Another Atwater book: Beyond the Indigo Children: The New Children and the Coming of the Fifth World, 2005. This woman contains a wealth of information. So much so that at times the book seemed overwhelming! It took me quite a few weeks (and a few library renewals) to read it. But it is definitely worth the read. There is lots in there.

Atwater pokes a bit of a hole in the current tendency to name today’s talented, bright and insightful children as “indigo”. She says that true indigo children are actually very rare today, although there will be more of them coming in the next few decades. What Atwater does is to outline current generations of children, and then do some explorations of trends and giftedness among the various groups. Today’s children do not need to be labelled as exceptional as much as they need to be taught and guided in the use of whatever intuitive senses they may have.

Today’s children say, pretend that what you want to be true is true, then fill yourself with God’s breath as you link back to Source. By pretending that you are enlightened, you are. By affirming something as so, it is. To them, their intuitive abilities are an open door to the treasure trove that is the imaginal realm (which is true). They dive in en masse, flocking to the astral without a hint of hesitation but with mixed results. Their “magic” isn’t always that magical.

(p 82)

The categories of generations which Atwater works with are the Millennials (1982-2001), the 9/11s (2002-2024) and the coming Aquarians (2025-2043). She identifies the period between 2013 and 2029 as a time when the US “. . . will face the greatest upheaval in American history.” (p182) “The millennials will be the heavy lifters by then, their signature–tolerance and anger. Many will become soldiers. The 9/11s, haunted by subconscious fears, will follow in a struggle to physically change things.” (p 183)

Another bit of wisdom I gleaned from this book is more distinctions between religion and spirituality. Religions develop, become set-in-stone, vigorously defended, and fought over.

Since “no tree would be so foolish as to fight among its branches,” the belief in exclusivity, of being chosen, negates entirely any such claim. Spirituality, on the other hand, is a personal, intimate experience of omnipresence that returns the province of Deity to the individual. I love the way Reverend Don Welsh puts it: “Spiritual growth is really a process of pushing back the boundaries of our ignorance of God and our own nature, so that we grow into who we already are.” We engage the spiritual directly by doing this. The heart and core of true religion is based on experience, not belief. It is the ultimate human journey beyond the self to the ecstasy and bliss of oneness with the One. (p 88f)

Later in the book, the author returns to this theme. “We are now living in the days where the sacred is being reborn, the true self rediscovered, where spiritual technologies–meditation, prayer, affirmations, visualization, contemplation, worship, philosophy, service, compassion, yoga, dance, music, art–outperform hard logic. Let’s take full advantage of these opportunities while we have a chance, because we will need this grace in the times to follow.” (p 181)

In the midst of severely accelerating changes in our world, there is cause for hope:

Yet for most of us, any thought of darkness threatens our comfort zone; we fear a loss of boundaries and clarity. References to tribulation trouble us even more, as if we are somehow fated to walk the knife’s edge betwixt global war and global climate and Earth changes, each step bringing us closer to destruction. Yes, the worst can happen, but so can the best. By focusing on the light released by uplifting energy, the inspiration we need to convert negatives into positives is revealed. We may not be able to stop the change, but we can alter how they play out and to what extent. Light molds and shapes darkness and gives it the luster of volition, that creative shine only our free will can supply. Diversity is light’s child in that the ability to vary, guaranteed by free will, is what fulfills God’s great plan.

(p 188)

Atwater continues on a positive note as the book comes to a close. “Thus there is no substitute for a grounded, healthy lifestyle, good friends, loving relationships, and a work ethic of sweat, common sense, charity, and service.” (p 203)

If I learned nothing else from the near-death phenomenon, I learned this: Death does not end life, it only changes the perspective by which we view and value life. Believe me when I say that I, for one, am looking forward to what the future holds. (p 178)

I greatly enjoyed working through this book. I learned a lot from P. M. H. Atwater, and would highly recommend this book to anyone out there who wants to understand more fully what is happening in our world today.