meeting 02/01/2011

Joan gave a presentation on the Enneagram.

Gurdjieff brought the early form of the enneagram to the west.  Possible origins include the Sufi, Greek and Egyptian.
The enneagram capture human behaviors and the 9 ways that humans are mechanical.
Gurdjieff centers of behavior 1) the body or gut center 2) the heart center and 3) the mental center.  The 4th way allows us to to be aware of mechanical behavior and make choices.
The enneagram has evolved though the work of several people and is now a tool in personal and group development, business and spirituality, addiction counseling pain management, family dynamics and personal development. This personal typology allows us to look for our blind spots (those 7 sins...lust sloth pride anger fear envy gluttony avarice  etc) and function at a higher level and understand those around us.  We can see how we are alike and how we are unique.  Awake people or each type have many of the same qualities.
Typically we have a basic enneagram type (1-9) with ups and downs within our level.  Each type has connection to to 2 other types and may or may not take on the flavor of the "wings" or adjacent type.
8,9,1-body/gut based can be seen as anger based
2,3,4-heart center can be seen as image or shame based
5,6,7-mental center can be seen as fear based
Each type has fears and desires to be worked with.
The enneagram is a tool of self-awareness of our mechanical behavior, fears and desires and what we can aspire to become.
For more information on websites, books use contact Joan at  jdegiorgio@TNC.ORG