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| Three Centres of Intelligence |
The nine Enneagram types are grouped according
to their primary placement of attention. We rely on all three
centres of intelligence, heart, mind and body, for our experience
of the world. But one of these centres is relied on more heavily
for each personality type. All centres must be cultivated
in order to have a rich and balanced life.
Heart Centre (Types 2,3,4):
When this centre dominates, the person
sees the world through a filter of emotional intelligence
and depends on the esteem of others. In order to get this
esteem and approval, they learn that they must create an image
of themselves that is attractive. This image may be as an
unusually giving person, an exceptionally high- achieving
person or simply, the world’s most unique person. Being dependent
on the approval of others makes these people very sensitive
to other people’s needs. Feelings are either over-expressed,
under-expressed, or suppressed. We all rely on the emotional
intelligence of the Heart Centre for developing higher qualities
of compassion, empathy and love.
Mind Centre (5,6,7): When
this centre dominates, the person sees the world through mental
faculties and is gaining a sense of safety and security through
analysis and planning. This can be in the form of hoarding
resources, anticipating worst possible outcomes, or only looking
forward and avoiding the negative. In any case, there is a
lot of mental activity in order to always be safe, since fear
is the basic preoccupation. (Many of these people do not recognise
the fear immediately. But they are clear about the presence
of doubt, its mental counterpart.) The ability to think is
over-expressed, under-expressed, or suppressed. We all rely
on mental intelligence for knowing, wisdom, and thoughtfulness.
Body Centre (8,9,1): When
this centre dominates, the person filters information through
gut instinct. Body centre people are noticing where power
and control are in the environment, whether or not things
are congruent or in place in the world, and whether or not
things are comfortable. Anger is either over expressed, under
expressed, or suppressed. We all depend on the Body centre
for energy to move in the world, manage power and feel grounded.
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