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| A video short featuring more about this word from Phil, lol. |
Yes, most of us are either too busy for much downtime and when we are idle, we busy ourselves (understandably) by consuming entertainment or worse, doomscrolling. Sigh.
Hence I am happy to launch this word into your vocabulary (and worldview). Dear friends, a challenge: sip your coffee and let this word sail toward the sunrise along your peaceful horizon and let your woolgathering be like serenity-seeking.
Perhaps you were already familiar but if not, consider this term's etymology: "woolgathering comes from the literal 16th-century practice of wandering through fields and hedgerows to collect loose tufts of wool left behind by sheep." Hmm, not exactly a highly constructive nor profitable endeavor, but is woolgathering/daydreaming completely meritless? It depends.
I'm not referring to being unproductive, or replaying negative events and experiences, nor do I suggest you lose focus while you're cutting carrots. Instead, I'm talking about the value of intentional daydreaming. We humans are not designed to be endlessly "on." So, consider literal woolgathering. YOU HAVE ONE JOB: accumulating. (Also this: if possible, literally get moving.) Gather your "wool" mindfully. If that sounds like a contradiction to daydreaming, I see your point, but intent aims to transform.
So, how? I don't know, but I do know how I escape my own unhelpful thoughts and I experience the benefits every day. It has taken me years but I know my brain. My brain seeks comfort and chocolate almonds and imaginary conflicts and unwarranted anxieties, so when it veers away from the sunrise, I use self-talk to remind myself that my brain is a bullshitter liar narcissist unreliable-narrator...so then I revert back to the harmless woolgathering... accumulating... sorting... sifting through those useful random thoughts (gather ye rosebuds while ye may). And whether that adds up to a "sock" or whatever hardly matters. Why? Because at least my mind had a coffee break and watched the sunrise instead of the news.
I am said to be a woolgatherer, but it is not intentional. My mind simply wanders off of its own accord, and I find myself miles away from wherever my body is.
ReplyDeleteIf those thoughts uplift, however you get there sounds healthy to me. P.S. Happy birthday, sir.
DeleteI agree, and sunrise vs. the news -the sunrise should win every time. It's all too easy to get caught up in the negative. But I'll admit to watching tv every night ;)
ReplyDeleteI love a good TV sesh too. Insert fist bump here.
DeleteWoolgathering is good for the soul.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.
DeleteTo make a cup of green tea once a day and sit with it -- and it alone (no book, radio, phone, TV) -- while looking out the window or, weather permitting, looking at the trees and sky and birds, is my intention. It's not that easy to do! but it's always well worth doing. -Kate
ReplyDeleteYou model this very well with your lake trips and walks and contemplate the frogs...your blog is a woolgathering dream. Just sayin.
DeleteI don't gather wool enough.
ReplyDeleteI hope that changes, Kathy G.
DeleteI daydream a lot. Lately I've been doing it in bed, just laying there, letting thoughts wander through my brain. I didn't know that's where the term came from, but I like it.
ReplyDeleteAnd those oat cakes, amazing!
I like it too. Good to hear you enjoyed the oat cakes.
DeleteWalks, choral or classical music and plenty of good thoughts gets me to my peaceful place, plus as a bonus, my wife has a cabinet full of wool yarn and makes all kinds of nice warm, hats, fingerless gloves, and socks. I am a lucky guy and very thankful.
ReplyDeleteSuper lucky indeed.
DeletePurposeful day dreaming doesn't sound too different from directed dreaming or lucid dreaming.
ReplyDeleteMindful woolgathering seems like a productive way to spend time.
How does one daydream the peaceful good stuff and turn off everything else. I find it so difficult. On my walks especially.
ReplyDelete