How do we encourage a spiritual life in our kids?

[glitterfairy]

I have thought about this quite abit as I am nto religious but would like the kids to be open to experience and to the wonders of things. I am a humanist if anything and would like them to value the magical qulaities which people possess. What do you all think?

On a recent visit to Totnes I saw ads for children's yoga and meditation classes. I would love to hear if anyone who has sent their child to this sort of class. I can see this working for older children but not younger ones. My two would, very possibly, collapse in giggles or get worried if things seemed too wierd.

I think they take their lead in these things from us although anything that parents do is cringey and embarressing to most kids

Am also interested in this and from a non religious context. I agree they take their cues from adults around them and also think alot of things spiritual relate to value systems... We try to encorporate things into everyday life, so caring for the environment, we sit and take in nature, do gardening together (DS is 4) etc...talk about what happens when people die, ghosts are a recurring theme at the moment, I do reiki on him when he is ill and he sees me practice on others. Am really interested in yoga for kids and have a book of poses lasting 25 mins for kids - the author reckons that in Indian cultures children are taught yoga from the age of 3 but in western cultures it's hard to find classes for under 7's. We don't do them often enough but DS thinks it's great when we do...
Not sure if I have answered your post but would be interested in what others have to offer...

Went to school in totnes tigermoth

Am also interested in this and from a non religious context. I agree they take their cues from adults around them and also think alot of things spiritual relate to value systems... We try to encorporate things into everyday life, so caring for the environment, we sit and take in nature, do gardening together (DS is 4) etc...talk about what happens when people die, ghosts are a recurring theme at the moment, I do reiki on him when he is ill and he sees me practice on others. Am really interested in yoga for kids and have a book of poses lasting 25 mins for kids - the author reckons that in Indian cultures children are taught yoga from the age of 3 but in western cultures it's hard to find classes for under 7's. We don't do them often enough but DS thinks it's great when we do...
Not sure if I have answered your post but would be interested in what others have to offer...

I'm also very interested in this. I am trained in reflexology and reiki but haven't been practising as I have been living abroad and doing some other things. I would love to be able to use them on dd and bring her up in a tolerant, spiritual and "alternative" (wrong word but hope you know what I mean) way

Sibble, particularly interested in your reiki on you ds. I haven't much reiki experience so not much confidence in my abilities, but would love to try on dd.

with DS I forget the precise hand positions (you just can't get a child to lie and be fussy about it). I just sit him on my lap, tell him I'm going to reiki him (if he is poorly he will ask for it now, but have been doing it on him since he was a baby), and cuddle him moving my hands as best as I can over his body. He tells me or starts squirming when he has had enough. He helps me sweep himself when we have finished. I use reiki symbols for calming when we are going on plane or long car journeys. etc...
I am a frim believer that reiki can't do any harm so give it a go on dd.
I tryo to give him a session once a week to hopefully keep him well. While he is watching cartoon after nursery is usually a good time as he sits still!!!! although it can make concentrating hard, if he is poorly I do the full bit, with dim lights and lovely music for him.

oh and I use visualisation alot too, when he was a baby and stirring, crying I would visualise myself getting out of bed, going to him, soothing him back to sleep. Quite often it would work and I wouldn't have to physically get up.

Thanks sibble, I'll give it a go.

I certainly think that children can be very open to the spiritual side of life. Coming from a more conventional tradition, we introduced our ds's early on to some of the stories from our religion, and talking about what they show us about the world about us. We have also always prayed for them each night,using the time to reflect on what has happened during the day. Now ds1 (3) will pray for ds2 (1), and it is great hearing what he has to say.

We also try to include them in other aspects of our spiritual lives, so that they are familiar and comfortable with these, though as yet ds1 hasn't grasped that not everyone has a similar experience. As sibble suggests, unless you sense that something may be harmful to them, then you may as well practice what you preach. If the ds's are poorly then practise whatever you would for an adult.

Love the idea of visualisation sibble and might try to do it on my dd5 as she is always having nightmares. My children have always been fascinated by death and I dont think of it as a problem just natural. I do get the impression though that their teachers think we are abit like the adams family

I know what you mean about talking about death and how children relay what you have said at nursery/school etc. When DS became interested in ghosts and death etc. I told him that sometimes when people die and they love you so much they might want to come and see you again and say goodbye because they will miss you. SOmetimes you can see those dead people, sometimes you might smell them or just know they are there...etc... he seemed happy with that explanation especially when we discussed that the person had never hurt him when they were alive so why would they hurt him just because they were dead. Anyway he wanted to know if the cat who died recently would come back as a cat ghost, I said maybe so he has now told everybody that he has a cat ghost who sleeps on his bed...some friends don't appreciate his frankness about the subject. I personally think it is natural, I guess it is just what you are comfortable with.

