the objects of attention
in this program
- homeostasis
- identification
- awareness practices
do you remember us speaking about “objects of attention” in the mindfulness programs? we said that mindfulness practices begin by selecting an anchor for attention. the most typical initial anchor is the breath. breath awareness grounds us and helps us to stay open to our experience. when mindfulness becomes stronger, we expand the field of objects (allowing more detail in terms of full experience).
be yourself, everyone else is already.
Oscar Wilde
we can work in the same way with our personality. initially, you may want to focus on the external features like type, integration points, etc. you may then want to bring your attention deeper into the psychological aspects of your type. we’ll start that journey here, and deepen it into working with more the more difficult “shadow” aspects of our personality.
“shadow” does not mean “dark” or “wrong.” if you were an iceberg, it would refer to that part of you under the waterline. it is hidden from sight, and particularly your sight. it is like having a car in your blind spot while driving. you’re completely unaware of it until it becomes visible. “shadow work” is the process of making our shadow visible to us. our personality is driven by many unconscious forces, and the deeper we get to know these, the more easily we can recognize them in ourselves. this, in turn, allows us to move beyond personality, beyond our unconscious limitations.
take a moment to consider your mindset
the kind of attention we bring to our inner work can truly have only one form, and that form is mindfulness. if we have an attitude that is defensive and not open to change, not much is possible. the adage “you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink” sums it up well — it is only when we are willing to be open, non-defensive, attentive, and willing to listen deeply that we can grow. the growth mindset is open to change, and open to the experience of others. it wants to understand, and it wants to feel-know. it is deeply moved by the successes or “failures” of others, and does not see one as better than the other. it learns from criticism as well as from feedback. the healthy mind continually adapts to the world it lives in. it does not fearfully avoid, but rather vulnerably engages with experience.
right now, notice the basic feeling (attitude) that you have towards what you are reading. it will either find something to fight with (avoidance); feel a resonance with what is being said, even if not fully understood (open engagement); or feel indifferent (unreflectively reading). none of these are right or wrong. yet, it is very important to notice our attitude, as it gives us an indication of whether we are being mindful or not. with mindfulness, we are aware of the primal feeling or attitude, and we can alter it when necessary.
personality is homeostatic
homeostasis can be defined as the tendency towards a stable equilibrium (balance) between interdependent elements. a good example is the oxygen levels in our bodies. in order to maintain that stable balance, the body needs to get rid of carbon dioxide (by breathing out) and take in oxygen (by breathing in). fortunately, the body maintains this function without any need for control, nor even awareness from us. each of the nine Enneagram types has a balanced or homeostatic state. when we are aware of what this state is, and what it feels like, we can also pay attention to what maintains it, and what disturbs it. it becomes the center of our self-regulation.
the diagram illustrates the underlying process of homeostasis, and the contents of that process for each type is described in the table below. at the base of our balanced state lies our worldview: how we make sense of and respond to reality. based on its worldview each type has a specific basic desire and basic fear. we all have similar needs, but different types have different strategies for getting those needs met, and these strategies are based on worldview, basic desire, and basic fear. for example, we all need acknowledgement, but how we define “acknowledgment,” and feel it to be fulfilled, will differ from type to type.
when our basic desire is fulfilled, the cycle stays in its loop of need satisfaction (which is one form of the homeostatic state). when the need is not satisfied, the cycle switches to the basic fear loop. we begin to overcompensate (overuse our natural strengths) and will stay in that cycle until we can restore the sense of need satisfaction. at the same time, our overcompensation creates difficulties for those around us, and we are less likely to be able to return to the basic desire. the growth intervention is one strategy for restoring the cycle.
egoic homeostasis in the Enneagram types
| type | world view | basic desire | basic fear | homeostasis | healthy function | unhealthy function | growth intervention (reducing the fear) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | the world is an unjust place. i am strong and defend the innocent | to be self-reliant | submission or vulnerability | independence | discovering strength in self and others | controlling self and others | strengthen the self, rather than controlling |
| 9 | my efforts won’t matter to the world. it is best to be at peace | to find union and peace | separation or exclusion | union | accepting of self, other or situation | over-accommodation (illusion of union) | stop indulging in the fantasy of union and truly accept self and others |
| 1 | the world is an imperfect place. i work towards improvement | to be right | being condemned or found wrong | acting in the right way | seeking truth | correcting others | refrain from correcting others and examine self for truth |
| 2 | people depend on my help. i am needed | to be loved | to be unloved | loved/loving | helping others | resent and manipulate others | help as genuinely needed and help self, not just others |
| 3 | the world values winners. avoid failure at all costs | to be admired | being rejected | admired | self-improving | being competitive | focus on genuine self-improvement |
| 4 | something is missing (in me). others have it. i'm different, because i don't | to understand self | being defective and broken | understand self | examining self | indulging in fantasy | stop fantasizing and objectively examine self |
| 5 | the world is invasive and confusing. i need privacy to think and function | to understand the world | being overwhelmed by the world | understanding | observing to make meaning | detaching from self and world | stop isolating, observe and analyze things as they truly are |
| 6 | the world is a threatening place. i need to look to authority, but i question it | to be secure | being abandoned and insecure | security | loyalty | distrusting others and self | give deeper trust and loyalty |
| 7 | the world is full of opportunity and options. i look forward to the future | to be happy | being deprived | happiness | exploring and appreciating the world | numbly running after sensations (feeling of emptiness) | explore current experience more fully |
adapted from Riso & Hudson: Wisdom of the Enneagram
now, take the data of your type from the table and create your own version. if you’re a type 7, your world view wants opportunity and choice. you enjoy planning and anticipating. your basic desire is to be happy, which leads to your homeostasis of “happiness.” consequently, your healthy function is to explore and appreciate. being deprived or in constant pain is your fear, and when you start overcompensating (running after sensation — unhealthy function) you may find yourself lost in planning and anticipating the next experience, to the extent that you may not even appreciate your current experience. you’re only planning how to get away. your growth intervention therefore is to recognize such behavior and allow yourself to take in more of your present experience (explore and appreciate). you may discover what you really like about this “now,” so that the homeostatic state of “happiness,” is restored. when you really want this to sink in, pay attention when you experience a happy state. try to identify the dynamics, and how they fit into your homeostatic cycle. and when there is an unhappy state, return to it, and once again, unpack it in terms of the homeostatic cycle.
