As many of us know, when operating too much from the mind, fear can creep in and create a misalignment with the heart and our true intentions. Of course, in practice this may not be so easy breezy. In this post we will cover the relationship between children and their awareness of living from the heart space.
My grandmother’s would often say to do things from the heart, or in their native tongue ‘od srca.’ Sometimes it was quite simply emphasised through the use of language when communicating with others, for example ‘volim te, OD SRCA’ – in English, ‘I love you, from the heart.’
On the other hand, my grandfather’s didn’t quite express their love in such a vocal way, but their actions would show it. Such actions were often found in the small things they did, which would show that inkling of light radiating from their heart space.
It is important to try our best to help children gain an awareness of the heart space. Particularly as they grow, to try and ensure they can consciously turn back to acting from the heart space… whether it be when engaging with others, the environment, or pursuing their passions and interests. Although, it must be said that as much as we can try teach children about the heart space I personally believe it’s part of their being. Operating from love and that state of purity is really in a child’s natural, intrinsic being. Conditioning and societal influences is what may impact this. Given this, the importance here is to equip the child with practices they can tap into as they grow and mature. Below are such practices that you can pick and choose from…
Practice 1 – Do you feel ___ in your heart?
Ask your child to name any family members or friends, or even pets that you know are dear to them. This practice allows the child to focus on their relationship with each member from the heart space.
a) Place your hand on your heart.
b) Do you feel ABC in your heart? (Yes…)
Do you feel XYZ in your heart? (Yes…)
This practice helps the child learn to refocus their energy from the mind and shift it to the heart space. The physical act of putting hand to heart also helps them tangibly make that connection. Practice 1 can also be used as an anchor for whenever they feel a need to feel warmth or belonging.
Practice 2 – Who is your ‘real’ self?
According to Dr. Deborah Rozman, a class of 7 year old children were asked to point to their real self. The students all responded by pointing to their heart. This very question, ‘who is your real self’ can also be used to remind the child of their worth when needed.
Practice 3 – What makes me, ME?
a) Place your hand on your heart.
b) Get your child to list the unique qualities that make your child uniquely them!
Qualities may comprise of the following…
- My strength
- My sensitivity (can sense if others feel upset which we adults would broadly classify as emotional intelligence)
- My compassion (can help others if needed)
- My curiosity about the world
Depending on the age, the child could simply express their answer as…
- I love playing with others
- I like looking at the different birds in the sky (observant, contemplative time in nature)
- I care for my dog
- I am funny
- I like making pizza with faces (hey, I still enjoy doing this as an adult!)
As mentioned, pick whatever practice suits you and/or your child/children! This can be undertaken every so often, helping ground them in the awareness of living from the heart space.
Nala xx