SPIRITUALITY ON THE ROCKS

A COLUMN BY THERAPIST AGNES KOWALSKI

this issue: WHY KIDS ARE GOOD FOR YOUR KARMA

We all know that kids are cool. There's no getting around that fact and it rings true for most people. There are however, a few crabby apples out there whose main complaints are that children are selfish and demand too much attention. True as this might be, to point it out makes it personal. What's likely is that these people are seeing their own reflection and projecting it onto the child. Or they have not spent enough time with little ones to see them for the emotional goldmines that they actually are. Kids have a tough job, no doubt about it. Not only are they supposed to be polite, thoughtful and obedient but they also have the hideous task of being the quintessential symbol of joy and innocence in the world. Does that sound like it would be easy to balance? I know most adults out there would shudder at the task or at least reason that it's not their responsibility to inspire the entire world around them. Never once have I seen a kid say, "Mom, it's not my job to make you feel better." They just do it and we greedily accept.

Just as in all relationships, children act as mirrors for us also. Often the things we love or can't stand about them are the things we love or can't stand about ourselves-the same can be said for our partners. We are relational beings and we come to understand our world and our place in it through relating with other humans. That seems to be why people often have strong love-hate reactions to kids. What we don't realize is that they are reflecting a part of ourselves to us. It is more often than not a part that we've long forgotten or buried, like how afraid we were growing up. Or it's a part of us we wish we could develop, like the child we admire for his athletic or musical abilities. Either we remember how playful and sweet we were or we remember how painful it was to have that innocence stolen or worst of all, we don't remember at all. Children become our beacon to healing in this way, our soul's reminder of what's left undone. Though I am certain they are unconscious that they are doing so, they are nevertheless a great catalyst for our own transformation. We have an opportunity as they grow, to grow ourselves, to go back in time and heal the past, and, as a result, create a better future for the both of us.

Kids will keep you younger than that $100 La Mer cream on your nightstand. First off let's agree that we're talking about kids prior to years of abuse or damage from their environment as that obviously changes the child intrinsically. As kids, we don't really have filters. We don't have all of these accumulated years of stereotypes and biases and hurts and wounds that inform our everyday actions. Kids either like something or they don't, they don't spend all day thinking about if they like this person or not, it's instantaneous. They truly wake up to a new day each day. They have a thought then make a decision, it's that simple. It seems in our day to day grind, we forget how simple a decision can be if it comes directly from our gut instead of filtered down through our rational mind. The lack of filters kids have opens the world up-there are no mental constructs or prejudices, every time they encounter something, it really is their first time. It's amazing that as parents or caregivers we don't notice how close we are to enlightenment when we are close to kids. They are here to teach us how to make every time new. They show us how to engage our positive curiosity. We call it apprehension, they call it adventure. I have a friend who would visit the newborn floor of the hospital each week to, as she claimed, "listen to the messages of the enlightened masters." Now some might think that a room full of drooling poop machines might have nothing more than a dirty diaper to offer. But then again maybe she's not that far off.

Dr.Ian Stevenson and author Carol Bowman are two people who believe in the amazing power that children have. Both have written about and studied reincarnation in children. Stevenson has spent forty years of his life dedicated to the scientific study of children's past life regressions. He found that children from ages three to five were very open and clear about remembering unprompted who they were and the circumstances of their past lives. Bowman, who has written several books on the topic, including, "The Past Lives of Children," discovered children's spiritual abilities through her own children's spontaneous past life memories. Other healers, like Vianna Stibal, founder of the Theta Healing technique, are eager to teach others about the various healing and psychic powers of children. The support of children as teachers in the alternative healing community is unanimous.

To illustrate my point even further, I decided to interview some kids I know for this piece. I asked my six year old niece Laura and my ten year old nephew Ian some pretty serious questions and here's what they had to say:

Me: What do you think the U.S should do about the energy crisis?
Ian: Turn off the lights when you're not using them.
Me: Who would you pick for president of the world and why?
Ian: My self because I think that I could help the world.
Me: That is the best answer ever.
Me: How can we put a stop to the fighting in the world?
Laura: Be nice to other people so they're nice to you.

It just doesn't get any clearer than that. It's amazing how much time we spend giving children information and how little time we spend soliciting it from them. Kids clearly have a very strong connection to the Source. Whether to you the Source means God, the Universe or just inner essence, it is something that we as adults need to help them cultivate. The cultivation helps them to recognize their own gifts and insights and it also helps us to recognize our own. It becomes also our own return to this inner essence, this place of connection which we spend our lives seeking through relationships, careers, money, or addiction. Our society places so much importance on intelligence, but as Eckhart Tolle says, "Intelligence without presence can be very destructive." It is this fresh wisdom that children have that we must observe to find our way back, a level of openness that looks at life through "here and now" lenses instead of the "there and then" of the adult world. Observe and study them in their natural habitats, in playgrounds, while watching cartoons, or strolling through the park. Spend some time around children you know and you will start to see the magic unfold.

THETA HEALING...TORONTO, NEW YORK, FLORIDA

What is ThetaHealing....

It is a technique that teaches how to put to use our natural intuition, relying upon unconditional love of Creator Of All That Is to do the actual “work”. By changing your brain wave cycle to include the “Theta” state, you can actually watch the Creator Of All That Is create instantaneous physical and emotional healing. This technique has transformed my life and the life of my family and friends-I highly recommend it. It is an amazing addition to your self-care/self-healing practice as it works with core belief work and the magic of working with Creator, Source, Universe, God or whatever you call the bigger essence that surrounds us. I am now a certified Theta Practitioner and am able to offer private one on one sessions. If you have a group of friends or family members who want to do theta sessions, be a host and your session is free (with a minimum of 4 people + yourself). Theta sessions are $100/hr and $50/30 minutes. For more on Theta Healing check out: http://www.thetahealing.com/