Ian Parkin is the author of this post.

Indigo People: Seeing The Signs These Children And Adults All Share

Here is a partial list of tell-tale characteristics for Indigo people (which include children, teenagers and adults). 

  • An indigo person is intelligent but may be unqualified, creative and artistic, inquisitive, have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), discontent with status quo, can be depressive, independent, strongly empathetic beings, can be emotional, rebellious nature, anti-totalitarian, seeks meaning, early spiritual development, past life and psychically inclined.

I’ve learned that some indigo people, who came here as forerunners, first appeared about 1700. But the main wave began incarnating from the 1950’s and 1960’s onward.

Here are the traits, characteristics, and personal stories to help you know if you are (or have) one of the tribe.

Indigo People - Quick Links

Children | Adults | FAQs | Stories 

Read All About Indigo People And Their Traits Here

Indigo Children

An Indigo Child (sometimes called Rainbow Children, Starseed Children, and Crystal Children) can show an uncanny ability for the accurate reading of a person and can sense truth and dishonesty. But they are often identified or suspected of having behavioral problems - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) - or are on the Autism Spectrum.

There's a very good chance your child is an Indigo if he/she was born after 1992. About 85% or more of children born in '92 or later, 90% born in '94 or after and 95% or more born now (some even say 99%) are Indigo Children!

An Indigo Child is different with unique characteristics that set them apart from previous generations of children.

Common traits of an Indigo child.

Your indigo child may be destined to be one of tomorrow's psychics and can be recognized by these frequent traits.

  • He or she will have a deep desire to fulfil a purpose in life but may not know what their own life purpose is.
  • Demonstrate an unusual sensitivity to supernatural powers / psychic skills.
  • Are best when they are alone, or outside in nature or with pets.
  • Can be easily frustrated by established systems that block creativity.
  • Show strong attitudes about new world issues such pollution, government corruption, and war.
  • Often think up new ways of doing things at home and at school.
  • Disagrees with hard and fast authority.
  • Have a strong sense of self-worth.
  • On occasion will know that something is going to happen before it occurs.
  • Often knows what you are about to say.
  • Mentions memories from previous lifetimes.

Comments From New Age Experts About Indigo Children

Indigo Children

A Comment from Lee Carroll Co-Author of "The Indigo Children," "An Indigo Celebration," and "The Indigo Children Ten Years Later."

The indigo children are children who are believed to represent a higher state of human evolution. The term indigo itself was generated by a woman (Parapsychologist Nancy Ann Tappe), a synesthete who saw the indigo color as part of her synesthesia. In her 1982 book Understanding Your Life Through Color she wrote that during the mid 1960s she began noticing that a lot of people were being born with an indigo blue aura surrounding them. Today she estimates that 60% of people age 14 to 25 and 97% of children under ten are "indigo."

While no rigorous scientific tests can prove indigo phenomena our beliefs concerning the existence of indigo children vary, with some believing that they have paranormal gifts such as the ability to read minds, however this is not what the authors of the original books have indicated. The original information indicates more conventional traits such as extreme empathy and increased creativity, as well as conceptual thinking as opposed to linear thinking.

The concept of indigo children was later popularized by the 1998 book The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived, written by Lee Carroll and Jan Tober. Tober has said that she and Carroll do not talk much about his supernatural abilities in interviews because they see this as being a potential barrier to reaching a larger level in mainstream audiences that exist outside of the New Age movement.


When she was with Hay House, Doreen Virtue published a book that explored the psyche for the types of indigo children with low self-esteem who had ADHD and offered alternative solutions to Ritalin that were based on her extensive research and interviews with child-care experts, teachers, parents, and the Indigo Children themselves.


When Sandie Bershad was growing up as an Indigo Child she constantly felt at odds with the world and who she knew herself to be deep down. She was treated for ADHD with medication, but in spite of all that, and a two-year depression, she realized her special gifts and is now a successful intuitive coach, creative consultant and pattern disruptor for the rebels, freedom seekers and visionaries of the world. 


Indigo Adults

Many Indigo People Are Psychics

If you are wondering about your own psychic abilities it will be worth running through the checklist that follows.

If you check out strongly too, and you are not yet allowing your special gifts to support you, this may be the encouragement you need to let go of struggle and follow your psychic calling.

Am I An Indigo Adult?Am I An Indigo Adult?

Full list of characteristics for Indigo adults.

