I come from the Northern Hemisphere as most of my ancestors. Most of the stories and old folk lore I grew up with stems from Germanic, Celtic, Norse traditions. The tales have been coloured and sometimes distorted by Christianity – but the essence is still perceivable for those who can feel. Most of the stories are – as most myths and legends – attempts to illustrate the origin of Life, the laws of Nature, the many aspects and influential factors of Life/Nature/Energy. Often they are using metaphors that people can relate to, topics and dynamics they encounter in their everyday life, things they can observe in their environment, things that are vital and essential. As Nature/Life/Energy is inherently cyclic, the tales are often woven around natural cycles (e.g. the seasons, night/day).
About 15 years ago I switched hemispheres, currently living in Aotearoa. When I came here, the festivities to celebrate the seasons confused me hugely. It seemed totally “out of sync” to celebrate the re-birth of the Light, of the White Goddess, in mid-summer when the Light is at the height of his power. And I couldn’t get my feelings around celebrating fertility and the sprouting of Life in its many forms – which makes total sense after a long winter period – in Autumn. The Germanic Spring Goddess Ostara would have chuckled about that one. She is often depicted with generic symbols of fertility (eggs and rabbits – we know why…). Christianity rewrote this story, however, couldn’t quite get rid of the eggs and the bunnies. Chocolate is just too addictive J Anyway: I digress… I tried to go with the Northern cycles – until I realized how anti-cyclical and simply not fitting it was. Autumn is a time of giving thanks to summer’s harvest, to prepare for the winter period, to start the journey inwards – and not to fly into a chocolate frenzy to celebrate the growth of Life in its many forms.
I stopped to go along with rhythms and ceremonies that are not at all aligned with the land I live in. I looked for the stories of the people who walked this land before me – long before me. And sure enough, there were/are heaps of stories who explain and illustrate the rhythms and cycles of the Southern Hemisphere. Māori mythology is wonderfully rich and deep. I won’t share any of the stories here as it is not my place. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds (according to Luke anyways). The point I would like to make here is:

The more we ignore, dismiss, neglect the cyclic nature of Life (within and around us), the more we lose our alignment and connection to a very vital real-ity of Life.

It stuns me that (almost) a whole hemisphere succumbed to the dominance of a (Christian) storyline, coming from scribes in the Northern Hemisphere – and dismissed the richness of Southern Hemisphere native mythology. No matter if you are of Christian faith, no matter if you like chocolate eggs and bunnies, Christmas presents etc. etc.: it is worth to consider the misalignment and disconnection and the corresponding imbalances you are causing in your life IF you are swimming against the current. It adds to the stress and physical, emotional and mental imbalance – because if we acknowledge it or not: we are an integral part of a bigger web of Life, always interconnected, following ever-changing and cyclic rhythms – and swimming against the currents is exhausting and draining and highly disruptive for all Life, not just us.
​
So no matter if you live in the Northern or the Southern Hemisphere: learn about the “big cycles of Life”, observe what the Sun and the Moonin are doing (longer days = more male energy influence, longer nights = more female energy influence) and their impact on you/others, look out for some of the old native myths and legends of the place you live in and distill their rich essence and wisdom as a starting point and guidance for your orientation and navigation towards connection and alignment.

As a collective we need to get down to the roots of things in order to deal with this reality. First, we need to become aware of and acknowledge the existence of racism in its many forms and shapes. The attitude of entitlement and superiority is often rooted in a deep feeling of insecurity, a fear of “not enough”, of being overpowered, overrun, not seen, not heard. This is the underlying trauma that is at the root of racist behaviour. It is time to address the roots to initiate fundamental changes.
This means to look inside, to explore the depths of ourselves – and encourage others to do the same when we encounter racism in our lives. It means to sensitise ourselves and to notice when we, or others in our surrounding, re-act in a racist way – and that we allow ourselves to look for the roots of this behaviour. It also means that we take a stand, call out and question racist re-actions.
I see examples of racism every single day. People who feel entitled to take resources, land, lives from others, re-enacting a past trauma and thus recreating the pain without thinking. People who oppose learning another language, acknowledging and respecting differences – cultures, customs, opinions, concepts – without feeling into the roots behind it all. People who (re-) act in unkind, disrespectful and cruel ways, sometimes without even noticing the effect of their behaviour - or without caring. Self-righteousness is the main hinderer on the road to eradicate racism.
 
