Human spirituality is to seek an answer to the question: ‘how can you make sense out of a world which does not seem to be intrinsically reasonable?’ – John D. Morgan
Spirituality and creativity and nature have always been wrapped up in a tight package for me. My first church was in the trees at a summer camp, my first memories of a proper built church are full of sitting on my Grandpa’s knee drawing. Praying and playing and being surrounded by love were one and the same. As I grew up and found out that that was not other people’s experience, I started to hide mine. I never really showed myself again.
So although I know that woo woo means different things to different people, I see it as showing overt non traditional beliefs. When I get to some blogs and I see how free they are with sharing their beliefs, I am either exhilarated or nervous and that rattles me. So how much do I share on mine? I don’t want to scare you away. Do I tell you that I have been googling shamanic healing or that I own Faerie Cards or that I have had reiki or that when I am home I like going to church with my Mom? Do I talk about whether or not I pray or what I believe or that my favorite thing in the world is to find the spirituality section of a big bookstore?
At times I find myself censoring what I write because I am not sure that I am ready to share, but often the bloggers that talk about this part of their lives are the ones to whom I am most drawn. I know that everyone is different, but what are the lines that you won’t cross? What makes you stay and read more and what makes you click away immediately? Is there room for questions of spirituality in a blog or does it put you off?
How woo woo is too woo woo?
i would love to hear more about the woo woo in your adventures.
its hard to say how much is too much woo woo, as it depends on one’s own beliefs. i’m pretty woo woo for sure.
at times i do confess that i sometimes get the urge to click away from blogs that talk a lot about religion in a VERY traditional sense… but i am very glad that people post what they believe in. it just doesn’t resonate with me. so if you lose a reader or two just trust that it is about resonance and it isn’t personal. but i have a feeling that most people drawn to your blog already resonate with you and that wouldn’t change if there was more writing about your spiritual side.
that said, i’ll be reading whatever it is you want to share! bring on the woo woo!
I agree with Vivienne in that people either love you or don’t. Go on share, I think most people here will love you no matter what. (and I do go to the spiritual section too)
I don’t talk about religion on either of my blogs, I may occasionally hint a little at spirituality, but then I dilute it or tone it down. I haven’t worked out how much I’m comfortable sharing.
This is something I’m very aware of, and so I notice the way that other bloggers handle religion and spirituality, and I have great respect for those who don’t shy away from the subject, but present it as a normal part of their lives, without forcing or expecting the same beliefs of their readers.
searching into the heart of things always involves spiritual work – call that woo woo if you will but it doesn’t mean it is wrong… it requires courage from the writer and the reader… but if it is in your heart it is not woo woo…
Maybe it is time to reclaim woo woo?
Shall we make a badge? 🙂
It is only too woo woo if it is insincere, if in promoting your woo woo you say bad things about someone else’s. Woo woo away!
Growing up fundamentalist, I was always afraid of woo woo, too, though I was deeply attracted to it. It felt so right being able to authentically live what I actually believed. Unfortunately the fear of being judged to hell by others kept my woo wooness buried from age 12-24, until I could no longer live that way. For the first time I let myself believe what I actually believe and live what I believe. It helps that I’m surrounded by a loving community in a liberal woo-woo embracing city, but I am proud to be a Reiki Practitioner AND a presbyterian Deacon who sometimes smudges my apartment, listens to shamanic drumming, owns (and does) archetype cards on my friends/family, and a whole host of other woo woo activities.