Intelligent, creative, inquisitive, short attention span, disaffected, depression, independent, empathy, emotional+/-, rebellious, apathetic, nontraditional, anti-totalitarian, early spiritual path seeker, psychic, past life aware, balanced.

In the list for characteristics of Indigo adults below I’ve included my own answers and experiences so that you may better recognise your own special bond of being an indigo adult.

1 - Intelligent but may be unqualified. 

2 - Creative and artistic. 

  • [Me: I’m not particularly artistic but I’ve been creative in building this website]

3 - Inquisitive.

  • [Me: When being asked to do something I just have to know all the reasons why. And I like to work out how and why things work]

4 - Short attention spans. 

  • [Me: I had a hard time in my school years because I could not bear the repetitious assignments or stay focused long enough for my own good]

5 - Disaffected towards authority.

  • [Me: My disaffected nature was most apparent in early school life. I refused to do homework and was masterful at escaping the confines. Growing up in everyday life I was pretty much unemployable because of my aversion to being controlled by authority figures.]

6 - Depression and feeling helpless.

  • [Me: Although never suicidal or really depressed, I did have feelings of helplessness during genuinely depressing times of my life]

7 - Independent

  • [Me: Always preferred worked alone where possible and shine in leadership positions. While not a team player, I have been a top team builder in the network marketing industry]

8 - Empathy

  • [Me: While having deep empathy for others, there is can be a clash in my not suffering fools]

9 - Emotional

  • [Me: I express emotional sensitivity at times (crying/rage = no emotional shielding) and at other times can be the opposite and show no expression of emotion at all (= full emotional shielding]

10 - Disruptive tendencies to systems they consider broken or ineffective.

  • [Me: This one is not so much me because I feel I'm in the world but not of it.

11 - Apathetic, as in not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive

  • [Me: This fits with my belief that I'm in the world but not of it]

12 - Nontraditional, as in rejection of the traditional American dream (9-5 career, marriage, 2.5 children, house with white picket fence, etc)

  • [Me: Well, being an Englishman in Australia, I didn't ever have an 'American' Dream. But did reject same]

13 - Anti-totalitarian

  • [Me: yes, leave me alone! Happy to live outside the system]

14 - Meaningful Path Seeker

  • [Me: I’ve always resonated with Gandhi’s saying “be the positive change you wish to see in the world”]

15 - Early Interest Of Spiritual Realms

  • [Me: I would contemplate the universe at 7 years of age. I understood my psychic ability at around 20]

16 - Psychic in one way or another with paranormal experiences such as premonitions, seeing angels or ghosts of dead people, out of body experiences, hearing voices etc.

  • [Me: A high level of intuition has led me to providing professional psychic advice and coaching for over 35 years now]

17 - Past Life Aware

  • [Like many indigo peeps, I have long been aware of some experiences in past lives. And therefore have a rock solid knowing of reincarnation and our ever evolving new consciousness.]

18 - Mature with balance developing strong personalities, health and happiness 

  • [Me: Finding balance and maturity came later in life. And very grateful to have had health and happiness always with me]

FAQs About Indigo People

FAQs About Indigo People

This is where you can write in with questions or comments about being, knowing or having an Indigo. So if you are one of our tribe of indigo people don’t hide in the shadows. Shine your indigo radiance here on Psychic-Junkie.com


Who are Indigo adults?

  • Indigo adults are the grown-up generation from a significant wave of indigo children born through the 1950s and 1960s. Indigo Adults, like Indigo Children, possess high intuition, creativity, and empathy. What sets Indigo Adults apart is their ability to navigate societal norms while retaining their unique perspectives and strong sense of purpose. 

What can Indigo adults do?

  • Indigo adults tend to have a significant leaning to more spiritual and metaphysical pursuits. They are often more adept at integrating their nonconformist attitudes in conventional settings, and use their life experiences to foster positive change in a practical, impactful way.

What is a distinctive aspect of the Indigo Child?

  • The distinctive aspect of Indigo Children is their inherent wisdom and maturity, often perceived as being beyond their years. They may struggle with traditional systems, like education, showing a preference for more creative or unconventional ways of learning and living.

What does indigo aura mean?

  • Psychic Nancy Ann Tapp was a synesthete who, in the 1960s, began noticing that many children were being born with indigo auras surrounding them and wrote about human auric fields in her book Understanding Your Life Through Color.

