Why I was drawn to woo

I’ve always been fascinated by tarot and psychic readings, initially thinking spirituality was synonymous with religion. However, I’ve come to realize that spirituality is about connecting with your higher self, source, God, or the Universe. Everyone resonates with a different term and that’s part of the draw that spirituality has for me. There are no rules.

As we get older, we certainly have more questions that require deeper answers. For me, prayer is asking for help, while meditation is listening for answers. I’ve found meditation through various forms. In my 20s, running was my meditative movement, which evolved into weight training. Now it’s all about walking outside and doing yoga. Most recently, I’ve incorporated sound healing and Reiki, which are forms of energy healing. All of these practices help me tune into my inner guidance. Tarot and oracle cards have also become valuable tools in my journey.

Interestingly, the book “Why Woo Woo Works:The Surprising Science Behind Meditation, Reiki, Crystals, and Other Alternative Practices” by David R. Hamilton presents science-backed evidence that these modalities positively impact health and wellbeing. “…a growing number of doctors who take lifestyle very seriously view five lifestyle-based active ingredients in doctor treatments important beyond any drug prescribed. These five components that influence health are: physical activity, nutrition, community, sleep, and stress.”

I’m all about proof around how embracing these practices can enrich one’s life, providing clarity, peace, and a deeper connection with my spiritual self. How can we prove that these spirituality modalities actually help? Let’s take Reiki for example, a form of energy healing that I had scoffed at for years, mainly because I couldn’t wrap my brain around energy healing, either hands-on or remotely.

“The word Reiki is composed of two Japanese words: rei meaning ‘hidden force or higher power’ and ki meaning ‘life energy.’ Reiki is believed to have been developed in Japan in the early 20th century by a Zen Buddhist named Mikau Usui. The goal of Reiki is to assist the body’s own restorative processes, so the treatment has spiritual and emotional undertones.

For example, a 2018 meta-analysis of four randomized controlled studies into the use of reiki for reducing pain over a range of conditions concluded that it produced statistically significant reductions in pain. A 2019 British Medical Journal of Supportive and Palliative Care review concluded that ‘reiki therapy is useful for relieving pain, decreasing anxiety/depression, and improving quality of life in several conditions.

Armed with this knowledge and keeping an open mind, I became attuned in reiki for two reasons. First to get a better understanding of the overall process and application. Secondly, I wanted to try and help my husband as he was struggling through an incredibly painful time (read more in my article, Restless Relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed learning from a Reiki Master and getting an opportunity to do some hands-on work. Is there any area of life where you think reiki or another healing modality may be beneficial?

Being woo woo doesn’t necessarily mean you’re weird or not based in reality. As we age, we become more open and vulnerable, letting our guard down. There’s a certain beauty to being able to embrace areas that may have seemed off limits in the past. A certain degree of judgment that may have prevented us has suddenly fallen by the wayside.

For many, how you’re raised plays a huge role in how you approach spirituality and your beliefs in something greater than yourself. Has your upbringing around religion impacted your spirituality?

Do you find yourself leaning into spirituality more so now than other times in your life? Why or why not?