An old Dutch tradition known as 'dusking'—or 'schemeren'—is experiencing a revival across Europe, with enthusiasts claiming it offers a simple way to disconnect from screens and find peace. The practice involves sitting outside to observe the gradual transition from day to night, requiring nothing more than a chair and a view.
At the UK's first dusking event, held in a walled garden on the edge of the North York Moors, about 20 participants gathered in a glasshouse at twilight to watch darkness descend. The event was led by Dutch poet and author Marjolijn van Heemstra, who revived the custom after learning about it from an elderly woman. Van Heemstra discovered newspaper records dating back to the 18th century, including a how-to manual, indicating that dusking was once a normal daily pause moment.
Van Heemstra now organises guided dusking events, which have drawn large crowds: 150 people gathered by the Amstel River in Amsterdam, and 400 took a twilight timeout at a music festival. The Park theatre in Eindhoven holds regular sessions, and next year four regional partners will help expand the custom across the Netherlands, including outreach to schools.
Van Heemstra describes dusking as a form of mindfulness, but with a focus on the outside world rather than closing one's eyes. 'It's a conversation with the world around you,' she says. She also emphasises its Dutch heritage, contrasting it with imported rituals like yoga or Japanese forest bathing. 'Dusking is so local. Why not use that?' she asks.
When asked if dusking is just another wellbeing fad, van Heemstra counters that the real fad is the modern lifestyle estranged from nature. 'It makes us unhappy. There is an attention crisis. How can we solve it? Slow down. Stop being on our phones so much,' she says. She notes that regular dusking has made her more conscious of the in-between times of day, though it has also made her sensitive to light.