What is a Starchild?

  • Starchild is another name used for the more common name Indigo children. Crystal, Starseed, Old souls are also often used for this same group of special kids. Perhaps a greater depth in awareness of past lives, often with one particular memorable experience, would be the main thing that would separate this group from many Indigos.

What is a Starseed child?

  • A Star seed child is the same as Indigo, starchild, and old soul children.

What is the difference between an Indigo child and a crystal child?

  • There are no real differences between Indigo children and crystal or star children. They are all names used to describe the growing wave of Indigo children being born since the 1950s

What is an indigo empath?

  • Within the main18 indigo traits, an Indigo Empath would be more honed into their sense of empathy thus better able to understand your emotions and feelings than some indigo people.

What does indigo mean spiritually?

  • Indigo is the color of the third eye chakra and signifies clairvoyance. The aura color indigo is one of the 18 defining characteristics of indigo people who are naturally spiritual and often possess psychic and past life awareness.

What does it mean to be an Indigo?

  1. Being an indigo person usually means you have an awareness of your spiritual nature, your higher self, and an underlying drive to find a meaningful life path for this incarnation in the modern world.

How do you know if you're an Indigo Child?

Do Indigo adults have Indigo children?

  • While it is quite normal for Indigo people to birth a new generation of indigo children, it is not at all necessary. An Indigo child will be very aware of self and consciousness in the 'between life' state. And would choose to reincarnate via their new birth family for reasons only they will know.

Is there a pattern with the astrological star signs of Indigo people?


To ask questions, add answers, or comments about Indigo People please use my contact form. Please start the conversation with the heading [About Indigo People].

Or if you're inspired to write an article on this subject please submit a guest post here.


My pick on Indigo People products from Amazon, publishing affiliate may get a commission

The Indigo Children: The New Kids Have Arrived  - by Lee Carroll and Jan Tober 

Indigo Adults: Understanding Who You Are and What You Can Become - by Kabir Jaffe 

Indigo Warrior - A Guide For Indigo Adults & the Parents of Indigo Children - by Lisa Andres

Waking Up Indigo: Personal Stories and Practical Guidance on Spiritual Awakening - by Natha Jay 

Indigo Stories

Guest Posts From Indigo People

Here is a collection of guest posts by Indigo People from around the world. You will find stories about Crystal People, Star Seeds, and Indigo People of all ages and spiritual paths.

Perhaps these insights will help you find a strong sense of purpose or a way to connect with other kindred spirits. You can share your own story and experiences too.

Indigo people who experience a psychic awakening, in today’s predominantly non-psychic society, face much fear and confusion. Peers call us ‘crazy’. Non-psychic people misunderstand us and may chalk-up our psychic gifts to an overactive imagination or lying. Lacking the right direction can result in a disturbing experience for such children, which typically leads to overwhelming stress and depression.

We are all born with varying degrees of psychic abilities. Unfortunately, these innate abilities do not come with a handbook of use. Indigo kids, who are born with highly-developed abilities, adapt to them easily, like learning to walk and talk. Yet, society has its way of conditioning natural psychic abilities out of children. As a result, they may stuff their gifts away and try to forget about them.

However, it is quite common for the psychic awakening to blossom for the Indigo during teen years and as young adults. Without means to master this strange phenomenon that is ‘happening’ you might go into sensory overload. Such events as prophetic dreams, seeing or sensing spirit guides (clairvoyance), hearing voices when no one is around (clairaudience) or feeling other people’s energy, emotions and/or pain (clairsentience) can accelerate stress and anxiety.  

The ideal environment for Indigo kids and/or older children is in an awakened Indigo family. These parents know how to guide and nurture their gifted children. But non-Indigo parents must be careful not to belittle their Indigo teenager who shows signs of psychic ability. Human experience and knowledge is the enemy of ignorance. A young Indigo knowing they are not the only one experiencing psychic awakening will relieve their concerns about being “different”. It may provide great comfort to realize you are willing to help with research about being an Indigo and having psychic abilities.

I hope you will find these guest posts a compassionate resource. They can explain what Indigo People of all ages are experiencing emotionally, provide guidance and direction and show you where to find resources for future skill development. These articles may encourage you to read about psychic development and learn to honor these spiritual gifts. One of the most powerful acts for us is literacy. Reading enriches and enhances life.

Guest Posts From Indigo People



Wiki - Indigo People