Healing The Inner Child: Resolving Fears Into Wholeness

Welcome,

And thank you for joining me in this space of healing today.

Before we begin,

I want to acknowledge something important.

While today we refer to inner parts of ourselves as the quote,

Inner child,

It's important to remember that there aren't literal children inside of us,

Of course.

The concept of the inner child is a useful,

Imaginative exercise,

A symbol that helps us connect to deeper parts of our emotional experience.

By using the idea of the inner child,

We are tapping into our mind's ability to symbolize and represent our feelings,

Memories,

And relational experiences that are present in the unconscious.

This is a powerful tool that can facilitate deep healing,

Helping us address past wounds and creating lasting change in how we relate to ourselves and others.

Whatever is being rejected or denied in ourselves can be gently accessed by approaching these parts as if they have their own complete perspective on the world and life.

As we embark on this meditative journey together,

Let's hold this practice lightly,

Knowing that by visualizing,

Connecting with this inner part,

We are allowing ourselves to heal and grow and transform on a very deep level.

The details of your visualization are unique to you.

I invite you to welcome whatever arises in your own inner world.

We are creating space for compassion,

Understanding,

And self-love as we use imaginative symbolism as a bridge to the deep peace and healing that is available.

As we begin,

I'd like to give a simple list of 10 ways the inner child might show up in daily life as reactions to life.

You may choose to work with one of these.

Fear of rejection or abandonment.

Anxiety or overreaction when someone doesn't reply or seems distant.

2.

Overreaction to criticism or conflict.

This might be defensiveness,

Anger,

Or shutdown when receiving feedback or facing conflict.

3.

People-pleasing or overcompensating.

Saying yes to things you don't want to do and struggling to set boundaries.

4.

Clinging to familiar,

Unhealthy relationships.

Staying in toxic or emotionally unfulfilling relationships out of fear of being alone.

5.

Emotional reactivity or temper tantrums.

Overreacting to minor frustrations with exaggerated responses.

6.

Perfectionism and fear of failure.

Intense inner pressure to be perfect,

Fear of making mistakes,

Or being criticized.

7.

Difficulty expressing emotions or vulnerability.

Shutting down emotionally or avoiding expressing true feelings.

8.

Overdependence on others for validation.

Seeking approval or reassurance from others.

9.

Avoiding difficult emotions or numbing out.

Turning to distractions such as alcohol,

Food,

Shopping to avoid processing emotions.

10.

Self-sabotage or fear of success.

Undermining one's own success or avoiding opportunities due to fear of success or standing out.

These are common ways the inner child's unresolved emotions and beliefs show up as reactions in our daily lives.

As you take a moment to choose which reaction to work with today.

Relaxing.

Finding a comfortable position.

And closing your eyes.

Take a nice grounding deep breath.

And choose a situation or a response you would like to connect to and explore today.

Allow yourself to fully arrive in this moment,

Letting go of any tension,

Expectations or distractions from before we began together.

Just breathe.

And know that you are exactly where you need to be now.

Now gently bring your attention to that response to explore.

And connecting with this part of yourself,

That younger part of yourself,

The one who avoids difficult emotions and numbs out,

The one who self-sabotages,

Or the part of you that clings to unhealthy people for fear of being alone.

Take a moment to invite this part of you as a forgotten child who has been hurting in this way.

Maybe this is the child who wants to run away from criticism,

Or gets angry and loses his temper.

This part of you may be an image,

Such as an image of a little girl,

A teenage boy,

Or a younger part of any age that feels distant,

Lost,

Or abandoned,

Or angry.

Take a moment to welcome this younger part of yourself,

And simply notice about the age of this child.

Welcoming this part here with you.

As you welcome this part here,

Notice where in the body you experience this part of yourself.

It might be in the body somewhere,

Such as the belly,

Or the chest.

It might be somewhat outside of you,

Such as in front,

Or a little to the one side.

As you visualize this younger version of yourself,

Pay attention to its facial expression.

How does this part look?

Is there tension in its face?

