E 238 Contemplative Kids (+ Christina’s Book Release)

Today we are excited to share that Christina released a book in partnership with Spiritual Directors International called My Spiritual Journey.  

From the SDI Website:

My Spiritual Journey cultivates the practices of deep listening, gentleness, and contemplation, allowing kids to form their own words, pictures, or quiet reflection to cultivate trust with themselves and the Divine.

To order a copy for yourself or those you wish to support spiritually check out

Amazon

Or

SDI Press 

Some of our show notes contain affiliate links. We want to save you the effort of looking up resources + we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.

Transcript

Contemplative Kids

Chris: [00:00:00] Hello. It's great to be with you today. We are talking about contemplative kids, and the reason we are talking about this topic is because Christina published a book with Spiritual Directors International called My Spiritual Journey. Which is a contemplative activity book slash journal that is created and designed to help engage children in prayer.

And so her book went out into the world just a few days ago, so today. We'll be a bit of an interview talking to Christina about this book and the heart behind creating it. And while she's normally a co-host, this will be a bit more like an interview style podcast. So Christina, I know you've been working on this book for years, and so let's just have you take us back to the beginning of why you decided to write this [00:01:00] book.

Christina: Yeah, so hi. It's fun to be in this seat today on our podcast. So I wanna thank our listening community for this space. And yeah, I think I wrote this book for many reasons, but I think primarily it's because to me, communicating with our creator is one of the most exciting and engaging things we can do with our lives.

And so I want to tap into the natural wonder and curiosity that children have. And to come alongside them to develop that in a spiritual sense. And maybe it's just me, but I think too often when we think about prayer, it can seem like something that's not easily accessible. So from a kid's perspective, maybe it's something that adults do in their lives, or someone that's super devoted like the Dalai Lama or the Pope or something like that in a religious profession.

Someone that's a religious leader, and so I wanna change that narrative where kids, number one, look forward to talking to their source their [00:02:00] God, their creator every day, and recognizing that God loves them and cares about what happens at dance class or on the soccer field, and that God wants to be present with them while they do their math homework, and maybe you're struggling or they're attending a festival and celebrating that God is present in all of those things.

And I remember several years ago I was on a retreat and I was reading a book about one of the mystics, and as I read this book, I began wondering about their childhood and I thought who was there to guide them and to foster this connection with God centuries ago, which led me to consider, okay, who are our modern mystics and how do we come alongside other children in our life to foster that sense of wonder and connection again, that I think that's naturally there.

That's a little bit about the origin of why I decided to write this book.

Chris: I love that. I think some key words that sort of popped out to me. As you're talking about [00:03:00] the heart behind why you wrote this book. Curiosity that, and I think kids are just naturally curious. And so leaning into that you used the word accessibility and I think today. It's harder than ever.

I for kids, I believe to have access to spiritual things. And I know there's some people that maybe promote spirituality on TikTok. Or Instagram or the platforms out there, but I think our children are being drawn into at very early ages into this online world. And so I, I love that, that you wanted to create something with accessibility in mind.

And I think also I heard you talk about just whenever you were talking about the mystics, this idea of. Oneness [00:04:00] that our creator is with us all the time and just drawing out that, through this book that, you don't have to go to church or you don't have to I think though all those things are great, but the idea that your creator was with you throughout your day and your ability to engage with him in a journal, I think. I think that's really amazing. 

Christina: Yeah, and I think maybe building off the idea of accessibility, and depending on your situation, but I was recently talking to several different grandparents who have grandkids that are not part of any sort of a faith tradition.

And so perhaps they raised their children in something and then as their children got older, decided that just wasn't for them. And so just this longing to have spiritual language and ways to connect with their grandchildren and not quite sure how to do that because. There's not that shared spiritual language or spiritual community, or even as a parent, I know lots of parents who [00:05:00] are maybe deconstructing their faith, and again, some of the traditions that they grew up with, they've maybe set to the side and are trying to figure out and haven't totally maybe.

Disengaged but aren't fully engaged. And so I think this is a nice way where in our homes and also in our spiritual communities, I'm also saying where spiritual communities are wanting to grow and expand the ways in which we're engaging with the world. And to your point, engaging with young people who.

On a car ride are more likely if we're going on a long road trip, lots of, winter break, spring break, we're more likely to be spending time on subway surfer or watching a movie than maybe an activity book or things like that where when I was a kid we didn't have that sort of thing.

And so I remember like getting excited to get different activity books or I think it was called highlights. And there were different, like fun little things in the highlights that would come to my house. And so I think that's another. Thing that I'm looking for is to try to create some tangible ways that children can actually themselves foster that, but [00:06:00] also to have opportunities with a godparent, an auntie, an uncle, somebody in their spiritual community that cares about their spiritual formation and having some accessible tools for them to engage with that.

And one of the things I like about this book is. There's all sorts of different pages and different prompts with the intention that it will speak differently to different kids. And so several years ago when my own kids were little, I had not this particular book, but a earlier version of this, because I wanted, again, this idea of how do I help my children to find their language in ways that they connect to God.

