The concept of the Inner Child has been part of world culture for at least two thousand years. K. Jung called him the “Divine Child”, and E. Fox called him the “miracle child”. Psychotherapists Alice Miller and Donald Winnicott referred to it as the "True Self." Rockell Lerner and other substance abuse researchers referred to him as “a child at heart.” The Inner Child is that part of our psyche that is eternally full of life and strength, creative impulses and pleasure. This is our Real Self - who we really are. As we grow older, we often have to “forget ourselves” in order to survive. We begin to move away from our True Self, although it is always nearby. Sometimes there is a feeling that something is missing in life... Somewhere, deep down, this feeling begins to make itself felt. It is quite possible that this is an indication that your Inner Child is hiding. Do you often get offended yourself or offend your children? When you are offended, do you hide from the world, eating the pain with something tasty? Do you often feel sad or indignant for no reason? Do you have incomprehensible symptoms: it seems like a disease, but it seems like it’s not? Can you say that your vitality is running out? Do you feel guilty when you indulge yourself? Just say “yes” or “no.” If your answer is yes, then these are classic symptoms of a lack of love and a “hidden” Inner Child. Okay, of course, we are adults. We understand that our burden of responsibility and worries is much heavier than the ordinary burden of a child. Now I propose to evaluate the degree of your own internal balance. Without the “baby inside”, harmony is impossible! Have you ever been called a “bore” or a “grump”? Have your children ever told you this? If so, these were probably very wise children! Growing up, we often begin to consider as our own truths what we heard from people who had authority for us - parents, teachers, educators. Books, films and television also play a significant role. It’s good if, with age, we begin to understand more clearly where the information is learned and where it is our own discoveries. Nevertheless, now outdated “programs” are already firmly ingrained in us - they still work in our character, although they no longer bring real benefits. For example, as a child you may have firmly learned that you cannot play with fire, and many years later you suddenly had the idea of ​​sculpting sculptures using a blowtorch. Now you will have to review the old “recording” and get rid of fear and other feelings that prevent you from realizing your dream of doing creativity with the help of fire. What can be considered the main sign of a healthy Inner Child? Harmony. A person with a healthy Inner Child behaves at ease, creatively, playfully and joyfully. He knows how to sincerely laugh at himself and what happens to him. Moreover, such a person is in close connection with what he understands by the word “God”. He feels the Spirit with all his soul. The list could become long, but you probably already get the idea. Remember at least one of your flights on an airplane. Before taking off, the flight attendant gives instructions on how to behave during a crash or other incident on board, she says: “First use the oxygen mask yourself, and then use the child.” During any life's ups and downs, we first take care of ourselves, in order to then fully take care of that most intimate and dear thing in our lives - the child. There are experts who are ready to assert: ... if we managed to penetrate into the innermost feelings of children, we would understand that kids treat all this with true wisdom - yes, they dream of the privileges of adults, but they are still well aware of how unhappy their elders are. Children may not want to grow up at all - they like to be small... Try to communicate with your inner child. Find a quiet, calm place, sit comfortably there, and relax. Once you feel ready, move on to dialogue. Ask mentally what the name is!