YOGA AND THE ENNEAGRAM -- TYPE ONE

 INTRO TO ENNEAGRAM:

Class, who can tell me what the Enneagram is?  

Yes!  It's a system of identifying NINE different personality types (sometimes compared to the more well-known Myers-Briggs scale), which is reputed to have originated many centuries ago, but was popularized in Europe in the 1920s and the United States in the 1960s.

Pronounced ANY-a-gram, the Enneagram is represented by a circle with each "type" at one point on the circle.  The Enneagram posits that we develop a strategy for addressing and coping with early life experiences and family circumstances by using our natural talents and abilities.  Sometimes this is a good thing -- we develop healthy coping mechanisms.  Sometimes we go off the rails and our "type"functions in an "unhealthy" range of behaviors, especially under stress.  Most often people fall into an "average" range of response, which is all well and good, but could be better.  The Enneagram shows us a map for climbing out of the "unhealthy" range and growing toward increasing "health" and a better life all around.  (This is a gross oversimplification, but you get the idea.)  

Each of the NINE TYPES have distinct characteristics.  These basic types are influenced by the type which appears on the circle on either side of them, as well as those connected by a line across the circle, to further refine the type.  In addition, there are sub-types within each type....yes, it can get a bit confusing.  For our introductory purposes, we are sticking with the basic NINE.  

I have spent my Covid LockDown months taking a closer look at the Enneagram and find it fascinating.  I kept wondering why I was reacting to the current pandemic in ways that others were not.  What makes us face any challenge, or even every day life, so differently from others?  I turned to my rudimentary knowledge of the Enneagram and took a deeper dive.  I learned more about myself, and about others as well.  A lot of my questions were answered about how we can all face the same set of circumstances with vastly differing responses.  Then I discovered, hallelujia!, that Yoga can mesh nicely with Enneagram work!  Win-Win.

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So, let's dive in.  

TYPE ONE:  Often called "The Perfectionist" or "The Reformer".  Type Ones want to improve themselves and the world.  They are rational, self-disciplined, orderly, organized, fair, productive, reliable, ethical, and eager to get to work to change the world for the good.  They are problem-solvers and "fixers". They are hard workers and strive to get everything right.  

They may have heard messages as a child to the effect: "You are good or okay if you do what is right." So they want to be good and virtuous and fear being bad or evil.  Therefore, they can be very self-critical as well as judgmental and critical of others who they perceive as not trying as hard as they are.  They want to take charge, but also often feel they are doing all the work and getting no help or recognition. Their bodies can hold tension with tight muscles and they may be emotionally stressed, feeling they can never achieve their perfected ideal.

I imagine a TYPE ONE would face the Covid-19 pandemic by working hard:  They might see it as a time to tackle the "to do" list they always have going, basically ignoring the crisis and carrying on with tasks.  Or they might dive into the crisis by getting organized, collecting information from a variety of sources, making lists, making plans, trying to get others on board with their plan, coming up with a solid strategy and assuming all should do it their way because they know best, obviously, and they are genuinely trying to help so all will survive!  Ones are people of action: "Come on, gang! Do it my way!"And they get frustrated when their lead is not followed, because they thought it all through; they were rational, thorough, and complete, and well, often they are indeed right. Still....

Ones can move toward a healthier profile when they learn to relax, give up a bit of control and go with the flow, to accept that others have a different style, and that they, as Ones, are perfect as they are without having to prove anything.  They will benefit from knowing that it's OK to make mistakes and also OK to sometimes just be playful, spontaneous, and enjoy life as it is in the moment.

YOGA FOR THE TYPE ONE:  Have fun!  As part of your practice move into Tree Pose with a playful attitude.  If you fall, just laugh and try again.  Or give that pose up and try a Warrior Pose pretending to be a statue or an ancient Samuri.  Try some Laughing Yoga - just "fake laugh" until it becomes real.  Or maybe find a bit of peace from your striving and relax in Child's Pose, not moving or trying, just being.  NOT perfecting the pose and NOT pushing beyond comfort will benefit the ONE.

TYPE ONES put a lot of pressure on themselves and tend to be serious and goal directed.  If this is you, be gentle with yourself.  Do something spontaneous, silly, and fun.  You are perfect just as you are...really!  ©

Namaste,  donnajurene

Photo Credit:  www.pixabay.com

Resources:  There are lots of books, videos (some humorous!), podcasts (some better than others).  Many people have jumped on the bandwagon, so there are LOTS of people out there teaching with varying degrees of expertise.  I was surprised to find there is a strong Christian following of the Enneagram, but this is not an inherent part of Enneagram study by any means.  Just FYI in case you run across this slant on the study or are looking for it, it's there.

These are the sources I will use for this series; information cited is mostly from the first two books and the Yoga article:

The Enneagram Made Easy, Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele, Harper San Francisco, 1994. (This was my intro to the Enneagram and is a very simple, fun, basic introduction for a beginner.  It will help you figure out your Type.  But I highly recommend moving on to a more in-depth study such as the next book on this resource list.)

