The Hyggelig Journey

The brilliance of children has always intrigued me. Quick, perceptive — they move through the clinic with an ease that even my own shadow cannot match. They take in every detail, every corner, as if the space were an extension of themselves. And yet, for all their boundless energy, they surrender to treatment with an openness that never ceases to amaze me. They feel the shift in their very skin, in the deep, unspoken language of the body. They arrive unsettled, their small frames weighed down by a world too vast, too demanding. Some are anxious, others irritable, their nervous systems frayed by stimuli too great to bear. But as the treatment unfolds, something changes. Their tension eases, their breath deepens. By the time they rise from the table, they are transformed — lighter, brighter, as if an invisible burden has been lifted. They leave with a spring in their step, their feet barely touching the ground, as if walking on air. Their parents — ah, the parents — watch i...

The evil they do to me does not harm me, for it is not the pain imposed by another that defines me. Pain is fleeting, transient, a passing ripple in the vast river of time. It may sting in the moment, but it dissolves into the past, becoming nothing more than a distant echo. What truly transforms me is the evil I choose to commit, for it is my own actions that carve the contours of my being. I am not shaped by what is done to me, but by how I respond, internalize, and allow it to influence my path. And so I observe. I watch the silent unfolding of existence, where men drift like shadows against the walls they have built themselves, prisoners of their own design. They believe themselves bound by fate, yet it is their own fear that keeps them shackled. The weight of harm is not in the hands of another — it rests in the choices we make, in the decisions we allow to shape us. A wound is but a whisper against the skin, a fleeting reminder of a moment that has passed. A mark that...

Acupuncture harmonises the body and mind, fostering mental clarity and emotional maturity. These benefits naturally support three fundamental pillars of human and social progress: understanding the world, self-reflection, and transforming knowledge into action. As a result, acupuncture patients often distinguish themselves in society, developing a broader perspective, making more conscious choices, and maintaining a balanced approach to life. The first pillar centres on expanding knowledge and deepening understanding of the world. Those who actively seek learning overcome limitations and drive transformation. However, stress and emotional burdens can obstruct this process, making it difficult to absorb new information and think critically. This ancient practice alleviates tension, improves mental clarity, and enhances cognitive receptiveness, allowing the mind to fully embrace new ideas and innovations. By fostering a sense of openness, acupuncture helps individuals perceiv...

You saw it in your hands before you saw it in the patient. The pulse — small, insistent — whispered a secret no one had spoken. There was a tremor in the skin, a shift in the air between you. Before the words, before the symptoms, before diagnosis clothed itself in logic — you already knew. It was not a thought — it was a feeling. Thoughts are slow, they need shaping, but this knowing arrived whole, needing nothing. The meridians do not speak, yet you hear them. The body does not argue; it simply reveals itself, a quiet confession given freely to those who know how to listen. Your fingers rest, light as a breath on the surface, and the needles follow — not merely where they should be, but where they must be. There is no hesitation, no deliberation — only a call, and you answer. Not with reason, not with proof, but with certainty that is older than both. Intuition does not shout, does not ask permission, does not knock at the door. It is a river that already knows its course,...

I looked at the other and saw an abyss. But then, I looked again. There was something there that called to me, something that belonged to me without my knowing. What was it? Alterity. That strange word that, in the end, only means: you are not alone. The other has always been here. At the street corner, in the reflection of a window, in the glance that meets yours for a fleeting moment before vanishing. The other is the unknown that unsettles you, but also the child within you that once needed comfort. You think you are you because you feel your skin, but what if your self is far greater than you imagine? Because, you see, without the other, you do not exist. Your voice is only heard because someone listens. Your gestures have meaning only because they are seen. Your story matters because it can be told — and every story needs someone to hear it. Alterity is not just about respecting the other; it is about realising that they shape you. The trouble is, we think of ourselves...

Shadows serve only to highlight the light. Fearful, fearless — just a matter of choice. A step to the left, another to the right. When fear does not sit at your table, you think light, think blue sky, think laughter in the afternoon. When it does, you think storm, hollow streets, the echo of something missing. But why feed what depletes you? Why give breath to the shadow, why make a home for the cold? Do not lean on what could go wrong. Do not cradle the weight of fear like an old companion. It does not guide you, does not serve you. It only keeps you awake at night, whispering doubts in the dark. Better to weave the day with lighter threads — expectation of good, certainty of warmth. Let thoughts be gentle, let them land soft, like leaves on a river. Repeat. Again. Again. Until thought becomes stone, root, truth. Until the mind believes and fear forgets your name. And when the shadows press close, when they whisper at your door — smile. Say nothing. Only think light,...

