Fika: The Swedish Ritual of Slowing Down

 

Fika is one of the few things on which Swedish life is based. It is not merely a coffee break, a moment to have a rest, a moment to attach to each other, a moment to be, in no haste. The very initial time I did it was when I sat in a quiet cafe in Stockholm covered with my coat yet the snow was falling lightly outside. People were not that attached to their phones or hurrying through their beverages around me.

 They were chatting, laughing or simply enjoying themselves in a comfortable silence, holding warm cups of coffee in their hands and the general feeling that everything was okay in the atmosphere.



A fika may occur anywhere, whether in the home, the workplace or in some warmer section of a nearby bakery, however, the will with it is the key. No, it is not about caffeine, it is about connection.

 Note: Always check long stay parking Luton before travelling and book according to your needs.

 The fika usually consists of coffee and a pastry, usually kanelbullar (cinnamon bunnies) which has the aroma of butter and cardamom.

 But it is simply a matter of having time slowing down, seeing what life is doing around you, remembering that you can talk and have a cup of coffee at the same time and that most of the best talks are in some form of middle-ground.

 Fika is off-putting in the world, where productivity is praised, and everything must move. Sweden offices plan it within their working days. It is the mainstay of families in their afternoons.

 Smiles even over it are mutual among strangers. It is a daily ceremony and it pushes and pulls at you saying that you need to relax, that life is not necessarily about accomplishing but also the moments in between.

 It is not only about the beautiful scenery and design that I brought with me to Sweden; I brought the rhythm of fika that is that silent encouragement to take a break.

 I now think of those solemn cafes in Sweden that I visited every time I prepare a cup of coffee and about the people who have mastered the art of slowing. This is the reason why I think we all need to have a small fika in our lives not only to relax, but also to show what really matters.

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