Self-monitoring, introspection and self-questioning are the first steps to discover and unveil the roots of racist behaviour. Ask yourself: why do I react in a negative and opposing way? What triggers this re-action? What are my fears? What makes me angry? What hurts me? Write it all down or record your “rant” – let it out uncensored in a safe environment. And then revisit, re-read it a couple of days later – being honest and compassionate with yourself.
If you are questioned and challenged by others, stop and listen before you re-act and defend your position. You don’t have to answer straight away. Take time to notice and feel what their questions trigger within you. Allow your emotions to flow and follow them down to the roots. This will eventually lead to self-knowledge, self-compassion and self-understanding that are needed to change racist patterns and structures, within ourselves and our creations.

​If you are confronted with or suffering from racist behaviour, seek support and protection, find allies – there is a growing number of allies “out there”. Tell your stories, point out racist behaviour – so that together we can raise awareness and get down to the roots.

“If I could speak every language of the people in the world, I would make a film and tell people not to come. Better to die at home than to face a 'slow death' in the streets of Athens or in one of the camps.”
(Yesim, Syrian refugee, from a personal conversation)
 
“I couldn’t bare the sight of drowned bodies on the shore anymore. That’s why I joined resqship, to make a difference. It is hard, though, having to decide who is allowed to come aboard – and who has to stay in sometimes completely unsuitable vessels. It breaks my heart – but we cannot rescue everyone.”
(Tania from resqship, from a personal conversation)
 
“Too many to deal with” – “we lack financial and other means to cater for refugees in an appropriate way” – “we can’t allow more people into the country, we are already struggling” – “we might be able to take another 153 unaccompanied children” - "politicians working towards a unified solution in the Mediterranean"
(political statements from newspapers – in no particular order)
 
“Everyone from the village stood around and watched while we were led to the trains. One woman, our neighbour, came up to my mum and hugged her. If every villager had done this, what followed wouldn’t have been possible. But only one in 3000 had the courage to cross the road and come to us.”
(Manfred Wildmann, survivor of the 6500 Jews, deported in 1940, from an interview in Menlo Park, California)
 
And they looked everywhere for a place where Maria could give birth to her child. But no one had space for them. Until they finally got offered a place in a stable where ox and donkey warmed the space with their breath…
(rephrased excerpt from a famous story, said to have happened over 2000 years ago)
 
Different scenarios, different situations – and yet, so many similarities...

What do we do, when fellow humans are in distress, in danger, in an emergency situation?

While we look the other way, discuss what "could be done" (rationalise), belittle or dismiss the issue to calm ourselves, wait/hope for others to act etc, people (and not only people, of course) suffer and/or die. 
Many seem to be frozen in their own trauma, unable to take action, their response-ability (the ability to respond) is restricted or non-existent. It is time to address the collective traumatisation of wars and colonisation - NOW -, to integrate the atrocities of the past and to release and defrost the emotional and spiritual trauma that has been caused by those experiences, so that they are not repeated over and over again in various forms. To start this process NOW is essential to be able to respond and to act, instead of holding on to and repeating traumatised and traumatising reactions.

Dismissing the perspective and worldview of others, not respecting and acknowledging differences has and always will lead to division, conflict, domination, exploitation, abuse. Only when we embrace the reality that we have different stories and experiences and are willing to respect and honour each other nevertheless, we will stop recreating trauma and abusing each “other”. In order to do this, we need to make a conscious effort to develop empathy and the ability to feel.

As a first step, observe yourself while deeply listening and taking in “opposing” or triggering views: are there any emotions (e.g. frustration, anger or fear) coming up within you? Take note of them, but don’t allow yourself to slip into your own emotional flow, as its current will carry you away from the other person/group/topic – and you will miss the chance of deep understanding, learning and togetherness.
Try and stay focused on the emotions expressed by the other person/group/topic. Try to feel them.
Don’t reply or react instantly! Stay with the other person/group/topic, until you feel where they are coming from. You don’t have to agree or disagree. This is not about wrong and right, good and bad. It is about developing and growing your empathetic capacity.

