Written by: Regyna Curtis, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
It is not until you learn how to suspend your disbelief that you will empower the true potential of your imagination.
I grew up in the 1980s. At that time, when someone referenced the metaphysical (I don’t even think that was a commonly used term then), they often called it woo-woo. It was also frequently accompanied by a swirling of their finger near their temple to indicate that it was in the realm of things considered crazy. What was generally considered acceptable and commonly referenced then was much different than it is today, and we learned some really distasteful and hurtful ways of interacting with people and concepts that were outside of our understanding. Although something may be widely accepted in practice, it does not dictate how it is received by those it is affecting or being referenced by it.
In recent years, I’ve noticed that many people and entrepreneurs, especially—many of whom grew up around that same timeframe, have embraced the term woo as an indicator that they work in the realms of the metaphysical, spiritual, or mystical.
I, personally, while I admit having referenced this term at times as in “perhaps you consider this to be woo”, etc., consciously try not to label myself or my work with this term because it comes with an inherent devaluation of whatever follows.
I invite you on an adventure. Let's explore for a moment what is actually indicated through the use of this term. What does woo actually mean, anyway?
To woo means to invite by one's own action; to seek to win; to solicit favor or approval of. OK, I can get behind that. It actually makes a lot of sense to me that this could be an empowering term when referencing the work one does in the metaphysical realm. To invite by one’s own action is essentially what you do when you say affirmations, or even send prayers. These are invitations for something that is seemingly beyond your reach at the moment to come and find you. To seek to win is what you do when you set goals, wish someone well, or send blessings.
Woo-woo, however, is a derogatory slang way of expressing that something is based on superstition. Let’s unpack that a bit. Derogatory means (in)tending to lessen the merit or reputation of a person or thing; disparaging; to depreciate. I added the (in) to tending which alters the original definition I found because when we use this word to describe something or someone, we are—whether consciously or not—intending to devalue it.
*These definitions, by the way, are a summation of many that I found through various sources such as dictionary.com and oxford dictionary online.
Let’s look at the word superstition now. First, it begins with the word super, which means an article of superior quality, grade, size, etc. Superstition is defined as a belief in things to come; a belief or notion; not based on reason or knowledge; any blindly accepted belief or notion. Blindly is inferred to mean not seen, or unknown. I bring attention to the use of the word super because often you hear terms like higher self or greatest good used in conjunction with other language focused on calling in the assistance of something unseen and beyond our physical capabilities, such as in a prayer or intention.
Depending on the lens through which you view the world, you will have a different framework for this. Some believe there is a higher power such as a deity assisting us in these requests while others believe that this is an extension of our own potential, yet one we must intentionally engage with in order to activate it. There are as many ways to understand this phenomenon as there are people, but generally speaking, we can call this faith in something larger than our human self as we know it in our everyday life.
Not to get too controversial here, but what is a prayer then, but also engaging a superstition if superstition is defined as the belief in something unseen to us? What is a wish but a spell placed under another name? Whatever you call it, what is common to each of these methods is that we are speaking our desire accompanied by some sort of ritual or action that makes it sacred (special, powerful) to us and calling on a higher power or energetic source to help us better the odds of making it a reality—the original definition of woo comes back into play here (to invite by one's own action; to seek to win; to solicit favor or approval of).
When you make a wish and then blow out your birthday candles, you are utilizing ritual and the power of intention. As children, we are taught to believe in mystery and fairy tales and then this is ripped away as we are planted firmly in reality and responsibility kicks in at some point along our journey as an adolescent.
Fairy tales and fables are stories that have been passed down through generations to help teach us how to behave and interact with each other. In many cases, they were created as warnings against behavior that would put us in danger and were purposefully a bit dark or ominous to bring power to this warning by activating our emotions. We have altered many of these stories over time to activate instead, emotions of hope and love. And although some dark presence generally still remains, they are more often than not overpowered by the light (good, benevolent, etc.); love always wins and it is all going to be okay.
But is it?
Do we really mean it, or are we attempting to protect what we believe to be the fragile psyches of our young, or distract and entertain them so that the real (important, adult, serious, etc.) work can be done without interruption? Perhaps these stories would be better served to be taken in by adults, so we could remember the magic that we once believed in and bring it back into our bodies as possibility, wonder, and excitement around mystery.
