A Labyrinthine Journey: Soon Coming in 3-D

I come to the last of 4 posts as an introduction to my thinking of the Enneagram through the images of the 4 elemental images of the Ancient Western World. Please heed the note at the bottom. I really do want feedback.

Element 4: Fire. This element offers a couple benefits: light and energy or heat, so the images will be broader than the last 2. You will also note, that while I begin with the more positive sides of the images, the impact of either too much or too little of the element are notes when we move Out of Essence (my phrase for living a perceived disconnection from the Divine Essence)

• Ones: Refiner’s Fire and pure light. Out of Essence the One is either blinded or is blinding to those around them. And woe to you if you are the slag in the refiner’s fire.
• Twos: Both images relate to the hospitality nature of the Two. First we have the baking oven, especially after a loaf of bread of tray of cookies is taken from it. The other is the light in the window offering a place in the darkness. Of course the Out of Essence images offer the cold shoulder of inhospitality.
• Threes: The kiln/forge and the projector. On the one hand we have the poles of industry and inactivity. On the other hand we have the power of illusion and image.
• Fours: I see the bonfire and the firework. Fire and light at its most dramatic. Too much? we have the burn zone of the wildfire.
• Fives: The search light and the incubator. These fire images provide the place to hold and then hatch wisdom and life as well as the one searching in the darkness for truth.
• Sixes: I see the hearth and campfire. They provide light and heat as a circle of security for the gathering of companions, yet the shadows lurk just beyond the reach of that circle.
• Sevens: At first I had the firework here, but instead I have the living flow the gas fueled flame, and the full spectrum of the rainbow. Rainbows are great, but it is hard to find definition with them. And the gas line can become over filtered and the flame is lost
• Eights: I kept returning to the living rock of magma and of our Sun. Lots of heat and needed at the core, but beware the eruption of the volcano. And while we need the light of the Sun to reveal life, it is not meant to be gazed upon or to come too close to.
• Nines: Without the fire of the Nine we have the darkness of sleep and the void before creation. I see the glowing light of the Golden Hour just before sunrise and just after sunset. I also see the simple and peaceful light of the candle flame.

I hope soon to take these ideas and approach them from each Enneatype as a way to provide a fuller picture of each type.

Note: I Welcome your help! These are ideas and possibilities for images in understanding and exploring the Enneagram. These are all Tentative, and might/will need further development. You can help by commenting on what you think works and what you think will work better. Thank you, David

Continuing with Part 3 of a 4 part introduction unfolding my thoughts on how the different Enneagram types might be connected with the 4 elements of the Ancient Western World. I do need to repeat that these are preliminary ideas with minimal explanation. I want to expand on these in the near future.

Element 3: Earth. Included are images related to gardens and growing. I think this would be a place to consider the 5th element of the East, Metal. (future possibilities).

• Ones: I can see here the path itself and a highway. The way to follow for righteousness. When the path is lost it is easy for a One to find themselves wandering aimlessly.
• Twos: The image that comes to my mind is the refuge. It can be a cave or just a sheltered place to be welcomed. Too much of this type can turn the refuge into the bondage of the dungeon.
• Threes: Building blocks and even steps. This is not only the idea of upward mobility and progress, but it is related to industry. However, when this type is Out of Essence, those blocks can become stumbling blocks and obstacles.
• Fours: I went to the creative side with this type: the potter’s clay and the sculptor’s marble. Great potential for expression of the Creative Essence. When this type fractures, we find piles of shards and rubble.
• Fives: As an Eight who has spent plenty of time in my Five stress point, I see this type as the deepness where roots can find foundation and nutrients. Wisdom is a deep earth image. The alternatives for the disconnected Five is either shallow hiding or so deep that one is disconnected from the seed and stem.
• Sixes: Here I see bedrock and foundation images. It can be a very strong place to base one’s life. However with fear, the images either crack apart along a fault-line or one’s life becomes anchorless and is blown around by the storms.
• Sevens: Here I see the fertile soil of a garden. Loose, fresh, and full of nutrition to grow a variety of food and beauty. However, when the seven is Out of Essence (disconnected from one’s inner process of the Divine) life becomes sterile.
• Eights: I image the spaciousness of the mountain and valley. Both images bring with them the idea of breadth and potential. However, they also become potential sites for avalanches.
• Nines: The basic soil and ground of being. Nines have an expansiveness to them, but also a commonness that doesn’t get in your face like the Eight. There is a dynamic to the basic ground, but left empty, we find life is stuck in stasis, ungrounded, and unplanted.

Next: Fire.

Note: I Welcome your help! These are ideas and possibilities for images in understanding and exploring the Enneagram. These are all Tentative, and might/will need further development. You can help by commenting on what you think works and what you think will work better. Thank you, David

Continuing the unfolding of images using the 4 Elements of the Ancient Western World and the Enneagram. Again, here are some initial ideas with minimal explanation. I want to expand on these in the near future

We continue with Water.