If you are reading something, take the great opportunity for a “buffered” and safe learning process, as you don't have a direct "other" near you. Allow yourself to pause when you feel triggered. Observe what comes up for you – usually anger, frustration, fear – and take a moment to look deeper into these emotions. What makes you angry? What are you afraid of?
If you can, write things down – wildly and uncensored! You can also speak it aloud and record it. Just get things off your chest. However, refrain from writing it directly to the “other” person/group! Just write it down for yourself – until you feel you have “unloaded” it all. The outcome and insights you can gain through this process might  surprise you – try it!
In a second step, read the triggering words again. This time, your only goal and focus is to tune in and feel and understand the “other” perspective. Catch yourself whenever you start to slip into your own emotional flow, and bring your attention and awareness back to the “other” person/group/topic – until you can “walk in their shoes” or at least see where they are coming from.
 
Labels such as racism, sexism and many other –isms are consequences of deep intergenerational and personal trauma. May humans develop the ability of all-true-ism, embracing and feeling the essential truth and value of all life expressions.

When does anxiety occur?
Anxiety is a state of mind as a result of constant fear of negative outcomes or consequences. When people are experiencing continuous stress and pressure, they feel overwhelmed and anxious. Our physical and mental “systems” are not able to cope with stress on an ongoing basis.
By default, humans are sensitized to negative (= potentially threatening/harmful/dangerous) information. It is hardwired in our systems to guarantee our survival: Our ancestors needed to know about an approaching fire, in order to look for safer grounds. Our sensory perception evolved to detect dramatic and horrific events that might affect our safety and health. Knowing about dangers and conflicts was and still is a protective mechanism. The media consciously and unconsciously feed on this mechanism: sensational “news” attract and engage a far larger audience – circulation figures show that conflict and drama sell way better than happily-ever-after-stories.
Social media and other apps have inbuilt algorithms to feed users more of what they “like”. This means that those who want to be “well-informed” and “safe” will get more stories triggering fear and a state of alertness in their “news feed”. As they are seemingly interested in “negative news”, drama, conflict, conspiracy, etc, the system reinforces a one-sided perspective by giving them more of it. This consequently distorts people’s perception of what is really going on.
In addition to this the sheer amount of – sometimes conflicting – information often leads to a “system overload”, caused by confusion and frustration. People in modern societies do not only learn about the fire in their neighbourhood or country, but about all the fires around the world! On top of that, many “fires” are so complex and huge that there is no easy solution – they have been smouldering for a long time and some grew into raging blazes that are not easily extinguished. This stimulates a constant feeling of being surrounded by potential dangers and threats and, as a result, an almost constant state of alertness that overwhelms our nervous system. A lot of people feel exhausted and helpless, not knowing how to react and deal with the issues.
The constant presence and awareness of potential dangers and threats, not only in our vicinity, but also on a global level, the complexity of finding appropriate ways to (re-) act and coming up with solutions to restore balance and the corresponding feelings of overwhelm and confusion lead to stress and anxiety in the collective field. Young ones often are the most vulnerable as they are looking for guidance and need reassurance outside of themselves to grow into healthy and balanced adults.

How to deal with anxiety
Here are two main points that I found helpful when working with myself and others:

• No matter if you are dealing with anxiety within yourself or within others: transparency and open communication are key when dealing with anxiety. Acknowledge the “elephant in the room” and address the looming ghost, make it visible! By doing so, the atmosphere (internally and externally) already becomes less scary and threatening.
  