As adults, the unknown often becomes the place where real monsters live. Believe me, I get it. I'm existing in the same world as you are right now. But here's the thing, if that is all you believe to be true, and if you can't even imagine anything different, then how are we ever going to change it?
If the greatest visionaries and inventors of our history never imagined that something was possible before they had proof, we would not be living in the modern world we know right now. There is a term that is gaining popularity in pop culture and the world of work. It is to call something a moonshot. A moonshot idea or project is one that may seem out of reach, yet somewhere in you, you believe it to be possible.
A few years ago, I read an article (I think it was in Time Magazine) celebrating the anniversary of the first moon landing. My partner's mother shared it with me and as she handed it to me, she said “I think you would enjoy this article. It talks about the power of imagination.” Obviously, I dove right in! This is a topic near and dear to my heart.
She was right. I very much enjoyed the article and still reference it years later. Why? Because the moon landing is a tangible example of the physical meeting the metaphysical; it is where science meets woo.
Is this something that is possible for everyone? Not at the moment. When the first trained astronauts boarded their flight to the Moon, they may or may not have imagined it possible for anyone to one day explore the universe in this way, but they were embarking on an adventure that many before them had only dreamed possible. In years prior, their current reality only existed as a moonshot. It existed first in the imagination, and there was a desire great enough to pursue making it happen.
You may be thinking, sure, if you have decades of funding and research to dedicate to your moonshot, you can make it a reality. However, for many people, their moonshot is something far closer to reach. I've read multiple times through so many sources that we generally only tap into about 10% of our true potential. We tend to limit our belief to only what we have seen proven in front of us, and often not until we can physically experience it for ourselves do we believe it possible. Until then, it is only a dream, and we may describe it with language like crazy or unrealistic. The problem with this though is that if we don't believe it is within the realm of possibility for us, it could be sitting right outside our door and we would never go retrieve it.
So, here's my proposal. Let's stop using woo as a derogatory term that devalues the power of possibility. Let's suspend our disbelief so that we can empower our imagination and remember the magic we believed possible as children. Let's start engaging more in play and creativity so that we can bring our beautiful dreams to life.
You can start with the little things. Just as you exercise your body to gain physical strength, you can exercise your mind to gain metaphysical strength. I call these devotional practices, and through the work I do as a soul wisdom mentor, I help people create personalized practices that support them where they are on their journey, utilizing their unique ways of knowing and being to tap into their creativity and invite assistance from their higher source of support.
There are many ways to do this. If you are curious about beginning a practice, set an intention to find one that supports you where you are, and then stay open to it finding you. If you are new to playing in these realms, repetition is often an indicator that there is something attempting to make itself known to you.
The next step is to get curious and learn more. Notice how it feels in your body as you explore this clue. Does it feel open, expansive, or exciting? Keep going! Does it feel constricting, heavy, or too intense? Pause. Tune in and ask if this is the correct direction, or ask for clarity on your next move. Perhaps having someone support you on this journey feels good, perhaps it doesn’t.
Follow your inner knowing. Each time you actively engage in this space, you expand your consciousness and open to more possibilities. Through expanding your consciousness, you can empower the power of woo to help you reach those moonshot visions received through your imagination, but you must first suspend your disbelief about what is possible.
Regyna Curtis, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Regyna Curtis is a soul wisdom mentor, art channel, speaker, and internationally bestselling author on the subjects of spirituality and creativity.
With over 40 years of experience living as an intuitive being, Regyna has achieved fluency in the language of her soul. She is an expert in interpreting soul wisdom languages, supporting and empowering entrepreneurs and creators in finding their confidence and clarity to create in authentically soul-aligned ways.
A natural storyteller with a gift for relaying complex concepts in relatable, useful, and entertaining ways, working with her takes you on an adventure of self-discovery as she weaves in insights from her journey throughout the physical and spiritual realms. Regyna is a sought-after contributing author, podcast guest, workshop facilitator, founder of her soul-led business Atmaitri, host of the Soul Wisdom Exchange podcast, and an enthusiastic world traveler.
