Different cultures have different words for how nature is an important part of their lifestyle – Coorie, Hozho, Shinrin Yoku, Kacho Fugetsu, Friluftsliv – in Helena, we just say Happy Trails!
Prickly Pear Land Trust reports that, in 2017, the south hills trail system saw over 60,000 users. Despite that number being nearly twice the city’s population, it’s not surprising to me. I regularly see people near the trailheads and miles back into the hills. Still, our trails are not crowded and the folks using the trails are almost always polite and friendly.
We should remember that we have lived only 0.1% of our species history in our current, modern, surroundings. The other 99.99% of our collective history was spent immersed in nature. Being in nature everyday, and being mindful and respectful of nature, is a long part of who we all are.
So, what about those words?
Coorie
A Scottish mindset for getting throught the long, dark, wet winters up there ten degrees of latitude farther north than Helena. It suggests embracing ‘cozying up’ inside as well as getting out in whatever the weather is throwing at you to soak in the smells and sounds of nature, embrace your surroundings, and feel happy.
Hozho
Loosely translated this word blends peace, balance, beauty and harmony. It means to be at one with and a part of the world around you. This is considered a very important word and concept in the Diné (Navajo) culture. Diné is a matriarchal culture with a strong belief in being in harmony with nature.
Shinrin Yoku
The National Center for Biotechnical Information, a division of the National Institutes of Health, published an article in 2017 that reviews and summarizes information from 64 studies from around the world that support shinrin yoku as providing therapeutic effects to help reduce the modern maladies that stem from being stressed and connected all the time. The article states in its abstract, “Nature therapy as a health-promotion method and potential universal health model is implicated for the reduction of reported modern-day “stress-state” and “technostress.”
Kacho Fugetsu
Kacho Fugetsu is a six-century-old Japanese philosophy, directly translates to ‘Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon‘ while also suggesting continuous self-discovery through the appreciation of the natural world.
Friluftsliv
A Norwegian concept of living ‘life in the free air’. The University of Washington Medical School published an article in January of 2024 that says “If you’re being active outside, focused on the natural world, you’re participating in friluftsliv — it doesn’t matter if you’re hiking, cross-country skiing, walking through your neighborhood or doing yoga in your yard, it all counts.”
Dùthchas
A Scottish Gaelic multiple meaning word that is used to convey a sense of connection to land, people, and the plants and animals that reside there.
Regardless of how you say it – Happy trails to you!
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?“
John Steinbeck
