Reflections on Projection | Part 3 | Claudio Naranjo’s Ennea-type Symposium 2012 | Brazil

Since my time in Brasilia, I have been mostly reflecting on the concept of evil: What is evil, are corporations evil, are leaders and consultants who work with them evil? I always do that: I reflect on things said even if I don’t agree with them at the time, just to see what’s inside me on that topic that I may not be considering.

Not so long ago (12 years ago to be exact), I didn’t think too much about evil because my mindset was more like this: human beings come into this world neither good nor evil, so if people do “bad” things, there is something where they got distorted early-on. This mind-set is very Twoish, a distortion of reality. Then, a friend of mine who had recently married, then soon divorced, told me that her husband was evil. However, when she shared what she thought was evil about him, nothing she said seemed evil to me. Just to give you a flavor of her comments, she had waited a long time to get married and expected she would marry a highly spiritual person who would engage with her in a spiritually-based marriage. Her complaint was that he was rather common and boring, and that he had deeply disappointed her; hence, he was evil because she was so miserable being married to him.

I realized that I knew very little about evil and the above example didn’t give me much insight into the nature of it because his behavior did not seem evil by any definition I could find. I began reading “A Road Less Traveled” by M. Scott Peck, and a particular section of the book grabbed my attention. Peck says that western society has relegated evil versus good to the religious domains, with secular society absenting itself with evil even when it is there. He also says (and this idea I have kept with me forever) that some people appear “evil,” but are not, while others appear “good,” but are not. His example is a serial killer, some of whom are evil and some of whom are not. Similarly, he speaks of people who appear to be doing good in the world but are fundamentally not so. His differentiating remark, that which distinguishes someone who is “good” from another who is “evil,” is this: does the person eat away (“nibble”) at the soul of others in order to feel good or satisfied themselves? This has been helpful when I work with people whose parents were just not very good parents, versus those whose parents took pleasure (conscious or unconscious) in nibbling at the souls of their young.

So when the idea of “evil” came at me in Brasilia with an energy that was hot and cold in alternating waves, I took notice, recognizing that if I had not been really centered, the energy could have easily knocked me over. Since that time, I have been wondering about the “organizations as evil” idea. Directly after Brasilia, I went to San Francisco to do a day’s work with an existing client, a leader, who I hadn’t seen in a year. Throughout the day, I wondered this: Is he evil and I don’t see it? Right in front of me was a man who was using the Enneagram so well for his own development and his team’s that there was goodness emanating every moment from both him and the group. They were thrilled to have someone as honest, transparent, trustworthy, and real as their leader; without exception, the team was clearly effective and had high, high integrity.

This made me even more sure of what I had been thinking about from my experience in Brasilia. The categorical and absolute use of the word “evil” to describe each and every organization (and leader) felt like a projection of a major order. Maybe that’s why I didn’t take it personally, either at the time or later on.

Since then, my mind has been wandering to the nature and importance of projections in general, Enneagram projections in particular, and also projections within psychological or spiritual communities (even religious groups). As a Gestalt-trained professional, I am well-versed in the notion that we all project, especially those attributes that are true about ourselves and that we, for a variety of reasons, don’t want to accept about ourselves (the Gestalt term is “own”). For the most part, these projected qualities are ones we perceive as negative, but can also be attributes we admire (and therefore perceive in others but not in ourselves). For integration and wholeness, it is essential we “re-own” these projected items.

In Enneagram terms, each ennea-type projects qualities onto others that do not conform to their self-concept and always labels these as negative. Jerry Wagner, in his new book “Nine Lenses on the World,” does a comprehensive job of identifying these type-based projections. For example, Twos perceive themselves as “the loving person,” so they project selfishness onto others, but the problem is Twos end up believing that “self-care,” which they dearly need, is “selfish.” Nines project “pushiness” onto others and then hinder their own assertiveness and leadership ability in the process.

Each Enneagram style also becomes an easy target for certain kinds of projections by others, akin to a fly to flypaper. For example, Ones get projected on as a critical parent, Fours get overly-emotional projections, and Eights get projections of power. Groups also get projections from others. Women get projections that are different from men, even though many women and men do not fit these stereotypes. The same is true for racial groups. We call this stereotyping -- they are fundamentally group-level projections.

Now to social orders, psychological affinity groups, and spiritual or religious orders; how many times do we hear this: We are good; they are bad. We are going to heaven, and the rest will go elsewhere. We are the true school of the Enneagram (or any psychological or spiritual school), while the others teach falsehoods. With all projections – whether individual to individual or group to group – the projection hurts the target of the projection, which is either the intention of the projection or an unintended, but predictable, consequence. Ultimately, however, the projection hurts the projector even more than the target, keeping them from the truth about themselves.

Gema de la Rosa, my colleague and friend from Spain, sent me this quote from Richard Rohr on the projection of evil:

"Once you have learned to discern the disguised nature of evil, you will be able to recognize that both perfection and imperfection are everywhere—everything is broken and fallen: weak and poor, you and me, your marriage, your children... Now you can start accepting things in their broken, faulty state. You will not be so constantly disappointed, and think people have let you down because they are not perfect. Nor do you have to wait for things to be perfect to fall in love with them.... When you see things non-dually, in their wholeness, and do not split between the false "totally good" and “totally bad,” you will grow up spiritually and begin to live honestly and wisely in this world." 
– Richard Rohr

My Experience Part 2 | Claudio Naranjo’s Ennea-type Symposium 2012 | Brazil

I’m writing from the conference itself on day 5 of a 5-day conference, wanting as best I can to give those of you reading this a sense of the experience. First, the location, event structure, and participant mix.

The location, Brasilia, is a city I still know nothing about and have not seen because the conference site is 30+ minutes from the city in a residential conference center where everyone (350+ people) eat, sleep, and attend large sessions and small group events. The food is quite plentiful and good, the rooms have balconies, and it is quite warm here. Most people are room sharing (4-5 people per room), but I requested my own (and am paying extra) because I am noise sensitive and can’t sleep when anyone snores. What I didn’t consider is that this is a very social group that talks a great deal, likes to party, and stays up late. So at night, the noise carries from both the music outside (party time) and the central congregation area of the site. All this ceases between 1 and 2 AM. Needless to say, I am sleep-deprived, but still going.

The conference structure (and there is one) is, as they say here, “flexible and fluid.”  Others might describe it as non-visible, constantly changing, and hard to decipher. The mornings start at 10:00 AM, except when they start earlier. Lunch is sometimes after the morning sessions end (which is really in the afternoon, somewhere between 1:30 and 2:30), and the afternoon sessions start somewhere between 3:30 and 4:00 and end somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30. Sometimes there are evening sessions that start at 10 PM, but sometimes they start earlier.

