EVERY BIT OF KNOWLEDGE
helps me on my journey

PREVIOUS: Levels outlined – #3c

SITE: SAMPLE of “Enneagram Monthly” magazine

 

OVERVIEW : The movement thru the levels is a barometer of how much we’re attached to vs free from our Type’s fixed self-image. (Defects #1). People generally operate within a certain range of levels throughout life.
EXP: Earlier in life a person may have operated between levels 5 – 7, while later in life some maturity may raise them to levels 2 – 5.

The 9 Psychological Levels help us see/find:
1.  Our FALSE self – The physical, emotional & mental habits that prevent our ability to experience the Authentic Self :
— the emotional (Passion) & mental habits (Fixation) that shut down our heart, body & mind
— The Basic & Secondary Fear that unconsciously drives our specific Personality Habits (weakness)
— The shadow side of each type – our defensive responses . While we imagine being open & present to reality, we’re actually caught in the unconscious pattern of our ‘persona’.

2. Our AUTHENTIC Self – Path of growth & transformation for each type
— The tools we can use to awaken joy, spaciousness, clarity, intuitive knowing & deep connection with self/others, which comes from being less defended, more Present
— The practices available to each type to digest & outgrow the defensive habits developed in childhood as a response to suffering.

MOVING UP? – In a talk by Edward Morler “Integrating the Enneagram of Personality with the Levels of Emotional Maturity”, he stated that modern Enneagram theory regarding Levels of Emotional Health does not offer much in terms of how to move from one level to the next. (How each level deals with a problem in Part 2) (Morler articles)
HELPING: In terms of how a leader / therapist / teacher / minister…. can use this list to help improve someone’s life – once you’ve identified the level someone is presently at, you can try moving them up the scale ONE stage at a time, & only as far up as you are. EXP:
— When someone is in apathy (9), remind them of a reason to grieve (if seeing his mom in bed in a pathetic depression – remind her of a house they once had and lost)
— When someone is grieving (8), bring up something anxiety-provoking (7) ….. until they’re in a much better place.

SOLVING – Steps to making changes when facing a problem:
1) Recognize the problem
2) Own the problem (“What am I contributing to this ?”)
3) Forgive oneself, & acknowledge one’s positive contributions
4) Do something different.
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CENTER of GRAVITY
SEE: ‘Ennea Strengths #2’ // ‘Centers of Consciousness – Basic Triads’
Just as we each has our own version of all 3 Centers (emotions, intellect, instinct), our personality has a center of gravity in one of them – our Type – which puts a specific ‘spin’ on the meaning of those 3 categories for each of us.
It’s also useful to look at the chart divided vertically, because the Energy Centers (power sources /chakras) of the 2 sides do fundamentally different kinds of ‘growth work’. (MORE…..)

RIGHT side = the “lower” story – which relates to the physical, natural, mechanical forces. The dominant center of gravity is found at #4, the lower portion of the central nervous system plexus, located in the abdomen, below the navel

LEFT = the “upper” story – relating to the conscious, spiritual forces. Its center of gravity is found at #5, commonly referred to as the solar plexus, corresponds to the center of the spine, & heart energy position

To have integrity what’s needed is a permanent & well-formed center of gravity,** with a whole integrated I-system (healthy ego) held inside one’s Being & assimilated into the Real-I.

**Centre of Gravity : In behavioral & developmental contexts, it refers to the core psychological characteristics, values, or dominant focus of a person’s thoughts, feelings, & decisions.
EXP : a person deeply invested in their career or physical well-being has a “center of gravity” rooted in achievement or fitness.

CHART:  the fragmented Self  is the result of a person’s multiplicity of ‘I’s  not being recognized, & so the parts (ego states) are not able t0 relate to each other.  Instead, they fight & bicker among themselves, only functioning on the periphery, while the False Self pretends to be Unified-I.

As we start to understand what the multiple-Is are, how they work & relate, we can gradually move to internal unity. Right-side work on oneself begins with the creation of a permanent center of gravity.…

NEXT: the 9 levels of each type – TYPE 1