People occupy more space on this planet, however, we are moving away from one another even as we experience this expansion and find ourselves closer to one another. Our society is made up of silos of similarities—our families are increasingly divided by politics and beliefs, our communities struggle with the acceptance of our ever-expanding diversity and our own lives become compartmentalized into acceptable paradigms. We are faced with so many divides because we have forgotten the path to our hearts and we have ignored the power of human connection. As we learn to restore and strengthen our connections we will acknowledge our similarities and differences as the beautiful complexities that add to the rich tapestry of humanity.
When this process begins through the Enneagram we begin to build a strong foundation for truly transformational change. A fundamental flaw in our foundation and ability for human connection is the failure to pick up the mirror and do the work of coming to fully understand ourselves as individuals who ultimately become part of a collective community in a societal structure. If we truly intend to repair the divides our world currently faces, we must start with ourselves. The Enneagram provides a detailed guide for inner work and allows us to move out of a “me and mine” mentality and into an “us and ours” way of being—this is the framework for accelerating a cognitive shift into mindfulness at an individual level which can help us to become more present to how we show up in the world in relation to “other” human beings. Engaging in our own personal Enneagram journey is essential to becoming an authentic Ally, Advocate, and Love Warrior, but we must all remember that the work doesn’t stop once we acquire the knowledge; we must do something with it. We must be willing to look in the mirror and see ourselves, accept our warts, foibles, and all, and acknowledge that we are all works in progress. However, the work must also include how our beings are received by the outside world. Are we kind? Are we judgmental? Are we dismissive? Are we able to admit when we make mistakes and try to do better next time? Are we willing to uncover the biases and stereotypes that are hidden behind elements of our personality? These are the questions we must ask ourselves as we move toward finding alignment of our three centers and unearthing our authentic selves. We all need to step into our place in order to bring hope and healing out into the world.
The inner work aligned with the exploration of the Enneagram can be a transformative and healing experience. When the work is honored and continued beyond self-reflection, its wisdom extends into our spiritual growth and touches the world. The Enneagram teaches us how to heal our own wounds by illuminating our blind spots and showing us what we are really up to when we show up in the world. We become more open and accepting that we all see the world through 9 different lenses as we begin to heal by doing our inner work. As we heal our own wounds we are able to move beyond seeing people as objects and the shift toward regaining our own humanity allows us to begin to honor the humanity of every individual.
My book Know Justice Know Peace: A Transformative Journey of Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Healing through the Power of the Enneagram is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers. If you want to learn more about the Enneagram and how it can bring us back to our humanity here's a little sneak peek:
The Enneagram can help us to peel back the layers of our individual internal programming to do the work of releasing what no longer serves us for our individual growth and the greater good. Inner work involves waking up and becoming present to how you show up in the world. When you begin to pay attention to how your attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs have you trapped in a fortress of judgmental binary thinking, you are beginning to do inner work. Inquiry without judgment and expansion of your heart space is the resulting awareness from this work. Learning about and understanding yourself in terms of what drives and motivates you is essential. Becoming more open and accepting that we do not all have the same way of moving through the world and understanding how you relate with others based on what drives and motivates them is all part of doing your inner work. It is how we are able to move beyond dehumanizing people by no longer seeing them as objects or pawns in the game of life and move toward honoring the humanity of every individual, thus regaining our own humanity. We can allow ourselves to experience the world around us in a new way. A kinder, more compassionate, and more loving community must emerge. This can only happen if we do our individual work and come together as a community that treats no one as less than but rather seeks to elevate each individual to reach their highest and best. This is how we come to know peace. The Enneagram can help us to become fully present as we grow and learn how to be connected to one another across differences. Remember: presence is not a privilege; it is a necessity.