Claudio is here all the time – he always leads the not-so early morning sessions, first with a meditation (I love his meditations) and then with some information or by calling subtype groups to the stage and getting reports from them regarding their “therapy sessions” that have been occurring 2 to 3 times per day. These “therapy” sessions are always in subtype groups led by a therapist versed in the Enneagram, Gestalt, and often family constellations work, but sometimes these therapy groups are really discussion groups, with a topic given by Claudio. When these therapy sessions are indeed “therapy” sessions, a person volunteers and the therapist works with that person, enlisting others as needed. Most people go to some of these. While Claudio is around all the time, we are almost always in groups, so we have very little time learning directly from him. In general, he seems pretty content.

During other session times (and sometimes during “therapy” session time), we get several choices of workshops. These other sessions (and the food) have been my favorite part of being here. One session I attended was a movement/mask experience in which we learned how to embody various mask personas using masks created by master craftspeople. With expert instruction, a superb design, and exercises reminiscent of theater games, we were transformed. The value? It is about completely owning parts of ourselves, using masks, energy, and movement as the vehicle.

My other favorite session was led by Rafael Ruiz y Garcia from Mexico City on Gurdjieff dance. Although it is called “dance” (probably because it involves movement and music), it is really more a sequence of physical body positions, one for each type, that create an extreme physical experience of the character of each type. But there is more. The process makes you have undivided, focused attention among several elements simultaneously. For example, you have to count in a non-sequential order at the same time as you stay completely aligned and center, all the while moving sequentially from one type position to the next. And while all this is occurring, the leader is shouting irrelevant distractions at everyone to, well, distract you (which you are not supposed to be). It is really hard to do, but so worthwhile.

If you could follow the above two paragraphs, this next one will be easy. Of the 350+ participants, 99.9% are SAT graduates or current participants who have not completed their SAT work. SAT is the name of Claudio’s lengthy, intensive sessions that occur in 4 sequential parts. Maybe three of us (including me) have never been through SAT. Most speak Portuguese (we are, after all, in Brazil), many speak Spanish (participants from Spain but also Mexico, as well as Central and South America). There is also a large Italian contingent here. Then, there are 5-6 native English speakers.

Many participants who speak Portuguese also speak Spanish, but not Italian or English. Many Spanish speakers speak neither Portuguese nor Italian, but do speak some English. A few of the Italians speak English (sort of), some speak Spanish, and few speak Portuguese. Of the native English speakers, two speak Spanish (sort of); one speaks Portuguese fluently, and then there’s Louise from Australia who speaks Australian English. Although she’s 26 years younger than I am, the age difference doesn’t seem to matter very much. We hang out together and are enjoying it.

As you can imagine, given the semi-structure (which I sort of like in some ways), combined with the lack of many people fluent in English, I feel like I’m always trying to find out what time something starts, where I’m supposed to be, and whether I can find someone to translate for me. Matthias, a young man fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, English, Italian, and German, has been given the role of English translator, but he is also coordinating many other things, and I feel constantly guilty always asking him what to do and where to go. In general, he is patient, but he is very tired now.

Now that the context and more has been covered in the blog, I will turn to my own challenges covered in the first blog written before I left for the symposium, starting in the reverse order from my first blog. 

Challenge 3 | what to wear

Oddly, I put very little time and energy into what to pack (really, what to wear), and what I’ve worn has been fine. Almost everything I brought has been well utilized, fine for the weather and personal comfort, and I do not stick out as if mis-dressed for the occasion. Most people are wearing, shorts, tank tops, sandals, long skirts, and lightweight pants. There is one woman (a 1-1 Four) who wears the most beautiful and tasteful pants and tops. Other than her, fashion and style do not seem to be very important in this subculture. 

Challenge 2 | going it alone

I have been alone quite a bit (in a sleeping room alone, at breaks or lunch sometimes, not having people to converse with due to language). On the other hand, many people have been very friendly, several have tried to speak English with me, and I have had some rewarding conversations/interactions with multiple people who are new to me. In particular, there have been two young male (26-29) business consultants who have been delightful, two different women my age who have been great fun, and the lovely Four mentioned earlier. These are all in addition to Louise from Australia and several great women and men from my social subtype Two group. One of them is so lovely that even though she speaks English, she began a very long conversation with me in pure Portuguese, forgetting completely that I speak no Portuguese whatsoever. I took this as a compliment. Over time, I am understanding both Spanish and Italian much better, having studied them both years ago, but Portuguese is a big challenge. 

Challenge 1| the session(s)

My sessions were the most perplexing part of the conference (and the most illuminating). My big session for all 350+ people was done on day 3. I had 1.5 hours, was fully prepared, and the topic was exactly what Claudio requested from me: how the Enneagram is being used in organizations and with what results. I chose (with Claudio’s approval) to share the 2011 Best Practices Report results because it covered 20 countries (so it wasn’t US-based only), 72 companies from a wide array of industries, and it gave a clear “how to” in terms of strategies to use and applications to suggest to clients. Even more, it went far beyond just my work alone, which was very important to me.

With a few power points (5 in all in 4 languages) and an easy-to-read handout, also in 4 languages, I was ready. While presenting, I felt calm, centered, energetic, warm, and very present. I also used stories and anecdotes. All was good, really good, until the first question from the audience, which was something like this (and this is a paraphrase, but close): Since all corporations are evil, and the people who lead them are also evil, why should we be doing any work in organizations at all? 

I was really surprised by this question, which was really a statement. What I was thinking was this: Wow!?! Do you really think that all organizations are evil as well as their leaders? And even if you don’t like for-profit organizations, didn’t you hear me say in the beginning to think of this report as about organizations, not just for-profits – for example, non-profits, schools, religious institutions, and any congregation of places where people do ongoing, work together? What about when Claudio spoke about the importance of moving the Enneagram outward to increase global consciousness? What about when I said that organizations are the places where people meet and so it is an excellent way to help “distribute” the Enneagram? 

But what I answered was something like this: Well, there are all kinds of organizations; some do some bad things; some do some great things; and there are organizations in between. But the ones that are open to the Enneagram need our help in being more conscious, as do the people in them. Then I talked a little more about making sure that when we do the Enneagram work, we ourselves to it with the highest integrity, etc. And then the time was up.

The net result was complex, to say the least: on one hand, all 50 copies of the full report I had brought were gobbled up like candy and many, many people wanted more, so I referred them to my website for downloading. About 20 people climbed onto the stage to ask me questions and look at my books and training tools.

On the other hand, I could feel very strongly that many, many people there really believed exactly what the questioner had asked and took it a step further: that organizations are evil, that the leaders in them are also bad if not evil, and that anyone who consults to an organization, especially with the Enneagram, is also an evil doer. It was such a strong vibe from many (not all) that this was a big challenge for me: to not take it personally, to not get defensive, to not withdraw (since I am sensitive to negative energy thrust my way), and to not get mad (as in “I came all this way and did all this work to be told directly and indirectly that the work I am doing is evil and I am evil). I am not making this up!  Later that day and in the days after, multiple people – people in the conference who are leaders, coaches, consultants or who want to bring more consciousness to business – came up to me asking for much more information on very specific how to’s, but also mentioned (and in a way apologized) for the “evil” attribution to the organizational Enneagram and to me as its messenger.

