Many have read much about shamanism and how it pertains to the adult but very little has been shared in regards to how certain aspects of shamanism can be very beneficial to the child.

Looking back, if I knew even some of what I know now it would have been a great help. As I child I was incredibly sensitive, highly imaginative, acutely empathic, faery friendly and terrified of the dark.

I used to clutch my teddy bear (my inner child’s totem of protection) to my heart when I was very sad or frightened. I was fortunate to live in a home of love and safety but other outside influences made an impact on my sensitivity which made me feel very unsafe in the world. I also came from a culture that ‘otherworldy’ things were an intellectual interest but not a practice. As I have said before, imagination is the doorway to the other world. Children have this innately. I like many others lost that connection for a while as I tried to fit into the social roles that I was told were acceptable.

Spirit however had other ideas and I literally slammed into a cosmic wall to wake me up. It wasn’t pleasant, but in hindsight the breakthrough brought me back to the medicine that is authentically me.

When I have been to counseling in the past I have actually had to lead the counselor to my way of working with things. My mind is very strong and analytical  so if I drop my mind, close my eyes, go within and trust what I see and experience I get amazing results that continue to filter through in the weeks, months, years to come.

I have clients that now use what they have been taught with their children. This may be practices like setting up the inner sanctuary, looking inside the body to the upset and removing it, calling on a totem in the sanctuary to help them when they are scared or sad and how to deal with things that go bump in the night etc.

All have come back and told me how much the children loved it and how easy it was for them. You may need to skip the tunnel within the tree and just step through to a different doorway as the tunnel may scare the child or you could fill it full of fairy lights and soft green moss. Be very aware of making every step a safe and nurturing one and always tell the child they can say stop whenever they want. Never force them anywhere not even if you think it’s for their own good.

Imagination is hugely important and should not be shamed or belittled. If imagination is used for a grounding helpful purpose it can lead to deeper connections to the other world and more internal spiritual support.

Recently it was suggested to me to create a story to help a child dealing with issues of abuse and the process of ongoing legal procedures and assessments which can be very on traumatic. As I was writing it, I was thinking that it would have been wonderful to have read things like this when I was little, that were helpful tools of resilience in cased in a story format.

This may be something I will do more of perhaps.

Storytelling is the basis of much learning as most children are brought up being told stories or hearing stories whether than be at school or at home or at a friend’s place. You can create stories yourself. Access your own imagination and get creative. Don’t think about how they might like it, write it for your own inner child and see how it develops.

So I share with you the story of Starry The Fallen Star.

 

Starry.

The fallen Star Girl.

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful magical girl called Starry.

She came into the world and found true happiness.

She had many friends, some were birds, some were tigers and some were faeries, yes she knew all the fairies names off by heart. She loved playing with them all and even though other people did not see them, Starry knew they were real. She could see and feel things others couldn’t.

Then one day something really horrible happened to her and her mum and grandma did everything they could think of to keep her safe.

The king of the land and the people who made the rules did not understand how special hurt children were, and made them do things they didn’t want to do. So many people who cared about these special hurt children were so angry, but they had to be careful not to shout too loud or they would be in big trouble from the king and the people who made the rules. Those that cared found some brave knights and maidens who would not stop fighting till the hurt children were safe, but until they changed the rules there was nothing that could be done.

So little Starry knew that there would be days that she would have to go to places and meet with people she did not like, but she also knew that she would never be hurt on her body again like before because she was bigger now and she knew how to say NO!

This made her feel a bit braver.

She also knew that her mum would always be close by whenever she needed her; her mum was the best mum, who loved her to the moon and back.

Because her name was Starry, she thought that she could easily imagine a star inside her glowing so bright and she wanted to tell all the other special hurt children that they could do it too.

They could all imagine a bright beautiful star inside their tummy glowing so bright that it made her feel warm and safe.

So when Starry saw the other children that she played with and she noticed one was a bit sad or scared she would tell them about the magic star that every child can grow inside of them. She also told them that they could put colours in the star that they loved to make it their own special kind of star glow.

Each nigh as the children fell to sleep or when they had to go somewhere they didn’t want, they would take a deep, deep breath and see the star inside them growing bigger and brighter.

When you saw them from afar they looked like big shiny stars with children inside.

One day the knights and maidens would overthrow the king and change the rules but until then the children would shine their stars brightly no matter what happened.

Starry dreamed that maybe on day she would be a brave maiden and help to change the rules.

But until then, she shone her light so bright and smiled and big starry smile.

The end

Blessings Odette

Ps. The child I wrote it for, loved it.

Copyright(c)Odette Nightsky 2014.