It was interesting because one kid would really like a particular page and another kid really didn't engage with that page, but really liked a different page. And I love that because within that sort of noticing their personality traits and being able to build off of that. So taking that prompt and then it doesn't have to stay with that prompt, how can we then expand that and have a conversation around that or help to create some more practices or rituals or things like that.

And so yeah, I think I'm excited about the variety that's in [00:07:00] there and exploring that with kids. 

Chris: Oh, that sounds amazing. And you just took me back to my own childhood, bringing up highlights and I know also where's Waldo and, these books that you're actually having to look deep into.

The picture, the image to find, to discover. And so what you're describing through this book, is that process right, of being able to look? I loved highlights. I couldn't, we didn't subscribe to highlights, but I loved going to the doctor's office because the doctor's office always had highlights and I just.

Was immersed in the picture and finding the different things. And so I love that you're wanting to create that with kids in a way that's looking into the spirituality of their lives. 

Christina: Yeah. And I don't remember who first introduced me to journaling, but that's been a practice and a [00:08:00] rhythm for me for decades now.

And I think also the beauty of this is that it's not just you're reading about God or reading about the spirit, but actually journaling, whether that's through pictures or words or whatnot. And one of the beautiful things about journals is that you return back to it. And so we can look back and see how we engaged last season or last year.

Like that. I had mentioned that earlier version of a book that I did. With my kids, and we found it the other day. And so I was looking with my now 15-year-old when she was about nine, she had done this journal and we were reading some of her prompts and it was just very sweet and endearing. And also just, she's different now and if she were to engage in that same activity.

She would say different things or express different things. 'cause she's a very different person than she was when she was nine. And so again, the hope is that we can create rhythms and rituals and create a practice of journaling as well. Whether that, whatever form that looks like again, it doesn't have to be sitting down daily with writing things if that's not your thing, but.

Again, just being in that practice of there's certain rhythms or [00:09:00] times of a year or times of a week or day or something where we're pausing and taking stock of our lives and noticing the ways in which our divine presence is with us.

Chris: Yeah, absolutely. I think the word that really stands out to me or the practice is the practice of return and how important returning to to the different. Things that have shaped us in our life, how important it is. And like you said, sometimes you return to something, you're like, I've moved past that.

And I don't engage. But it was fun to think about what that did in my life, and then also to think about, okay, what new ways do I want to incorporate spirituality and connection. So I really appreciate you highlighting that and bringing it up. 

Christina: Yeah, and I think that maybe speaks to, I recognize this is a book geared towards children, and most children don't have the ability to buy something online by themselves, and so it's going to be an adult in their life.

That, to your [00:10:00] point, Chris, is maybe returning to some of those ideas. But for the kid themself, this is hopefully a chance of discovery and trying something new and recognizing, oh wow, God does care and God is with, and we can expand how we think about God in prayer. And so to your point earlier, this has been, actually if I think about it, it's been decades long of personal practice and cultivation of prayer that has come into this book.

And I remember during my theological studies, I had a kind of a non-traditional theological. Track. But I had a entire semester that was all on prayer and there were eight of us in a cohort from four different countries. And so we represented quite a diverse experience as it related to prayer up to that point in our lives.

And each week for three months, we had a different lecturer who flew in and taught on their specialty. And as part of the program, we spent a certain amount of time in prayer. Each week we had readings, journalings, et cetera. And I remember one teacher in particular who had just a very incredible [00:11:00] impact on me, and he taught on creative intercession and he actually mentored the leader of our cohort.

And so this man was from Brazil. And as part of our curriculum, we had to do these creative journal entries every week, and he would put together these creative prayer times. And I remember one time it was a requirement that we had to go to a two hour prayer gathering for our country. And when you think about, okay, who wants to wake up at eight o'clock on a Friday morning and spend two hours in prayer for the USA?

Yeah. I think it admittedly thinks, conjuress up images of, okay, that's gonna be a long time. How am I gonna feel two hours? Am I gonna fall asleep? It doesn't feel like a very appealing thing when you just put it out there. But it was something for our cohort and then there were several people in our community that it was also a required thing that they were asked to do this 8:00 AM prayer thing.

So there was like at least a hundred people, probably, maybe even 200 people at this prayer gathering. And so I walk in the gymnasium, half [00:12:00] asleep, right? And this man from Brazil had spent the night before creating a map of the USA out of masking tape, and it filled the entire gymnasium floor. And so it literally, each state was formed with masking tape.

And so our two hour prayer time included all sorts of really engaging things. So at one point he invited us to stand on a state in which we were either born or we lived at some point in our lives to pray blessings on the people and the places that we knew. And I remember standing on a certain state and there was like somebody else from the community that also discovered was.

From that state and or somebody that had gone to school in that state. And and so we were able to just name and pray blessings over the state. He also had lists of the various, like representatives and government officials from the states. And so we split up so that all the states were covered and the entire map was filled with these people standing on the masking tape maps, praying for a name for.