The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types, Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson, Bantam Books, 1999. (A great intro with depth, but still very accessible and helpful in learning how the Enneagram can foster personal insight and growth.)

Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery, Don Richard Riso with Russ Hudson, Houghton Mifflin, 1996.  (Riso and Hudson are the best known and recognized authors and investigators of the Enneagram.   I find this book dense, but full of great detailed info.  Would not be my introductory text, but for someone with a bit of knowledge or a desire to dive into the deep end, it's a classic.)

The Complete Enneagram, 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD, SheWritesPress, 2013. (All the types, wings, subtypes -- how it all fits together and how to grow in each type to a more healthy place.  Lots of "how to" information to explore once one fully understands their type.)  

EnneagramInstitute.com  -- Yes! People get actually teaching degrees in this!  Explore this website; you can take the "official" test ($12) to learn your type, but there are plenty of free options out there as well. 

Creating a Yoga Practice with the Enneagram by Ali McGhee, August 28, 2015, YogaBasics.com

BACK-TO-SCHOOL COVID STYLE

Happy September! It's back-to-school month!  Kids, parents, and teachers are dealing with the new normal of "distance learning" via Zoom.   Some districts in some areas are doing a hybrid of in-person and and online.  

Same with Yoga Circle Studio.  Online classes have been available all summer.  Now there is an option of four students being able to come in person to the studio with the teacher who will be teaching online simultaneously.  I'm happy Yoga Circle is large enough to accommodate a few in-person students.  My son is a local Park District Recreation Supervisor and they had to cancel their in-person classes when a new rule was implemented in August stating a requirement of 300 sq. feet of space per person.    

I'm also happy the online option is still available!  I'm not yet comfortable returning to indoor settings for anything except grabbing groceries, and mostly it's my husband who is the shopper. Reading now about the spread of Covid-19 through aerosols (teeny tiny little sprays that come from our mouths when we breathe, talk, laugh, cough, sneeze) and how they float in currents in the air, or hang in one place depending upon the indoor ventilation efficiency and direction of air flow makes me crazy!  On top of everything else, will we all have to become ventilation experts?!?  

There are science-backed measures we all should be taking (some are not, however) such as wearing a mask, washing those hands, keeping at least 6 feet apart, and not going to big gatherings, especially indoors. (The coming fall/winter/holiday season will be a new challenge!)

At a certain point, it's a leap of faith I guess.  Many people seem perfectly comfortable, and have throughout this period of time, with trusting their immune systems, the fates, God, whatever flavor of "expert" they've decided to follow.  I guess I'm a skeptic and and bit of a worrier.  I like knowing all the facts, studying the data, erring on the side of caution.  We are all built differently in that regard. 

I hinted a couple of posts ago that I want to explore how our personalities might inform our decision- making about health and so much more.  I want to explore how yoga can work in tandem with various personality types to help us best address our type's needs.  

Part 1 of Yoga and the Enneagram is coming soon and will continue throughout this month.  Be ready to learn!  It's back-to-school month!

Namaste, donnajurene

Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com

YOGA NIDRA -- WAKEFUL SLEEP RENEWAL

Today was Yoga Nidra day at Elizabeth's Zoom class. I forgot again. I think it's a trick my brain plays on me. My first few experiences with Yoga Nidra were not positive, so I decided (consciously) that I don't like it; it's not for me.  Since that time I've actually had some very pleasant experiences, but that early declaration is stuck in my head, so when I know it's coming up (4th Wednesday of the month), I tend to avoid that class.  Except....

A few times, including recently when we are meeting online, I forget. I show up and Elizabeth announces it's Yoga Nidra day and I am surprised, even though I can read a calendar as well as anyone.  I think my UNconscious mind is looking out for me.  That mind knows I'll benefit even if I don't know it!

Yoga Nidra is a practice often called "Yoga Sleep Meditation".  Elizabeth starts with a 45 minute gentle asana practice to stretch and strengthen the large muscles of our bodies to prepare us for a 30+ minute lying or sitting meditation.  During that meditation, after we gather extra props to ensure maximum comfort and relaxation, she guides us through the 5 koshas (you don't have to know what this is to benefit!) beginning with a detailed body scan, then suggesting images of disparate objects to bring to mind...and then other stuff, because frankly I'm so deeply in a state of relaxation by then that I hear her voice and follow along, but afterwards I'm not entirely sure where she took me.  I just know how quiet, calm, and at peace I feel in that state.   

I am NOT asleep in the traditional sense -- this is a wakeful sleep.  That makes no sense, right?  It will.  Eventually.  Like I said, it didn't work for me at first.  Lying on my mat I was physically uncomfortable, distracted, agitated.  Then Elizabeth suggested sitting on a chair.  That was better for me.  But what has been BEST is to do this practice at home, via Elizabeth's Zoom class, sitting in an upholstered chair in my bedroom, feet on a bolster, blanket over my lap, eye shade covering my eyes.  I feel myself sink into the moment almost immediately.  

