The Enneagram is Astrology!

by E. Alan Meece The Enneagram is a system of nine psychological types. The word enneagram is based on the Greek word for nine. People use astrology in very much the same way. The most interesting question I've had about the Enneagram, is not so much whether it works, or whether it's true; if it weren't true and useful, it probably would not be so persistently popular. Ironically, of course, people ask the same question about astrology (what is it based on?). My explanation is quite simple; the nine types of the Enneagram are really astrological types. All the various philosophical, psychological, esoteric, and scientific systems of human knowledge have things in common, and things that are different. So, how do the two systems coincide? Interestingly, without attributing an actual correlation, Enneagram therapist Mary Bast says, "Goldberg (The Nine Ways of Working) suggests the nine styles might as well come from different planets."

Pluto, Mars and the Inner Journey of Scorpio, Part I Detail from Hercules, by John Singer Sargent, 1921. Scorpio season is upon us once again, bringing with it another opportunity to look more deeply into our own psyche than we have ever done before. The enigmatic sign of Scorpio is associated with such intense themes as sex, death, cruelty, rebirth, power, regeneration, money, and the deepest darkest depths of our own minds. Scorpio goes where angels fear to tread and for this reason is also the sign of priests and psychologists. So what is it all about? Following the journey of the soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the point of balance between body and soul has been reached in Libra, the final struggle takes place in Scorpio. Three planetary rulers, or space-holders, are the guardians of this birthing process, which is vital for the evolution of humanity from an animalistic being into a fully awakened soul-centered being. Pluto, at personality level, brings somatic awareness, the instinctual felt-sense in the body. Ruth

Character flaws: The seven chief features of ego - Personality & Spirituality Untitled, by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1984) Every one of us has a fundamental flaw, an immaturity of character, a dark side or negative tendency. This character flaw, also known as a ‘Chief Feature’, tends to take control whenever we feel stressed, anxious or uncertain. To the extent that you can identify and handle yours, you are doing well in your personal growth. What is a Chief Feature? Generally speaking, all personality traits (or overleaves) are neutral. A chief feature [1] is different. A chief feature is a dominant negative attitude — a defensive and potentially destructive pattern of thinking, feeling and acting. We all have at least one. Your chief feature is your primary ego defence and your main stumbling block in life. This article describes how the chief feature comes to have such a stranglehold on our personality. The seven chief features Here they are listed from the most introverted to the most extroverted: Note how they can be arranged in pairs (plus one in the middle): Shadow

Fourth Way Practices: Self-Observation - Nottingham, Rebecca The Work begins with dividing one's attention. If you have had no experience in this practice, try the following: While being aware of your external experience become concurrently aware of your inner state. This internal awareness is the beginning of self-observation. Self-observation is the foundation effort in this process, its value cannot be overestimated, and all development proceeds from that point. Try to disassociate with your justifying and observe the feeling objectively. As you observed, the angst subsided when "it" was observed. What you are encountering is negative imagination. Negative imagination not only steals force, it is a complete waste of one's attention, energy and time. You have also observed how even a small amount of attention will eventually "dissipate" the imaginings. Before pursuing self-remembering, you must develop the skill of self-observation. There is indeed a difference between thinking about self-remembering and experiencing it. Do you see vanity?