How's That Working For You?

A struggle for many of us - but especially ennea-type 3’s - is with being deceitful.  Yes, there is a type of deceitfulness where we are all quite aware that we are deliberately not telling or living the “truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”,  but the type of deceit we are speaking of here is actually deeper and is hidden from our consciousness, often until we are ‘shocked’ into an awareness of it.  And for most personality style 3’s the deceit is fundamentally one of fooling themselves about their deep need to appear to be the best at whatever they do, to be the achiever/performer par excellence in order to believe they have value and are worthy of true love And 3’s can often keep this pattern going for many years, all the while damaging their physical, emotional, relational and spiritual health.  Listen in as John Steakley, founder of the non-profit Unbound Grace, shares what shocked him into an awareness of just how deeply and dangerously the deceit dynamic was running the show in his life and his gift of getting caught.

Enneagram-type Sevens are typically obsessed with unlimited freedom.  One of the three Head types, Sevens unconsciously overuse their mental space in order to stay in the future where there is always freedom. Freedom from pain, fear, deprivation and limitation, boredom and the mundane.  However, this focus on a ‘happy’ freedom eventually puts all Sevens into bondage to the ego rather than the soul. Often that bondage can result in full-blown addiction.  Listen in today as Raven Johnson of the non-profit Addiction Prevention Coalition describes how her less resourceful Seven personality traits both encouraged addictive behavior and helped keep her trapped trap for years.

Nines are referred to as part of the Body-type triad.   Ironically, though, they often experience life as disconnected from their own body, which can help lead to an unconscious pattern of fusing or merging into the life of significant others, systems, groups or ideologies and thus “forgetting” their truest self.  Join in this podcast as we hear a Social Nine (the enneagram’s counter-type) relate some of his painful journey from self-forgetting, anger and addiction, into the beautiful process of re-covering his created essence as a healer and mediator of head, heart and body.

All Ennegram personality types struggle with at least some imbalance between their Mind, Heart and Gut knowing and processing.  Getting into and staying consistently in balance - in ‘Harmony' - with those three intelligence centers is a lifelong journey.  For ennea-type Fives their unconscious habit of “hoarding” is a major deterrent to being centered and harmonious.  On today’s podcast, listen in as an ennea-type Five describes how the past year of Covid-19 shutdown surprisingly impacted his journey in that area.

Enneagram type Twos are most often ‘others’ oriented, which usually leads them to be extravagant helpers and givers, sensitive to the needs of others and focused on relational connection.  The challenge can be that a Two can go through life never feeling the permission or devoting their energy to discerning their own needs and deep desires.  Join us as Dr. Mark Lacey talks about how this challenge is showing up very specifically in one of life’s major transitions: What’s next after retirement?

Enneagram type 3’s are often charming, amazing achievers and highly driven and efficient performers. But a downside to a 3’s drivenness can be an obsession with their own image which can ultimately harm those drawn to the 3’s gifted ness and achievement.  Listen in today as Nick Crawford of the non-profit Common Thread shares how engaging in authentic relationships  is helping him follow Jesus and lead with community in mind.