I often get asked by parents and teachers how to do this, especially when dealing with young ones. Many have learnt not to show any vulnerability (e.g. acknowledging to not knowing the answers or showing their own anxiety/doubts/fears is often considered a taboo). They are afraid to scare their children/students even more by showing their own insecurities. This means they “hold back”, suppress, deny and/or present themselves overly confident (“don’t worry” – “we have it under control” – “everything is/will be fine”) to protect themselves and the young ones in their care. However, this approach does not work very well.
There is a difference between a stroll in the park and a hike in the mountains. Be honest! Do not tell yourself and others you are going for an easy walk, if you know deep down that the climb up the mountain might be challenging and long. A lot of young ones instinctively and intuitively sense that the issues we are facing collectively are huge and complex. Telling them that there is an “easy fix” most likely won’t convince and calm them. On the contrary: they often lose trust and feel even more confused, unsafe and lost. Create hope, encourage, but do mention and acknowledge the unknown and tricky parts, if you feel any! There is, of course, a measured and (age-) appropriate way to do this. I recommend to be aware of and look at your own emotional and mental energies in this context before you address young ones in a matter-of-fact, caring and purposeful way.

• Stay in the present moment (presencing). Anxiety often arises when our mind projects images based on negative experiences (our own or other’s) in the past into the future, thus recreating and maintaining constant stress reactions within ourselves. Observe your self, the situation, the circumstances right NOW. How does your immediate environment look like right now? Acknowledge that you cannot solve all the problems of the world – at least not by worrying – and focus on what you can do, right now, in areas that you actually can influence (your Self, your family, your workplace, your community). This is empowering and strengthening, especially for young ones, who otherwise tend to absorb the collective “fear and worry vibes” that surround them 24/7 and react with anxiety, withdrawal, denial, distractive and compensating habits/addictions, aggression, depression, eating disorders, self-harming, suicide – the list goes on...

If you live a privileged life, use your freedom(s) to make simple changes and take actions that have a positive impact on your immediate community and thus on future generations. Look around in your vicinity and find out how you can get involved in concrete practical ways (see some ideas below). Focus on what you resonate with, things that uplift your spirits – increase hope instead of fear.
If you live in difficult circumstances and suffer from restrictions, if you feel your energy is drained and you do not have the capacity or ability to actively do something, reach out and ask for support and help. Regeneration, restoration, recovery are primary topics in current times to sustain life on this planet. Being you, finding balance and overall wellbeing is your valuable contribution on this journey! There are more and more people “out there” who feel desperate, lost, alone and forgotten by social networks, but also more and more people who are willing to connect and assist – those two currents just need to meet to form a flowing river…

10 simple steps
for young (and old) ones with anxiety
Taking action and doing things that make you feel empowered and connected to natural vital energies are great remedies for anxiety and support you to overcome feelings of stress and helplessness.
 
1 Plant a tree
Learn about the roles of trees on this planet, why they are so important, how they regulate water absorption and provide clean air, etc. Trees can teach us how to establish and maintain vital networks, integrating and sustaining diversity on all levels. They survive many generations and are key players in promoting vitality and a life-sustaining energy flow.
You can plant trees on private properties, as part of communal or regional planting and restoration projects, on school grounds, public areas – there are many more options and I am sure you will find your ways.
 
2 Clean & protect waterways
Learn about water cycles, what it takes to keep rivers/lakes/oceans clean, look at water sources in your vicinity and assess their vitality/health, etc. Spending time near or in natural water sources has a deeply balancing and healing effect and restores the natural flow of life energies.
 
3 Establish a garden
No matter where you live, you can always establish a garden: on the veranda or inside in pots, at home or at school, on a rooftop or in the basement (micro greens) – the possibilities are endless. There are school and community gardens, gardens in public reserves and parks… Growing a garden is empowering and establishes a close link to and understanding of natural cycles and “things that nurture us”. Dig holes to compost food scraps directly in garden beds (or pots/planter boxes) or wherever you need it and learn about growing cycles, food cycles, etc. This is another empowering and way to directly connect us with key factors and drivers of evolution, with a natural power to grow, regenerate, change, transform.
 
4 Learn about herbal medicine
“We are what we eat”
“He kai te rongoā, he rongoā te kai”
(Māori: food is medicine, medicine is food)
Learn to make tinctures, balms, oils, pesto, medicinal tea blends, herbal steam baths, etc. Boost your immune system with natural homemade remedies and learn what your ancestors used to heal and balance themselves. It is empowering to know basic tools to gain and sustain good health. Young ones love it, and it gives them (and you) practical hands-on knowledge in how to balance, nurture and vitalize your body-mind-soul.
 
