THE SIX TYPES of chILDREN

the child

THE MATURE PERSONALITY OF THE CHILD ARCHETYPE NURTURES THAT PART OF US THAT YEARNS TO BE LIGHTHEARTED AND INNOCENT, EXPECTING THE WONDERS OF TOMORROW, REGARDLESS OF AGE. THIS PART OF OUR NATURE CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO OUR ABILITY TO SENSE PLAYFULNESS IN OUR LIVES, BALANCING THE SERIOUSNESS OF ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES. THE BALANCED CHILD IS A DELIGHT TO BE AROUND BECAUSE THE ENERGY THAT FLOWS FROM THIS PART OF OUR PERSONALITY IS INFECTIOUS AND BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS, AS WELL IN OURSELVES. THE CHILD'S MANY ASPECTS INCLUDE THE WOUNDED CHILD, ABANDONED OR ORPHAN CHILD, MAGICAL OR INNOCENT CHILD, NATURE, ETERNAL, DIVINE, AND DEPENDENT CHILD. THESE ENERGIES MAY EMERGE IN RESPONSE TO VARIOUS SITUATIONS IN WHICH YOU FIND YOURSELF, YET THE CORE ISSUE OF ALL CHILD ARCHETYPES IS THE DYNAMIC TENSION BETWEEN DEPENDENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY. YOU MUST LEARN WHEN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, WHEN TO HAVE A HEALTHY DEPENDENCY, WHEN TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF FROM OR OPPOSE THE GROUP, AND WHEN TO EMBRACE IT. EACH OF THE VARIANTS OF THE CHILD ARCHETYPE IS CHARACTERIZED BY CERTAIN TENDENCIES, INCLUDING SHADOW TENDENCIES.

WOUNDED CHILD

THE WOUNDED CHILD HOLDS THE MEMORIES OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND OTHER TRAUMAS THAT WE'VE ENDURED DURING CHILDHOOD. MANY PEOPLE BLAME UNBALANCED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PARENTS THAT CREATED THEIR WOUNDED CHILD FOR ALL THEIR SUBSEQUENT DYSFUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THE PAINFUL EXPERIENCES INHERENT IN THIS ARCHETYPE OFTEN AWAKEN A DEEP SENSE OF COMPASSION AND A DESIRE TO HELP OTHER WOUNDED CHILDREN. FROM A SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE, A WOUNDED CHILDHOOD CRACKS OPEN THE LEARNING PATH OF FORGIVENESS. THE SHADOW ASPECT MAY MANIFEST AS AN ABIDING SENSE OF SELF-PITY, A TENDENCY TO BLAME PARENTS FOR ANY CURRENT SHORTCOMINGS AND TO RESIST MOVING ON THROUGH FORGIVENESS. IT MAY ALSO LEAD US TO SEEK OUT PARENTAL FIGURES IN ALL DIFFICULT SITUATIONS RATHER THAN RELYING ON OUR OWN RESOURCEFULNESS.

ABANDONED/ORPHAN CHILD

FROM LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE AND CINDERELLA TO DOROTHY FROM THE WIZARD OF OZ AND EVEN HARRY POTTER, THE ORPHAN CHILD IN MOST CHILDREN'S STORIES REFLECTS THE PSYCHES OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL FROM BIRTH AS IF THEY'RE NOT A PART OF THEIR FAMILY, INCLUDING THE TRIBAL SPIRIT. BUT BECAUSE ORPHANS AREN'T ALLOWED INTO THE FAMILY CIRCLE, THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP INDEPENDENCE EARLY ON. THE ABSENCE OF FAMILY INFLUENCES, ATTITUDES, AND TRADITIONS INSPIRES OR COMPELS THE ORPHAN CHILD TO CONSTRUCT AN INNER REALITY BASED ON PERSONAL JUDGEMENT AND EXPERIENCE. THE SHADOW ASPECT MANIFESTS IN ORPHANS WHO NEVER RECOVER FROM FEELINGS OF ABANDONMENT, CAUSING THEM TO STIFLE THEIR OWN MATURING PROCESS. AS A RESULT, THEY SEEK SURROGATE FAMILY STRUCTURES TO EXPERIENCE TRIBAL UNION. THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT GROUPS BECOME SHADOW FAMILIES FOR AN ORPHAN WHO MUST LEARN THAT HEALING THESE WOUNDS REQUIRES MOVING ON TO ADULTHOOD.

