The Enneagram may very well be the best self-help book you’ll ever get!
“Neuroscientists have shown that our decisions, actions, emotions and behaviour depend on the 95% of brain activity that is beyond our conscious awareness, which means that 95% of our life comes from the programming in our subconscious mind.” – Dr Omar Intani
So basically 95% of what shapes our reality is subconscious and we are not even aware of it. The Enneagram helps to shine a light on what motivates our behaviour and once we understand our default or autopilot better, we can then choose more appropriate behaviours.
How does this look like in real life you may ask?
There are nine Enneagram Types. One of them is our core type or so-called lens through which we interpret the world. There are 27 subtypes, three centers of expression and then there are our new best friends, the Lines and Wings. The aim of the Enneagram assessment is healthy integration and balance of them all.
The aim of the Enneagram assessment tool is not to box us!
We are already “boxed” by nature and nurture. The aim of the Enneagram is for us to see our box, the 95% subconscious, and climb out of it.
Getting to know my own Enneagram Type 7, The Enthusiastic Visionary, has shown me once and for all that there is nothing wrong with me. It has helped me to become my very own best friend. I now understand that I simply tend to get (over) excited by nature and nurture. Now that I am more aware of this default behaviour, I consciously insert a “pause” button before signing up for the next project. I am also far more content learning that less often is more.
Being so (over) enthusiastic can really be exhausting. I learned that it is vital for me to take time out daily. Connecting to my Release Line, Type 5, The Quiet Specialist, helps me to instantly recharge. Spending time in nature, mediation or yoga calms my monkey mind. Deeply integrating new concepts and methodologies benefits my coaching clients.
I also learned there is freedom in structure by embracing my Growth Line, Type 1, The Strict Perfectionist. Getting to know the Nine Types of the Enneagram has literally given me wings to fly.
What about the remaining 5% of conscious mind you may ask? I figured that our thinking better be good AND conscious! Therefore, I engage with my clients in conscious thinking based on Nancy Kline’s Time to Think.
Visit my Instagram page to learn more about the 9 Enneagram Types. For an iEQ9 Enneagram assessment link to find out what your type is, send an email to enneagram@sibylle.co.za or visit my website.