Are there clenched fists,

Or an angry mouth?

Is it curled up,

Or shielding itself,

Perhaps pouting?

Just notice the physical posture,

The energy it holds,

As we allow a moment to be present and welcome this part of you.

Now,

We will be giving a voice to the inner child,

An invitation to speak and express from its own perspective.

Remembering this part has its own complete perspective on life,

Itself,

And the world.

Now,

Gently invite this part of you to speak.

Ask this child,

What is it like for you?

Will you show and tell me what you're feeling?

Allow space for this child to express itself freely.

Allow for patience and compassion.

You can gently ask,

What is it like for you?

Will you show me and tell me what you're feeling?

You can gently ask,

What do you want?

Or,

Show me how it is for you.

Give this child the time and space to share its feelings,

Thoughts,

And fears.

As we create space and offer time for this part,

It might answer in images,

Sounds,

Or feelings.

It might be,

Nobody listens to me.

I'm so frustrated.

The way the part expresses might be feelings.

There might be a heaviness in its chest,

Or a hollowness in its belly,

Or something thick in its throat.

Just asking,

Show me,

How is it for you?

Next,

We will invite space for whatever came up,

To reveal a meaning beneath these feelings.

We will begin to ask gently,

Deeper questions.

Gently ask this part of you,

What is it like for you?

What does this feeling you are holding mean to you?

Show me what this means about the world from this experience for you.

And asking,

What does it mean about the world,

About life?

Perhaps this child believes that it is unsafe to feel bad.

Or that it must fight to get what it wants.

That all efforts are hopeless.

That they can't get what they want.

Or that love isn't available.

As we create space and time for this part to express,

What these feelings mean beneath the feelings,

Allow for silence to listen to what this part has to express.

As we sit here in presence with this part,

We can begin holding the inner child in this space of compassionate awareness.

Imagine connecting with this younger version of yourself,

In whatever way you can.

Perhaps extend a hand and sit here,

Holding their hand in presence and union.

Perhaps give this young one a warm embrace to be held in.

Holding the inner child in compassionate awareness,

You may see a line or a connection from heart to heart.

Surround this one with understanding in this compassionate awareness.

As you are holding or connecting with this younger version of yourself,

Let this part know,

From your deepest heart,

That their feelings are completely valid.

That whatever they have been feeling,

It's okay.

It's okay.

As you connect to this part here,

Let them know,

Of course,

You have felt this way.

It hasn't been easy for you.

Of course,

You have felt this way.

It hasn't been easy for you.

Offer this child the understanding that you know they did the best they could with the tools available to them at the time.

Of course,

You have felt this way.

And you did the best you could at the time.

You might say,

You were doing the best you could back then,

And I see that,

I hear that.

I understand you had to protect yourself in whatever way that you could.

And I'm letting you know now,

It's safe for you to rest.

You don't have to work so hard anymore.

As you imagine being here with this child,

Imagine giving the body language of presence and understanding to this child.

The body language that says,

Rest here with me,

And it's okay.

If this child welcomes this invitation,

Notice and see and feel how their body responds.

Perhaps the shoulders come down a little.

Maybe the jaw or the mouth softens,

The forehead relaxes,

And the eyes relax.

Invite this child to relax in its own way.

Resting here in connected awareness.

Ask this part,

Would you be open to finding out how it can be easier for you going forward together?

Would you be open to finding out how it can be easier for you going forward together?

If the answer is yes,

Gently guide this part of you to a peaceful place,

Opening the space for imagination,

Creativity.

Invite this part of you to a peaceful place.

This might be a meadow,

A quiet beach,

A sunny garden,

Or anywhere that feels safe and calm.

Invite this child to create and imagine this calm place just the way that is best for this part.

Allow this child to relax and rest here in this calm place with you.

And as this scene emerges,

Notice what it feels like to be in a space of beauty and peace.

What does the air feel like,

Smell like,

What sounds can be heard,

What colors are around you,

And textures?

Allow this part to feel the comfort of this place,

Surrounded by nature.

