Nurturing the Spirit of a Child, with Author, Eva Goulette, Maine

On December 3rd, 2024, Edge Talk Radio welcomed author, spiritual educator, and founder of Dancing Jaguar's Spirit Camp, Eva Goulette from Maine, for an inspiring conversation about nurturing children's spiritual development, building confidence, strengthening intuition, and helping children feel connected to themselves and the world around them.

Eva's journey began after experiencing a traumatic brain injury that led her back to her hometown in Maine. During her recovery, she began receiving what she describes as spiritual guidance about new ways to support children through games, activities, songs, and creative experiences. This eventually inspired her to establish Dancing Jaguar's Spirit Camp, a program designed to introduce children to spiritual practices and help them develop a deeper connection with their inner wisdom.

One of Eva's central messages was that children are naturally open to spiritual experiences. Rather than teaching them to awaken spiritually later in life, she believes we can help them maintain that connection as they grow. By giving children the vocabulary and safe environment to discuss their experiences, adults can encourage curiosity, confidence, and self-expression without judgment or fear.

Throughout the conversation, Eva shared how Spirit Camp introduces children to a variety of spiritual tools and practices in fun, age-appropriate ways. These include meditation, crystals, energy awareness, connecting with nature, spirit animals, and learning to recognize their intuition.

One particularly interesting activity involves using dowsing rods to demonstrate what Eva describes as the human aura, or energy field surrounding the body. She explained that children often understand the concept of personal space but have never considered how far that space might extend. By watching the rods move, children are introduced to her understanding of energy and encouraged to become more aware of how they feel when someone enters their personal space.

Eva also teaches children to pay attention to physical sensations, particularly the familiar feeling in the stomach when something doesn't seem right. She encourages them to recognize these feelings as possible signals from their inner wisdom and to develop greater trust in themselves.

Another important part of Spirit Camp involves connecting with power animals and spirit helpers. Eva shared several stories about children who found comfort and confidence through these experiences. One involved a young girl who was frightened to fall asleep after a family member passed away. According to Eva, learning to call upon her owl power animal helped the child feel protected and overcome her nighttime fears.

She also described a boy who had been experiencing bullying at school. After learning about his lion power animal, he began approaching recess with greater confidence. Eva explained that the change in how he viewed himself helped transform his experience with other children.

A particularly meaningful discussion focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. Eva noticed a significant change in the children attending her camps after the pandemic began. Where she once saw excitement, adventure, and openness to new experiences, she began noticing greater anxiety, uncertainty, and fear of the unknown.

Because of this, Eva has placed even greater emphasis on creating safe, nurturing environments where children can rebuild confidence and learn to trust their own judgment. She believes that helping children regain a sense of personal empowerment is especially important after years of uncertainty and disrupted routines.

The conversation also explored how these teachings benefit adults. Eva now offers Spirit Camp programs for adults, along with teacher training and certification opportunities. She shared how some adults experience unexpected emotional healing through activities originally created for children, including reading children's books that reconnect them with experiences they may have missed growing up.

Eva emphasized the importance of holding sacred space for both children and adults, allowing them to explore their feelings and spiritual experiences without pressure or judgment. Through her teacher training programs, she hopes to bring these tools into more communities and eventually reach children around the world.

Ultimately, Eva's message was about empowering the next generation with confidence, compassion, and a deeper understanding of their connection to themselves, nature, and others. By nurturing children spiritually as well as emotionally and physically, she believes we can help them grow into adults who approach the world with greater love, kindness, and awareness.

What I Learned From Eva Goulette

What stood out to me was the importance of holding sacred space for children, especially after the pandemic. So many experienced additional fear, anxiety, and a loss of control over what was happening in their world. Creating a safe environment where they can explore, learn, and rebuild trust in themselves is so important.

I also loved how Eva physically demonstrates what she describes as children's auras using dowsing rods, giving them something they can see and experience. By helping children connect with nature, spirit guides, and power animals, she is giving them tools to feel supported, build confidence, and recognize that they can seek guidance within themselves. It's about helping children feel empowered and understand that they are never truly alone.

Learn More About Eva Goulette

Website: https://dancingjaguarinspirations.com/

Programs: Dancing Jaguar's Spirit Camp for Kids, Spirit Camp for Adults, and Spirit Camp Teacher Training.

Eva also offers books, activity workbooks, meditation resources, and spiritual education materials for children and adults.