Remember that old saying, “Kids say the darndest things” ?  I’m not sure what darndest means, but I think that when adults say this, they’re observing that children say what they see.  Children are intuitive: they see and feel at a deeper level, beneath the surface and without the distraction of the analytical mind.   This is because, until the age of about 7 or 8, when we begin to incarnate into the reasoning self, we all operate from our feeling self, which resides in the heart.  Without the distraction of the reasoning self, intuition isn’t doubted.

As adults in the role of parent, teacher and friend, we can support children in their process of fully incarnating into their feeling self by honoring and nurturing their sensitive nature and intuitive wisdom.  Most of us have a sense of needing or wanting to protect the innocence of childhood.  Part of this comes from our own intuitive knowing of the importance of that time of innocence for the soul’s initial incarnation into the body-mind.  The process of fully incarnating into our feeling self, our heart-space, can be difficult if not impossible in harsh and abusive environments.  Even in a loving home, free of abuse, the sensitivity of the feeling self readily absorbs invalidation and insult: children really “take things to heart.”

We can’t protect our children from every hurtful word, look or thought others will have toward them, and this is not our job.  Rather, we can validate and honor the power of the heart, the wisdom and sensitivity of the feeling self.  This begins with honoring intuition.  Children know more than most are able to recognize.  Intuitive knowing is simple, quick and real.  But our world bombards us with invalidation of intuition:  we are consciously or unconsciously taught that we must have proof for what we know, an explanation, supportive data.  This is really an invalidation of Spirit.  Intuition comes from Spirit: it is the soul’s ability to connect with oneness, universal mind, all-knowingness.

A little girl said to me the other day, “I like your hat.”  I was so tickled because I wasn’t wearing a hat at the time, but I knew what she was seeing.  I had a colorfully noticeable crown chakra.  So I thanked her and asked her what she liked about it.  She replied, “It’s pretty.”  I smiled.  Now, as I think about that interaction, I’m so grateful for this girl and the people in her life that validate and honor her intuition.