World Religion Day & the Woo Woo

"Woo Woo" - Unconventional beliefs regarded as having little or no scientific basis, especially those relating to spirituality, mysticism or alternative medicine. - Oxford University Press

Today is World Religion Day

I consider myself to be spiritual but not religious, and I believe, by that definition of woo woo, it describes the work I do as a coach and healer. Any other woo woo believers out there? By the way, I'm a daydream believer, too, but have never been a homecoming queen. ;)

We often question the veracity of particular theories or ideas simply because we know very little about them, or sometimes because we've heard other people refer to them as uncientific... - Why Woo Woo Works

Why Woo Woo Works

In his book, Dr. David R. Hamilton takes on several healing modalities or spiritual practices that have at one time or another been considered unscientific and provides evidence of research that validates them, explaining the science involved in why they work. He mentions meditation as an example.

It wasn't that long ago that meditation was considered a pseudoscience until fairly recently, despite its use in many cultures worldwide. But we now know that meditation rewires the brain in beneficial ways that can help with mental health, and memory and concentration.

And that's just to name a few benefits!

I'm a Reiki healer and when I first became a Reiki master, over 20 years ago, Reiki was still considered quackery by its critics. And though there still may be some who feel that way, Reiki is now used in medical hospitals.

Are there any alternative medical practices that you used to think were not legitimate, about which you have since changed your mind?
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A spiritual touch practice based on the notion that human hands can redirect one’s “life force energy” to heal stress and disease, Reiki has been adopted in over 60 U.S. hospitals, according to a study at UCLA. The Healing Touch Professional Association estimates that over 30,000 nurses in U.S. hospitals use touch practices every year. - Washington Post

Celebrating World Religion Day

There's not a whole lot of scientific support for the religions of the world, either, but some of them have become mainstream too. And I think that whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs, today is a good day to celebrate them.

See you next time!

​Love, Jeanine

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