Walking a Five Home
The Return Journey for the Five
“Darling, your needs are not a problem.””
In one way the return journey is a reversal of what we have seen as increasing constriction. Moving back up the levels of health and disidentifying with the self-images and patterns of the personality. This reverse journey is true for all types. This is why we practice presence and gentle awareness- just noticing how we constrict will loosen patterns.
We can look at every element of the personality structure from the perspective of loosening, relaxing, disidentifying, expanding awareness. The Enneagram points to specific ways to counter our personality patterns.
When they are balanced and healthy, Fives get that their needs are not a problem and that safety does not lie in mastering a subject or gathering knowledge.
Healing message for a Five - “Your needs are not a problem”
The Virtue of Five is Non-Attachment. This is the antidote to Avarice or what we described as hoarding or stinginess, letting go of the need to cling to the scraps we manage to get hold of. The Buddha said that Attachment is the source of our suffering. Non-Attachment means letting everything come and go, begin and end, to recognize that impermanence is the nature of reality.
The Line of Integration on the Enneagram for Five is to Eight. Type Eight holds the energy of strength and embodied power that supports stepping forward in the world and counters the Five’s retreat into the head. It is the shadow aspect of themselves that the Five needs to reclaim.
The Stress Line to Seven is a place where Five becomes active, scattered and looks for outlets from their mental isolation. This can be a good move to get out of their heads.
The Centers of Intelligence tell us the Five is in the Head Center. Fives need to contact their Belly and allow the support of the body to connect to their clear, spacious head. Also, they must allow the support of the Heart to feel their emotions and counter isolation.
The Inner Critic Message can be witnessed as the voice that is running the show and felt in the body, until we bring awareness and distance ourselves from it. For the Five this means really noticing how, according to their personality structure, they are only ok if they master their subject- and how impossible this is. And how the IC is keeping them focused on their thoughts and isolating them.
We can also access the essence of our type directly when we practice presence. Reminded that they are tuned into Deep Knowing, Fives can “go for the gold” by simply being present to their open, spacious minds.
You at Five
Relaxed in your Open Mind
Curious and Learning
Fully participating in the world
Knowing you are part of the mystery of reality