What I learned thus far, directly from people here who wanted to talk about it (and there is certainly more coming), is that the idea that organizations are the evil empire is a subtext in the system. The fact that I am an American was a minor theme (the stereotype that we’re all into money), particularly in the Brazilian culture. In Brazil, I was later told, they like small stories, very personal. They might have liked a story about how one person in a business setting was transformed. I gave the big story of transforming systems, given with smaller real examples. I was also told (by men) that it would have been worse had I been male (as in macho competition) and the fact that I had such easy stage presence made it very attractive to some, but may have been threatening to others.

What about my 2^nd session, the one on the Enneagram and conflict that Claudio wanted and said to the conference coordinator to make sure to schedule the afternoon of my general session? It never happened. This is the session I also asked the coordinator about multiple times: where and when would it occur. Well, I knew from the start she would not schedule it. She said she just kept forgetting to tell people or didn’t know she was supposed to, then eventually said I could do it at 8 AM the following morning. That was not going to work for me: there was no time to announce it or post it and these early morning events are supposed to be stretching and long meditation-type sessions. In addition, I had been unable to fall asleep before 2 AM each night due to the noise. So I let it go.

On night 4, when Claudio and I had a short chat about my general presentation, he said he was really unhappy that my smaller session had never been scheduled because he had asked the coordinator multiple times to do so. He also said he really liked the information I shared in the general session, mentioning that while he didn’t have great hopes for mega-corporations to change, my session gave him more hope in the change potential for the less-than-large ones.

And for the evil empire that is the Enneagram’s use in organizations, he said he hoped I could “steal” some of his people to do this work. I told him that I’m working on it. Many of these wonderful people have already approached me about what they are doing, how they can learn more, and who they can connect with in different languages to bring the Enneagram more into the word of organizations.

My trip wasn’t really what I had hoped or expected given the deep and widespread resistance to using the Enneagram in organizations, particularly the attributions of evil. One woman told me that prior to my session, she had surrounded herself with incense and candles to protect her from this evil. But once she was exposed to my session and discovered that I was a Gestalt-trained person and seemed ethical, she totally relaxed and wanted more.

It was a challenge for me as a Two to be in the midst of and be the target for the negativity, but I did manage to stay engaged and present. And I had some lovely conversations with Claudio, met some people with whom I will stay in touch. I had the experience I was supposed to have.

Insight | Being Enough

Gerry Fathauer, a Senior Member of the Enneagram in Business Network (EIBN), wrote the following Insight Activity on Being Enough – something each of us deal with in 9 different ways.

Being enough – or not – is a uniquely human condition. Our preoccupation with being enough impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. Curiously, no other species on earth gets to be concerned about being enough or not. Yet, for human beings, our preoccupation with being enough can determine our self-worth, our choice of profession, even our life partner. Whether we believe we are enough – or not – may not even be a conscious awareness. Even an unconscious concern about being enough can compromise our life force. 

Take a moment to come inside your body. Imagine every cell vibrating with knowing you are enough just as you are. Relax into this awareness of being enough. What is this sensate awareness like for you? Can you imagine yourself living from this place of being enough?

Memorize the sensate awareness of being enough. The next time you act from a sense of lack, practice returning to this awareness of being enough. Continue to practice this when you experience any sense of not being enough and open to any qualitative shift in your actions. 

It is in our true nature to be enough. Knowing we are enough and living this reality is life-affirming and in service to all.

*********

Feeling we are enough or Being Enough is directly related to the central paradox that goes with each enneatype. Essentially, what we most strive for (to feel we are enough) we can never really achieve because our Enneagram-based behavior gets in our way. To understand this concept more fully, this blog first covers the concept of paradoxes and then reviews the central paradox for each Enneagram style.

Paradoxes
Paradoxes are apparent contradictions that pose simultaneously frustrating and motivating dilemmas for each of us. An Enneagram-based paradox is this: You truly want something and believe that your behavior is designed to achieve that result. However, more often than not, your own behavior – particularly your behavior that results from your Enneagram character structure – is the primary impediment to the achievement of the desired goal. To work with your paradox, you first have to perceive it and name it – that is, to articulate what you most deeply want and then to understand how your own behavior actually gets in the way of that. Then, you have to figure out how to resolve this dilemma on your own.

Paradoxes for each Enneagram Style
Ones want to be accepted and valued without criticism, reservations, or conditions; however, they act so critically toward others that they push others away, and they are so self-critical that they would not really believe that someone else would value them without also judging them.

If you are a One, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Twos want to have their own desires materialize – for example, their desire to be appreciated and supported, to get rest, and to follow their own dream. However, they spend so much of their time and energy helping other people that they are often either unaware of what their own needs truly are or else downplay their desires, giving little indication to others that they, too, want something.
If you are a Two, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Threes want to be valued for who they are rather than just for what they do; however, because they try to create a positive image and share only what they achieve, no one really knows the person behind the persona.
If you are a Three, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Fours want to have deep and lasting connections with others, but their behavior frequently reflects their desire to feel different, unique, and separate. Fours engage in push-pull behavior when others get too close, and they often pull away entirely when they feel disappointed or rejected. All of these behaviors then cause others to pull away from them.
If you are a Four, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Fives want to experience life fully and to genuinely connect with other people; however, their stance of observing life from afar and their disconnection from their own feelings prevent them from fully engaging in life and developing deep connections with others.
If you are a Five, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Sixes want to have faith in themselves and to trust other people; however, they continually second-guess themselves, project their own concerns and suspicions onto others, and then behave in guarded and accusatory ways. This causes Sixes to distrust themselves and others, and it also causes others to become suspicious and guarded with the Six in return.
If you are a Six, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Sevens want to feel whole, complete, and totally okay about themselves; however, they avoid the behaviors that would ultimately make them feel settled, fully satisfied, and completely self-accepting – for example, staying focused on a task until it is complete, delving into feelings and thoughts in greater depth, and accepting pain as well as pleasure.
If you are a Seven, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Eights want to be accepted and supported completely for who they are, including their vulnerabilities. However, they act so strong, independent, and in charge that very few people ever see their softer, more vulnerable sides or their need for nurturance and affirmation.
If you are an Eight, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Nines want to be acknowledged and taken seriously; however, they act so easygoing and accede so readily to what others want that they don’t assert themselves, and others then discount what they have to say.

If you are a Nine, stay with this idea, then allow yourself to contemplate how you can resolve this dilemma.

Additional Information

More in-depth information on the paradoxes of each Enneagram style and how to work with this can be found in Ginger’s book, Bringing Out the Best in Everyone You Coach (McGraw-Hill 2009).

Thanks to Frank Early, an Enneagrammer and manager at Genentech/Roche, for this wonderful graphic!

My Journey Part 1 | Claudio Naranjo’s Ennea-type Symposium 2012 | Brazil

More than a few people have mentioned that they like reading my travel-related newsletters and blogs because, as one recently said, “I feel I am getting to ‘see’ the world through your words.” So with that in mind, I decided to write a 3-part blog series on my experience going to Brazil in April to be part of Claudio Naranjo’s International Symposium on the Psychology of Ennea-types. Part 1 covers my pre-journey experience; Part 2 will be written while I’m in Brasilia where the conference is being held; and Part 3 will be a summation of the journey: reflections on homecoming. Rather than just reporting the chronology of events, I will give the context and texture of what the experience is really like in as candid a way possible. 