This morning I started on Day 3 of grieving all the losses of this Covid Summer -- concerts, ballgames, fairs and festivals, trips, friends, grandkid sleepovers...just the ease of the pre-Covid life where distancing and masks and hand sanitizer were unheard of.  As summer nears its end, I am already anticipating even more restrictions as the cold and rain drives us indoors again.  So, my emotions have been volatile and there have been lots of tears.  I want to hug my grandkids!!!

So, I switched on my computer for class rather reluctantly.  I wanted to just skip it and wallow in sorrow some more.  But my husband urged me to show up for the class, reminding me that Yoga always helps.  He's right of course, and when the first words I heard were: "Good Morning! It's Yoga Nidra Day." I didn't feel a sinking sensation of reluctant acceptance.  I felt relieved.  I felt nurtured.  I knew it was exactly what I needed.

I write this now, 2 hours post-class time, still floating on the cloud of renewal.  I know there are sorrows, but they do not consume me.  The sun is shining.  There is a cool breeze blowing across the back deck where I write.  I'm looking forward to a long walk with my husband at the waterfront later this afternoon and a simple summer supper on the deck tonight. I feel gratitude.

Sorrows come and go.  We watch them.  Happiness comes and goes.  We watch it.  Life happens to us and around us.  We watch it.  The Watcher, the Seat of our Soul, remains constant.  And when we forget what's best for us, we are reminded.  Over and over and over again.  

Namaste,  donnajurene

(Link to an article about Yoga Nidra and the 5 Koshas: https://yogainternational.com/article/view/yoga-nidra-and-the-five-koshas

Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com

PANDEMIC SUMMER

I took a July vacation from blogging -- here and also on my other two blogs.  But this being the last day of July 2020, I just couldn't completely let it go...so here is "hodge-podge" post of random thoughts.

I'm tired of the Covid-19 pandemic.  I'd like it to be gone now.  Oops---that is grasping for an outcome over which I have almost no control. (The only control I have is over my own behavior: stay home most of the time; wear a mask all of the time; create physical distance between me and others; wash my hands!)

The only real thing I can do about this historic event is to Be. Here. Now.  

So, yes, we are still in the midst of this pandemic and it's not getting better.  In fact new cases and more deaths are on the rise.  I won't delve into the political decisions and culture wars that may be contributing to this situation, because wishing for all of that to be different is also grasping at something that is not our current reality.  (Not to say we can't make our voices heard on the matter!)  So, let's just say, I understand the realities.  I am mostly accepting what is.  I am aware of feeling sad, mad, and afraid, along with content and grateful.  I breathe through those cycling emotions multiple times a day.

How is Yoga sustaining me?  Well, our pranayama practice helps.  That calming breath that is always available to us.  Inhale, hold.  Exhale, hold.  Exhale breath longer than inhale breath to calm the sympathetic nervous system and access the parasympathetic nervous system.  We don't need to fight or take flight.  We just need to "be".  Quiet.  Calm.  Patient.  It's hard sometimes. And with dedication to the practice, it works.

My asana practice is also calming.  Seeing the faces of familiar teachers and other students at the "online studio" is a balm to an aching desire (grasping again!) to be back to normal, gathering together at Yoga Circle.  I practice gratitude for the technology available to us to meet and practice in this way.  I love the feel of each pose, the familiar flow from one pose to the next, feeling my muscles strengthen, stretch, and relax.  The final Savasana, or Yoga Nidra practice, brings me to a deeper sense of peace in the moment.

My Sutra Sister group helps too.  Having met and spent 6 months together at our 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training last year (our one year graduation anniversary was yesterday) a small group of us decided to continue to meet and support each other in our yoga adventures as new teachers.  Some of us teach classes; some do not; some teach in other ways; all of us have grown closer both in person at first and now on a regular Zoom meet up, continuing to support each other in Yoga and all things "life", including how to navigate this challenging time.  Friendships need to be nurtured with special care during this time of physical distancing and staying home -- we are doing that.

My husband had total shoulder replacement surgery earlier this month, so we are walking the healing path together.  We've begun to see our extended family on occasion, trying to take advantage of these summer months when outdoor activities (still masked, physically distanced, and hand sanitizer at the ready) are safer than sharing indoor air.  I want to hug my grandkids with a palpable longing -- but we have a little ritual of wrapping our arms around ourselves and saying we are hugging each other with our hearts.

I have grown curious about how others are dealing with this strange and terrible worldwide event.  Why do some handle it with nary a care while others are perpetually frightened?  How do some maintain a sunny outlook while others are angry and resentful?  How have some deepened relationships with friends and family while others have pulled away or feel isolated and alone? 

I'm on a quest....stay tuned for more on this next month when I delve into my current twin passions:  Yoga and the Enneagram!

Namaste,  donnajurene