De-wooing the Woo
Let's normalize talking about non-traditional experiences without the need to qualify them.
I recently heard a beautiful story that was an amazing representation of deep listening. Twenty years ago, a friend of mine had an important question on her heart about her future direction. She took her question to the woods and actually heard an answer spoken in a phrase as if someone was standing right behind her talking in her ear. It was so loud and clear she actually turned to see who had said it. Of course, there was no one there. She was alone in the woods. To be more accurate, she was the only human she was aware of in the woods at that time.
When she returned home, my friend researched the phrase she heard and that started her on her path to her next chapter. Twenty years later, my friend can still remember that day as clearly as if it happened yesterday given how life changing it was for the better. Her question was answered by divine guidance. There really is no other explanation for it. There was no one else with her. The phrase she heard had no meaning for her at that time, so it is unlikely it was imagined. Luckily, my friend had the deep listening skills to be open to the answer and to be still enough to actually hear it.
My friend had never shared that story before in twenty years! Thankfully the bond of our small group formed a safe container for her to feel comfortable sharing without fear of being judged. Others in the group agreed that the story was not something you can just tell anyone. One person actually said, "You have to be careful who you tell that story to." That got me thinking - why?
Unlearn Your Way to Happiness
Mysterious things like that happen all the time yet we rarely talk about them. If we do, we often preface it with something like "This is a little woo-woo, but..." to show that we know it's weird. It's as if we need to qualify the crazy.
I suspect you might have a story like that too. Maybe there is something that has happened to you that you can't explain, yet you know it was a divine experience. I actually heard the same voice once say "365 Days" so clearly in my right ear it was as if someone was standing right next to me. This was a call for me to stop drinking for a full year. I did it and it was the best year of my life until this point.
There are lots of things we can do to bring more peace, joy and feelings of belonging to our lives that are considered New Age or "woo-woo". Being out in nature with the express purpose of spending time with trees is one of them. Practicing meditation or yoga for the purposes of connecting with Spirit or your higher power is another. I'd like to suggest it's time to de-woo the woo.
Let's normalize laying in the grass alone in a park on a mild spring day without a blanket. Let's share mystical stories with one another without fear of being judged. Let's go "full woo" as author and spiritual leader, Rob Bell, likes to say.
Bring on the mantras, glitter, fire ceremonies and special rocks. Do whatever you need to do to develop deep listening skills. Life is hard enough as it is. Let's bring in a little mystery and woo-ness to enhance our experience for the better.
The Universe has messages for you. All you have to do is learn to listen.
Be well, and frolic on.
Barbara Doane is a writer, speaker and founder of Find Your Frolic, where she helps humans unlearn societal conditioning to step into their soul calling. Her work weaves together decades of executive leadership with intuitive guidance, nature‑based practices, and gentle ritual to support deep personal and professional transformation. Work with Barbara to reconnect with your inner wisdom to build a career (and a life!) you love. Let’s frolic.
