Understanding Your Inner Child: Why It Matters
“We nurture our creativity when we release our inner child. Let it run and roam free. It will take you on a brighter journey.”
Nurturing your inner child is a key piece to an epic life. The good times as well as the traumas we may have experienced as a child are all pieces of the puzzle to full integration of our True Self.
You may wonder if the inner child is really a thing. Although it is not a physical entity it is indeed recognized in psychology as a very real part of the human psyche.
What’s more is it is literally a gateway into a more fulfilled life. What I mean by this is the more you acknowledge and understand it the better your life is going to go.
Some of the key terms that embody the inner child are:
- Innocence
- Playfulness
- Wonder
- Awe
- Freedom
- Joy
- Presence
Disconnection with the Inner Child
As adults we may feel disconnected from the inner child that lives within us all.
As you look at the list above you can see that in many aspects of people’s lives they have forgot these ways of being.
Perhaps we ignore it because of a trauma from the past or maybe we just are not aware that it requires integration and acknowledgement so that you can live a balanced adult life.
As we grow up our role shifts and we become adults with responsibilities which is a crucial part of mastering our experience here on earth.
However we must remember the inner child is still within us and can not be ignored.
Well it can but our lives may prove to be much brighter and joyous and dare I say effortless if we allow the grace of our inner child to be seen and heard.
Think about some of the words that represent the inner child like awe and wonder or innocence.
Most adults are not experiencing or integrating these characteristics into their daily life.
In fact there is so much fear, lack and anger in the world that these are typically the autopilot program running for most.
What’s more is many have programs running from child hood that reflect anger, fear and wounds. This can be a reason for certain decisions we continue to make in our adult lives.
And with just a few shifts and an acceptance of the inner child we can see massive changes in our external reality.
If we don’t take responsibility and action to nurture the inner child we may be in an adult body playing out wounded childlike programs.
The interesting thing is that you would think growing up and disconnecting from the inner child would get us further but truthfully the inner child can help us be open to many possibilities and embody courage when tough times arise in our life.
Inner Child & The Archetypes
Within each one of us are many archetypes according to Carl Jung. Most of us are familiar with these main archetypes below:
- The Wounded Child
- The Victim
- The Prostitute
- The Sabateur
The Barriers that Bind Us
You may wonder if your own inner child is suppressed or neglected.
Things like abandonment and abuse have a profound effect on how we view the world, ourselves and others.
It can have us stuck in a childhood pattern well into our adult years.
Examples of such beliefs that turn into patterns could sound like:
- The world is a scary place
- I am worthless
- I can not trust people
- People are out to get me
- Feelings of shame
to name just a few. These generalizations can stem from our child hood trauma patterning.
If a trauma fragments off apart of our child self to hibernate from the world then masks can be developed for protection.
What happens is we then put up a persona or a barrier between us and the world.
We do not embody our authentic self and therefore where masks to protect ourselves from further discord with others.
This is exhausting and damaging to our health.
Imprints from Early Life
Did you know that between the ages of 2-6 you are most like a sponge. Of course in infancy and pre-birth we also soak up the frequencies around us.
At this age range we soak up the values, beliefs and energies around us.
Our brain waves are slower and we are integrating into this physical world.
So through our communities, caregivers, parents, siblings, pre school years these are the most impactful to our experience in life moving forward.
Inner Child Healing
First things first we gotta admit that there is something that needs to be addressed.
We can then be open to connecting with the inner child.
You might find the practice of re-parenting helpful.
Re-parenting is a way to clean up the past by allowing your adult self to nurture the inner child.
For example if you were told you were a nothing burger as a child, and play out that same messaging in your adult life you might try reparenting.
You give to yourself the love and encouragement you never got back then.
You will need to learn how to stand up to the voice within that puts you down or has learned to disassociate with this part of you.
For whatever you were not given you will now be the caregiver to your inner child.
Be proud of yourself as there is nothing to be ashamed about.
- First you accept yourself. You accept your child like innocence you accept your whole self despite what you were told.
- Then you give yourself the attention you deserve with empathy.
- Lastly affirm your worthiness to experience life from a healthy place. Affirm your innate goodness and begin to build your confidence and worth so your life takes on a whole new hue and potential new outcomes unfold for you.
Sometimes seeking out the professional help of a guide can be extremely valuable in recognizing the patterns and integrating the child self.
Inner Child Connection
Another way to tune into the inner child is to do a guided meditation or sit with yourself and simply connect in with the child like self.
Sitting quietly asking to connect and give it the space to show up and share.
You can ask the inner child key questions like, “What do you need? What would you love to do? Or how can I help?”
Affirm to the child self you are always there for it and begin to forge a relationship with your child like self.
You may end up being inspired to do an activity you did as a child or new inspiration will fall upon you. This is the child like self feeling safe to emerge from the depths within.
I also love to do a few rounds of ho oponopono with the child in me. And stretch out your arms to receive this wonderful child like self.
You may also enjoy finding a picture of your young self to remind you of this important connection.
Embrace the child and spend time in this nourishing space.
Benefits of Inner Child Work
When you take time to integrate and nourish the child like self there are so many benefits that can begin to show up.
First and foremost you will be able to feel and identify what needs to be addressed. No longer numbed out you are ready and willing to process the information coming forth.
You may notice more confidence in your self.
Patterns that used to play out like clock work may take a new turn for the better as you feel safe enough to explore life from a fuller, safer dimension.
These practices really help you have more empathy for yourself and others.
You will feel better in your skin and more authentic in your life.
The ability to set healthy boundaries and not go back into self sabotaging behavior is another added benefit.
Not only will your relationships improve but your spiritual evolution will continue.
Summary Inner Child Work
We are powerful spiritual beings and our psycho spiritual self development is crucial to not only our personal path but our collective path as well.
You have the power to reparent your inner child. You can use guided meditations, inner journeying and visualizations or photos to ignite the spark of this connection.
The power is that you can then express yourself in the most authentic way and open up to the possibilities in life that may have not presented themselves before.
Let me know in the comments below how you integrate your inner child or what question you may have about this inner child work post.
“The untreated traumas of childhood become the frustrating dramas of adulthood.”