5 Spend a lot of time in nature
Immerse yourself in nature, observe and learn about natural cycles (e.g. tidal cycles, seasonal cycles, moon cycles…). As said before, nature recalibrates your body-mind-soul complex: it calms and balances your nervous system, boosts your immune system and reconnects you with vital energies. Time in nature, amongst trees, near or in natural water sources, is very efficient to de-stress and unwind, allowing us to align ourselves to the steady reassuring rhythm of Mother Earth. Meanwhile, there are more and more studies showing the positive effect of “nature experiences” on mental and physical health – confirming what our ancestors knew already for a long time.
 
6 Connect with other animals
Most humans are not only social animals, we are also closely connected to other living beings and their systems – no matter if we are aware of it or not. Connecting with other life forms who have kept their natural balance, e.g. wild animals such as birds, or pets (if they have not lost their natural ways through domestication and captivity), gives a sense of response-ability and focus. In order to experience a deep resonance and connection with other species, you need to slow down, open and calm your senses. This happens naturally and brings us into the present moment. The experience of deep connection between two different species allows humans to let go of anxiety and feelings of overwhelm.
Animals in the wild depend on their ability to calm their nervous systems, e.g. after an attack or fright, in order to be able to function properly. Especially flight animals who are used to be close to humans such as horses or sheep can teach us a lot and help us to deal with anxiety and other issues.
 
7 Cultivate playfulness, fun, laughter
When we play, have fun, laugh, we cannot be anxious at the same time! Being silly, dancing, going wild, joking around… all these things are contraindications of states of anxiety. Often, adults do not allow themselves to go there to retain control and to “keep it together”. Deliberately hold a safe space where playfulness, fun and laughter are stimulated and can be expressed freely.
 
8 Move your body
Anxiety is often described as feeling stuck in a “dark hole”. Movement requires of us to focus on the NOW – otherwise we might tumble. When we move our body in a playful and fun way, our nervous system calms down and stress (anxiety) is released.

Song, music and dance form the healing triangle used in all cultures around the world and by our ancestors to find balance and realign ourselves with life-sustaining rhythms. Here a simple activity: choose fun and uplifting music (African music seems to work well for most people – maybe because we all descended from African ancestors); dance different animals (e.g. elephant, snake, rabbit…); dance the elements (wind/air, water, fire, earth). If possible, dance/move outside, barefoot on the earth. From my experience, children of all ages love this and are able to release tension and stress.
 
9 Drumming
Drumming is another archetypal activity, combining essential factors into a powerful equation: 
action/movement + rhythm + earth connection (grounding) = stability, focus, awareness of self/other
The steadiness and continuity of the rhythm provide a supportive and reliable structure and trigger a deep inner knowing and memories of cohesion and coherence – thus counteracting anxiety and stress.
 
10 Visualisation
Visualisation is used since ancient times to focus and guide mental activity, set clear intentions and to avoid distraction. There are guided imageries and mindfulness exercises that you can follow. You can also make up your own journeys. Visualising comes natural to young ones who are used to role-play, day-dream, create their own stories. Visualisation techniques not only help to calm the nervous system, but can also support us to keep ourselves focused and motivated and to overcome feelings of despair and overwhelm.
 
There are, of course, countless other things you can do – follow your intuition and your “fun receptors” to show you the way. Young ones are usually pretty good at this.
If you are looking for more ideas and concrete examples, you will find some inspiration in my books Dance into an Inner Light (Active Meditations and Guided Imageries for children) and Power Tools for Power Kids (over 350 pages of exercises, techniques, activities, recipes, art projects to maintain a healthy balance and to navigate challenges in life, for various age groups).