So I wonder…how woo woo is too woo woo for you? (Wow, that’s a mouthful!). If you were able to be completely yourself without being judged by anyone, how woo woo would you be? 🙂
there is immense power in the woo woo.
my natural inclination is for a basis in science. and most scientists live in the realm of possibility – facts and proofs are incredibly difficult to come by.
we know so little about this universe.
there are things that have happened to me through my own experiences of death and loss that i cannot explain with evidence of proof. equally in moments of great joy and connection i sense that ‘woo woo’ is in the room!
my intuition is my guide and she is the part of me that ‘is’. that doesn’t question or argue or need explanation.
i would love to talk about this with you more xxx
Well I love me some woo woo. I didn’t pay it much attention in my 30s, at least by my current and previous standards. By some other people’s I was probably still pretty woo woo. Now I walk the woo woo path 🙂 Blogging about it was uncomfortable at first because my blogging history means I had readers who likely were not going to share that way of thinking and me being me, I imagined them laughing at me. Now I figure that’s their loss because I know how my life has been enriched and how much I continue to learn and celebrate and love about the woo woo!
I agree with Sas about intuition. And mine has always for decades been chuntering on about shamanism. We need to get us some drums, hon. xx
Meg,
My crew likes woo woo! (Wait, does that sound naughty?) Anyhow…would you like to guest post about Art + Spirituality at Magpie Gir? We’d love to have you! Email me!
i think the woo woo line is completely subjective..and you just have to find your own…Im struggling with a similar internal conflict myself right now…being in an area with so much political oppression and strife…parts of me are scared to share what I feel, see and believe; yet if i dont…it doesnt feel like im being honest with the world…or myself…Im still finding my line of comfort with when and where to cross it and draw it…but I do know..that I find strength in reading the words of others who are doing the same…pushing thier boundaries and sharing their ideas and beliefs….not to mention…when I read the part on do you share that you are learning of shamanic healing and love going to church with your mother when you’re home…I would say absolutely! These are all intrinsic parts of your being and soul and they deserve to shine. It reminded of me of a quote by Nelson Mandela; he basically said that when we let our own lights shine – we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same…i hope you let your light shine …when you’re ready…and know that others are out there as well..to help light your way 🙂
Thank you for a sensitive and meaningful post on this topic. I recently watched a talk by Sam Keen that defined religion as that which connects humans to one another. Unfortunately, for most people, that isn’t what it means at all. I’ve found that topics of religion/spirituality tend to divide us, rather than unite us. I think it has to do with us being tribal by nature and wanting to determine where we stand.
While I’m an atheist, I don’t necessarily shy away from blogs that mention religion, unless there’s a divisive quality to it. People are all searching for meaning, and we find it in different ways. I think the best way to connect with others is to find the common ground.
Woo Woo to your heart’s content! Say what you want, when you want, and how you want to say it; you’re a great writer and I love to read your blog! Don’t hold back, girl 🙂
I always liked you because I could feel your inner woowoo. I’m pretty sure our woowooness(a word, yes?) match. 🙂
I feel that my spiritual path is so huge a part of me, that it wouldn’t be worth writing a personal blog if I held back on that part of me. I am who I am, take it or leave it. I doubt anybody would mind if you were just ALL of who you are. Anybody who reads you over the years can already see your heart– what is it that is said ‘Be who you are, because those you mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
🙂 ox
I think it’s safe to say that I’m on the path of Woo Woo.
Some days my woo woo warcry is unstoppable and I whoop out the woo to the world. However, other days I lie in bed and think “eek, have I gone too far this time?” Then I get an email or comment from a reader who the piece has really resonated with and I remember that there’s always others who will “get” your woo too (and actually like to hear about it).
I’m in a similiar place with even deciding how much to share with extended family and friends as my spirituality has become more and more important in the past few years but in many ways has been a very personal thing that I only share with certain people who are on a similiar path. However I have just launched my new blog and I want to work with people who are like-minded so I need to decide what I share to be authentic to who I am and where I am on this journey. I’d love to hear more about your path.
I got chills of understanding reading your post. I’m riding the Reiki, shaman searching, Spirituality section loving wave with you! It can feel so hard to be true to ourselves in a world that often doesn’t take well to “different.”
“A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?” -Albert Einstein
At least if we are crazy we are in good company. I 100% support you posting your woo woo thoughts. Your courage to even bring this up has motivated me to want do the same. Thank You!