In 2014/2015 I completed an intensive training in The Netherlands in a methodology called “Present Child.” Created by Dutch homeopath Janita Venema out of her own personal journey with her children, it has evolved into a recognized and government-supported therapy in Holland. While it doesn’t necessarily include homeopathic remedies in its application, the understanding beneath it is deeply homeopathic in the definition that “like cures like.” And while the method focuses on the parent/child relationship as the means to healing, it can be applied to any source of discomfort in our lives.
As parents, we love our children dearly and want to heal their complaints. We view them as separate from us and therefore focus on fixing their issues. However the paradigm behind Present Child understands that our children can be quite specific mirrors that reflect old hidden wounds or unresolved areas within the parent that continue to secretly influence their lives. Through their play, behavior, development and physical complaints, our children use a metaphorical language to quite accurately “tell” us about our own unhealed places.
Our children are connected to us in many invisible ways from conception all the way to adulthood. These intimate and invisible connections mean both our strengths as well as our hidden blind spots are affecting them. By “translating” the message our children are trying to give us about these hidden blind spots, we discover and can begin to integrate these lost parts within ourselves.
Once we uncover the meaning behind their presentation, the child no longer needs to keep presenting it; issues can improve and often disappear. The beauty of the method is that not only are hidden imbalances brought to light and allowed to be embraced in a gentle but meaningful way, but both parent and child are enriched. While we love our children beyond anything else, they also love us beyond anything else and willingly (if unconsciously) use their own life to try and illuminate our places of inner darkness.
As I have introduced this method into my practice, sometimes combined with homeopathic prescribing, it has been beautiful to see the healing changes take place in both parent and child – even physical issues have improved and in some cases disappeared. Of course children aren’t the only mirrors in our lives and this method can be applied to anything that is affecting us. And this method understands that certain serious or congenital issues go beyond the scope of physical healing – however even within “incurable” conditions, a loving message can be found and deep healing take place.
The heart of the child
Is like a photographic plate
Without any impressions on it,
Ready to reflect all
That it is exposed to
(Inayat Khan)
Although children are the perfect, “homeopathic” mirrors for their parents, the understanding behind this method is applicable to everyone. While we may not all be parents, we were all children once, growing in a garden that may not have encouraged every part of us to flourish. I invite you to discover the profound lesson where our biggest problems can turn out to be our most precious gifts.
Everything terrible is something that needs our love
(Rainer Maria Rilke)