In this article I talk about my experiences and offer some guidance for educators, parents, anyone, really, who wants to support young ones to nurture their spirituality.
When we are born, we are a blank canvas and absorb all the colours and energies around us, painting an image that we carry within for the rest of our journey through physical life. Some energies nurture us, feel good, uplift our spirits, others make us feel unwell, tip our balance, harm us, depress our spirits. We have an innate sensor and discernment of what feels life-supportive and what’s life-destructive. As we grow, we observe the culture (human created structures and systems) around us and we are educated (lat. educere = to lead out of) out of our natural state of being and sensing. We are encouraged to adopt the values and beliefs of our family, community, society and rewarded for it. Whenever we question existing principles and parameters, we encounter resistance and often repulsion. In order to be a “good girl” or a “good boy”, a lot of us play according to the rules. We aim to fit in, to avoid conflict, to play along, to succeed, to be rewarded… A few rebel and resist and ask questions – which comes at a cost and they have to weather the consequences. Rocking the mainstream boat isn’t very popular.
 
I still remember the pain and sadness when I first noticed that animals and other life forms weren’t valued and respected the same way as humans in my environment. I fought for the life of our rabbits, my friends, and realized that my father had kept them purely as a food resource, and not because he enjoyed their company and friendship as I did.
At kindergarten I was devastated about the bullying that happened – often supported by the ways the teachers led the learning environment: the “bad guys” were put in time-out and learned that they had to explore things secretly in order to avoid consequences. The “good guys” tried to stay out of conflict, didn’t get involved, looked the other way, etc. The “victims” responded in our innate human response ways: flight, fight or freeze – none of these were getting them anywhere: fight response often led to adult intervention, flight normally wasn’t possible (they had to go to kindi the next day again), and freeze was a potentially dangerous and harmful option exposing them to ongoing harassment . I hated kindi because of that, as I couldn’t bear to see anybody suffering and was afraid to be at the receiving end, too. What I saw around me, both in the adult world and, as a consequence, reflected in the children’s world, made me sad and was deeply painful.
At Christmas I collected the leaflets from various charities that landed in our mailbox and declared that I didn’t want any presents, but instead asked my family and friends to please give all they could to help the children and ill people that were on the cover photos. How could I receive anything, if there were people so much worse off than me!
I suffered when I saw how people treated each other, I also suffered when I saw how people treated animals, plants, life overall. I didn’t understand the harshness, the brutality, the insensitivity. My spirit felt deeply affected each time I experienced something cruel, unfair, disrespectful – and the inactivity of people in my environment. How could they live their lives without addressing all the burning injustices and imbalances first? I felt helpless and overwhelmed and desperately looked for guidance and options. My parents weren’t practising any religion, but I was surrounded by people who followed Christian or Islamic traditions, so I started praying to this god they were mentioning who would come and support those who needed help. I prayed for all the animals, for the trees that were cut down in the forest (I heard them cry), for all the people who were mistreated, sick, not well, suffering… Sometimes, what I saw and experienced almost broke me: people in my village, my father’s life story, people with different abilities that were ridiculed and made fun of, stories I heard in the news or watched on TV, the stories of Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, of my uncle describing reality in Native American reservations… I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a big revolution. Surely someone had to press “pause” and deal with all the injustice and imbalances, before “life as usual” could go on! Why was this not happening? And what could I do? When I spoke to others, some seemed to agree, some not, but almost no one seemed to take action.
I spent my teenage and young adult years campaigning and “fighting” as an activist – however, I am not a fighter and activism drained my energies big time. I longed for spiritual nurturing, for spiritual guidance to put everything in a bigger perspective, to anchor me and to make sense of it all.
 
When I work with young ones (ages 4-17), I often observe a similar longing, similar questions. Some express their needs, worries, fears and feelings clearly, others try to cope and to function within the given structures and systems, suppressing feelings of despair, frustration, and overwhelm. There are various degrees of denial as a coping mechanism. Modern societies haven’t got much to offer to still the hunger for spiritual nurturing and guidance. Religions try to fill the gap, however, they still have to address power abuse and traumatizing actions that happened in the past (and still to this day) in the name of all major religions. Before that happens, they cannot provide a safe spiritual space. Young people often feel this intuitively – and look for other alternatives. New Age and esoteric options are trending. The use of plant and animal medicine, star and divine ascension teachings are trying to show a way to spiritual fulfilment and consciousness. However, as our ancestors waaaay back knew: all these (originally shamanic) pathways are not easy to walk without experienced and conscious guidance and assistance. And many self acclaimed teachers and guides do not have the depths and wisdom to lead others safely – yet. Without the guidance of elders, of wisdom keepers, or – even better – without rediscovering the “direct link” to spirit within oneself, young ones can end up feeling even more vulnerable, overwhelmed and confused in the long run.

