Annemarie Roeper often commented that many gifted children have a greater sensitivity to and awareness of that which lies beyond what we perceive and know. Dr. Roeper called this the mystery and felt that many gifted children see themselves as travelers on a more profound journey. Writers who study gifted children often note that they are the ones who ask existential questions – “Who am I?” “Where did I come from?” “What will become of me?” In this issue of Talking Circles I address gifted spirituality and explore its dimensions as observed in gifted individuals.
Expressions of Spiritual Giftedness
Researchers and writers who work with children describe a number of ways that they find and express their spirituality. Robert Coles, in the final book of his eight-volume Pulitzer Prize–winning Children of Crisis series, The Spiritual Life of Children, described children as seekers and as young pilgrims aware that life is a finite journey. Deidre Lovecky describes spiritual sensitivity as precocious questioning and transcendent moments; Tolan describes an individual’s experience of and relationship with a fundamental, nonmaterial aspect of the universe.
In my research and experience, children’s spiritual awareness often expresses itself in one or more of four ways, used here as an organizer to understand how spirituality manifests in gifted students.
Quest
A key characteristic is an early interest in death and what lies beyond. This conceptualization of spirituality as Quest appears when children repeatedly ask about mortality and outcomes, as in the example of a young girl who fixated on a wounded butterfly and continued to question its fate for years.
Journey
Some children conceive of themselves as travelers on a spiritual Journey. One striking example is a two-year-old, Moriah, who, while distraught, described another life with specific places and memories she believed were hers, conveying genuine emotion and grief.
Interconnectedness
Other children describe a deep Interconnectedness with living things and art: an eight-year-old who felt she could communicate with animals, a child who reenacted interactions with a deceased grandparent, and a young pianist who felt music as an expression of his soul.
Transcendence
Spiritual Transcendence appears as intense, transformative experiences of universal connectedness or love. Examples include adolescents feeling transported beyond physical boundaries, children sensing loss with species extinction, or individuals experiencing overwhelming transcendent love.
Supporting Spiritual Giftedness
Parents and educators can assist growth and acceptance of the spiritual dimension by being conscious of and aware of the impact of a child’s spirituality. Below are characteristics spiritually gifted children may demonstrate and approaches to support them.
- They exhibit extreme sensitivity.
- They are often able to think abstractly before having the emotional ability to handle it.
- Young gifted children may ask content-related questions without recognizing the potential emotional impact.
- They may ask questions when adults are not ready or willing to discuss them, yet they need answers.
Children who ask such questions may be discouraged; spiritually gifted children need constant emotional acceptance and reassurance. Despite high-level questions, they may not be questioning matters of faith but trying to make sense of their feelings.
These are approaches parents may use in assisting the spiritual and emotional growth of their children:
- Sense. Become aware of the seeking out of connections and transcendence that children disclose.
- Perceive. Allow time for the child to explore beyond school, lessons, sports, and activities.
- Experience. Reconnect with your own childhood questions to build trust and understanding with your child.
- Reflect. Advocate for and honor your child’s spirituality when others may not understand.
References
Coles, R. (1990). The Spiritual Life of Children. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
Lovecky, Deirdre V. (1998). Spiritual sensitivity in gifted children, Roeper Review, 20:3, 178-183.
Roeper, A. (2010). The Annemarie Roeper method of qualitative assessment. Retrieved from http://roeperconsulationservice.blogspot.com/p/annemarie-roeper-method-sm-of.html
Tolan, S. S. (2007). Spirituality and the highly gifted adolescent. Retrieved from http://www.stephanietolan.com/spirituality.htm
