In this issue:
Article:
The Journey to Authenticity: What
Are You Being Authentic To?
Announcing Our Next Exciting
Programs:
Article:
The Journey to Authenticity: What Are You Being
Authentic To?
One of the markers that we live in an awakening
world is the heed that so many people are paying to
the call for an authentic life. More of us seek
meaningful careers and work; relationships that
transcend old roles and that are emotionally and
spiritually fulfilling. We question voices of
so-called 'authority' that appear shallow or
unfounded, and look for new ways of creating
community. We want to be and be with authentic
leaders. The word "authenticity" pervades the vast
majority of self-help and inspirational media.
Yet, what does it mean to be authentic? How do
you discern 'which voice' to listen to? And what are
you being authentic to?
One of the reasons that it is challenging to be
authentic is that there are so many familiar, yet
false voices that are easy to take as "the real
thing." How many times have you tried to follow a
particular thread in your life, thinking or hoping
it would connect you with your 'real self' only to
be disappointed, stressed, fragmented, or having
other negative experiences? You can be certain that
this thead has not taken you toward your
authenticity. The Enneagram is particularly
beneficial in gaining insight into these questions
and providing direction to our Essential (Authentic)
Nature.
The Role of Your "Sense of Self"
All of us have a "sense of self" that is based upon
being identified with our particular personality.
That is, our sense of self is "who we take ourselves
to be" from the point of view of the personality.
Following is a very brief statement of the sense of
identity for each of the nine dominant Enneagram
personality types:
Type One I am conscientious,
reasonable and rationale.
Type Two I am helpful, caring and
generous.
Type Three I am adaptable,
accomplished and goal-oriented.
Type Four I am emotionally sensitive,
deep, and unique.
Type Five I am intelligent, perceptive
and objective.
Type Six I am responsible, trustworthy
and loyal.
Type Seven I am spontaneous,
quick-witted and freedom-loving.
Type Eight I am strong, in control and
dominant.
Type Nine I am calm, responsive and
harmonious.
These sound reasonable. While each of these statements
may contain truth for the person with that type, a
primary teaching of the Enneagram is that the
personality is only a small part of our more
expansive nature. In other words, this sense of self
is far too limiting for who we truly are.
The Patterns that Confirm Our So-called
Identity
The Enneagram illuminates the mental, emotional,
somatic and behavioral patterns that are based on
these limited self-concepts. These patterns keep us
from coming into deeper contact with what is more
true about us. Here's the catch: these
patterns feel like the 'authentic me'
because they are so familiar to us. Perhaps
a few examples of how the ego can try to define what
is authentic in life would be useful.
A leader, dominant in Type Two, felt that he had to
shoulder many of the responsibilities of his team so
that they wouldn't have to carry such heavy burdens
themselves. He felt that he would be an inauthentic
leader if he didn't continue this practice, even
though he was becoming exhausted.
A young entrepreneur, dominant in Type Three, felt it
was 'inauthentic' to enjoy even the 'relaxed' parts
of her life without having goals to meet in her
leisure. Goals had always seemingly defined her
approach to life, even though they didn't leave much
for pure enjoyment. It became hard for her to know
what would make her happy.
A free-spirited young woman, dominant in Type Seven,
thought it would be inauthentic to stay in a career
position once she gave it a short try. She felt that
she needed to move from one experience to another to
be true to herself and her search for freedom.
A midlife professional who is dominant in Type Nine
thought that to be True to herself meant that she
should 'wait and see' what opportunities came along.
It didn't feel 'authentic to go out into the world
and take initiative on what she really wanted to do
in the second half of life.
Of course, there are many examples that could be given
for each of the types. In each case, we see that the
person sincerely desired to be authentic. But what
was each person "being authentic to?—to the
limited way of experiencing him or herself. To the
egoic structure. We all do this unless we've come
into contact with our more expansive nature.
Here are a few recommendations to guide you in
discerning the path of authenticity:
- If you haven't already done so, begin the
process of identifying your dominant Enneagram
type.
