Among spiritual seekers, there’s an idea that many see as a good reason for not using the Enneagram in their practice. That is that we each have a “story,” or narrative, that continuously tells us who we are, what the world is and how we should be in it. The Enneagram of personality is often seen as adding to this story, giving us more content to support our opinions, pre-conceived notions and limiting beliefs about ourselves and others. However, the Enneagram gives us a wealth of insight and without it, an awful lot of our egoic behavior would potentially remain invisible because it is the nature of Ego to be hidden so it can masquerade as our true nature.
The Purpose of Suffering
Many spiritual teachers say there are two paths to awakening: the spontaneous awakening and the awakening that happens as a result of intense suffering. They also say that while the path of suffering isn’t necessary, that’s the one most people end up taking.
What Your Social Circle Reveals about You
One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. —C. G. Jung Take a look at your community of friends. What types do you tend to choose? What types do you tend to
What Your Social Circle Reveals about You, continued
Continued from What Your Social Circle Reveals about You. May I carry my light to the darkness. May I have courage to see what I’ve hidden. May I be open to hearing the unthinkable. May I remember to be kind.
Why Do We Have an Ego, Anyway?
When you look at Ego, it sure seems to be responsible for all the negative stuff in the world. From that personality conflict with such-and-such that drives us to distraction, to genocide and the threat of nuclear war, if you
The Catalytic Cycle of Ego and Reactivity
I learned a term from a friend the other day: catalytic cycle (props, Alisha!). In chemistry, it applies to a process where a catalyst launches a reaction, then the product interacts with the catalyst, which in turn launches a new
Dealing with Difficult People
How can the Enneagram help us deal with the most difficult people in our lives? It happens that I am currently in this situation and I have a few realizations about it to share—if only to remind myself of them