Twitter Goes Enneagram Teachers’ Weekend, Part 3

You may need to read Part 0 of this series to make sense of what follows.

The morning began with an hour of meditation, followed by a repetitive question.

cj76530: Repetitive question for all #enneagram Types: what does development mean for you?

Repetitive Question is an excellent instrument for supporting a search for clarity. Two people sit opposite each other, one asks the same question again and again. After each answer, they say thank you and then repeat the question. On Sunday, it went for 5 minutes per direction. 10 is more usual. It can also be adapted for use as a tool to support decision-making.

cj76530: Some #enneagram 9 answers to the question: to serve, to have fun, that my thoughts are in the same place as my body. What’s your answer?

Nobody answered the tweet; perhaps they will write a comment to this blog.

The next panel was for Type 5, the Sage, Philosopher or Observer. Their focus is on the people around them, in order to protect their energy levels from excessive demands. The panel itself was fascinating, since interviewer and panelists never quite seem to manage to find the same wavelength. Thus, just the two tweets, the first of which corrected a mis-view of the interviewer.

cj76530: #enneagram 5 panel: I trust people, I just don’t need them.

cj76530: #enneagram 5 panel: to know about and have insight into others is a burden.

Michael from Florida:

@cj76530 As a Five, I say NAY! We like ALL insight, not least, of others! I am gratified knowing more of others than they do of themselves!

@cj76530 Come to think, a fave axiom of mine: Covey’s 5th Habit: “First seek to understand, then to be understood” …Hugely apt for a FIVE!

@cj76530 Saw Watchmen movie yest’dy. Its Dr.Manhattan is a peerless 5, and yes, feels burdened by humans & their tragic complexities, BUT ~

@cj76530 Watchmen’s Dr. Manhattan feels burdened with his insight into others ONLY because he has first EMBRACED this insight! …As 5s do.

The final panel of the weekend was with Type 7, also known as the Optimist or Planner. The focus is on all the possibilities that life has to offer; this helps to take attention off the pain and unpleasant and boring. The panel was unusual since the interviewer was also of Type 7. (People usually try to avoid this, since the interviewer has the same blind spots as the interviewed.)

cj76530: #enneagram 7 panel: letting go allows me to develop the energy I need so that I can trust.

cj76530: #enneagram 7 panel: it’s easier to let go, when my thoughts don’t run around like a squirrel.

cj76530: #enneagram 7 panel: I need to forgive myself that I’m afraid and unworthy.

From Emily, North Carolina:

Yep. RT @cj76530: #enneagram 7 panel: it’s easier to let go, when my thoughts don’t run around like a squirrel.

cj76530: #enneagram 7 panel: sobriety is to accept the world as it is and me as I am.

The richness of what was shared by the interviewees was in part due to:

cj76530: Today was the first time I saw a Miracle Question asked on an #enneagram panel – tip’o’the hat to Catherin

cj76530: That ends the twitterage from the German #enneagram teachers meeting. Thx for DMs, RTs and @s. Will blog the collected tweets.

Joining in from Karl, Washington, DC:

RT @cj76530: “#enneagram 5 panel: to know about and have insight into others is a burden.” I’m a five. This strikes a chord.

If you’ve made it this far through the reports and not yet commented, I’d love to hear your impressions, both of the content and also the manner in which it was reported.

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