How I got invited 
Last August (2011), while I was at the IEA conference in Fort Lauderdale, a totally unexpected email appeared from Camile at ennea-sat: “I´m coordinating the organization of “III Simposium of Enneatypes Psychology” with Naranjo in Brasil - april 2012 - and I would like to have Ginger’s contact to invite her as a Naranjo’s indication.”

All I knew was that I was being invited to something and that I was going, although I had no idea when, where exactly, or what I was being asked to do. And I didn’t care. My heart was racing with excitement; Claudio wanted me there, and I was stunned by my own reaction. It was as if I had always wanted this, had no idea I had wanted it, and didn’t quite know why or how it had happened. Although my normal reaction to most everything is typically more tempered and measured, the thrill I felt took me over.

Because I was in the hotel lobby when this happened, I ended up running into a few people I know fairly well and told them. Their reaction was more shocking than the email: “Oh” was all they said.

I also ran into some people I knew slightly who said, “You look really happy.” When I told them why, a different reaction emerged: “That’s so wonderful. You must feel so honored. I hope to hear all about it!”

I am still processing this differentiated response. Do my “quasi-friends” not wish me this level of something (happiness, honor, etc.), IEA old-timers most of them? Was I telling the tale in a different way to people who I knew less well, telling it with more feeling? I am still pondering this. My closest friends, however, really did wish me well on this and were very excited for the Enneagram and for me. 

My history with Claudio 
Some people think I’ve “trained” with Claudio, and this is not true. I did participate in his IEA-based programs in 2003 and 2004, then went to his 7-day Enneagram Subtypes program in Germany in 2010 (along with 180 other people). That, to me, is not having been (technically-speaking) trained by him. I was trained by Helen Palmer and David Daniels, then influenced by several others, Claudio especially.

I do have a special feeling for Claudio. I liked him a lot the first time I met him (2003) and still do; we have a very warm and truthful relationship (when we talk, which is rare); and he did endorse my first book, which shocked me about as much as the invitation to his symposium (Claudio doesn’t endorse Enneagram books in general and isn’t a big fan of business, which I do understand, since some – perhaps too many – businesses are not conscious places).

There’s just something about him that I deeply respect, both as a person and for what he has contributed to the world of the Enneagram. Some people who have been to my programs and have trained with Claudio assume that I have trained with him because I do some exercises that he also does; they also say I explain things similar to the way he does. But I didn’t get the activities from him, so all I can conjecture is that because I’m trained as a Gestalt therapist (hardly of the same stature as Claudio), I have this as a framework from which I work.

But, he seems to like me and respect my work (I assume this from his friendliness and the invitation); this, however, is speculation on my part. 

Content preparation for Brazil 
So what am I going to do there? After a series of emails with Camile, it appears that Claudio wants me to do something on “Enneagram in business: methods and results.” So that is what I will do, using the 2011 EIBN Benchmark Study (created by a team from the Enneagram in Business Network) as the basis. In addition, I’m doing an interactive session on the Enneagram and conflict using the pinch-crunch model as an ode to Claudio (this was his favorite part of my first book).

But then the challenge began: 380 participants, the majority of whom speak Portuguese (the conference is in Brazil), then Spanish, then Italian. And I am the only English-speaking presenter; I may be the only native English person there. How to present in these multiple languages? And, of course, I am an outsider (a non-SAT person), and an American at that. Some people from some countries don’t like Americans very much, and I understand this (I think). But I am an American, so some may not like me very much because of my nationality. And some may not even like the idea of business applications of the Enneagram! And some may not like an outsider being invited inside. What is a Two like me to do about this? Nothing, except see it, laugh about it if I can, and do my own internal work so I don’t get in the way.

My design decision was to create a Benchmark powerpoint and a handout for everyone in 4 languages. There will be a translator (several), but what good is an English powerpoint if only I understand what’s on it? And even though the Benchmark Study is translated into Portuguese and Spanish (but not Italian), I can’t bring enough copies for everyone. The group is large, I don’t know how many people speak which languages, and the reports are in color, not black and white. They are too expensive to produce in color, and I’d never get through Brazilian customs with such a heavy suitcase. The way of resolving this: powerpoints in 4 languages and a 4-page summary handout that has all 4 languages on it, plus information that shows them where to get the full report (as a pdf) from my website.

To do the powerpoints and this 4-page creation, I had the opportunity to have my Twoness challenged once again. In general, I do not feel comfortable asking people to do things for me, but I had to ask people to translate. I usually only ask people I really like; otherwise, I feel really uncomfortable. Still, I hate to be disappointed by a “no” or by a “yes” that is not fulfilled. But, everyone I asked said yes, and they delivered excellent products on very short notice. Gema de la Rosa did Spanish translations; Nicolai Cursino translated into Portuguese. Nicoletta Colombo did an enormous amount of Italian translation. Andres Agudelo provided some graphics and tools in Spanish; likewise Uranio Paes in Portuguese because they carry my training tools in Spanish and Portuguese, respectively.

Above all, Lauren Cullen in my office somehow is doing the powerpoints and the handout. Lauren and I laugh now; if we had realized how hard it is to do these in 4 languages (especially when Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian are so similar looking), we might have taken a different path. Or would we? Right in the middle of the language challenge – too far along to turn back but far enough along to still be mired in the difficulties, an email came from Claudio via Camile saying, “…it is wonderful that she has prepared a multi-lingual power-point.” At that moment, I realized how important it was that I am doing the presentation in this way. Time consuming to prepare? Yes! Difficult to format so it looks good? Absolutely! Worth doing? In the end, it just seems fundamentally respectful. 

Self-preparation for Brazil 
Challenge 1 | the session(s) 
Now that the materials are ready, I am refining the actual session structure (even though I don’t know when I am presenting or for how long). Claudio wants me to present in the evening, but he likes things fluid, so I don’t know which night or even if, when I get there, he might change his mind and not find time for this business-Enneagram session. Can I be OK with that? With all the time getting prepared, being excited, and the time getting there (16+ hours from LA) and the cost of travel, what if the session never happens?! 

Challenge 2 | going it alone 
Although I travel alone all the time, I often know people at the destination point. For this trip to Brazil, I don’t think I will know anyone other than Claudio. 5-days there, knowing no one, and most people will not be speaking English at all. Some likely speak some English, but I won’t know who right away. When I went to Germany for the Subtypes workshop, there were only 4-7 people who were native English speakers out of 180. Although there were others who spoke English as a 2^nd or 3^rd language, it was not obvious who they were until the last few days, and most who did speak English didn’t really want to be bothered speaking it. It is tiring to not speak in your own language; they get resentful that English speakers rarely speak another language fluently (especially Americans), so that they are always the ones who have to speak English.

