains people and throws them into several mental health issues.
One of the main blessings of finnish culture is that most of the finnish families have their own summer cottage. The place to drop out of the rat race, slow down their life, get grounded and feel free is a cottage in the shade of a wild forest or on ashore of a lake that contains the purest water.
Imagine waking up early on dawn. Opening door and going outside being the first thing to do of a day. Misty lake before you standing still, sun sligthly shining mornings first gleams to treetops. You take few steps towards the ashore and toes meet water, but you keep taking steps since the lake invites you to morning swim. It feels a bit cool at first but eventually calmness and clarity blows all over the body and mind.
Nobody watching, you’re united with nature and earth, just letting the lake hold you. As there was no pressure, no expectations, not the past chasing you, no future and no destination to constantly chase just to never feel complete. Only present. You and the existence of present.
The writing above is only a brief description of the experience you could have in such environment as finnish nature has to offer. Anyway just about that is the essence to enable mind stability and delight. It is experience that I am privileged to have, that most finns have. Every summer I have opportunity to visit my summer cottage and separate from society which is something everyone should have.
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