The “Inner Child” mythology is usually presented in terms of a wondrous and beautiful being within that we would automatically love and adore.
My encounter with this person inside wasn’t like that. In fact, as it became more experiential than theoretical, I discovered the Inner Child and I were very much at odds. We glared at each other from a distance suspiciously.
The adult taunted, “You’re the kid that your parents rejected! They didn’t like you so why should I?”
While the Inner Child spat right back, “You’re the adult who has screwed up his life. Why would I want to grow up toward you?”
This dynamic was unexpected and troubling. I didn’t know how to interpret it until it I realized it was symbolized in the life and Passion of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was the embodiment of sinless innocence, of divine beauty incarnate, yet He was rejected to the very death. Isaiah wrote:
“He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3).
The Inner Child is not merely “me” at a younger age. It seems to be a self, the Self, the expression of divinity incarnate that is nevertheless rejected and despised by the worldly egoic “me.”
The Inner Child is actually in a sense the Master of this organism, to whom the ego should, and eventually must, surrender its control.
Here is the archetypal conflict, in which some form of crucifixion is predestined and inevitable.
Before the stinks got a hold of it, that cross was a living tree. The way I feel is- before we nail anything down, let's see how it grows first!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate this post today! I am remembered back years ago to finding a folder with all the proofs to my baby portrait tucked away in my Mothers closet. In one picture I am crying in fear and reaching my arms out, in one I look serious and pouting etc. etc...of course the one that was chosen was bright eyed and smiling not the dear one with my hair messed up. I remember gazing into my eyes in all those pictures and feeling them, it was like wow, that is me. It was so hard to conceive of being so small and I went to the dresser mirror and gazed into my eyes to see baby me here now. Anyway, my Mother has asked me to clean and organise her closet today, and I'm gonna find those pics and have a better look!
ReplyDeleteSounds nuts, but hey, you know portrait portals.
Thanks for all the cool ways you give, may we all experience the little bigger picture. :)
Thanks for sharing the cool clips and song friends! 'Returning To Innocence'...:)
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