Mystic Mantra: Let your children grow up in joy

Sadhguru: A few hundred years ago, John Wilmot, an English lord, said something significant about parenting: “Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children. Now I have six children and no theories.”

Unfortunately, people have been made to believe that children are born improper and we have to correct them. If you look at parents and children, at least children below 10 years of age are definitely more joyful. So who should be the consultant for life — those who are more joyful, or those who are falling apart within themselves because they do not know how to handle their offspring? Children emulate what you do. If you set an example as someone worth looking up to, you do not have to do much parenting.

Before you decide to have a child, you must evaluate yourself in every aspect — the way you sit, stand, speak and react to situations. Ask yourself, if you were a five-year-old, would you like and look up to this person? Another thing you could do is spend sufficient time with children to see if they like you, and if you like them. This way, a lot of wisdom would blossom and fertility clinics would close down.

If you already have a child, all you have to do is create a loving, supportive and invigorating atmosphere. There is really nothing to teach. What you know about life that the child does not know are just a few tricks of the world — how to survive and how to make a living. These tricks need not be taught to children too early. Right now, when a child enters your life, it is time to learn, not to teach. If they are moving towards danger, exercise your wisdom. Otherwise, children are able to conduct life more joyfully than you. Learn those aspects from them.

You have to physically nourish and mentally ignite children about things. The simplest way is to take them out into nature, where everything, from an insect to a flower, is exciting. If instead you take your children out, make them climb a tree, walk somewhere with them and take them for a swim, the child will grow up physically and mentally healthy.

Nowadays it’s not uncommon to find three-year-old kids glued to the television or smartphone screens. And we don’t know what they are taking in because one moment, somebody is talking about creating a beautiful world, the next moment there is a bombing happening. Every parent needs to think about what they want to expose their children to. The exposure that they have had is what will stick with them for life, not moral teachings.

This may sound extreme, but I think if people want to have children, they should be ready to withdraw with them to a natural space for at least two months in a year, rather than living in cities or apartments. Children need to be in nature if you want them to be healthy and balanced.