Comorbidity refers to the simultaneous presence of two or more diseases or medical conditions in a patient. Common comorbidities include diabetes, obesity, heart disease, hypertension, dementia, and cancer. These are often described as pre-existing clinical conditions that require extra caution when assessing a patient’s health trajectory. Reframing aligns with the concept of cognitive restructuring. It is a psychological technique that involves identifying and then changing the way situations, experiences, events, ideas, and emotions are perceived. However, caution is necessary here — without proper professional guidance, one may enter the realm of reality distortion. An unhealthy example of reframing is excessive mentalisation. Many people engage in this because they believe that fixating on the details of a particular issue — such as a deadline — makes them more productive, when in reality, they are avoiding their emotions. A more humorous example is reminiscent of old C...

It is always fascinating to distinguish between what we do on a whim, without much thought, and what we do repeatedly, often without realising it. Many of our actions are not deliberate choices but secondary reactions, shaped by patterns we seldom notice. Take, for instance, a simple decision to try an ice lolly with an unusual flavour — nothing remarkable in itself. But if you find yourself needing to consult Google, your pet, and a set of divination beads before making such a choice, then it’s worth asking whether this is part of a deeper behavioural pattern. The truth is, we rarely recognise our own habits. They are often glaringly obvious yet invisible to us. This is because our attention is drawn to what is in the foreground of our awareness, while the forces at work in the background remain elusive, shaping our actions in ways we do not fully understand. Consider insomnia as rebellion. You may feel powerless over your daily life, as if time is slipping through your fi...

All too often, we encounter situations that provoke fear or disgust, and instead of responding with thoughtfulness, we instinctively swing to the opposite extreme. Rather than pausing to understand the underlying issues or approaching them with balance, we react impulsively, believing that distancing ourselves as much as possible is the safest course of action. Ironically, this approach often leads us straight into the very situation we were trying to avoid — only in a slightly altered form. In our attempt to escape one perceived danger, we blindly run into another, failing to realise that both are merely different sides of the same coin. Take, for example, the way people react to financial hardship. Many witness others struggling under the weight of debt, losing their assets, or even facing bankruptcy. The sight of such instability fuels their determination to avoid the same fate, leading them to adopt an extreme approach to financial security. They dedicate themselves obs...

Our ability to observe our own thoughts and emotions is linked to neural networks primarily located in the prefrontal cortex, just behind the forehead. Meanwhile, intense and unsettling emotions such as anger and anxiety stem from the brain’s more primitive circuits in the limbic system. Between the ages of five and seven, the brain takes a significant leap in its ability to regulate emotional impulses, and this capacity continues to develop throughout life (though during adolescence, emotional centres tend to mature faster than those responsible for self-control). The ability to stay focused and resist distractions — to observe impulses without immediately acting on them — can be trained and strengthened with the right guidance and consistent practice. One simple yet effective way to cultivate this skill is through short mindfulness exercises, such as a three-minute breathing practice. This brief but powerful exercise functions as a mental “push-up” to strengthen focus a...

Get moving — movement is therapy. Our bodies are designed to move, and when we honour that need, we unlock a powerful tool for well-being. Ancient practices like yoga, tai chi, and qigong have long been used to harmonise body and mind, promoting balance, flexibility, and inner peace. Whether you prefer structured movement or simple stretches, integrating physical activity into your day can be transformative. A quick search on YouTube can connect you with guided sessions designed to reduce stress, improve posture, and boost energy levels. Even if you have just a few minutes between tasks, a short sequence of sun salutations or a gentle child’s pose can help reset both body and mind. If time is scarce, even a simple act — like lifting your shoulders to your ears, holding briefly, and releasing with a deep exhale — can work wonders in releasing accumulated tension. But movement alone is not the only path to relaxation. Breathwork is an equally powerful ally. The way we breathe...

Research suggests that approximately one-third of the world has an innate capacity for emotional intelligence – defined as the ability to recognise an emotion as you are experiencing it, a concept often referred to as "mindfulness." The remaining two-thirds, despite being emotional beings as well, tend to overlook what they feel and think. This happens because whatever we focus on grows, but if you ignore your perception, you weaken an essential resource. Ultimately, this affects the way people live and relate to others, reinforcing the saying: "My generation goes to therapy because yours didn’t." We have a deeply ingrained bias in how we deal with negative thoughts, instinctively clinging to negativity as it is. This often leads to the impression that life is hopeless. Without pausing to acknowledge negative thoughts, the electrical impulses in the brain associated with them are converted into neuroamines, which directly affect the limbic system – the...

One of the simplest and most effective tools to guide what you intend to do is to name your emotions. This reduces the raw intensity of emotions, giving us the space to respond in a more deliberate way. The simple act of naming bridges the gap between thoughts and emotions, allowing us to be more intelligent with our feelings—something necessary if we are to use them as a resource rather than feel overwhelmed by them. The exercise is simple. Next time you experience a really strong emotion, share the obvious with yourself: I am frustrated, or angry, or sad, or overwhelmed. This is extremely effective and opens a door for us to respond in the way we truly want. However, because of the way we have been socialised to think about difficult emotions, you may find yourself avoiding acknowledging that you are angry, frustrated, or overwhelmed—something that is not entirely helpful. When we are trapped in the self-destructive mindset that some emotions are bad and that we should...