Buried Child

Understand there is a buried child within you.
It is, through no fault of its own,
frightened, hurt, angry and inarticulate.
The key to the art of acting is first,
your ability to make contact with the child-within,
second, understand its needs,
third, nurture its growth,
and fourth, learn how it plays.
To make contact with the child-within
you must realize you do not understand its language.
It is up to you to learn the child-within's language,
not for the child-within to learn yours.
Beneath layers of habitual thoughts and feelings
the child-within remains ignored and unheard.
Create for yourself a space where you can quiet the mind and listen.
This is the beginning, and this is essential. This may take time,
for the child-within is initially suspicious of your intentions. Like with a real frightened child,
only after repeated gestures of warmth, patience and interest,
will the possibility of a creative relationship grow.

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