Enneagram Self-Reflection:Reflect upon one specific situation or circumstance in your life and explore if/how having knowledge of the Type you identify with provides you with new insight and self-awareness. Will you respond differently with this knowledge?

Reflect upon one specific situation or circumstance in your life and explore if/how having knowledge of the Type you identify with provides you with new insight and self-awareness.  Will you respond differently with this knowledge?

Having rich knowledge of my type provides me with new insight and self-awareness a lot, especially about working with others more smoothly and effectively.  Actually, when I was in the business field for two years, I realized how difficult it is to work with different types of people.  In those days, I didn’t have typological knowledge at all, so it was laborious for me to understand and respect others’ types and differences. 

However, if I work with someone now, I will be able to recognize his or her type correctly and to respect his or her unique characteristics by utilizing the knowledge of the Enneagram.  The examples of my new insight as for working with each type are below.  If I work with type one, I may be careful of my behavioral patterns like chops and changes.  In other words, I can notice that I tend to act flexibly and accept new ideas without thinking deeply.  Type one people whose characteristics are right-wrong thinkers may not follow me, because they may regard my behavior as capricious and ambiguous.   As a result, I need to consider the above characteristic when I work with type one. 

Regarding the relationship with type two, if I work with a type two, I need to pay attention to the following points.  As described above, sevens are likely to work on a number of things simultaneously.  If I were a manager and my subordinate were a type two, the following situation would happen.  The important characteristics of a type two are to be very dedicated to others and to work for others very hard.  In that sense, if I ask the subordinate to work on a job, he or she will tackle it devotedly. 

However, what will happen if my direction is scattered, and I ask him or her to do one job after another?  I suppose that he or she will work hard for me because his or her positive trait is dedication to helping people.  In that situation, he or she may be bewildered by a ton of jobs like rain falling from the sky.  The above examples demonstrated only the relationship between me and a type one and two, but I’ll be careful of the other types when I work with someone. 

 Therefore, I think that I’ll be able to build a good relationship with others and work with others very well by virtue of the Enneagram, as Riso and Hudson (2003) point out that “when personality type is properly understood, communication becomes exponentially more effective because people begin to recognize and make the most of human diversity” (p. 6).  Needless to say, the Enneagram enriches my relationship with others and my life itself.  

Enneagram Self-Reflection:What traits of your Ennea-type do you not identify with?

What traits of your Ennea-type do you not identify with?

Now, I think that I’m going to a healthy type seven thanks to meditation and the effort to enjoy the present moment, so I don’t identify with an unhealthy and average seven’s traits so much.  Under stress, type seven tends to go to average type one.  Sevens are likely to come up with a lot of ideas and plans, so they tend to move from one activity to another very quickly.  As a result, Sevens sometimes may not accomplish their initial plans or goals, so they feel frustrated with themselves.  In such situations, “they begin to behave like average Ones-pulling in the reins on themselves and trying to get more organized and self-controlled” (Riso & Hudson, 2003, p. 150).  Sevens who go to average Ones are likely to criticize their own unique ideas without putting them into practice.  Furthermore, they cannot stand the feeling of dissatisfaction with others and external environment.  Therefore, they regard that everything doesn’t meet their expectations, and then they become perfectionists and begin to criticize not only themselves but also others.  In my recent life, I can’t see the above traits, so I seem not to identify with seven’s traits under stress (unhealthy: level 7 to 9).

As for average levels of type seven, Sevens often think that they have a strong responsibility to entertain others and to fill their environment with positive and exciting energy.  In consequence, the sense of responsibility sometimes makes them withdraw from others and to be isolated, like Fives.  In fact, at such times, they don’t want to be connected with others, and they try to restore their energy by being alone (Riso & Hudson, 2003).  The above traits are the characteristics of average type seven, so they sometimes appear in me.  However, as I consider more details, average levels are categorized into three levels.  I noticed that two of the three characteristics seldom appeared in me.  Specifically, the first is that

Sevens worry that they will be bored or frustrated and that painful feelings will arise, so they try to keep themselves excited and occupied.  They pump up the energy around them by talking, joking around, and pursuing new adventures, but they are often distracted and unfocused. (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 270)

I don’t identify with the trait (average level 5) in daily life as type seven.  In addition, the second (average level 6) is that

Sevens are afraid that there will not be enough of whatever they believe they need, so they become impatient, seeking instant gratification.  They can be very demanding but are seldom satisfied when their demands are met.  Jaded and wasteful, they are cavalier about their habits, denying guilt. (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 270)

Thanks to the concept of nine levels of development, I understand that I don’t have the characteristics of level 5 and 6 of type seven.  Furthermore, I also found that I didn’t identify with level 1 in healthy type seven.  Level 1 is the most desirable state, and the trait is the following

Sevens let go of the belief that they require specific objects and experiences to feel fulfilled, so they are able to fully assimilate their experiences and be nourished by them.  They also paradoxically achieve their Basic Desire-to be satisfied and content, to have their needs fulfilled-and they become appreciative, ecstatic, and deeply grateful.　 (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 270)

After reading the above trait, I noticed that I didn’t and couldn’t let go of my belief that I seek materials and experiences to satisfy my feelings.  For me, a sense of gratitude for everything around me is missing.  In other words, I don’t fully cultivate spiritual aspects to feel a profound sense of gratitude for materials, people, nature, and the universe itself.  Therefore, I don’t see the characteristic of level 1 which is some kind of high spiritual dimension.  By virtue of this question, I figured out that my levels of development ranges from level 2 to level 4.