Now returning to the beliefs that we gathered earlier,

Ask the child,

What is the belief you've been holding on to?

What is your story about the world that you carry?

Together in this peaceful place,

Invite this child to look at that story or belief as you gently offer new,

Wide perspectives.

Is it true that it's unsafe to feel bad?

Is it completely true that you are alone in the world?

Or is it completely true that you have to fight to get what you want?

Invite this child to look at that story and gently offer new,

Wide perspectives.

Drawing from the wisdom you've gained through the years of your life,

Offer evidence that these beliefs aren't completely true.

Perhaps what arises is something like,

Love is around us,

Even in tough times.

Perhaps it's something like,

When we release resistance,

Things come more easily.

Or,

What you want is available to you.

Or,

It is safe to feel,

Even when it is a strong feeling.

Allow this truth to come from new,

Wide perspectives,

Gathered from the wisdom you've gained through life,

Allowing natural expressions of love and truth to emerge through your higher understanding that you've gained over the years of your life.

As you share these with this part of you.

As we rest in silence,

Allow time and space for the inner child and yourself to gain and be with this new perspective.

As this understanding begins to integrate,

Invite your inner child to relax and rest in the space of awareness with this new truth.

Invite the part to experience the peace and ease of awareness.

Invite the part to feel the peace and ease of knowing that it doesn't have to carry this burden anymore.

The fight is no longer necessary.

Allow this child,

And invite this child,

To feel the comfort,

Peace,

And serenity of being in this peaceful space,

Knowing that it's okay to rest,

To relax,

And to just be.

Being here,

In this aware presence together,

Simply remaining silently connected in peaceful presence resting,

Relaxing,

Just being.

Now we can invite this child to grow and expand and merge with you in this field of awareness together.

This will happen exactly as it naturally does for you in its own way.

Invite this child to grow and expand and merge with you,

Allowing it to integrate all the wisdom and love that you have gained over the years of your life as you see this part of yourself growing through time from that small forgotten child through time with this peace and ease,

Just being,

Into the adult that you are now.

As this child grows and expands and merges with you in the space of awareness,

All the love and wisdom you've gained throughout your life is now flowing into this child.

Notice how this nourishment by this new perspective integrates,

Flows,

Or releases in and through the body.

Invite the child to merge with you in this present moment.

Allow this integration to happen,

What was once a child becoming one with your present being,

As it brings all the resources,

Strength,

And wisdom from its journey right here and now.

Allow this integration to happen however it does.

Inviting a natural opening,

Relaxing,

Dissolving into oneness together.

Let this inner child know that it no longer has to remain separate from you.

Perhaps even noticing now how it is not separate,

But relaxing,

Opening,

And flowing into the fullness of your being.

This child is no longer lost or forgotten.

It is now part of the whole of you.

Allow this merging to take place in however is letting go of effort,

Gently allowing,

Expanding into oneness together.

Together.

Invite the flow of energy and presence,

The natural presence of awareness to expand in and through your whole being,

Every cell opening to your greater,

Deepest,

Most true nature.

Awareness in and through you and extending through the skin,

Even beyond the skin,

Into all of consciousness.

As this continues,

Feel the peace,

The love,

And the understanding radiate through your entire being,

Wholeness,

Peace.

Slowly begin to bring your attention back to the present moment,

The room,

The body,

Perhaps wiggling the fingertips or the toes.

Notice your body,

The sounds around you,

And the space you're in.

When you're ready,

Take a breath and gently open your eyes,

Being present with this peace,

This natural awareness,

Presence,

Right here and now.

Thank you for taking the time to communicate with,

Invite,

And integrate your inner child.

Now this wholeness is available to you,

Aligned with your present attention,

And as this deepens and integrates throughout the day,

Allow this connection to the wisdom and love that is your true self.

Carry this peace and love throughout the day.

With you throughout the day,

And know that all of yourself is always with you,

And within this space of awareness that extends through all of time,

You are always loved.

You are always safe to be yourself.