Helping My Children Make the Spiritual Exercises Their Own

By Burgen Young

As a child growing up in ECK, my heart recognized and wanted the truth in the ECK teachings, but I was resistant to doing the Spiritual Exercises of ECK. They felt like an obligation, like extra homework. My journey to embracing the spiritual exercises took years.

The Inner Master worked with me at my own pace. I started with open-eyed exercises and worked with waking dreams. Eventually, my efforts led very naturally to greater comfort with contemplative exercises. In time, I came to truly appreciate the upliftment and guidance the spiritual exercises add to my daily life.

Today, as a parent, it is a careful and joyful dance to give my children the opportunity to recognize the treasure of the spiritual exercises, while also respecting their spiritual freedom.

Experience has taught me that my attitude is just as important as theirs. Keeping my heart and inner ears open helps me recognize the opportunities that the ECK lights up for me to offer my children a spiritual exercise. I find that suggesting an exercise works best when done with true acceptance of whatever answer they may give. I listen inwardly and gently watch outwardly for the right time to suggest one. This is an exercise in itself.

We are fortunate to have three copies of The Wonder Within You, by Harold Klemp, in our house. I love how easy this makes it for both my children to browse the contents at the same time, or to find a copy to share if one of the books has been temporarily misplaced. Often, I read the section headings from the table of contents aloud, and each child chooses a topic that interests them. Then I either read the names of the spiritual exercises in that section out loud or pass them the book so they can make their choice.

I then invite my children to close their eyes, and I read the exercise aloud, pausing between each step as they try it.  If needed, I might adapt an exercise for them by saying a different word than what is written or skipping a step. This was especially important when they were younger.

With adults, a spiritual exercise is usually done without anyone helping them visualize it. But a child may not be able to remember all the steps in an exercise or may want the familiarity of their parent’s voice as they try a new exercise. As they grow older and more independent, sometimes my children read and try an exercise on their own. Often, they still ask me to read it aloud as they try it. I am open to doing whatever is needed to smooth the way and encourage them.

Here’s a recent example. At bedtime my younger daughter said she was too wound up to sleep. At first, I was going to ask if she wanted to read, and then I realized an imaginative exercise might be more efficient and effective.  She agreed to try one. Every time this happens, I feel so much gratitude.

I offered her plenty of choices, including the topic, the exercise, to either sit or lie down, and whether to sing a spiritual word aloud or silently. She chose an exercise from the “Balance and Harmony” section of The Wonder Within You, and then we sang HU together.

As I read the exercise, she asked, “Is it OK that I am picturing Wah Z?” I said yes and added that when I did an exercise and imagined Wah Z, I invited Sri Doug to join us. She nodded and closed her eyes to continue the exercise.  I’ve noticed that doing the exercises together like this, one step at a time, makes it easy for my children to ask any questions they have about the exercise they chose and helps them build their spiritual confidence.

I skipped the last paragraph from the book to give my daughter a minute to contemplate.  Then I wished her a good night, and she easily drifted off to sleep. Success!

I continue to be filled with gratitude that teaching my children to do spiritual exercises can be so natural, and for the gift of getting to both help them and witness them making the Spiritual Exercises of ECK their own.