Discover Inner Child Archetypes
which resonate with you?
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Inner Child Work is always spiraling back around into my life.
As a very quiet, serious, introverted (not shy), creative child who preferred her own inner world to the external world, childhood holds some difficult material for me.
I often avoid this work when called to it, but when I engage with the stories I’m always so glad I did.
The JourneyCircle process offers you ways to restore your stories, to find the ones that never were yours to begin with, let them go, and embrace the stories that are authentically yours.
During this spiral of working with all of the various inner children, magical, divine, orphaned, wounded, etc. I was able to (finally) give creative form to my inner children as I know and experience them instead of through the lens of school, society, and family because their story about me wasn’t really my story.
It was more a story of shame and feeling/being different and therefore not as acceptable. But it took a lot of hard work to undo those labels.
Now, I have a council of inner children who are honored and happy, and from here on out, I will be able to contribute in healthier ways to my whole inner being.
Inner child work… hard but worth it.
A brief overview of Child Archetypes and see if any of them resonate with you.
The Wounded Child – is wounded from abuse, neglect, or other traumas suffered in childhood. This archetype, as a child and as an adult, can often have a deep sense of compassion and understanding and sense the wounds of others because she was wounded herself. Spiritually the Wounded Child archetype often acts as an activator for forgiveness. The shadow may be stuck in self-pity, or blame parents for everything real or perceived. The shadow may also continually seek out parental figures even into adulthood, seeking to fill what was left emotionally unfulfilled in childhood, thus never allowing them to grow into self-resourcefulness.
The Orphaned Child – from birth, is kept out of the family circle. This may be actual rejection or simply the overwhelming sense of not belonging to their family. They may be different in temperament: an introvert in a family of extroverts or a dreamer in a family of doers. The Orphaned Child must learn independence early on to survive. Because the Orphaned Child is not part of the family or tribal circle, family influence is far less than normal. Family beliefs, attitudes, and expectations are not powerful factors in her life, and this leads the Orphaned Child to create their own inner reality based on their own lived and intuited experiences. The shadow often deeply longs to belong but has difficulty trusting to the point of pushing others away consciously or unconsciously.
The Magical Child– knows that everything is possible. Often highly gifted and creative, The Magical Child archetype has the ability to perceive the sacred/divine in all things as well as the energetic web of connection that binds all things together. The Magical Child is often very wise and courageous, able to effect change in their world in ways that seemingly defy the ordinary.
The shadow is often a Wounded Magical Child, whose innate belief in the potential of all possibilities was dismissed or ridiculed as pipe dreams, nonsense, childish fantasies, or make-believe. Depression may develop as the belief in miracles is lost, especially when the adult Magical Child loses hope that what they dream of doing and achieving in their life can never become real.
The Nature Child– is deeply in tune with the natural world. They are at home in the outdoors, often possessing an uncanny ability to befriend and communicate with animals and even plants and trees. She may also be intuitively aware of the weather, seasonal changes, and the spirit of the land or particular places. They are constantly collecting rocks, feathers, sticks, and other treasures gleaned from the earth. The Nature Child often has a deep and powerful urge to grow things. The Nature Child is often very sensitive, yet they can also be amazingly resilient, just as nature herself is resilient. The shadow may manifest in abuse or neglect of nature, animals, or even self. This shadow aspect may be more pronounced in our time as those with this archetype may have less and less opportunity to connect with the natural world and that sense of frustration or isolation results in the very opposite behaviors that are part of their essence.
The Eternal Child – revels in the spirit of youth, retaining their childlike wonder and energy throughout life. They have an innocent and carefree aura about them. They often take joy in simple pleasures, enjoy unstructured time, freedom to “play,” and respite from the demands of everyday life. The shadow resists growing up (Peter Pan) and taking on responsibility for themselves as an adult. This archetype may reject societal norms and live a life outside the structure of the adult world. The Eternal Child Shadow may be overly dependent and resist or ignore responsibilities. Stuck in a younger stage of life, the Eternal Child may stagnate or find themselves ungrounded. No longer a child, they drift, unable to grow up and function well in the adult world they reject and avoid.
The Needy Child – Like the Wounded Child and the Orphaned Child archetypes, The Needy Child has suffered neglect in childhood. They live their lives in pursuit of what was withheld, though it may be unclear exactly what that was/is. Thus The Needy Child never feels satisfied, nothing ever quite fills the void or the ache inside them. The shadow often exhibits depression, feelings of low self-esteem, or unworthiness. The Needy Child shadow is self-absorbed, focused solely on his or her own unfulfilled needs, oblivious to the needs of others. The Needy Child makes healthy relationships difficult to achieve.
The Divine Child – is usually recognized early on as having an innate relationship with the Spirit or the Divine. Their innocent, compassionate, gentle nature and essence seem to resonate on a higher energetic vibration than most other humans. Loving-kindness comes naturally to them. They have a special inborn enlightenment, which often draws others to them, seeking instruction or healing. This archetype’s shadow may take the form of the Guru, who deceives or dominates his or her followers, wielding spiritual power in dangerous and inappropriate ways.
Inner child work can be illuminating and life-changing. We all have many inner child aspects. Which ones resonate with you? Can you trace them back to events or relationships in your formative years? Are any a core part of your being? How do you find ways to heal and engage with these parts of Self?
The comments section is a safe and welcoming space to share your insights and experiences.
Comments and conversation are always appreciated and enjoyed, so feel free to let your voice be heard. I read them all and try to respond to each one.
Thank you for reading Hedge Mystic and participating in this vibrant and growing community of creative, spiritual humans. You are always welcome here, appreciated, and loved.
Me: Wounded Natural child, Adult Orphan. Witch.
This has helped me a lot Thankyou!!