- The Enneagram helps us recognize HOW and WHY we
do what we do. Being authentic can be confused
with 'doing the things I do in the same way I've
always done them.' This is not
authenticity—this is simply a habitual
pattern.
- As you are discerning which inner voice to
listen to, notice if you feel the "sense of
compulsion' to follow a particular way of doing
things. Authenticity is not compulsive.
- Practice Presence. When you come to this
present moment, to being in contact with the
sensation of your body, to being in contact with
your breath, and to relaxing into yourself, you
are on your way to connecting with your more
expansive nature, to what is true about you.
Your authentic self can only emerge from
Presence.
Join me for one or more of the upcoming programs.
Each, in their own way, helps to build the bridge to
the Authentic Self through Presence. It's an
incredible journey of love.
Announcements: Our New and
Exciting Programs
Become an Enneagram "Deep Coaching" Practitioner
For coaches,
therapists, spiritual directors, hypnotherapists,
body workers, acupuncturists, energy-workers and
holistic professionals
who are
called to take their work to a deeper level.
The last class series filled!
Next session:
Thursdays,
2008,
9:00-10:30 a.m. Pacific Time,
April 3-June 26
For information on the details, the benefits, and to
register now, click
http://www.lifewisecoaching.com/certification-program
Join
this community of pioneering professionals to gain
invaluable insights, skills and confidence in
integrating the power of the Enneagram into your
work.
*
Required to complete the Deep Coaching Practitioner
Certification Program
****************************************************
Release Pesky Patterns and Activate Your Potential:
A healing and regenerative retreat for women
Burlingame, California, May 1-4, 2008
For Just Twelve Women
Ready to experience the inner peace, ease, and sense
of accomplishment that
come with radically new perspectives
Spend Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch in
the "Safest Room On Earth"
Time to laugh, cry, be honest, share in an intimate
community of women
Time to dive into yourself and release old stories,
patterns and emotional charges
Time to gain profound insights
Time to celebrate surprises and to remember the
wonderful truth of you
Roxanne will be joined by Dr. Vicky Cruz,
a highly regarded and popular holistic Chiropractor
and a Certified NET practitioner. Dr. Cruz teaches
NET nationally to Acupuncturists, Chiropractors,
Medical Doctors and Psychologists.
This retreat integrates the robust and illuminating
wisdom of the Enneagram with a powerful mind-body
tool for freeing stuck patterns in a practical,
grounded and experiential format to accelerate your
movement toward the life you want to live.
REGISTER NOW! $1295.00 Registration
limited to 12 women.
(Includes the retreat program, single room, 3 daily
meals, use of retreat facilities)
Enrollment limited so that each participant has time in
this intimate setting for their inner work!
For more info and to register:
www.lifewisecoaching.com/release-pesky-patterns/
****************************************************
The Levels of Development: the Vertical Dimension to
Personality Type and Guide to Greater Health and
Transformation
Burlingame, California, June 12-14, 2008
The Levels of Development, one of the most profound
contemporary contributions to the Enneagram field
and identified by Don Riso and Russ Hudson, provides
a vertical dimension to the personality types. This
"vertical axis" of the types explain some of the
most important things that we find in human
nature–fluidity and change, resistance and
conflict, freedom and compulsion–among many human
qualities. Working with the Levels not only provides
recognition for where we are in our journey of
growth, but also guides us toward greater health and
transformation.
Join Dr. Roxanne Howe-Murphy and Dr. Ronna
Phifer-Ritchie, authorized Riso-Hudson teachers, in
exploring and experiencing this stunning body of
work.
Workshop Price: $295.00
Early bird rate through March 1: $270.00
$260 per person when two or more register at
the same time.
For info and to register:
http://www.lifewisecoaching.com/levels-of-development/
* This
course meets the requirements for 15 hours
of Continuing Education Credit for MFT's
and LCSW's and can be used for credit toward the
Deep Coaching Practitioner Training Program
****************************************************
Check out my blog at
www.lifewisecoaching.com/journal
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