being who i am is not a hindrance, but not understanding myself can be.
Richard Sofisa
a reflective practice
let’s look at:
- the basic proposition for each type
- what each type strongly identifies with
- what the type resists recognizing
- where the type's focus of attention typically lands.
remember, these aspects are neither right, nor wrong. not knowing what others see in us, can be a problem.
| type | basic proposition | strongly identifies with | resists recognizing | focus of attention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | one gains protection and respect by becoming strong and powerful, imposing your personal truth and hiding your vulnerability. | resisting or challenging others and environment | own vulnerability and need for nurturing | injustice, not being controlled, getting things moving |
| 9 | one gains belonging by merging with others, and comfort by dispersing your energy into objects and activities. | inner stability coming from disengagement from impulses and feelings | own strength and capacity | others’ agendas and the external environment |
| 1 | one gains excellence by ensuring that you are good and right. this becomes your worth. | capacity to evaluate, discern and differentiate experience or objects | anger-based tension | observing what is “right” or “wrong” |
| 2 | one gains love and approval through giving to others. | feelings for and about others, and others’ responses to them | own feelings and needs | others’ needs, feelings and desires |
| 3 | to gain love, recognition and acceptance through performance, doing and success. | image based on what they perceive as admiration by others | feelings of emptiness and own self-rejection | focusing on tasks, goals and recognition for accomplishment |
| 4 | one will feel loved, whole and complete if you can find the ideal love or unique circumstance. | feelings of “otherness,” being flawed and emotional reaction (expression) | authentic positive qualities in self and being like others | "what is missing?" |
| 5 | one can assure survival and gain protection from intrusion and insufficient resources through privacy, self-sufficiency, limiting desires and acquiring knowledge. | sense of being detached, an outside observer, not part of the world | physical presence and state, feelings and needs | accumulating knowledge, fearing intrusion from others’ agendas, needs and emotions |
| 6 | one can assure security and certainty by avoiding harm or facing it, through vigilance, questioning, battling or escaping perceived hazard. | need to respond and react to inner anxiety about perceived lack of support | support and own inner guidance | what could go “wrong,” worst-case scenarios and how to prevent them |
| 7 | one can avoid pain and frustration by inventing options, opportunities and adventures. | sense of excitement coming from anticipating future positive experiences | recognizing personal pain and anxiety | multiple options and idealized future plans |
adapted from Riso & Hudson: Wisdom of the Enneagram
there are so many objects from personality that we can use as either a reflection or a practice, or a reflection leading into a practice. as with the points you have read in your type description, under “what hinders growth,” and “furthering growth”, each of these aspects can become a practice. we can even repeat the reflections from time to time, to note what still holds us back, or the situations where we become reactive.
how do we work with this information? first of all, it is good to turn it into a reflection. read through the statements of your type one by one. if the mind says “interesting/boring/untrue/true,” pay deeper attention. why is it interesting? where in my life is it true? what are the specific situations?
once reflection becomes part of your thinking and listening, you can take it one step deeper, into introspection. in my remembered experience, is the basic proposition true? (eg. if i’m a type 7 — is it true that i can avoid pain and frustration by my planning and anticipation? is there maybe a deeper anxiety or sorrow at play when i’m planning? what is the state of the mind like when i’m frustrated? what is it i want to get away from? why? is that true?)
you can work in the same way with the contents of each column. first, just reflect (that is, work with your thought process), and then deepen into introspection (where we take it deeper, into our emotional processes).
make notes for yourself and write down insights. for a long time in my (johann’s) life, when i was riddled with anxiety, the little insights i discovered became anchors. i called them my “rescue johann list.” it is truly wonderful to discover how the memory of the insight can take us out of the threatening feelings of the moment. the more you do this kind of internal work, the easier it becomes for the mind to restore its own peace. in the moment of remembering the mind changes slightly, as it is not only experiencing threat, but now also feels-remembers the stillness that existed when you were doing the reflection and introspection.
at the same time, you can turn some of your reflective and introspective work into practices. if you know what you tend to fail to recognize, the practice could be finding a way to remind yourself in moments of reaction. what can you ask yourself in that moment?
you can see that this is really only possible if we stay mindful and keep practicing that powerful “muscle.” with mindfulness, and some problem solving, we can slowly change a reaction into a response, or choose a different response. in the process, the mind gains more perspective, adjusts, and matures.
don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. and then go and do that. because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Howard Thurman
