Inner Child: Does Our Inner Child Control How We Feel?

For people who are into self development, the term ‘inner child’ could be something they are familiar with. And not only could they be familiar with this term, but they might also feel comfortable with it.

When it comes to people who are not into self development, the whole thing could sound a bit airy fairy. And be seen as yet another reason for them to avoid going into this area or doing any work on themselves.

But while the above could be true, it can also be possible for the people who are into self development to dismiss it and for people who are not, to embrace the whole thing. It is not black and white, and will depend on a whole host of factors.

Location

It is generally said that the inner child resides just above the stomach and this is also the area of the ego. Another way to describe this area is to say that its where ones personal power is to be found. So if one is experiencing challenges when it comes to feeling empowered, this area of their body needs to be looked at.

How stable or unstable one feels emotionally, is also largely defined by what is going on in this part of the body. And recent studies have shown that over ninety percent of serotonin and over fifty percent of dopamine is made in this area.

The Other Brain

To some people this might be a surprise, but if one has a good connection to their body and is reasonably self aware, it might not be. The fact that their gut and not the brain in their head is defining how they feel could be something they have always sensed or known.

So the inner child or whatever one wants to call this part of themselves, is in an area of the body that has incredible power over how they feel. And while the ego is often seen as negative or dysfunctional, in many ways, ones ego is simply an expression of their inner child.

Inner Child

The inner child will be made up of images, sensations, thoughts, beliefs and feelings. And even though it is the area above ones stomach where the inner child resides, its presence can still include other areas of one’s body.

So their chest, lower stomach, hips and muscles for instance, can all contain the memories and feelings of their inner child. But the focal point, in terms of how one feels, will be above the stomach.

Experiences

The kind of experiences that one had as a baby and a child will largely define what ones inner child is like.  So there will be two important factors here, how one was treated during these years and how one interpreted how they were treated.

In astrology for example, it is said that one’s moon sign represents their inner child. So if one is open to this, it shows that it is not just ones caregivers that will have shaped what one was like growing up. It also depends on how one interpreted what happened and this is going be partly influenced by the moon sign that they have.

Childhood

But with ones moon sign put to ones side, it is clear that the kind of experiences that one had growing up will have had an impact on the kind of condition their inner child is in.  Because although one will have physically grown up, their emotional development could have stayed the same and reflect how they felt as a child.

And the child it does reflect is likely to be their inner child. So if ones childhood experiences were generally nurturing and supportive, this inner child could cause very few problems. And yet if one had a childhood was far from nurturing and supportive, then this inner child is going to continually remind them.

Or it might have just been a one of experience that was traumatic and left a mark. And something doesn’t have to be overly traumatic to leave a mark; it could be something that just happened on a regular basis.

Trapped Feelings

And unless someone was around to acknowledge ones feelings and to allow them to be processed, they would have stayed trapped in one’s body. So while one physically grew up, their emotional body ended up staying the same.

One could have had experiences that caused them to feel: ager, rage, grief, sadness, abandoned, rejected, powerless, hopeless, trapped, shame, guilt, burdened, worthless and even of wanting to die.

Disconnected

So years will have gone by and one could easily have become cut off from these experiences. But even though this is the case, things will happen to make one take notice of what needs to be looked at in their body.

One could find that they over react to things that happen in their relationships or that they feel down and depressed for no apparent reason for example. However, if they were to take the time to tune into this part of themselves, they might find that it is calling out to be heard.

Grieving The Past

And while the past cannot be changed, it doesn’t mean that the emotional charge of the past can’t be removed. The emotional pain that one’s inner child is experiencing needs to be faced and released.

As this happens, ones level of emotional development will increase and they will start to let go of their emotional baggage.

Awareness

One can be assisted in this process through the help of a therapist or a healer.  Here, one will gradually get in touch with their trapped emotions and feelings and release them. The time it takes will partly depend on how much of a build up one has and how ready they are to let go.

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Oliver J R Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/