In Flourish! you will learn how to make full use of the Enneagram...
As Helen Palmer explains...."The Enneagram is one of the most powerful and comprehensive human evolutionary systems known. The Enneagram explores both strengths and limitations of the inner world from which people act and provides us with specific prescriptions and strategies for personal and professional growth. Recognized as a natural bridge between psychology and spirituality, the Enneagram reveals the full range of human potential in each type -- from extremely unhealthy...to self-transcendence and expanded consciousness." Here are some examples ...
Calm your reactivity. Each Enneagram type has a basic fear and just thinking about the fear causes reactivity and you immediately engage in your Enneagram pattern. Your Enneagram type was reinforced early in life as a coping strategy for dealing with stress. The reactivity is always just under the surface, ready to erupt when you are stressed.
Release unneccessary fear. Meditation and other contemplative practices such as bio-spiritual-focusing (also known as focusing in the psychological arena) work! Take a "time out." Over the years of observing myself using the wisdom of the Enneagram, meditation, and other contemplative practices I have gained deeper and deeper realization of how ingrained my pattern is.My pattern clearly jumps into play when I am triggered by my type's "fear," when I am tired, or when I am trying to do too much. When I take a "time out" I allow myself to completely experience the sensations occurring in my body, attend to them with a gentle, caring concern, and engage in a self-inquiry that predictably leads to a softening, loosening, and deep knowing of what is the next step to take. This takes PRACTICE and knowing the 4 step process described in my book, Flourish! Knowing someone else's Enneagram type is very helpful...Knowing my husband's Enneagram type, I can see his reactive pattern occurring, typically when he is stressed, tired, overwhelmed.How amazing it is to see that he is not trying to be hurtful, defensive, uncaring. He is simply trying to cope the best he knows how. From Russ Hudson: "Most of us initially encounter the Enneagram as a typing system--a way of recognizing the principal characteristics in ourselves and others. But if we continue to study this work, we come to understand that the Enneagram is actually a system to support us in coming back to ourselves in the living moment: to remember ourselves and who we really are.
The more we study the Enneagram in conjunction with an inner practice to develop our capacity to be present, the more we discover how limited our perspectives have been, and the more the amazing vistas of our consciousness begin to reveal themselves. We can then see all of the nine types as paths--as journeys that we all must take on the way to awakening. Thus, while you are still supported by seeing the tendencies of your own Enneagram type, you can also be called back to Presence by the opportunities presented by all of the types within me."
