Newsletter
Intranet
Junior seminar
Journey with inner child
On a beautiful morning, the juniors from various communities in Visakhapatnam province embarked on a journey to Bangalore and arrived on April 27, 2024. Upon our arrival in Bangalore, the sisters of the community warmly welcomed us with smiles and hugs. We were overjoyed to see each other. On Sunday, Sr. Amala and Sr. Deepa kindly joined us as we visited the Infant Jesus Shrine and St. Mary's Basilica, where we prayed for God's love to strengthen all of us.
We began the sessions the very next day, on the 29th. Sr. Amala and Sr. Deepa introduced us to Sr. Francis Regis SSJC. The session started with a story about a lemon tree. There was a grandfather on his deathbed, repeatedly saying the word "Lemon" to his family members. However, they couldn't understand the meaning behind his words, and unfortunately, the grandfather passed away after uttering the word "lemon". The family eventually decided to leave the house and sold it to a merchant. The merchant, in turn, demolished the old house to build a new one. During the excavation, the workers discovered diamonds and gold. The news of this discovery reached the family through their neighbors, prompting them to claim the land and the treasure within it. It was then that the grandson recalled the last words of his grandfather, mentioning the lemon tree that used to exist there.
The story teaches us that there is a hidden treasure within ourselves that we are often unaware of. It suggests that by digging deep within ourselves, we can discover this precious treasure. The sessions focused on helping us become aware of our inner child, as this is a key step in uncovering the treasure within us.
Sr. Regis guided us through nine exercises, focusing on our spiritual journey. These exercises involved reconnecting with different aspects of ourselves, such as our precious child, vulnerable child, angry child, nurturing child, critical child, protective parent, creative child, playful child, and spiritual child. Through dialogue and reflection, we discovered the suppressed hurts and emotions of our inner child. We were then able to release these pains and past experiences, finding inner peace within ourselves.
Sr. Regis also guided us through a series of relaxing meditations, allowing us to heal our minds, bodies, and spirits. We were led into the chapel, where we were encouraged to fully forgive the wounds within ourselves in the presence of the Lord. To conclude our session, we created "The mandala," a powerful visual representation of our inner child's journey from the womb to the present day. Our time together ended with a healing prayer.
As we said our goodbyes and prepared to leave Bangalore, our hearts were filled with gratitude and a renewed sense of self. The sessions with Sr. Francis Regis SSJC had allowed us to delve deep within ourselves, to unearth our hidden treasures and heal our inner wounds. We left with a greater understanding of our inner child and a commitment to continue nurturing and loving ourselves. The bonds formed with one another and the sisters of the community will forever remain etched in our memories, reminding us of the transformative journey we shared in Bangalore. We departed with a sense of hope and anticipation, knowing that we had taken an important step towards embracing our true selves and living a life of authenticity and peace.