The representatives from Hawaii or Maine or whatever it was, and just really thinking, wow, these people serve [00:13:00] our country day to day in Congress and or the mayors or whoever it was on the list. And I wanna tell you, those two hours flew by because it was creative, it was engaging and full of energy. And so that experience has stayed with me all these years later.

That was decades ago. And. Anytime I've had an opportunity to work with young people and kids in a formative way on a consistent basis, I've tried to weave in creativity because again, I want kids to know that communicating with our creator should be one of the most exciting, wonderful things that we do with our lives.

And at one point I was working on a church staff, and when I was working with the little kids, we would do fun things with colors or bouncing a ball and praying for something with teenagers. I remember one time creating this. Prayer space for kids and. We had posters of different pop artists and movies and things like that I knew the kids in our youth group were into.

And we spent time praying. And I remember them walking in the room and thinking like, why is a poster of this person on the wall or this movie? And it [00:14:00] just felt that's my entertainment world and this is youth group at church. Like those two things don't mix. And I wanted to create a bridge of saying no, like actually.

These people influence you and they're humans. They have lives too. And how can we pray for them? And it was just a really engaging prayer time. And so again, I think that all of these experiences that I've had is channeled into this contemplative activity book. And again, this is one book, my hope is to make a series of this, that this would be the first of many books.

And so anyway, that's a little bit more of the background of the why I've created this in my heart, in it. 

Chris: Yeah, I love that. And and I'll just personally, I've been in conversation with a number of people recently and talking about our childhood and talking about faith in our childhood. And a lot of and this isn't everywhere, but I'll just say with the people that I've been talking to, a lot of childhood faith, the important thing was memorization.

And like memorizing certain aspects, whether it's [00:15:00] the, it's scriptures from the Bible, or it's the, the catechesis or, it's whatever it is. Like a lot of emphasis is spent on memorization. And not that that's bad. I'm not gonna say that's bad, but just as a creative person in the world I love what you're bringing in to the world with this contemplative journey.

So thank you for that. 

Christina: I know we're talking a lot about children, but I also just wanna acknowledge adults that would benefit from this too. And just a shout out to the team at Spiritual Directors International, the publishing team that I'm working with. And one of the editors was saying that she can't wait for the book to come out 'cause she wants a copy for herself because I think there's just something in her that desires that child likeness in prayer and maybe freshening up that a little bit.

And and I love that and I think she's right that. This is for obviously kids, but also we're all sort of children at heart, hopefully, or have that childlike aspect and can return to that sense of discovery and wonder. And I, again, I know we're targeting and talking about children, but I think [00:16:00] contemplative kids can hopefully apply to many of us or all of us.

Chris: Yeah, absolutely. I remember we come from the Christian faith tradition and we got our children the Jesus Storybook Bible. And I think there was a time where I that's the Bible that I wanted to read. Not even just with my kids. , I just love the creativity of that.

And so I hear that and what you're saying and that adults could benefit from this as well. 

Christina: Yeah.

Chris: Thank you so much, Christina, for sharing about this book, my Spiritual Journey, and for the story behind why this is making it into the world and your process of writing this. And so again, the book is called, My Spiritual Journey. And you can buy it from Spiritual Directors International for a few dollars cheaper than you would find on Amazon.

But we'll share all those links in the show notes and on our website, the Contemplative Life.

[00:17:00] And now is the part of the podcast where we talk about what we are into. So what are we into? 

Christina: I am into specifically white Christmas tree lights. We went a couple weeks ago and chopped on our tree and sew and have decorated it, and I just love white Christmas tree lights and we have it on the evenings and often because it's colder out.

We've been having fires too. And I will admit there have been many evenings that. I have fallen asleep on the couch because I just love the peacefulness of a candle going and just, there's something calming about the white Christmas tree lights next to the fire in the evenings. And as Chris and my children go to bed, I am maybe up a little bit later reading or writing or doing something and just love that.

So I just really appreciate white Christmas tree lights. 

Chris: Yes, those are lovely. And fires are lovely as well. What I'm into is I it is the, it's the season of [00:18:00] Advent. And so one of the ways that we celebrate it together as a family is listening to music together. And so I've had just a wonderful time over the past couple of days just listening to different Chris Christmas music and songs that resonate with us.

And so me and, some of my kids are going to do some Christmas songs together, and so we've been naming the ones that are meaningful to us and I'm getting out the guitar and working on melody lines and getting out different instruments and just celebrating Christmas with our instrument. So that's what I've been into recently.

Yeah. 

Christina: Yes. And I'll say our one daughter has not played the violin in years and got the violin out last night to do Silent Night or one of the songs. And literally there was dust. She's there's dust on the case. I'm like, yep, because you haven't played it for long. So it was lovely to hear those.

So I'm looking forward to hearing the final product. 

Chris: [00:19:00] Yes, and we're looking forward to the process. So that's what I've been into. Thank you so much for joining us this week, and until next time, make it a great week.