Elemental Enneagram – Air
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
June 8th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
A friend on Twitter (bristowmom1) suggested an Oboe as a mournful instrument for the Four. That would fit nicely. While the Saxophone was the first thought, I can see the whole Woodwind family as a Four kind of Sound.