In my worst-case scenario, I spend almost all of the 5 days talking to myself, have no one to pair off with for exercises, stick out like a sore thumb (no matter how I dress, I always look American), and feel very awkward internally. Then I remember that in Germany, people did talk to me after a while and were willing to make the effort. In addition, being so obviously alone in a big crowd generated a lot of growth in me. I could be in a large group for an extended number of days in comfort and without having to go back to my room hide from it all. I have to remember this: I can be alone in a crowd or group of people I don’t know and who want no engagement and do this with comfort, not anxiety.

In my best-case scenario, I get there, am still in some degree of solitude, but…there are some others who either speak English or are willing to speak with me (if need be, I can pull out my rusty Italian and Spanish). I run into some of the people I met at either the 2004 IEA conference (where he brought 27 assistants and I particularly liked several of the Italians) or at the German Subtypes workshop. And maybe I’ll meet some interesting new people. 

Challenge 3 | what to wear 
For years, I have rarely felt anxious or excited about presenting or doing a session, but I actually do at some level. Most typically, I focus on what to wear. What do I wear for the climate? What are the cultural norms about what to wear? Casual, formal, or in between? Dark colors or light; color or neutrals? In China, everyone seems to wear dark colors, no matter the season, and nice slacks are fine for women; in Colombia, dresses, skirts and high heels are the dress for women, and color is good.

I really dislike bringing the wrong clothes when presenting, sticking out like an alien in a strange land. This is very Two of me; I don’t want my clothing to offend, distract, or push people away. So what to do? I’ve done a weather check on my iPhone for Brasilia. I say to myself: Forget about what to wear! It’s not worth the energy! It is very clear to me that this attention to clothing is deeply connected to my Enneagram style Two: wanting to look pleasing enough; not wanting to draw too much or negative attention to myself based on my clothing; but also being comfortable enough in terms of temperature, dress code, and more so I’m not thinking about what I’m wearing. 

What doesn’t help is that when I go outside the US, I often get unsolicited comments from people on what I wear. For example, in China I was told, “Your clothes are very nice, but they are not formal enough.” In Korea I was told, “Your clothes are nice, but why don’t you wear designer labels?” Before I went to Italy I was told, “I hope you’re going to look well-dressed: American women always look like they’re wearing pajamas!” In South Africa, no one said anything about my clothing (most likely because Cape Town is very much like Santa Monica – semi-stylish beach communities – and while in Johannesburg, the location was outside the city and no one cared). In Mexico, no one said anything, but I’ve been to Mexico so many times that I know what to bring. Other than Italy, no one in Europe comments on my clothing (to me at least), so I am either doing it right or they think something but don’t say it.

Long ago, I realized that I put anxiety I might be feeling into focusing on what to wear. The more I focus on what to wear, the more I realize I am anxious/excited about something. Fortunately, I know what to bring to Brazil (I think), but I never know for sure until I pack. If it takes me more than 20 minutes, I sit down and ask myself this: OK, what are you really anxious about? 

Next 2 blogs 
While in Brasilia, I will be writing daily about my actual, real-time experience there. These will then be put into the 2^nd blog of this series and posted directly upon my return to the US. The 3^rd and final blog will follow a week later, giving me time to really reflect on my experience there, what I learned about self, the Enneagram, Claudio, his programs and people, and more.

Inspiration Part 3 – Mental Center Styles

Gerry Fathauer, a Senior Member of the Enneagram in Business Network (EIBN), wrote the following Insight Activity on Inspiration and inspired me to explore this topic in depth for each enneatype over a 3-part series. 

 The word inspiration is derived from the word in as in breathe in and the root word spire, as in spirit. The very act of breathing is expansive. When we breathe deeply from our diaphragm, our body expands to take in breath, to fill us with life.

Inspiration avails us of spirit within, and spirit is that which brings us alive. Key to inspiration is seeing anew: the beauty in nature, a pet at play, an authentic masterpiece, even an intricate machine when viewed from a place of awe and wonder has the capacity to inspire.

The fuel for inspiration can be found in the ordinary when viewed with fresh eyes. If you have ever lapsed into total absorption in the explorations of a child, or in the antics of squirrels at play, you’ve momentarily stepped aside to experience the world anew. Yet inspiration is not an outside job, though the seeds for inspiration may originate elsewhere. Inspiration arises, as the word suggests, from inside. 

The inside job of inspiration requires awareness. Where does your awareness of inspiration arise? Is it in your Enneagram type’s Center of Intelligence – the Center from which your Enneagram type is formed – or is it another Center? Inspiration is an asset when coaching clients and becomes an asset that most clients covet for themselves. How might you support your clients in being inspired?  

Allowing spirit within is a simple act of awareness. Imagine the possibilities in a world open to inspiration as a way of life!

In this 3^rd blog based on Gerry’s insights about how to become more inspired, the focus is on the three Mental Center styles – Five, Six, and Seven – and how they can use one of the Centers of Intelligence for enhanced inspiration. In reality, we can each use all three Centers of Intelligence to do this; however, I’ve selected one Center for each style just to give a sense of how to do this.

Mental Center Enneagram Styles: Five, Six, and Seven

Fives: Using Their Heart Center for Inspiration

Using the Heart Center of Intelligence for inspiration is an obvious choice for Fives, many of whom have pure hearts but don’t feel that comfortable in their Heart Center area. They often vacate their Heart Center by not breathing into their hearts (or their bodies either, for that matter). They vacate their hearts by devaluing emotional life because they find it unpredictable, illogical, and overwhelming. They may also vacate their hearts by staying separated from people, even those they love. So here are three suggestions for Fives to become more at ease in their hearts and to use their hearts for inspiration.

Suggestion 1: Breathe into your heart area. This may sound extremely foreign if you are used to only breathing into your head area, but head breathing keeps you out of touch with your heart and emotions and, in a sense, not attuned to all of your inner self and the wisdom of the heart. So breathe more deeply into your heart (think of it as breathing through your neck into your chest), going slowly at first, then less slowly as you get more comfortable with breathing in this way. Breath provides energy, fuel, and life force wherever you send it. Once you have re-discovered your Heart Center by way of your breath, you can use this energy to inspire you. Maybe you’ll even write love songs!

Suggestion 2: Use your body sensations to re-discover your heart. Almost every emotion has a corresponding physical sensation, although not every physical sensation corresponds to a feeling. For example, the feeling of anxiety or fear might be preceded or accompanied with movement in the stomach area (flutters, tightening, or pangs); thus, these stomach cues are clues to feelings once you start making the association. Of course, a stomach pang could simply be a stomachache, with no feeling whatever attached to it. But because of this connection between body and emotion, it is important that you notice each and every physical sensation you experience and ask yourself this: Am I feeling something now? If so, what? Over time, this creates your own booklet for emotional literacy; from emotional literacy comes inspiration. You might even write a play!

Suggestion 3: Tell people how you feel. Start actually telling people with whom you interact how you feel about something relevant between the two of you. When you do this, you can keep it simple. For example, if you go to the grocery store and the clerk is especially helpful, tell him or her that you liked the service. With someone close to you at home or work, if you liked or disliked something, mention what you feel in real time. If you only figure out later how you felt, then approach the person and say what’s on your mind and in your heart. Practice, practice, practice makes it much easier.

