Before starting this meditation, be sure you create the most positive possible environment for the safety and comfort of the child. Find a place that feels very comfortable and private. You may want to have a blanket, a stuffed animal, or something else that will make your child feel welcome. You may want to meditate outdoors in a special place or find a special place in your house that feels nurturing to you.

When you first do this meditation, it's important to keep a few things in mind. Sometimes, even though we have spent most of our lives not being in touch with our inner child, our first attempt will be very easy. The child has been waiting for us and wanting that contact with us. But sometimes the child is not yet ready to trust us, so it may take a little patience. The child may hold back until it knows that you really want this contact and that you're willing to be responsible and consistent with the contact.

When you first do this meditation, trust what comes, trust what happens. If the child is a little reserved or a little hesitant, just give the child time. Keep doing the meditation regularly and you'll find that the contact will continue to increase and become stronger and more positive. For now, though, simply accept whatever happens.

It may be that you'll get in touch with a child who's very emotional, sad, or hurt. Or, you may get in touch with a child who's very playful and wants to be with you and have fun. You may be in touch with the magical aspect of your child, or with the wise child. Accept what comes to you, because that will be the part that's ready to be discovered at this time. As you continue to work with this meditation, you may discover different aspects of the child. Trust your own experience.

Get comfortable, either sitting or lying down. If you're sitting up, be sure your back is supported so you can sit straight. If you're lying down, lie down comfortably, flat on your back. Close your eyes.... Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, relax your body.... Take another deep breath, and as you exhale, relax your body deeper and deeper.... Take another deep breath, and as you exhale, imagine relaxing your body as completely as you can. Your whole body is now completely relaxed....

Take another deep breath, and as you exhale, relax your mind.... Let your thoughts float away; let your mind come into stillness and quiet.... Take another deep breath, and as you exhale, imagine moving your awareness into a deep, quiet place inside of you....

Then imagine that you're walking down that beautiful path to your inner sanctuary.... And as you walk down the path, you feel more and more relaxed, centered, and comfortable. You enter your sanctuary and sense and feel the beauty and comfort of nature all around you....

Take a few moments to get in touch with your sanctuary, to remember some of the details about this place, and to let yourself enjoy being there.... Imagine that you're walking around your sanctuary noticing the various plants and animals, feeling the sun or the breeze, and a little way off in the distance, across the sanctuary, you become aware of the presence of a small child.... As you start to move toward the child, you see or sense whether it's a boy or girl, about how old it is, and what the child is doing....

Slowly move toward the child, and as you get closer, notice how the child is dressed.... Allow yourself to sense how the child is feeling emotionally. . . . Approach the child and make contact in whatever way you sense would be appropriate right now....

Ask the child if there is anything it wants to tell you or wants to communicate to you. It may be in words or it may be in some other way. Allow yourself to receive whatever the child wants to communicate....

Now ask the child what it needs most from you, right now or in your life in general.... Listen to what the child has to tell you, whether in words or in other ways....

Spend a little time being with your child.... Allow the child to guide you in the appropriate way to be with it, whether playing together or simply sitting close or holding each other....

The child has a special gift to give you. Allow yourself now to receive the gift the child has for you.... Continue to be with your child.... Let the child know that you want to be in contact with it as much as you can from now on....

Complete your time together for right now in whatever way feels good for both of you. You and the child have a choice to make. The child can choose to remain there in the sanctuary, in a very safe place inside of you, and you can come to visit the child in your sanctuary. Or, the child can come with you when you leave the sanctuary. Your child will know which way feels best for right now, and it can always change in the future.

If the child is going to stay in the sanctuary, say goodbye for now. Let the child know that you will come back as often as you can, and that you want to know how the child feels and what it needs from you in your life....

If the child is coming with you, take it in your arms or by the hand and start to walk up the path out of the sanctuary. As you walk up the path, feel yourself alive, filled with energy, balanced, and centered....

Become aware of your body in the room, and when you feel ready, open your eyes and come back into the room.

Now that you've gotten in touch with your inner child, it's important to follow through and be consistent in taking care of and being present with this child on a regular basis. You are the parent to your own inner child. It's important to become a conscious, loving, responsible parent to that child. This can be enjoyable for you and for the child, but it also requires some awareness and responsibility on your part. It means that you need to start making some space in your life for that child at appropriate times.

If you're not sure what the needs of your child are or how to best take care of your child, simply ask. The child knows what it wants and what it needs at all times, so cultivate the habit of communicating with the child, asking what it needs, what it wants. Then do your best to give that child the fulfillment of its needs. You can't always do everything the child wants when it wants, but you should include its needs in your life, just as you would with a real child. Make them as much a priority as you can, and you will find that the rewards are great.

Start to think about things that are fun or that are nurturing for the child, and begin to include them in your life in a regular way. Every day, or at least every couple of days, take some time, even if it's just a few minutes in the morning or a few minutes in the evening, and find out what your child likes to do. Get toys the child likes to play with, go for walks, ride a bike, take hot bubble baths, get story books -- things that really feed and nurture your inner child. Of course, the most important thing to the child is love and intimacy, so your child will guide you in finding more contact, closeness, friendship, and love with other people.

It's also important to learn when it's not appropriate to bring your child out. The middle of a business meeting at work is probably not the best time to have your child come out. You can allow your child to stay home and play. Just tell the child that you're going off to work and that you'll be home later on, and that you'll take some time to play then.

Even though these things may feel a little silly at first, they will end up bringing much more balance, harmony, enjoyment, and fulfillment into your life.