Dear Family,
I know. I’m a broken record. Believe me – I recognize it as part of my personality and I am trying to curb my impulse to evangelize about what I know to be helpful for me. But, since this is my blog and I can write whatever I want, I am choosing to tell you more…
The Enneagram is not just a personality typing for the sake of entertainment. It is a process of learning more about myself and those I love. It de-personalizes differences and offers insight into the filters through which we all perceive the world, how we translate what we see, and sometimes even why and how we operate in our proscribed path.
Given the truth – which I believe – that we are all in relationships to learn from each other and to help each other along our life paths, the Enneagram guides me. It is a way of understanding.
A lot of you have identified your own place in the circle of the Enneagram and have read more about it. you always have the most insight into who you are. You have the last word. But, Even if you do not identify your type, I may draw conclusions which help me in see you more clearly and thus love you in a more productive way.
A key concept that I have learned (and keep working on) is that personality is not static. It need not be a prison. Russ Hudson, one of the great teachers of the spiritual ramifications of the Enneagram talks about how the framework of each type is merely a construct that keeps us from presence and our own essence*. We use it to cope with the world until we realize we are capable of moving around in it and through it without the barriers with which we protect ourselves.
I have learned to love being a Seven. I love the positivity and willingness to try all avenues. But, I need to constantly remind myself that painful feelings do not last forever and that I am capable of living through them. I can see the big picture beautifully – and I still need to look at the details sometimes.
I have gathered a group of friends and acquaintances who are interested in the Enneagram. They, like me, enjoy studying and understanding the depths of knowledge that has been brought to it through the centuries. How it has evolved. How we evolve with it. I welcome you to join me in the study. You might find it fascinating!
XXOO
*es·sence | \ ˈe-sᵊn(t)s
a: the permanent as contrasted with the accidental element of being
b: the individual, real, or ultimate nature of a thing
c: the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person
A Letter to my Children 