Sixes: Using Their Body Center for Inspiration

Sixes are on a search for what is solid, true, meaningful, and certain. In some respects, nothing is; in other ways, Sixes can find this in their Body Centers. Why? Well, they haven’t found it in their Mental Centers yet, the mind that keeps spinning with multiple questions and various scenarios. The heart is also uncertain, as it responds to the vicissitudes of the mind. But the body is more solid and stabilizes the mind and heart of the Six. Here are some suggestions for using the body:

Suggestion 1: Recognize that you really do have a body by taking care of it. Get enough sleep, eat healthy food, and get some form of exercise on a regular basis.

Suggestion 2: Take daily walks just to enjoy yourself and calm your heart and mind. Don’t think (too much), don’t reflect on your emotional reactions, just engage in the walking process. In addition, when you feel like you are spinning with solutions to a problem, go for a walk and don’t think. Don’t even think about not thinking. Get solid in your body; inspiration will flow.

Suggestion 3: Take some form of martial arts: akido, karate, tae kwon do, or even yoga (or power yoga). These build strength, flexibility, and even more, they develop physical balance in every way. From this place of solid, balanced strength comes true inspiration to just know what to do.

Sevens: Using Their Mental Center for Inspiration

Why use the Mental Center for inspiration when it is the Mental Center that is so dynamic (and uncontrolled) in Sevens? Wouldn’t it be better to use the Heart Center – to get Sevens in touch with their deepest sense of feeling for inspiration – or to use the Body Center for grounding and anchoring, given that Sevens can appear to be ungrounded as if always walking above ground-level? The answer is that any of us can use any of our Centers for more inspiration, so here are some Mental Center-based suggestions for Sevens.

Suggestion 1: Focus your mind on your interior world, rather than being stimulated primarily by ideas or external stimulation. In other words, use your mind to explore your heart’s reactions and your interior physical sensations. Imagine you are on a treasure hunt and the treasure is inside yourself; what you will find is just as fascinating (and possibly even more stimulating) than what you can create in your mind alone. Simply choose to go inside your heart area and explore the sensations you experience, probing those that are new to you. You don’t need to understand them yet, just experience them. Do the same with your physical sensations all throughout your body. Again, don’t try to understand or analyze them. Simply just experience them. After 2 weeks of doing this daily activity – start with 5 minutes, 3 times per day and then keep adding one more minute once you feel comfortable doing it – continue with the activity, but each time you find a sensation in your heart or somewhere in your body, ask yourself: What is this? You will have an answer. Get inspired by the wonder inside!

Suggestion 2: Draw a picture of your mind as it currently operates. Use colors, shapes, and whatever else helps you express the way your mind works. Then draw another picture, a picture of how your mind looks (or would look) when it is fully inspired by one important thing, something that really interests you and holds your attention. Put that picture in a place in your office or home where it can inspire you to focus your mind and be inspired.

Suggestion 3: Become more discerning. Learn the difference between flights of mental fancy and inspiration. Learn the difference between a stimulated mind and an inspired mind. Experience the distinction between an unfocused mind and a clear mind. From clarity comes inspiration.

Inspiration Part 2 - Heart Center Styles

Gerry Fathauer, a Senior Member of the Enneagram in Business Network (EIBN), wrote the following Insight Activity on Inspiration and inspired me to explore this topic in depth for each enneatype over a 3-part series.

The word inspiration is derived from the word in as in breathe in and the root word spire, as in spirit. The very act of breathing is expansive. When we breathe deeply from our diaphragm, our body expands to take in breath, to fill us with life.

Inspiration avails us of spirit within, and spirit is that which brings us alive. Key to inspiration is seeing anew: the beauty in nature, a pet at play, an authentic masterpiece, even an intricate machine when viewed from a place of awe and wonder has the capacity to inspire.

The fuel for inspiration can be found in the ordinary when viewed with fresh eyes. If you have ever lapsed into total absorption in the explorations of a child, or in the antics of squirrels at play, you’ve momentarily stepped aside to experience the world anew. Yet inspiration is not an outside job, though the seeds for inspiration may originate elsewhere. Inspiration arises, as the word suggests, from inside. 

The inside job of inspiration requires awareness. Where does your awareness of inspiration arise? Is it in your Enneagram type’s Center of Intelligence – the Center from which your Enneagram type is formed – or is it another Center? Inspiration is an asset when coaching clients and becomes an asset that most clients covet for themselves. How might you support your clients in being inspired?   

Allowing spirit within is a simple act of awareness. Imagine the possibilities in a world open to inspiration as a way of life!

In this 2^nd blog based on Gerry’s insights about how to become more inspired, the focus is on the three Heart Center styles – Two, Three, and Four – and how they can use one of the Centers of Intelligence for enhanced inspiration. In reality, we can each use all three Centers of Intelligence to do this; however, I’ve selected one Center for each style just to give a sense of how to do this.

Heart Center Enneagram Styles: Two, Three, and Four

Twos: Using Their Mental Center for Inspiration

It’s been said by many Enneagram teachers (including me) that Twos do not have direct access to their Mental Centers on the Enneagram (this is true) by virtue of their wings (points 1 and 3) or their arrows (points 8 and 4). For this reason, Twos may not come across as “intellectual” as some of the other Enneagram styles, but it would be misleading to then say that Twos are not intellectually oriented. Social subtype Twos (I am a social Two) are known as the “intellectual” Twos, and Twos of the other two subtypes can also be intellectual. For example, Bea Chestnut is a self-preservation Two, yet she is a thought leader in the Enneagram and is quite intellectual. Just talk to her, and you’ll see this for yourself.

So what is “intelligence” and being “intellectual?”

Intelligence: the ability to reason, learn, retain, plan, problem solve, comprehend complex ideas; learn quickly, adapt to one’s environment, to ‘catch on’ quickly; derives from the Latin verb intelligere which means to “discern.” Of course, this definition is a Mental Center-based definition, and there are really multiple intelligences (emotional, physical, musical, etc). But for the purpose of this blog, the focus is on the Mental Center variety of intelligence.

Intellectual: a person who uses his or her intellect in a profession or personal capacity, particularly the capacity to reason and think; the three forms of being an intellectual: (1) involved with abstract, erudite ideas and theories; (2) being in a profession that involves the creation and dissemination of idea; and/or (3) possessing notable expertise such that this knowledge or intellectual authority grants the person intellectual authority in public discourse.

By the above definitions, many Twos are already both intelligent and intellectual. To become more inspired, however, it can be really helpful for Twos to more fully “own” their intellectual capacity – that is, to recognize, acknowledge, and truly honor their mental capabilities – and to also learn to use their Mental Center in more ways than they may normally. Here’s how Twos can do this:

Suggestion 1: Think about how smart you really are. Be objective. Think about what you actually know really well. Think about your innate curiosity about how things work. Think about how annoying you find people who are intellectually arrogant, then recognize that you can really “own” your intelligence and intellectuality without becoming arrogant about it. The two – intelligence and arrogance – do not necessarily go together!

