Children are naturally connected to the people and places around them—more deeply connected in ways adults have forgotten. From birth until age 4 or 5, these connections are shifting and changing to accommodate those things the adults who are responsible for them deem important.
Parents and caretakers have been taught that, as soon as possible, children must be shown how to relate to the society in which they live. Courtesies such as sharing, taking turns at play, saying please and thank you at appropriate times, and perhaps warnings such as staying away from strangers, are of the utmost importance. I suggest that equal time be given to reinforce children’s connections to the natural, spiritual, and energetic realms.
Past Lives and Transitioning Between Realms
The principles of reincarnation indicate that, from birth, our existence shifts from energetic/spiritual to energetic/spiritual now in physical embodiment. Newborns and infants carry the wisdom and memory of the non-physical realms, but without the capabilities to communicate this. It is difficult to fully transition from the energetic/spiritual realms into a physical body. For this reason, in the first six months of life, children travel back and forth between realms, so that the transition is gentler. The crown of a baby’s head is delicate and soft, allowing the energetic/spiritual body to effortlessly exit and re-enter through the crown chakra.
Once fully settled into the physical body children continue to embody sacred wisdom, although they do not possess the communication skills to indicate so. I’ve discovered that once children are verbal, they often share stories and memories such as, “When I was a grandpa…” or “I was a soldier…” This is common around ages 3 and up. It lessens around age 6 or 7, once rational, linear-thinking skills are introduced, the child interprets that these past-life memories have little or no value, and a shift from right to left-brain emphasis occurs.
It is interesting to note that The Journal of the American Medical Association and The American Journal of Psychiatry have published case studies of children and reincarnation. If a child in your life mentions what may be memories of a previous lifetime, simply say “tell me more” and avoid asking leading questions. Past life memories are held in the subconscious mind; accessing the subconscious allows access of higher consciousness and thinking.
Left-Brained and Right-Brained Thinking
As parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts, uncles, neighbors, and friends, if we believe in the importance of fostering both left-brained and right-brained thinking, we can participate in stimulating activities with the children in our lives. Left-brained development is already being reinforced through technology and traditional schooling. Simple activities in art, music, dance, and creative problem solving will give equal time to abstract, right-brain development. Hand drumming is fantastic, inviting balance in the left and right brain. To help children love and respect their planet, find ways to repurpose everyday materials. Use empty toilet paper rolls to create kaleidoscopes, old cardboard boxes, sticks, and rubber bands to create books, etc.; there are resources everywhere.
Celebrate sunrises, sunsets, rainy days, cloudy days, mud puddles, fireflies, snowflakes, the moon; celebrate everything. Laugh…a lot. Laughing causes the molecules of the body to vibrate faster, creating lightness. Catch falling leaves to welcome nature’s Chi into little hands and bodies. Encourage compassionate action. Create personal ceremonies to honor the sacredness in all things. Let an area of your yard grow wild and watch what happens. Build fairy houses together and visit them often to sing or chat with the fairies. Encourage children to believe in magic and in things that cannot be explained. You will be creating space to fill with extraordinary childhood experiences.
Joyce St. Germaine, M.S. Ed., CHt., RYT-200, is an award-winning teacher, artist, spiritual counselor, certified hypnotherapist and past life regressionist, certified cross-cultural shamanic and shapeshifting practitioner, energy worker, registered yoga teacher, and international retreat leader. She combines over 40 years of experience as a teacher and spiritual explorer to develop unique workshops and experiences for open-hearted students of all ages. Joyce is owner of The Sacred Journey Center for Spiritual Studies in Burlington, CT. She may be reached at: jsgermaine@aol.com, 860.675.9706, or www.thesacredjourney.biz.