In these chaotic times, when humans reclaim their spiritual identity and traditions, it is important to assist young ones to maintain their innate connection to “spirit world” and to rekindle their spiritual awareness, so that they are able to discern what’s “real” and what’s not. So that their senses remain open and they learn to speak spirit language. We are all spiritual beings. When we are born, this is a vital (= life-giving and life-sustaining) part of us. Excluding, suppressing, neglecting or even dismissing the spiritual aspect of life, of us, has drastic consequences. All other aspects of our being – physical, mental and emotional – suffer, if we do not integrate spiritual energies. It affects our vitality, our creativity and our overall balance. The rise of mental health issues, youth suicide, depression, anxiety, obesity, anorexia and other eating disorders, substance abuse, aggression, ADHD, allergies, autism and so many others are a clear indication of a “system overload”: we are mentally, emotionally and physically drained, stressed and overwhelmed. Our nervous systems cannot cope with the continuous pressure and our immune systems cannot maintain physical balance and health. We need practices that restore the balance and release (suppressed) energies out of our systems. By consciously reintegrating spiritual energies and guidance into our lives, we reconnect ourselves to the bigger picture of life, activating vital life-giving energy sources that are at the base of all life. Shamanic practices are at the core of many indigenous cultures and were applied by our ancestors, no matter where we come from. It is time to re-member these life-sustaining practices, and to hold a space for spiritual connection within and without ourselves so that we can share it, once again, with our young ones.

​What can parents do to support the spiritual development of their child(ren)?
If you haven’t grown up in an environment that acknowledged the spiritual aspect of life, you might feel unsure and unconfident as for how to teach your children in this matter. As is true for all things, we can only share what we have experienced ourselves. I recommend that you begin with yourself and start developing a conscious connection to your own spirituality. Explore yourself as a spiritual being. There are many ways to do this – follow the resonance principle, ask your spirit guides, your ancestors, for support and guidance. Set your intention – and the path will reveal itself. Your children can be your teachers! Allow them to show you the way – they often know how to connect to spirit world and share their insights with everyone who is open to observe and to listen. Trees and birds and natural water sources can also be your guides on this journey.
Lie on the earth, walk barefoot through the forest, watch the clouds pass by and the stars at night…
Slow down and hold space. And in due time, you will discover and reintegrate long lost parts of yourself.
Create your own little rituals together with your children. Listen inside, trust yourself and don’t be afraid to go “wrong” – if you follow your intuition and set a pure intention, you will find your own access way to bring spiritual energies into your life. I wrote a whole book to help parents, educators as well as young ones, to get started and to share some ideas and tools to be in-spired – there is so much to be (re-) discovered on this topic.
On your quest it is good to remember that all of our ancestors have had their own spiritual practices and that we naturally are spiritual beings. If you feel “lost”, allow yourself to stop and to slow down. Immerse yourself in nature, ask your spirit guides to show up, connect with your ancestors – and trust that you will be shown the next steps. Also trust that your children will follow their own spiritual path – if their environment allows and supports this!
When we follow natural cycles (e.g. moon cycles, seasons) and align ourselves to vital rhythms, we allow vital energies to flow freely and strengthen not only our physical, mental and emotional resilience, but also our connection to the spiritual realms. And if we (and, as a consequence our young ones) have a strong spiritual connection and awareness, anxiety and the feeling of being lost goes away. Spiritual connection allows us to feel safe and to calm our nervous system. It helps us to move and release (trauma/suppressed) energies and boosts our resilience, overall stability and a healthy balance. A strong spiritual foundation and connection strengthens and guides us from within and is the best gift we can give to ourselves and share with our community.
 
