What is Woo Woo?

And why you don't have to believe in it for it to work.

Hi there, and welcome to my first official, proper attempt at writing a paid newsletter about something other than what I did that week.

I’ll start with a bit of housekeeping. Currently, in this shiny new space, I plan to send newsletters twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays. Sundays will be free for people who just want to hear me talk about my life¹. Wednesdays is the paid version for those of you who subscribed early (I love you), and those who are on a paid subscription. I’ve essentially broken down the stuff I want to talk about into sections that will loosely be - Exercise/Movement, Well-being/Self Care, Cancer life stuff, and Adventures. If there is one of those that you have zero interest in, you can choose not to receive an email or notification when I post in that category. You just have to turn it off in your account. I would hugely appreciate you filling in the New Reader survey, so I know what it is you are actually here for and don’t waste your time! You can also reply to the emails or send me a chat.

I’m on the Woo Woo train this week, and I’ll start by clarifying what that means to me.

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What is Woo Woo?

According to the dictionary….

woo-woo

/ˈwuːwuː/

DEROGATORY•INFORMAL

noun

unconventional beliefs regarded as having little or no scientific basis, especially those relating to spirituality, mysticism, or alternative medicine.

And I find it absolutely fascinating.

Woo Woo can include, but is not limited to, tarot cards, crystals, herbal tea, reiki, acupuncture, essential oils, supplements, homoeopathy, meditation, tapping, spiritual healing and yoga.

My feelings on these are complex. I strongly believe in a science-based approach. I also believe that if something brings you peace and enjoyment and does no harm, it does not matter if it’s total and utter nonsense. Like TOTAL nonsense.

One of the issues for me is that behind most of these things is someone making money, sometimes a LOT of money, off of vulnerable and desperate people who will try anything. I also can’t stand that kind of wanky self-satisfied air that some people who are into this stuff have, and that they can be just as close-minded as anyone else. Like that time someone witchy on Instagram threw all her toys out of her pram and blocked me and several others for pulling her up on saying “All Lives Matter”. That was a fun day.