October 25, 2018
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The Scottish way of living, 'Coorie' is all about embracing nature, crafting and cooking to achieve happiness.
Remember the last two winters when ‘hygge’ — the Danish tradition promoting all things cozy in the name of happiness — was THE thing when it came to, well, everything?
As it turns out, there’s a Scottish-version of the idea with a slightly different, more nature-filled ethos that you should know about, and it’s called "coorie."
“A coorie way of life practices small, quiet, slow activities by engaging with our surroundings to feel happy,” says Gabriella Bennett, Scotland native and author of the new book, "The Art of Coorie," tells Well and Good. But like most wellness trends, coorie has a fairly historical past — it’s an older word your Scottish grandma might have said to you in inviting you to cuddle on the couch with her. Originally, it's meaning was to "cuddle" or "snuggle."
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In modern practice, coorie is somewhere in-between a walk in the woods to clear your head and sustainable living — if that makes any sense at all. “Coorie is about learning to live better using what is around you,” Bennett says.
According to the coorie expert, Bennett that is, there are three major ways you can practice coorie:
There’s a Scottish saying that goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.” While this is something L.L. Bean-obsessed fathers nationwide have been preaching our whole lives, it's certainly a sentiment to remember as we enter the seemingly never-ending chilly season. “The new coorie represents a way of life where peacefulness comes from engaging with our heritage and landscapes,” says Bennett.
If you're not naturally outdoorsy — we are city dwellers after all — Bustle suggests booking that Airbnb in the woods you've had your eye on. You know, the one with an Instagram-worthy shot around every corner? Or maybe it means hitting the trail not far from home at a local fall foliage-filled spot.
As we all know, winter is a big time of year for knitting, crocheting and, well, crafting in general. Perhaps its because those are activities that are done well inside, or perhaps it's a spiritual calling. One Daily Mail writer, however, chronicles her experience with coorie and you can rest assured that crochet makes the cut.
Country Living explains coorie, in part, as "Sunday spent smoking your own food." While not many of us smoke our own foods, Sunday is traditionally a big meal prep day spent grocery shopping and setting yourself up for a successful week in the kitchen.
So that's the scoop on coorie! This season, try taking a page out of the Scott’s book, and embrace the coorie — and the outdoors! — for a well-intentioned winter.