• Ones: I see pure and filtered water, well suited for cleansing purposes. When a One is Out of Essence, they either become very sensitive to pollution or they end up polluting with judgment.
• Twos: A couple images come to mind. One is the image of a lake. It is not too big to be overwhelming. A home for fish and a refuge for other wildlife. The other image is that of a Cup of Cold Water. It brings refreshment to others. When a lake becomes ingrown (like the self-focused Two) it becomes stagnant and is not healthy for life.
• Threes: One set of water images is that of a river or a canal. It is moving and ever changing. It makes canyons and can polish rocks. A related image is that of a dam or a levee as constructions that help to harness and direct the water. However, too much and the flow is blocked with excess control.
• Fours: I see a spring, an artesian well, or Jesus’ image of a well of living water. This links to the Holy Origin nature of the Four. The creative seeks to connect deep down with the source of creative life. Without this spring, we have wilderness, absence and longing.
• Fives: This one actually comes from Helen Palmer (and I lost the scrap of paper I wrote this on). The Five would be the undertow current in the sea. I would broaden that out to the deep ocean currents of which the undertow becomes a dangerous excess to those caught in its trap.
• Sixes: Rain. We need rain for life, just like we need faith, however too much of the fear/rain leads to dangerous storms and floods. Too little courage leads to drought.
• Sevens: The waterfall and the fountain. This is related to the spring of living water, but in a bubbly, effervescent way. You can’t help but be enlightened in the presence of a spraying fountain or a waterfall. However, too much can lead to an excess of chaos and life spins quickly out of control.
• Eights: If the Five is the undertow, the Eight is the Ocean Wave (again from Helen Palmer). I would expand this to the movement of the tides, powerful and broad movements in life. Too much? Tsunami.
• Nines: Here I imagined the mountain stream of the bubbling brook. Nothing over the top, but in the presence of the stream, I think peace and harmony. A brook without water is a dry creek bed. Nothing going on, but still holding potential. Waiting for the rain (the Six) and dreaming of being the river (the Three)

Next: Earth

Note: I Welcome your help! These are ideas and possibilities for images in understanding and exploring the Enneagram. These are all Tentative, and might/will need further development. You can help by commenting on what you think works and what you think will work better. Thank you, David

What might the Enneagram look like using the 4 elements of the Ancient Western World: Air, earth, water, and fire (Eastern world has 5 and adds Metal). For the last month or so, I have been playing with ideas. Here are some initial ideas with minimal explanation. I want to expand on these in the near future.

We begin with Air. In thinking of this set of images, I consider winds, and space and sounds and music.

• Ones: The north wind. The clarifying and cold air of winter. The clean lines from Scandinavia. Frozen anger. Music: the melody line. That line of notes that defines and divides the composition as it moves from beginning to end.
• Twos: The West Wind. A soft, gentle, warm breeze that moves from spring into summer. Music: harmonizing voices. voices joining the melody to bring richness and fullness to the music. When the Two is out of essence, disharmony and clashing chords result.
• Threes: Wind-filled sails. The prevailing winds that move and energize commerce and explorations of life. However, the winds can blow in any direction, so need a rudder. Also, the winds can leave us dead in the water. Music: the String section. To many, these are the orchestra leaders.
• Fours: Horizon-gazing. The gazing and longing is important, seeking something yet to be. Without the landmarks of the horizon it is easy to become disoriented and lost. Music: the mournful and longing sound of the Saxophone.
• Fives: The openness and distance of Deep Space. I image a vacuum waiting to be filled. The Five can exert a lot of energy trying to fill that space. Music: The Bass line. The deep bass line can provide the foundation that is needed. This can be either the melodic bass for the boom of the bass drum beat.
• Sixes: The south wind. These are the height of summer into fall storms. Great warmth and comfort, but also great storms that come out of nowhere. Music: Drums and percussion (aside from the bass drum above). In many cultures the drums can be either a call to gather, or a sound of warning.
• Sevens: The East Wind. This wind is mischievous and ever changing. It blows fresh. Without it the air can easily become stagnant and stale. Music: The flutes. These instruments lighten up the composition with bright, high tones.
• Eights: I see the Jet stream and other strong air currents. There is power there that is often hard to reach. They can move storm systems away, they can also bring them in. Music: trumpets and horns. I imagine fanfares that announce and proclaim. Yet, they also can blast away at life (in your face).
• Nines: Wide open sky and oxygen. The backdrop of life. I imagine lying on one’s back just looking up at the expanse of sky simply breathing. Music: the basic vibration of sound especially as they all work together to provide the harmonics that might even go beyond hearing. The purring of a cat, barely heard yet still felt.

Next: Water

Note: I Welcome your help! These are ideas and possibilities for images in understanding and exploring the Enneagram. These are all Tentative, and might/will need further development. You can help by commenting on what you think works and what you think will work better. Thank you, David