Suggestion 2: Breathe into your Head Center for 5 minutes three times per day, and do this while sitting down so you don’t get dizzy! After a few days, do this same activity, but do it while walking. Then continue this activity on a daily basis, even doing it more and more often as you feel comfortable. Why do this? Twos often breathe directly into their heart area (and sometimes into their gut areas), but they often bypass their Head Center. Breath is fuel and energy for enlivening the Centers.

Suggestion 3: Tell people what you know, and do so without either apology or arrogance (Twos rarely do this!). Many Twos do hold back their thoughts and analyses until they feel they can no longer do so (often when someone else says something they strongly disagree with or that is not based on experience or logic). Just say what you think, and say it early and clearly.

Threes: Using Their Heart Center for Inspiration

One of the most frequently asked question I am asked about Threes is this: If Threes are a Heart Center style, why don’t they seem as emotional or sensitive to others as Twos or Fours? The answer is straightforward: Threes generally use their Heart Center functioning to read their audience and then adjust their own behavior (performance) for a positive effect; Twos, by contrast, use their heart to tune into the feelings of others (aka sensitivity), and Fours use their hearts to tune into their own feelings.

Because Threes do not spend very much time or attention focusing on their own feelings, it becomes difficult for them to know what they really want and desire or what inspires them. The answer to these questions comes from the Heart Center. In fact, to ask Threes what they really want and aspire to (other than what they have aspired to based on social expectations) is to usually send Threes into some inner confusion! They have just not focused on what they truly and deeply desire from, as Gerry points out, the inside. Going more deeply into their Heart Center can thus be their basic source of inspiration.

Suggestion 1: Breathe, but breathe into your Heart Center. Many Threes breathe into their shoulder area, but not deeply into the heart area. When you do breathe more deeply into your heart, make sure you do so gently so that you don’t startle yourself or cause yourself to feel anxious. Simply practice heart breathing, going more and more fully into your heart chamber area. This will awaken your feelings, allowing them to be increasingly available to you. Without knowing how you feel, it is near impossible to know what you really want or to feel inspired.

Suggestion 2: Once you have more access to your Heart Center via the breathing technique above or some other approach, ask yourself this: What do I really want? What matters to me? What will make me truly happy? What inspires me at a deep level? After you ask yourself each question, wait for the answer. Ask yourself these questions at least 2 to 3 times per day. Keep a journal of your answers if you like. Every week, look through your answers and notice the patterns that emerge. The more you ask, the more answer you will receive.

Suggestion 3: Give yourself permission to do what you deeply desire rather than believing that you must calibrate your desires based on your interpretation of what success and confidence look like. If you don’t know what you want, then it’s easier to follow social expectations. In addition, following social norms keeps you from exploring your deepest desires. But once you know what you want, you need to say this to yourself: It’s really OK to do what I love! And a hint, as you explore what you want, you may find it easier to articulate what you don’t want. In this case, simply ask yourself this: If this is what I don’t want, then what do I want instead?

Fours: Using Their Body Center for Inspiration

Why did I select the Body Center as a way for Fours to become more inspired? And aren’t Fours already inspired; after all, they are usually creative, going along with their own inner aspirations rather than following convention?

The answer to the first question is that many Fours have a “collusional” relationship between their Heart Centers (emotions) and mental Centers (thinking). In other words, Fours may experience a variety of emotions (often tumultuous) and then use their thinking function to analyze and even over analyze what they are feeling. They want to figure out what they are feeling, so they go through a list of A through Zs: “it could be this!” “It could be that!” “Is this it?” Because of this interwoven Heart-Head Center functioning, the Body Center can be an excellent way to stand steady and be the source of truer inspiration. The answer to the second question is that there is a difference between being creative and being truly inspired.

Suggestion 1: Engage in a body-based grounding practice on a daily basis. Stand up, breathe throughout your body, and feel your breath going right down your legs through your feet and into the floor. Although you can do this sitting down, it is easier to penetrate your entire physical body when you stand. Do this several times each day; it will be easier and easier. Once you fully inhabit your body, knowing what really inspires you and then taking action upon it becomes much easier.

Suggestion 2: When you have feelings, especially ones that are confusing to you – that is, you don’t know what the feeling is or you are feeling several emotions simultaneously – find the place in your body that has the sensation you associate with your emotional response. Focus on the sensation, not the feeling. After you have located the physical sensation and focused on it so you feel familiar and accepting of it, then ask yourself: What do I really feel? From this more pure feeling state, you can then ask yourself: Given this feeling, what do I want? What do I feel inspired to do?

Suggestion 3: Based on what you truly and deeply feel (using the above suggestions to determine this), take deliberate action. Many Fours frustrate themselves by not manifesting into action that which truly inspires them. Is this because, at some level, most Fours do not believe that they will get their needs and desires met? If so, Fours need to challenge themselves on this assumption. Why do others seem to be able to manifest their desires, but not Fours? That is a good question, but what is the answer? Is it because Fours have so many complex ideas that they don’t know which ones to manifest? If so, get to the core of the idea by going deeper and simplifying the truer aspiration (see the first two suggestions) and then take action. Is it because Fours prefer to create and dream than to manifest? If so, ask why?

The next and final blog in this series will focus on the Mental Center styles: Five, Six, and Seven.

Mental Center Enneagram Styles: Five, Six, and Seven

Fives: Using Their Heart Center for Inspiration

Sixes: Using Their Body Center for Inspiration

Sevens: Using Their Mental Center for Inspiration

Inspiration Part 1 - Body Center Styles

Gerry Fathauer, a Senior Member of the Enneagram in Business Network (EIBN), wrote the following Insight Activity on Inspiration and inspired me to explore this topic in depth for each enneatype over a 3-part series.

The word inspiration is derived from the word in as in breathe in and the root word spire, as in spirit. The very act of breathing is expansive. When we breathe deeply from our diaphragm, our body expands to take in breath, to fill us with life.

Inspiration avails us of spirit within, and spirit is that which brings us alive. Key to inspiration is seeing anew: the beauty in nature, a pet at play, an authentic masterpiece, even an intricate machine when viewed from a place of awe and wonder has the capacity to inspire.

The fuel for inspiration can be found in the ordinary when viewed with fresh eyes. If you have ever lapsed into total absorption in the explorations of a child, or in the antics of squirrels at play, you’ve momentarily stepped aside to experience the world anew. Yet inspiration is not an outside job, though the seeds for inspiration may originate elsewhere. Inspiration arises, as the word suggests, from inside.

The inside job of inspiration requires awareness. Where does your awareness of inspiration arise? Is it in your Enneagram type’s Center of Intelligence – the Center from which your Enneagram type is formed – or is it another Center? Inspiration is an asset when coaching clients and becomes an asset that most clients covet for themselves. How might you support your clients in being inspired?

Allowing spirit within is a simple act of awareness. Imagine the possibilities in a world open to inspiration as a way of life!

