Ellington

America's baby boom generation set out to change the world in the '60s and '70s, and they succeeded. Marching together, they helped stop an unjust, undeclared war and made choice a legal reality for women. They also ushered in an age of increased self-awareness and self-help gurus in an effort to make the closely examined life a life worth living. Many of them, derided as hippies and cock-eyed liberal optimists, found their place in the world by eschewing the moneyed American dream and following their hearts and consciences. Today, their children and grandchildren are on the verge of changing the world yet again.

Called Indigo, Crystal and Rainbow Children, these individuals were generally born into a late '70s world or later, where there has always been a Civil Rights Movement, where the U.S. has never drafted young men to go to war and where there has been unprecedented prosperity for many. It's a world where women are, to an ever-increasing degree, finally seen as any man's equal. They were also born into a world of rampant consumerism and government spin-doctors, neither of which fools them into believing that those all-too-visible constructs are right, true or applicable to their lives. Many Indigos, as they are commonly called, have been raised in heretofore-unknown openness and honesty, where everything can be explored and every subject can be discussed.

Nancy Anne Tappe coined the term "Indigo Children" in the '70s, in her book "Understanding Your Life through Color." Tappe, the psychic 13th daughter of a West Virginian coal miner, suffered from synesthesia, a neurological condition that couples two or more senses. Described on the Scientific American Web site, synesthesia is "an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality. … Synesthetes hear colors, feel sounds and taste shapes."

In Tappe's case, she perceived color through all of her senses. Her condition led her to work with a Jungian therapist for nine years as she tried to make sense of her affliction, and her book was the outcome of her therapeutic work. She described Indigo Children, so called because of the deep blue auras she observed around them, as "Extremely bright, precocious children with an amazing memory and a strong desire to live instinctively … sensitive, gifted souls with an evolved consciousness who have come here to help change the vibrations of our lives and create one land, one globe and one species. They are our bridge to the future."

Indigos seem to have numerous characteristics in common. They are spiritual, sensitive and intelligent; they are able to dive headlong into any number of creative endeavors, find a level of success and move on to the next thing. Some Indigos, proponents claim, are psychic, while others are healers; many are simply unwilling to accept the status quo for themselves. They have difficulty accepting authority, are frustrated with systems that blindly follow ritual and don't require thought or creativity, and they lack patience. They stand up for themselves and generally aren't concerned with what others think of them. This last trait, especially, has Indigos labeled as disruptive and confrontational by teachers and psychologists.

Much of the advice to parents of Indigos is simply good, common-sense stuff: Be honest, don't manipulate, show respect, empower them, and teach them relaxation and meditation techniques. There are numerous Web sites devoted to Indigos; there are books to buy, seminars to attend and support groups for their parents. There are even Indigo summer camps. It's not surprising that there is a growing industry catering to Indigos, which makes money from parents trying to raise their children to understand and express their potential. It seems inevitable that some people will take advantage of these parents, who may be desperate to give their children guidance in a confusing and dangerous world. To be sure, there are people who will jump on any bandwagon if they see a profit in their future.

There are also critics and skeptics, some who believe that Indigo traits are too general and could apply to almost anyone, others who call the kids spoiled brats, and still others who think the Indigo classification is just parents' wishful thinking that dangerously covers Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or even low-level autism. Russell Barkley, a research professor of psychiatry at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse: said in a recent New York Times interview, "All of us would prefer not to have our kids labeled with a psychiatric disorder, but in this case it's a sham diagnosis … There's no science behind it. There are no studies."

All parents want to believe that their children are exceptional, even when raising them is a challenge. For parents of Indigo children, medicating a spirited, inquisitive, self-assured child is an easy way out. "Indigos have an incredible reputation for being … ADD or labeled rebellious because they don't care what you think of them," said Gwen McLellan, co-leader of an Indigo encounter group in Jackson. "They're going to stand up for what they believe." Indigos, she believes, have warrior spirits and as such, may be difficult to control. "You have to allow them a chance to explore unusual phenomena in the world," she said.

Ask any parent, and they'll tell you there are no easy answers. I have to wonder how different my life could have been if my natural enthusiasm, optimism and creativity hadn't been nearly squelched in favor of chasing the almighty buck by my stolid, old-school parents. Nonetheless, I took part in demonstrations against Vietnam and marched down Constitution Avenue in D.C. to support a woman's right to choose—I know that changing the world is possible. But it's still easy for me to be skeptical about things when they don't conform to accepted societal norms, easy to ridicule things like auras and psychic phenomena when they're borne out of new age sensibilities. It may be too easy. After all, no one's ever proven the existence of God to me, either; sometimes things have to be taken on faith alone.

I don't purport to be an expert in either child-rearing or psychology, but in the end, I'm not sure whether the Indigo distinction is worth arguing about. After all, if we can teach our children to trust themselves, if we can give them unconditional love, the support to reach whatever stars they want to catch, and if we can teach them that they can, indeed, change the world, I fail to see that as a negative.

Pablo Picasso said: "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." If using the precepts for raising an Indigo Child can help our children retain their inherent creativity and optimism, maybe they really can be world changers.

Gwen McLellan and Danny Van Vellanburgh hold free Indigo encounters twice monthly at New Vibrations in Fondren. Call 601-573-7827 or visit Indigo Encounters for additional information.