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"I can see lights around you, Mollie! And this is my angel. She is a very good friend to me. She has energy around her, too. Sometimes at school I feel like I am getting sick, if I am around certain girls. My angel taught me how to use my energy to keep their bad influences away from me. Sometimes I dream about things that happen the next day. I used to feel like an alien. Now I have learned that I have gifts—and because of them my life is better." --Lana, an 8-year-old who struggles with poor self-esteem.
Painton's book, Encouraging Your Child's Spiritual Intelligence.
ABOUT THE BOOK
http://www.childrensspiritualintelligence.com/
In her groundbreaking book, Encouraging Your Child's Spiritual Intelligence, Dr. Mollie Painton introduces you, the reader, to spiritual children who give to us an abundance of heart, incredible gifts, and unconditional, compassionate caring. She provides guidelines for adults who may find that they are partnering with these children as they develop their own spiritual intelligence.
"Until I was five, I had a guardian angel that would help me very much. My angel guarded me even at night when I was asleep. When my friends were visiting at my house, she played with us, but they could not see her. I told them about her, but they didn't believe me. When they did not believe me, it made me sort of mad. I felt lonely. My angel looked kind of like a fairy, but she would blend into the house."--Jessica, a 7-year-old dealing with the divorce of her parents.
"I only died for a minute or two and then I came back with the living. Now I am really alive. When I almost drowned, I saw four black ghosts who were bad guys and five good ghosts above the water with a bright light around them. Then I had to say, 'Please, thank you, and I love you,' so that they would let me move up to the good guys. Then the bad guys were gone and I felt safe."--Bobby, a 5-year-old reliving his near-death experience when he nearly drowned at the age of three.
"I miss my dad. I saw him and he looked like Casper. Even though he looked like a ghost he did not scare me. I like it when I see my dad. I see him very often these days. Sometimes he looks like a ghost, and other times he looks normal. When I see him he moves around and around--kind of like flying."--Taylor, 7-years-old, grieving the death of her father after a long illness.
Who are these kids Dr. Painton refers to as spiritual children? These astonishing young individuals grace every country, culture, color, and creed. Blessing us with their presence, they teach us important lessons from their goodness and creativity. Their torches are forever burning--even in the face of darkness and destruction as they unite our global family in hope, freedom, and peace.
Many of you may know them as your own boys and girls, students, clients, church members, or variety of others who enrich your lives. Many more of you will discover that you too, were, and still are at heart, spiritual children.
ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY GIFTED?
A Self-Quiz
The following questionnaire is a brief version of the more complete self-quiz in Dr. Painton's book, Encouraging Your Child's Spiritual Intelligence. This questionnaire presents 14 out of 49 questions available in her book…questions that are based on information from the seven branches of the Spiritual Tree of Life. This information establishes the foundation for gauging children's and adults' Spiritual Intelligence. This questionnaire, while markedly shortened, is for adults to answer, both for your child and for yourself. Which of these characteristics or experiences are about you or your child? Ask yourself the following questions and rate the intensity of your answers as Often (3 points), Sometimes (2 points), or Never (1 point). Answering these questions is not a black and white process. By no means are the results frozen in concrete. Your individual scores are nothing more than a guideline.
I am a clinician who has discovered the spirit world in children's lives. While this questionnaire is hopefully an aid on your journey, I am more than aware of the possible conflict in trying to quantify spirituality. Speaking of the mind's capacity, it may be appropriate to refer to it as having a greater or lesser degree of intelligence. Unlike the spirit, that in and of itself, has insurmountable potential that may not be evident from a questionnaire. In other words there is no real possibility of a finite score. The Spiritual Tree of Life is ripe for expansion!
Before and after reading Dr. Painton's book, Encouraging Your Child's Spiritual Intelligence, take the complete questionnaire. As you absorb the heart-felt stories of spiritual children, and respond to the helpful suggestions within each chapter, your consciousness will expand. You will be amazed at the awareness and wisdom that has been rekindled in you and will be blossoming in your child.
1. Do you feel that you have a special purpose or job to do on earth, such as a teacher, healer, peacemaker?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)2. Do you ever just know without anyone telling you that something is going to happen and then it does?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)3. Do you thrive on connection and belonging, realizing a meaningful relationship to all people despite nationality, color, or creed?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)4. Is it key that we love and support one another as brothers and sisters?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)5. Do you have an ongoing relationship with someone who has died?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)6. Do you have a sense of belonging with those who are grieving?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)
7. Have you had encounters with imaginary friends or spiritual companions, such as angels, elves, fairies, or others?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)
8. Have you ever seen rainbows, lights, or colors around people, had near-death experiences, memories of past lives, or dreams about flying?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)
9. Is the struggle between good and evil very real to you?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)
10. Have you felt, almost from birth, that you were determined to rid the world of evil while promoting peace, and aware of the presence of God or goodness?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)11. In your play (in the past or now) have you been transported out of your everyday awareness?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)
12. Have you found value in expressing your feelings and life experiences through verbalizations, play, art, and others transforming your once troubled world?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)13. Have you journeyed through the "long, dark night of the soul," during times of great loss and turmoil?
Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)14. Did you experience such great transformation, that it was like "death" as a shedding of your old life on the road to spiritual renewal? Never (1 pt.)…Sometimes (2 pt.)…Often (3 pt.)
The higher your score, perhaps the greater your Spiritual Intelligence. Since 42 is the highest possible score, 28-42 is within the gifted range, while 14-27 is an average rating, and anything below 13 suggests that you have little first-hand knowledge of the seven branches of the Spiritual Tree of Life.
As an adult, it's likely that while considering these questions, a memory of your own spiritual child within has been awakened. As you go through the book, you can see how, given encouragement in the form of validation, nurturance, and support, you may be on the verge of rediscovering those precious aspects of yourself lost in childhood.
Your child's score is simply a guideline to help you. Remember, almost all children have some degree of Spiritual Intelligence. However, if your child's score is average or above and he or she seems to be having health, emotional, or behavioral problems, your girl or boy may be dealing with inner or social issues related to misunderstood spiritual gifts. With the guidelines suggested in this book, it's my hope that you, as this child's spiritual partner, may gain the knowledge and understanding to enhance these gifts and support your child's joyful development.
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