Now his recent fascination triggered by scooby doo about aliens is a different matter...my 'I have never seen one and until I do can't say they exist' didn't go down well with a 4 year old who wanted a yes or no answer!!!!

maryz, I guess it depends on what the religion is, and how the children see it being practised.

For mine, I think we are their best teachers, and inclusion and example is the best way of introducing them to our spirituality. As their peer group grows more important I'm less sure. One advantage of a more organised religion is that they may have their own peer group, but obviously with less common or popular groups that may be more difficult. If your children are the only ones who have seen spirits for example, here is some difficulty in explaining that not everyone does - at least at the age of 3.

I do agree that the senses are really important for children though, so not only the sights and sounds of nature, but the feel of oils and water, the appreciation of heat from fire etc, the taste of particular foods, all add to children's experience.

I believe we must guide our children in truth - being spiritually "open" is not necessary a good thing if it means they are not at all certain of their own beliefs that can not prepare them for life.

It amazes me that so many people have no religious beliefs themselves and yet see it as something they want for their children. My DH and I have strong spiritual beliefs and so my children see the benefit of them.

Soxwasher I think with regards to passing on religion despite not being religious , I feel It is done to help estabelish tradition and teach your child were they have come from, in the hope that they feel part of something and then they can make an informed decision to choose it or not.

I often think about how will I pass on my spiritual interest & "wonder" with the world to my dd. I hope and feel that we just do it by being open about it when they are younger & it will automatically instill a natural inclination towards being interested in it.I think children naturally have a wonder of the world and what happens & why. So spirituality and a 6th just becomes strengethened. They say babies have 6th sense before any communication skills are learnt and they start to be affected by the world. If they dont have an interest then may be that is not there path and we have to accept that they choose differently. Although despite saying this , I hope dd has an interest and I have to be honest and say I will be disapointed if she doesnt , but will have to learn to accept that. In the same way I have to accept that my dh isnt into this at all.

Sibble reading your post about reiki for your ds & papillons work with her dd, made me remember my thread some time ago on this very subject reiki & kids . Which I hope we can move into the spiritual board.

I am very interested to learn the basics initially on how to do some for my dd. I think it is a wonderful loving thing to do for another and even more touching to be done for the health and well being of your children.

Sibble my dd5 has shaggy camped out on the lawn waiting for her as he is her boyfriend! Also red power ranger. She has children who follow her around and go to her school in her bedroom. Neither of my other two have done this but to my little one it is all perfectly natural and she sometimes gets cross because I shut the door too quickly or something and they cannot all get in. Her children can be very naughty and she gets very cross with them too!

Melsy - i get what you are saying - its just that my desire to pass on my beliefs to my children is proppelled by the utter belief that I know the true and only God - if I didn't believe that I would not see the value in teaching them any spiritual awareness just for the sake of it. I want my children to be tolerant of other religions but i want them to know the God who loves them and created them.

I do yoga with dd and have done since she was 3 weeks old - very nice - as to teaching her about spirituality an dreligion I will teach her about good values and that some people believe in god some in allah and some in something completely different and let her choose if she feels the need but I think it more important for her to be kind and think of others

Practice what you preach - thats gotta be the answer!

soz - that wasn't aimed at you gothicmama - we just happened to post at the same time!

okay - I won't get paranoid . that is a good philosophy to have and kind of fits to what I was saying bout being kind and thinking of others

absolutely

I have never forced my boys to come to church with me as DH doesn't come. DS1 has started to come with me now but of his own choosing and seems to enjoy it. I've taught sunday school classes to his age group so I don't have much trouble explaining things to him. In fact we've been having conversations lately about a lovely little boy in his class who's dad who must be extremely religious by the sounds of it. DS1 is reading harry potter at the moment (he's 6) and this boy tells him his dad say's not to and that the bible is the best book to read. To me Harry potter's fine if he likes it and isn't spooked by it. This little boy is full of 'his dad says' and it's all very strong views for a boy so young
This is me I'm afraid, I'm constantly worrying about children. I adore them and often have kids over for tea or for treasure hunts/parties. They are the essence of life. I love to answer their questions but am careful too. DS1 knows about other religions and DS2 will be told the same as he understands more.

I agree about values and also moral judgement what is wrong and right. I would like my kids to think for themselves and choose when the time is right. My dd8 asked me the other day what evil was and that was a hard one.