MAGICAL/ INNOCENT CHILD

THE MAGICAL CHILD SEES THE POTENTIAL FOR SACRED BEAUTY IN ALL THINGS AND EMBODIES QUALITIES OF WISDOM AND COURAGE IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, EPITOMIZED BY THE HISTORICAL FIGURE OF ANNE FRANK AND THE LITERARY FIGURE OF TINY TIM IN DICKENS'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL. THIS ARCHETYPE IS GIFTED WITH THE POWER OF IMAGINATION AND THE BELIEF THAT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. THE SHADOW MAGICAL CHILD MANIFESTS AS AN ABSENCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF MIRACLES AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF EVIL TO GOOD. PESSIMISM AND DEPRESSION, PARTICULARY WHEN EXPLORING DREAMS, OFTEN EMERGE FROM INJURED MAGICAL CHILD WHOSE DREAMS WERE "ONCE UPON A TIME" DEEMED FOOLISH BY CYNICAL ADULTS. THE SHADOW MAY ALSO MANIFEST AS A BELIEF THAT ENERGY AND ACTION ARE NOT REQUIRED, ALOOWING ONE TO RETREAT INTO FANTASY.

NATURE CHILD

INSPIRED BY DEEP, INTIMATE BONDING WITH NATURAL FORCES, THE NATURE CHILD HAS A PARTICULAR AFFINITY FOR FRIENDSHIPS WITH ANIMALS. ALTHOUGH ENDOWED WITH TENDER, EMOTIONAL QUALITIES, NATURE CHILDREN CAN ALSO HAVE AN INNER TOUGHNESS AND ABILITY TO SURVIVE- THE RESILIENCE OF NATURE HERSELF. THEY MAY DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANIMALS (IN STORIES REFLECTING THIS ARCGETYPE, AN ANIMAL OFTEN COMES TO THE RESCUE OF IT'S CHILD COMPANION). MANY VETERINARIANS AND ANIMAL-RIGHTS ACTIVISTS MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ARCHETYPIE IN THE FORM ON CONSCOUS RAPPORT WITH ANIMALS SINCE CHILDHOOD. OTHER ADULTS DESCRIBE BEING IN COMMUNION WITH NATURE SPIRITS AND LEARNING TO WORK IN HARMONY WITH THEM TO MAINTAIN THE ORDER OF NATURE. THE SHADOW NATURE CHILD MANIFESTS IN A TENDENCY TO ABUSE ANIMALS, PEOPLE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

ETERNAL CHILD

THE ETERNAL CHILD, SOMETIMES CALLED THE PUER (BOY) PUELLA (GIRL) ETERNIS, GUIDES US TO REMAIN FOREVER YOUNG IN BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT, AND NOT TO LET PHYSICAL AGE STOP US FROM ENJOYING LIFE. THE SHADOW ETERNAL CHILD OFTEN MANIFESTS AS AN INABILITY TO GROW UP AND EMBRACE THE RESPONSIBLE LIFE OF AN ADULT. LIKE PETER PAN, THE PUER ETERNIS RESISTS ENDING A CYCLE OF LIFE IN WHICH HE'S FREE TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF CONVENTIONAL ADULTHOOD. THE SHADOW PUELLA ETERNIS CAN MANIFEST IN WOMEN AS EXTREME DEPENDENCE ON THOSE WHO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR PHYSICAL SECURITY. SHE BELIEVES THAT SHE CAN'T BE RELIED ON, NOR CAN SHE ACCEPT THE AGING PROCESS.

DEPENDENT CHILD

THE NEEDY OR DEPENDENT CHILD CARRIES A HEAVY FEELING INSIDE THAT NOTHING IS EVER ENOUGH, AND ALWAYS SEEK TO REPLACE SOMETHING LOST IN CHILDHOOD-ALTHOUGH EXACTLY WHAT IS NEVER CLEAR. AS WITH THE WOUNDED CHILD, THIS LEADS TO BOUTS OF DEPRESSION, ONLY MORE SEVERE. THE DEPENDENT CHILD TENDS TO BE FOCUSED ON HIS OWN NEEDS, OFTEN UNABLE TO SEE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS. AS WITH ALL APPARENTLY NEGATIVE ARCHETYPES, YOU CAN LEARN TO RECOGNIZE ITS EMERGENCE AND USE IT AS A GUIDE TO ALERT YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN DANGER OF FALLING INTO NEEDY, SELF-ABSORBED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS.