Raising Adopted Children…

Raising adopted children is no different than raising your genetic offspring. However I recommend that one should do a few rituals for the spiritual cleansing of the adopted child. Spiritual cleansing is required for every child be it your own or adopted. But in case of an adopted child, it becomes very important. The reason is very simple that often times, we really do not know about the background of the adopted child, his or her biological parents, the circumstances in which it was conceived, and left on his or her own. If one has adopted a child of a relative or a known person, it is still OK to delay the spiritual cleansing ritual, but otherwise, it is advisable to do it as early as you can.

Why is spiritual cleansing so important?

The children at the orphanages or adoption agency offices are often times picked up or brought by someone in a bad shape. These children are in agony. They suffer a lot. Like any other soul, these tiny creations of God are thoroughly traumatized. This trauma leaves them with permanent scars on their soul. Though it is very difficult to remove such scars permanently from someone’s soul, still we can always take a few corrective steps to make the little ones comfortable in our loving arms.

If the parents (guardians) of the adopted child follow a religion, it is recommended that the rituals of that religion be followed. If the parents follow no religion then also there are a few rituals that can be performed to make the child comfortable in his or her new home. This is one ritual that can be followed by all, irrespective of the religion one follows or not, or even if it is your own child and not an adopted one.

Clean the house and swab all the rooms with salt water. Use plenty of yellow color for decoration in the form of flowers, upholstery, rangoli, crockery, or anything that is yellow in color. Yellow color symbolizes pure energy. You may consider lighting candles, using incense sticks for fragrance etc. Put some nice chants, or soothing, flowing music. Cook something nice, a sweet dish is a must have. You always have a sweet dish made for auspicious occasion right?

Bring the baby in the house with utmost love and affection in your heart. For infants, just one drop of salt water is enough. Even if you take a little salt water on a cotton swab, and wipe the palms and soles of the baby with it; it is enough. Please remember that their skin is too tender. They may develop some kind of allergy. So, do not be over enthusiastic in wiping with salt water. Just a little water, and that’s it.

You should keep yourself clean whenever you go near the baby. Make it a habit to wash your hands with soap and water before touching the baby. You may also take a bath with salt water, and rinse with plain water afterwards. While you take the baby for sleeping, make sure that you have enough time to be with him or her. During sleep, the baby can listen to your voice, and can feel your emotions, thoughts. So please talk about good things. Reassure your baby that he or she will have a very comfortable life with you. Such loving thoughts and words will slowly and steadily reduce the trauma scars from the baby’s soul.

The genes are very important for the growth of a child, and so is the environment the baby is being raised. You have no control over the genes of the adopted child, but you do have full control on the environment the baby will live in. Provide the best of sanskaars, the best of education—moral as well as academic. Help the child build a character that will help him or her carve a beautiful life for him/ herself in the later years of life.

I personally believe in spiritual cleansing for myself and my family members on a regular basis. We all have a salt water bath on every Sunday. And I wipe the floor of my house every now and then with salt water. I put morning and evening chants, Mantras and bhajans, and light a lamp (diya) in the morning and evening. It is very important to keep the atmosphere of the house positive and vibrating with golden energy. For this one should always learn to be happy, keep the negative thoughts away, lead a satisfactory and meaningful life, and try to follow certain discipline in his or her life. All these things raise positive vibrations in your home, and you feel happy and content.