Here are some resources that you might find helpful to explore with your child(ren):
Dance into your Inner Light – book (paperback and ebook)
Dance into your Inner Light – guided imageries with music (instrumental and guided versions)
Power Tools for Power Kids – book (paperback and ebook)

This is a little video I made for some friends and colleagues who work in refugee camps, in war zones, in hospitals around the world. If you like, make yourself comfortable and allow yourself to be calmed by the ocean waves, listen beyond the words and your inner wisdom and knowing will be reflected back at you and (re-) activated ;)

For those who cannot access youtube at the moment for whatever reason, here some notes that I wrote before a Zoom gathering a couple of days ago, illustrating similar thoughts in a different way:
​It is time to re-MIND ourselves and remember our intimate connection to the cycles of our mother, the earth. When we are born we know and feel the intimate link and flow of life energies between us and our mother.
We live and breathe in cycles.
Birth – death – birth…
Life’s nature, OUR nature is cyclical.
As children we know this. It makes sense deep within. It gives us a sense of belonging. I work a lot with children: young ones and within adults. Growing up in Western cultures and societies, children often lose their close connection and innate knowing. About 100 or 200 years ago we more or less successfully tried to create an illusion that we are not dependent on earth cycles and natural laws. That we can control or at least influence them.
​As a child I knew that strawberries only grew in June in our garden, and I was eagerly awaiting “strawberry season”. There was a blueberry month, a mushroom month, an asparagus month… Spring was the time to prepare the garden and plant according to the 100-year-farmers calendar and the moon calendar, summer was berry-time (yay!), autumn was preserving time and mushroom time and juice-making time and grape-picking time, winter was story-time. My mum would sit down for once and knit and tell stories, even my dad found a bit of time to read stories to us. Today I consider myself fortunate that I grew up aligned to these cycles.
Our ancestors knew about natural cycles and their deep interdependence and interconnectedness. Nowadays I meet many people who have forgotten about natural cycles or are not aware how much they influence us and how much life depends on them. Our vitality, our creativity, our fertility, our wellbeing on all levels (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) depends on them. Our ancestors honoured and followed the cycles closely – they knew about the interconnectedness of all life and had ceremonies and rituals to acknowledge this connection.
Growing up in urban settings and in cultures that no longer integrate cycles as an essential part of life has led to a loss of old folk lore. Young ones no longer nurture their innate knowing about cycles. And older ones notice and suffer from the consequences of not living according to natural cycles. Our modern Western (colonised and christianised) culture no longer shares the stories of natural lore and the interconnectedness of all life. It is time to revive our indigenousness, feeling the deep connection to the place we come from, the place we live in... and out of that naturally comes the caring for the place we come from and the place we live in – feeling the togetherness of the world wide web of life, not on screens, but within our hearts and with all our senses.

It is time that we share the stories of our ancestors with our young ones, teach them about vital cycles and life-supportive ways of living aligned with all life forms on this planet and beyond.
It is time that we teach, once again, (young) women about their moon cycles linking their whole being, their fertility, their vitality, their power to create to the moon.
It is time that we teach (young) men to trust their intuition and the guidance of their heart when cultivating the land and relating to each other and other beings.

Inspiration for a regular practise
On Earth day – every day – we can remind ourselves and remember and reactivate what we know deep inside and what is our natural state of being. Go outside, if you can, immerse yourself in nature. If you can’t, sit on your veranda or open the window wide. Feel the sun or rain on your skin. Listen to the birds or to the wind whispering in the trees. If you are outside, lie in the grass and feel the earth… feel her heartbeat…

The birds are the messengers of these times and great teachers. Invite them into your space and let them know that you are open to listen. Let go of expectations… and simply be and allow things to happen… open yourself to whatever will be…

Trees are also powerful teachers and able to assist us to re-establish the connection to natural life cycles. Sit with a tree… open to his/her messages… in whatever form they will show up…
If you don’t have any trees growing nearby, visit them in your imagination… Feel the bark touching your back… feel the flow of their life juices underneath… hear the sound of the wind in the leaves… watch the mesmerising light spectacle when the sun shines through the leaves, painting quivering patterns onto the ground… Allow yourself to sink into tree-time… becoming slower and slower… until you feel the stillness of the forest flowing through you… until you feel the connectedness of all the trees in the forest in your body… feel how you are the forest…

Download the free booklet below in your preferred language (Italian, German and Spanish versions in preparation):