This inner gingerbread person came about in a rather light and silly manner.  When my students and I were discussing life and death, I would share some of my ideas regarding both, ideas that were informed by personal experience.  The ideas evolved over time, though the drawing did not.  In my effort to suggest that we are all greater than the sum of our parts—and that that greater-ness is actually our Spirit—I would draw a figure of person and draw a little spirit within.  I don’t draw well, and that spirit always ended up looking like a gingerbread person.  And so in my classes, when I wanted to reference their Spirit, I would refer to their inner gingerbread person.  It stuck, and students seemed to like it, so I continue to use it.