Let's take a moment to get settled into a comfortable position,
On the floor or on a chair.
Just be sure to sit in a way that your spine can be long and upright.
Try to eliminate all distractions.
I think it's very important,
No matter what you may do professionally,
To keep alive some of the healthy interests of your youth.
Children's play is not just kids stuff.
Children's play is rather the stuff of most future inventions.
Fred Rogers.
As we close our eyes,
Breathing in slowly through the nose and exhaling through the mouth,
Taking this moment to slow down,
To relax into this calm and nurturing space.
We all have an inner child.
We might see this inner child as a direct representation of ourselves or as a culmination of the experiences and developmental stages we've grown through.
A symbolic representation of our dreams and playfulness of our youth.
An awareness of our inner child can help us think back to a lighter,
Carefree time.
We all have our own experiences from our childhood.
And for some of us,
We might not associate this time with playfulness and fun.
If we have experienced neglect,
Trauma or other emotional pain,
Our inner child might seem fearful,
Vulnerable and in need of protection.
We may have suppressed this pain deep inside,
Trying to hide,
Trying to protect ourselves.
Hiding this pain will not heal it.
Instead,
It will only resurface in our adult life,
Showing up in times of stress,
Manifesting in fear and anxiety,
Making it difficult to have deep personal relationships and blocking ourselves from our own personal growth.
To begin our healing,
We have to acknowledge the existence of our inner child's embodied presence.
We can all heal the wounds and experiences of our inner child if we are open to exploring this relationship.
Our work to heal our inner child is a process of self-discovery.
An opportunity to unveil and recognize that the pain from our childhood may result in the shadows we are still grappling with today as an adult.
When we acknowledge these traumas,
We are able to understand our actions and emotions on a deeper level.
Without judgment,
We can begin to heal.
If we can trace our feelings back to specific childhood events,
We may understand how similar situations in our adult life may trigger the same responses of guilt,
Shame,
Fear and many other self-defeating thoughts.
When we get back in touch with the wonder and possibilities,
The joy and awe of new and playful experiences through the eyes of our inner child,
Even if we did not receive the nurturing and care necessary,
We can help heal the pain and move forward with our lives with a more joyful and playful outlook.
When we begin to live our lives with a sense of awe and wonder,
Taking time to enjoy the little things,
We can ignite the spark,
Remembering a time when we experienced positive emotions as a child.
Maybe it was the first time we tasted ice cream,
Making our first friend,
Playing with our favorite stuffed animal,
Our first day of school,
Or our first day of summer vacation,
Summer camp,
Our favorite book,
Learning to ride a bike,
Playing in a sprinkler,
Or swimming in a pool of cool,
Refreshing water.
It is never too late to heal.
When we learn to care for,
Listen to,
And nurture our inner child,
We gain a better understanding of our needs.
We can learn to express our emotions in healthier ways,
Developing compassion and love,
Starting with ourselves.
For the remainder of our day and night,
Let us look at the world with the excitement and joy of our inner child.
Let us hold the space to nurture and embrace the pain and trauma we may have experienced.
Let us change our experiences,
If that's necessary,
By being the adult we were searching for back then,
To hold us and hug us,
To love and forgive.
As we bring our attention back to our body and our surroundings,
Bringing our hands to our chest in the prayer position,
Sealing this meditation with respect,
Love,
And light.
Namaste.
