“Know Thyself”
“There is nothing more important than self awareness and self-understanding to bringing peace and compassion to our relationships, and to our world.”
~ David Daniels, co-founder of the Narrative Tradition.
The Enneagram?
The idea of knowing oneself is as old as the ancient, Greek axiom, “Know Thyself!’ Socrates said that the unexamined life if not worth living. By asking ‘why do we do what we do,’ we are looking for what is beneath our choices. To dive deeper in contemplation we need to ask at least seven ‘why’s’, to get to this deeper level of our motivations. It is at this level of self-awareness that we begin to weave together the deeper understanding of our person identity. We start to understand our patterns of behaviour, our thinking and feeling and acting out. When we come to know ourselves at this deeper level, we are invited to move forward on our life journey of growth. We cannot change what we do not acknowledge! We will be better able to accept ourselves as we truly are, with our gifts and our challenges. This will free us from the constant work of pretending to be someone we’re not.
The Enneagram can help us understand that each person’s basic view of reality is different from another. We have different ideas and different ways of living. If I can recognize this, and learn to appreciate others as well as appreciate myself, I will participate in the fullness of humanity.
Type 1: The Perfectionist
Type ONES believe you must be good and right to be worthy. They readily, instinctively, know what is
best and work for it, seeking the ideal in everything and everyone. Their focus of attention goes to right
and wrong and individual responsibility.
Type 2: The Helper
Type TWOS are people of service, the helpers, the co-dependents, and self sacrificing partners. They are
affectionate, empathetic, compassionate and can naturally move towards people. Their focus of
attention goes to other people’s needs and compassionate action.
Type 3: The Achiever
Type THREES value success. They gain self-worth through production. They present themselves as
bright, shiny and successful. Their focus of attention goes to completion of tasks, setting goals, social
recognition and successful accomplishments.
Type 4: The Romantic
Type FOURS are special, different, and unique. They will have very personal ways of doing things. They
are artistic, creative and intuitively perceptive of the emotional tone of others around them. Their focus
of attention goes to what is missing and personal authenticity.
Type 5: The Observer
Type FIVES set value on wisdom and the pursuit of knowledge. They try to create peace through the
exclusion of the outside world. They are good at grasping precise details, seeing essentials and making
connections detective style. Their focus of attention goes to information, observation, and isolation.
Type 6: The Loyal Skeptic
Type SIXES stand for law and order. They rely on authority figures to lead and support them. In return
they are extremely conscientious, loyal and faithful. Their focus of attention goes to anticipating
problems, avoiding danger and creating safety.
Type 7: The Joy-Seeker
Type SEVENS believe you must stay positive and open to all possibilities to assure a good life. They reframe failure and almost everything that is painful and limiting, changing the narrative so that even the most negative events are recast in an affirming way. Their focus of attention goes to pleasure,
adventure, creative thinking and positive outcome.
Type 8: The Challenger
Type EIGHTS are persons of power. They love a challenge and take it on without hesitation. They are
strong in many ways. They need to feel in control of whatever touches their lives. Their focus of
attention goes to power, control and fairness.
Type 9: The Peacemaker
Type NINES are people of peace who value serenity. They avoid anger on a deep, primal level, idealizing
their self image as a calm and collected person. They pride themselves on being settled. Their focus of
attention goes to other people’s agenda’s, mediation and creating agreement.
“No knowledge of self, is no knowledge of God.”
~ Johannes Calvyn
“For me to be a saint means to be myself.
Therefore the problem of sanctity and salvation is in fact the
problem of finding out who I am and of discovery my true self.”
~ Thomas Merton