The Secret Spiritual World of Children: The Breakthrough Discovery that Profoundly Alters Our Conventional View of Children's Mystical Experiences - Softcover

Hart, Ph.D. Tobin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1930722192 ISBN 13: 9781930722194

Publisher: New World Library, 2003

Synopsis

Many children experience some form of divine union, see visions, or have an inkling of ephemeral truth and wisdom—connections to the spiritual world that they often cannot articulate. If overlooked or ignored, a child's spiritual development quickly fades or disappears entirely.

Tobin Hart, psychologist, professor, and pioneer of the ChildSpirit movement, explains how to recognize and identify children's deep spiritual connections. Children's spirituality is an important part of the development of identity and self-actualization, and recognizing and nurturing this growth process is critical for parents, educators, and therapists. Based on more than ten years of interviews, this book combines startling firsthand accounts of secret spiritual lives, including recollections from adults who have forgotten or repressed such childhood experiences. Dr. Hart's exploration reveals the astonishing complexity of inner spirituality and exposes children's innate ability to access wisdom and knowledge far beyond their years.

Nimbly interweaving insights and practical advice into a body of scientific study, The Secret Spiritual World of Children provides an entirely accessible and practical guide for nurturing the heightened spiritual sensitivity in children and reclaiming it as adults.

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Reviews

Adults too often mistakenly believe that to be considered spiritual a child must understand the tenets of a particular religion. In fact, says Hart, children are far more likely to experience what William James referred to as "personal religion" (an intimate knowledge of God) without any formal religious training. After learning that his six-year-old daughter often saw angels, psychologist Hart embarked upon a five-year study of children's spirituality, an area all but ignored in the annals of child psychology. Defining spirituality as an intimate and direct influence of the divine in our lives, Hart interviewed more than 100 children and adults about their experiences. The inspiring accounts he reports reveal that often independently of, and sometimes despite, their parents, children enjoy rich and rewarding relations with the spiritual side of life. He concludes by proposing that parents encourage spirituality in their children by recognizing them as complete spiritual beings, and he offers parents a "spiritual curriculum" intended to nurture a child's personal power and perspective. Donna Chavez
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Edition details

• Publisher: New World Library
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1930722192
• ISBN 13: 9781930722194
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256