Miscellaneous
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What are Indigo Children?

Wanda Albano
Wanda Albano

The term "Indigo Children" refer to a new generation of people supposedly born with paranormal gifts, including psychic ability and clairvoyance. Believers claim that Indigo Children are the harbingers of the next wave of human evolution.

The idea of Indigo children was first posited by self-proclaimed psychic Nancy Ann Tappe. Claiming that she has the ability to see "auras", she explains that since the 1970's, she has been seeing more and more children born with indigo auras, indigo being the color of the "third eye chakra." The concept was further popularized by the spousal team of Lee Carrol and Jan Tober with the publication of their book, The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived, in 1999. The couple insist that the book was a result of talks with a mysterious entity they called Kyron, a being they describe as a "master angelic energy."

Indigo Children supposedly have psychic abilities.
Indigo Children supposedly have psychic abilities.

Apart from possessing psychic abilities such as telekineses and the ability to read minds, Indigo children are also described as being more in tune with the world, quick to discover their self-worth, and prone to question authority. New Age experts say that these children may often display "old soul eyes," refuse to wait in lines, rebel against ritualized systems that do not require creativity, display antisocial tendencies, and experience "multidimensional awareness."

Clairvoyance is one ability supposedly possessed by Indigo Children.
Clairvoyance is one ability supposedly possessed by Indigo Children.

Many followers of the Indigo children theory assert that the increase of children being labeled with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not a coincidence. They say that most children suffering under these labels are simply misunderstood Indigo children, who are being forced into a societal mold that simply doesn't fit them. They also claim that medicating these children may only exacerbate matters as the children tend to lose many of their gifts — including their high self-esteem and their penchant for creative thought — when made to take prescription drugs.

Followers of indigo children believe that medicating them will do more harm than good.
Followers of indigo children believe that medicating them will do more harm than good.

Scientists, on the other, point out that the claims made by the proponents of the Indigo children theory are unfounded and unverifiable. They also assert that misguided beliefs in this kind of pseudoscience may prove detrimental to the children involved, as psychological and behavioral problems are left largely undiagnosed.

Discussion Comments

anon318191

I personally do not understand all this nonsense about being an indigo child, meaning they have an indigo aura. For starters, there are sections of auras. It's not all just one big thing. Having a larger, indigo like color means that one has a stronger third eye chakra or you're celestial, which may cause a lot of these symptoms, such as a more attuned, higher sense of spiritual activity and being more attuned to the world around you.

I don't think its fair to label a whole generation of one group because of children born with stronger colors. If that's the case, I think it would be only fair to include the rest of colors.

yentlyetta

Jon Ronson, author of such classics as "The Men Who Stared at Goats," discusses indigo children in his 2012 book "Lost at Sea." Ronson must seriously question the state of the human condition considering he only seems to hang out with lunatics.

christym

There is a book called “The Indigo Children” written by Jan Tober and Lee Carroll. In this book, the authors discuss that Indigo Children are not just an American phenomenon. They stated that they have personally seen these type of children on 3 different continents.

They also say that this phenomenon goes beyond cultural barriers. They say that the topic of Indigo Children has escaped mainstream attention because it is considered to be just plain “weird”. To think that we might be seeing a new kind of Human slowly manifesting is just very uncomfortable for a lot of people.

It is a really interesting book. I’m not sure that I have enough information to form my own opinion, but it is a good book.

dill1971

It has been said that indigo children come into the world with an automatic feeling of royalty. Self-worth is not an issue for Indigo children. They are quick to let the parents know “who they are”.

Indigo children often have difficulty with authority. There are some things that they just will not do. Things such as standing or waiting in a line are often difficult for these children. They are easily frustrated with systems that do not require creative thought.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Indigo Children supposedly have psychic abilities.
      By: Evgenia Tiplyashina
      Indigo Children supposedly have psychic abilities.
    • Clairvoyance is one ability supposedly possessed by Indigo Children.
      By: olly
      Clairvoyance is one ability supposedly possessed by Indigo Children.
    • Followers of indigo children believe that medicating them will do more harm than good.
      By: Ermolaev Alexandr
      Followers of indigo children believe that medicating them will do more harm than good.
    • Indigo children may rebel against authority.
      By: Tony Northrup
      Indigo children may rebel against authority.
    • Some purported Indigo children are diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder (ADD).
      By: Ermolaev Alexandr
      Some purported Indigo children are diagnosed as having attention deficit disorder (ADD).