What Lies Beneath

If you’ve just begun writing or creating art and often find yourself comparing your works to that of Picasso and Hemingway, stop. Is that really useful? Chances are you feel less confident as a result. Instead of checking in with yourself, you’re comparing yourself to others... and that’s not really fair now is it? It’s childlike. When we are young we begin to compare ourselves with standards that are not our own. We have all experienced the thoughts: They’re more successful than I am! They have something that I don’t! or That person has all the luck! As a result, our measure of happiness-- instead of a homeostatic constant from within-- begins to experience constant fluctuation.Instead of experiencing ourselves transparently, our belief systems slowly tether to those comparative cues and fear is allowed to reside from below. Fast forward to adulthood. Is it that the inner child is so attached to an old un-evolved belief system that’s brought them to where they are now? And, as a result, has never been able to see her/himself transparently, and in their own light? Popular modern psychology too often looks at the inner child as a misbehavior. Yet, for our discussion, we’re going to learn how to honor that inner child and offer it the light it needs to illuminate us as adults. Our inner child-- or “divine child” as Carl Jung intimated-- is our emotional body after all. The inner child often faces fear as a result of not being led to understand its true self. Out of fear we:

• Aim for perfection;
• Get lost in the past or future while never experiencing the present;
• Compare ourselves to others instead of being motivated by them;
• Allow resentment and guilt to sit alongside fear.

If your inner child was never handed a compass, you’re not alone. See if you identify with one of the two scenarios below:

1. Playing the good gal or guy, but faking it on the outside.

At the surface, this is the person you encounter who makes you think, Wow, everything is always so good; is his or her attitude too good to be true? Consider a child of a messy divorce who resiliently held everything in as a result of being in the middle of a constant conflict. Rather than having been able to develop coping mechanisms, they were constantly dodging emotional rocks and so developed a strong outer shell. At school everyone thought they were fine, but on the inside, the child was fearful of the next “emotional assault.” What lies beneath to your adult self? Not showing up as the real you because you never had a chance to figure out who you really are, or tending to “flee” when the going gets rough because you were alway caught in the middle. Now you think, Those people have all the luck! because you consider yourself “stuck” not being able to properly express yourself. Dissolving the lie. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and deserving of happiness. If you feel stuck inside, try this exercise: Visualize swimming up to the surface slowly. Once you reach the surface, give yourself permission to look deep down below from where you just swam. Consider the sensations you feel in your body and what they represent to you. Try this visualization two or three times per week for two weeks, journaling the different sensations and what those represent to you. After you’ve done this several times, visualize yourself diving into the water from the surface, effortlessly swimming to the deepest level. Sit there for a moment and see if your sensations have transitioned. What are you learning about yourself? Are those lies that you’ve been telling yourself fading away?

2. Are you clairvoyant or do you have special spiritual gifts you’re afraid to express?

As babies and very young children we are innocent, uncensored and weightless. Many of us possess special spiritual gifts, but often without guidance, we interpret them at a very young age… and, as a result, they remain undeveloped and below the surface. What lies beneath to your adult self?Fear of being different or discussing the intangible. As a result, your very sensitive self may become unwell in both body and mind. This is commonly reported by the many spiritual healers I’ve worked with over the years. Dissolving the lie:

• Replace fear with acceptance and give thanks for your gift over and over.
• Practice using your gift. See how you can create personal healing through flexibility by putting things into motion.
• Consider seeking a mentor who has harnessed the power of personal wellness through accepting and sharing their spiritual gifts.

What lies beneath for you? Are you ready to dive down only to swim back up and thrive in the light? How did you break through your fears? What inner child experiences are you healing through? We want to hear about what works for you!Christine has dedicated her career to helping others understand the science of happiness and its powerful effects on everyday human health by harnessing the power of the epigenetic landscape. She is available for both private and professional consultations. Please contact her here.