Breaking out of shame with the help of the Law of One, Michael Teachings, and the Enn

[Questioner]

Sigh...that is what unconditional love can often demand.

It was some extreme catalyst. Without it, I might not have had as much unhappiness in my life. But I also might not have pursued a path of seeking answers that eventually led me to the Law of One material.

Is there any reason for you having picked up types 3,6, & 9 first for elucidation, rather than following a sequential order from Type 1 to Type 9?

Great question.

Remember that in the Enneagram system, the numbering of the types does not have anything to do with chronological order, psychological maturity, or spiritual evolution. Study can start anywhere. Some popular books on the Enneagram start with point 2 and work their way around, clockwise.

There are other systems of personality type, some as insightful as the Enneagram. What is unique about the Enneagram, and so very cool, is the way that the types are connected to each other in a particular pattern represented by the diagram.

Enneagram theory says that each of the types represents a particular state of consciousness which we all should use throughout our lives. It says that in the process of evolution and growth, we naturally cycle through these different attitudes in a way that is healthy and positive. Through the way the points are connected, it points out a way to see the most likely keys to collaboration and interaction. And when a person or a group spiral in reverse through the points, it shows exactly how they unravel.

Before we can look at how this connection between points works, we need to be familiar with the points individually.

There are two ways that the points are connected up: a connection with three points and a connection with six points. The three-point connection links up 3, 6, and 9. By discussing these points first, I'm taking the shortest path to a discussion of the connections. If I started with the other points, I'd need to cover twice as much material before being able to explain how the points are connected.

One of my favorite authors about the Enneagram wrote a paper with a theory of how a particular point of view about psychological structure can explain the links in the Enneagram. I see his theory as also having a relationship to the classic yin/yang dichotomy of Eastern thought. I will bring those concepts in here, but if I toss them out now they won't have any context yet.

From Thomas Chou's point of view (I'll link to his paper later in this series), 3, 6, and 9 all relate to reasons an individual hopes for, or is ready for, love from others in society: because they're a hard-working self-developing highly-performing winner; or because they're a loyal, devoted, yet appropriately cautious team player; or because they're humbly at peace and harmony with all. Yet these strategies all relate to the underlying core value of receiving love from other people... a value that simply is not as deeply, intensely, passionately a core value for the other six types.

We will absolutely cover the entire spectrum in my series here and I hope to be equally respectful of all these different opportunities for enlightenment. I also hope to be equally forthright about all these opportunities to misuse one aspect of human life energy to sink down to a miserable level. I hope my 3 and 6 essays show a balanced respect for both good and bad opportunities inherent in these types.

I hope to have the type 9 essay ready for y'all to enjoy later today. Please continue to let me know what works and what doesn't work in my attempts to explain this bundle of concepts.