In this blog, based on Gerry’s insights above, I’m going to explore how each enneatype can use one of their three Centers of Intelligence to draw out the ability to become more inspired. I do believe that each of us can enhance and accelerate our ability to be inspired from all three of our Centers; however, for this blog, I’ve selected one Center for each enneatype. And because the blog topic is more complex than simple, I’ve divided the blog into a 3-part series, starting with the Body Center styles Eight, Nine, and One.

Body Center Enneagram Styles: Eight, Nine, and One

Eights: Using Their Mental Center for Inspiration

Eights almost always have strong access to the Body Center (although they often over-use it and/or use it in partial ways), and many Eights have fairly easy access to their Heart Centers (particularly, the 1-1 and social subtype Eights). However, it is the Mental Center that many Eights underutilize or under-acknowledge (with the exception of the few Eights, who in fits of grandiosity, act as if they are super-smart because they want to be perceived as highly intellectual). The Eight’s superb Mental Center gift is in their understanding of the complex dynamics of systems and how the parts interconnect. This is what helps Eights be so strategic.

However, my experience is that if you ask most Eights if they think they are smart (intelligent, intellectual, etc.), they more often than not look startled in response to this question. Even when these individuals are highly regarded at work or among their peers and family for being highly intelligent, Eights tend to say something like this: “I’ve gotten where I am by pure tenacity and will.” Then, when confronted (yes, it feels like a confrontation to them) with the idea that others perceive them as extremely smart, Eights often get really embarrassed. I’ve even seen Eight men cry at the thought that smart is something they really are. Here are some suggestions for how Eights can gain more pure access to their Mental Centers:

Suggestion 1: Eights may already use their Mental Center to justify what their guts instinctively tell them, but this is not an optimal use of the Mental Center. To further develop their Mental Centers, it can be helpful to separate the “collusion” between the Gut Center and the Mental Center; in other words, allow the Mental Center to have its own life and functioning apart from the Body, then integrate these two Centers when both are fully independent and highly functioning. Just knowing this helps.

Suggestion 2: Those Eights (and they are by no means the majority of Eights) who use their intellectual prowess as a way to be big or to overpower those who disagree with them need to recognize how they are (mis)using their Mental Center in this way, stop themselves when they are about to do so, and ask themselves this question: How am I feeling right now; what’s behind my need to be big mentally, to use my Head Center as a gun or a shield?

Suggestion 3: All Eights can learn to use their minds to identify the multi-truths of the situations they are in. In other words, don’t rely so heavily on your gut to give the instantaneous answer to the question, What is the truth here? Relying on your Body Center to such an extent can make your reactions too quick, overly strong, and totally or partially inaccurate. Think of this as your having a 3-legged stool on which to sit, but one leg is over-built and the other two legs are wobbly. Real strength comes from all three Centers of Intelligence, as does true inspiration.

Nines: Using Their Body Center for Inspiration

Nines are often referred to as having “anger that went to sleep.” Another way of expressing this is that Nines stuff their feelings of anger and discontent far below their awareness by removing themselves from their body awareness of physical sensation. As a result, Nines put a high percentage of their bodies to sleep; how does the body know which sensations and feelings are OK to allow closer to the surface and which are not!

For this reason, awakening the Body Center is central to the Nines’ awakening and without this, deeply fueled inspiration suffers. To wake up in this way requires the courage to experience oneself fully. When Nines do this, they come to learn a number of important lessons, ones they likely know cognitively (at least to some degree); however, this mental knowledge has not infiltrated the rest of them. Lesson 1: expressing needs, desires, and preferences is their human right; Lesson 2: self-expression does not necessarily lead to conflict; it can lead to intimacy and is, in fact, intimacy’s key ingredient; Lesson 3: they can handle every reaction that comes their way, including disagreements; Lesson 4: many other sensations and emotions, including pleasurable ones, are based in physical experience; as a result, awakening their Body Center enables them to engage fully in life.

How do Nines develop more access to and more comfort being more fully in their Body Center?

Suggestion 1: Breathe fully into your stomach area (but don’t bypass your Heart Center when doing this) and allow your breath to invigorate your belly area. Do this as a daily practice until you are doing it without even trying.

Suggestion 2: When you feel sensations in you body (think of these as physical stirrings), you may not recognize what they mean at first, but that’s OK. For each physical stirring, keep breathing into that area, identify where that sensation is located, and allow your feelings to emerge. Then ask yourself: What am I feeling, experiencing, and/or wanting right now?

Suggestion 3: Recognize that being more awake (aware of) what is occurring within you does not mean you must express this. It is really your choice what to do. The reason it is important to recognize this choice is simple. When you do not allow yourself to be more awake, you have no real choice. When you are more awake to yourself, you have the choice to express yourself (including how, when and to whom) or to not. Having a real choice then gives you both permission and control over your external behavior without your over-controlling yourself by keeping your deeper responses so subliminal that even you don’t know what they are. From awakeness comes inspiration.

Ones: Using Their Heart Center for Inspiration

I have noticed that many Ones, when given feedback that they are not warm enough, become quite hurt by the idea that someone else would perceive them this way. When I observe this reaction in Ones, I feel very saddened for them because I do believe that most Ones have very deep feelings; at the same time, these interior experiences may not be felt or sensed by others. Just to be clear, some Ones do come across as very warm, often those with a strong Two wing or strong access to their arrow line at 4, as well as Ones who have done a great deal of self-development work so that their inner critic is less intense (on themselves, especially). This allows their heartfulness to become more apparent to others.

But how can all Ones use their Heart Centers for more inspiration? Ones, like Eights, usually have a “collusional” relationship between the Body Center and Mental Center. However, while Eights might misuse their Head Centers to “be big,” Ones can misuse their Head Centers to “be right,” justifying their gut reactions through a mental formulation (aka an opinion). How can Ones separate these two Centers so that each has more autonomy (and can, therefore, provide more inspiration)? The answer is through the Heart Center, because the One’s Heart Center is usually its own entity rather than being in non-differentiated collusion with the other two Centers.

So how do Ones access and amplify openness in their Heart Center? This is really a good question for us all, no matter what our Enneagram style. Here are some suggestions for Ones:

Suggestion 1: When you get a strong body-based reaction to something, instead of going to your Head Center for a justification, move into your Heart Center and ask: What am I feeling right now? Then stay with this feeling and ask yourself: What else am I feeling?

Suggestion 2: Breathe. Breathe into your Heart and Body Centers simultaneously. Do this as a daily practice until it becomes your everyday way of breathing. This will open up your Heart Center.

Suggestion 3: Do things you love. Dance, sing, paint, write. Do whatever brings you joy, and do these with an entirely open heart!

The next blog will focus on how the Heart Center styles ­– Two, Three, and Four – can become more inspired, while the final blog in this series will do the same for the Head Center styles, Five, Six and Seven.

Part 2 Heart Center Enneagram Styles: Two, Three, and Four

Two: Mental Center

Three: Heart Center

Four: Body Center

Part 3 Mental Center Enneagram Styles: Five, Six, and Seven

Five: Heart Center

Sixes: Body Center

Seven: Mental Center