Woo Woo Wellness

Woo-woo: "dubiously or outlandishly mystical, spiritual, supernatural, or unscientific"
via- Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Let's go back to 2010. Mystical practices like Reiki, crystal healing and sound baths were relegated to hippies with intense spiritual healing practices in very progressive yoga studios. Flash-forward to 2020, and people are collecting crystals, blowing sage smoke around their house, casting spells and balancing their chakras.

These "woo-woo" practicies are now just as important to the wellness movement as avocado toast, CBD oil and brain supplements. Industry insiders predict that they aren't just a passing fad either.

We are living in grim times friends. Tense people everywhere are looking for help and release. Spiritual healing has stepped up to the plate. People are being drawn to ancient wellness practices that calm them, soothe their soul and give their minds and bodies a tune-up. Wellness practices that make them feel in control of their minds, bodies and surroundings. We are stressed out and long to be nurtured. Many holistic approaches to wellness take a whole-body approach. Which means that they take into account a person's emotional state as well as their physical health. And that makes them feel supported in a healing way.

Mystical practices like astrology and tarot have exploded in popularity recently too. Many feel like this trend is a result of a growing number of people continuing to turn away from organized religion. But, we still want and need that spiritual connection to feel grounded, connected and whole. So alternative ways of connecting to a higher being or universe are becoming more popular.

The medical community is also jumping on this woo-woo trend by starting to refer patients for treatments like acupuncture. Some doctors are even recommending acupuncture as an alternative to opioid prescriptions. Yoga, Reiki and essential oils are starting to be offered in hospitals.

As we move forward into the 2020's, the plant medicine movement will continue to grow. Medicinal mushrooms and marijuana have been legalized in a lot of states, and LSD is being discussed as a potential mental health aid. There has been a big rise in people using ayahuasca as a way to accelerate emotional and spiritual growth and healing. Ayahuasca is a plant-based psychedelic tea that claims to open your mind and heal past trauma. However, keep in mind that these remedies are not 100% safe to use and are very understudied.

Digital wellness is about to pop-off in a big way and help further the woo-woo movement. You can now follow shamans on Instagram, book spiritual healing sessions on your phone and use apps to predict your future. This ease of access will open holistic healing up to a broader audience and could possibly encourage people to become healers themselves. And there will be work got them since the demand for spiritual healers is more in demand than ever.

Along our wellness journey we now have plenty of options to explore. These options will continue to grow as we navigate the 2020s. Wellness isn't one-size-fits-all so a vast variety of options is only a good thing. Wellness is only going to get broader and weirder so hold on tight to your amethyst stone because this ride is about to get real spiritual.