Tammy Letherer If you know me at all, you know that I like a good dose of woo-woo in my world.
I believe in following my intuition, prioritizing my spiritual practices, and recognizing divine messages. This is the lens through which I find inspiration and make decisions. It’s also, to me, a way of having fun.
I’ll admit, it’s an odd form of fun that can show up in strange ways.
Last week, I had unsettling dreams for three nights in a row about bad guys attacking me. I rarely have nightmares, so this seemed unusual. I didn’t think anything more of it until, several days later, I felt some flu symptoms beginning. I moaned about how I was being attacked by a virus and only then made the connection to my dreams.
Hmm. Coincidence?
Another example:
A couple of years ago, I contracted Lyme Disease, but thanks to my amazing doctor, identified and eliminated it quickly. The strange part was that just days before the blood test results came back, while I was worried and doubtful that we would find the cause of my illness, my daughter returned from Mexico wearing a bizarre necklace: it was a tiny beetle encased in green glass that looked just like a tick.
Why do I find these “messages” fascinating? (And no, they’re not always related to illnesses!) Because they’re like a sprinkle of woo-woo in what can sometimes feel like a bland existence. They connect me to a wise, complex, and often playful energy.
It’s an energy that feels closely related to the creative process.
Synchronicity and inspiration are like soul sisters—two forces of nature that sing in harmony and tap into an internal rhythm you didn’t know you had. Both of them imply the presence of a deeper intelligence at work.
So instead of ignoring it or blocking it, why not welcome the woo-woo? There are famous writers with astonishing eccentricities who wrote only in the nude, or in purple ink, or next to a bowl of rotting apples. I know that when I’m trying to write, I can use all the help I can get.
And what helps me is to ascribe great meaning to my most subtle, sublime, far-out observations and find a way to use them.
Here are three ways you can do the same:
Take nothing for granted.
Albert Einstein said that there are two ways to live: as if nothing is a miracle, or as if everything is a miracle. It’s also been said that God is in the details. Appreciate each miraculous detail and write about it.
Use everything.
You know those peculiar, random thoughts you sometimes have, the ones you wouldn’t want people to know? Guess what? We all have them, and when you give us a glimpse into your weirdness, the rest of us don’t feel so alone. So write about your unique experience, whether mundane or momentous. You’re constantly awash in sights, sounds, thoughts, dreams, and feelings. You have all the content you need. Just pay attention.
Have fun.
Creativity should feel like play, so loosen up, be yourself, embrace the strange. If you’re worried that your world view is slightly askew, relax. Go with it. That’s how you know you’re a writer.
