In these times of crisis, grief, and uncertainty, children, being sensitive beings, will be especially aware of the pain and confusion surrounding them, though they may not express their feelings directly. When you notice a ripe opportunity to open a space for talking, perhaps after something they say in reference to what is happening in our country and our world, open the space in your heart first, so that truth may prevail in your words.

Acknowledging Feelings
First of all acknowledge their feelings. In one of my favorite books , "Liberated Parents, Liberated Children", by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, the authors stress the importance of accepting children’s feelings:

All feelings are permitted, actions are limited.
We must not deny a child’s perception.
Only after a child feels right, can he think right.
Only after a child feels right, can she do right.

Allowing What Is
Allowing feelings is a beautiful meditation that brings the person, whether adult or child, into a state of peace. When your child knows that you accept him or her unconditionally, as they are, they can mirror that quality for themselves. When you accept “what is”, it cannot stay the same. Your acceptance of it creates a kind of “vibrational hug” around it, and it melts. You cannot try to make this happen, or do this practice so that you will feel better. You cannot fool yourself into peace! Peace comes with a genuine allowing of life as it is, and that means allowing your feelings as they are.

Describing what you perceive the child is feeling, for example, “That can be scary.” or “You really feel angry at what has happened.” can help them feel and express what they feel. But don’t expect or try to make anything happen—remember we are practicing “allowing what is” to be!

It is also important to maintain a sense of normalcy of life. Having fun and enjoying life with your child will go a long way toward creating inner and outer peace.

Yoga To Release Anxiety

The following Kundalini Yoga exercises were given by Yogi Bhajan to adults, and children can do them too, starting with the minimum time. Adolescents and teens can eventually work up to the maximum amount of time.

These movements coupled with the strong breath work on the nervous system. The rapid arm movements activate the meridians in the arms and hands, and help to release old thought and feeling patterns that trigger fear and anxiety. The circled mouth breath is often used to release pent up emotion.

	1. Sit in easy pose with the hands in prayer pose in front of the chest. Then, keeping the hands together, move them downward away from the body and then back up again to the original position. This is a fast, shaking motion done with long, deep breathing. Continue for 1-3 minutes.
	2. Still sitting in easy pose bend the arms at the elbows. Keep the elbows in close to the body, upper arms extend somewhat beyond the shoulder, palms are open and facing the body. Begin bringing the hands in toward the body (without touching it) and then back out again. It is a quick motion, almost like you are fanning yourself. The movement is about 12 inches. Form a circle with the mouth and breath in and out rapidly through the mouth. Continue for 1-3 minutes. 3. This is the same as number 1, except you breathe rapidly in and out through the circled mouth as you did in number 2. Continue for 1-3 minutes.

Healing Our World

Since Sept. 11, I have found myself over and over again coming into a projective state of prayer, but not the kind of prayer that is asking or begging. What I am calling prayer is a practice of consciously creating reality with my vibratory energy. Anytime I forget, I just become aware again that I have the power to choose an energy projection of truth and peace prevailing on earth.

Below are some practices that I have found remarkable in transforming my own consciousness to a higher, more effective level of clarity and peace. I have also noted that often this uplifted energy is "caught" by others, who perhaps just needed a reminder.

Below, in regular type, is the exercise, or practice as given for you as the adult. Each bullet point is followed in bold type by some suggested ways to communicate with your child so that he or she may experience the exercise.

After each exercise, allow a space for the child to talk about what they experienced. Don’t be quick to give advice or explanations. Just let them feel that you are with them, encouraging them to explore their inner self. It may be helpful to be aware of your breath, especially at the beginning of the practice.

• I let myself sink into a state of feeling for all who are suffering, and that feeling extends out to all the world, of which this event of Sept. 11 is a microcosm. I allow the pain, and find that after a while it transforms into something else: a compassionate healing, an accepting of the higher wisdom in this, as all, actions.

"Let’s close our eyes and allow whatever we feel, even if it is sad, or angry, or fearful. If pictures come to you, things that you’ve seen on TV, explosions, people crying, whatever it is—just let it be. It cannot hurt you to let it be. Give yourself permission to feel, and just watch what happens if you don’t block your feelings."

• I extend my prayer field, my energy field, out in front of me, envisioning and creating a world in which this event is resolved in the highest manner. I don't use my rational mind to think of strategies that would resolve it, but create a space—an emptiness that contains all possibilities—in which the Unknown can fully work.

I see humanity at its best, with full awareness of the consequences of it's actions, using this challenge as an opportunity to propel our world into a new way of being. This does not mean that those who are considered perpetrators are not called to account, but I see this happening in the miraculous ways of the Unknown, rather than by ways that can hurt innocents, and create more retaliation.

"Instead of trying to think about all the problems and solutions that are being talked about in our world right now, let’s do something really different. Let’s imagine a big emptiness that stretches out in front of us and goes into the future. That big emptiness is a space in which anything, anything! is possible. Magical things, miraculous things, things no one ever thought about—can all happen in this wonderful emptiness that we are allowing to be there."

• I have the courage to go into the consciousness of a terrorist, feel the pain that was translated into hatred and inflicting pain on others. I feel it pass through me, and I allow it as part of All That Is. Remember, when you accept what is, it cannot stay the same. Your acce ptance of it creates a kind of "vibrational hug" around it, and it melts. I have a sense that these beings are brought into the fold of humanity through the transformation that happens through this compassionate act.

"It takes courage to go into a place inside you where you allow yourself to feel the pain that is inside a person who you don’t like, or who has hurt you in some way. Think of anyone who is like that for you. Allow them into your heart. By accepting a person as they are, even a person who you know as an enemy, that person cannot stay the same. The hate melts and what is left is just a human being in so much pain."

• I trust that the Unknown, the All in All, that is sometimes called God, will unfold the events of the future that will match the vibratory frequency that I, and many others together, are holding and projecting—a sacred space where peace and truth prevail.

"Without even thinking, we trust that we will have another breath, and another, and another, right? Now let’s have that same kind of trust that something good is happening, something that is connecting us with everyone else on our planet. Feel the peace in your heart and connect it up with everyone else—people you know and don't know, and grow that peace so it stretches all around the world."