This meditation helps you connect with your inner child compassionately.
1998 after my cancer operation, I spent 14 days studying my inner child. I was made aware of her existence – as a psychological and phenomenological reality, and extraordinarily powerful. I learnt that most mental disorders and destructive behaviour patterns are more or less related to this unconscious part of ourselves.
We were all once children, and I learnt at the Hoffman Process that we still have that child dwelling in all of us.
As children, we are very vulnerable. We get hurt very easily. A stern look from our father could make us unhappy. A strong word from our mother could cause a wound in our hearts.
As young children, we have a lot of feelings, but it is difficult to express them, especially before we learnt to talk and express ourselves. We try, and we try. Often our expressions come out in ways that adults have problems understanding.
Sometimes, even if we can find the words, the adults around us can’t hear us, listen, or even allow us to talk. This can be a confusing state of affairs. We have all had times of difficulty as children, and many of us have experienced trauma.
I learnt at Hoffman that we often try to forget these painful times to protect and defend ourselves against future suffering. In my case, I was severely beaten as a child. But I have no memory of it.
But the body does not forget. And I now know that this is how the emotions of resentment, guilt, shame, rejection, separation, and denial develop within us. And if these emotions are not healed they get buried in our cells, and we get ill – we get diseases.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE WOUNDED INNER CHILD?
If we have been deeply wounded as children, it is hard for us to trust and love, and it is hard for us to allow love to penetrate us. I believe that some destructive behaviour like self-sabotage and self-defeating patterns, passive hostility, severe self-destructive symptoms, and dread of abandonment all point to not knowing your inner child.
I know my neediness – for men to validate my existence - originated because I never cared for my wounded inner child.
The Meditation is powerful - it gives you the opportunity to connect with your inner child in a very compassionate way.