I’m not one to think I’m special (that is the Four’s work) but I have always felt I didn’t belong - in my family, in a friend group, even at work. I would call it feeling a little awkward. My mom called it shy. But I never thought of myself this way. I just liked to step back and take it all in as an Observer. I even wrote a book that talks about the importance of observing. Now I know this is perspective. That of a Five.
So when we learned recently about the Transparent Veil - a deep concept about how we can get caught up in what we think spiritual Essence looks like, I realized for years I’ve been lured by the rapture of thinking I’m a spiritual being, hence the advice to Observe.
We all have essential qualities:
Eight: Power, realness, immediacy, aliveness
Nine: Being, unity, wholeness
One: Sacredness, alignment, integrity
Two: Love, sweetness, attunement
Three: Radiance, glory, preciousness, value
Four: Depth, mystery, beauty, intimacy, true origin
Five: Clarity, illumination, discernment
Six: Awareness and guidance
Seven: Joy and freedom
The Transparent Veil is the Ego identification of one or more of these qualities. For example:
Eight: Feeling powerful and exuding this isn’t living into their Essence but identifying themselves as powerful.
Nine: “We are all in this together” is still not having a seat at the table, and is a comfortable personality trait.
One: Living into the perfection of the world and seeing its glory are Essence qualities, yet being the keeper or teacher of these principles is Ego.
Two: Being attuned to the needs of people is an important role you play using your gifts, but can you discern when you are doing God’s work or you are coming from Ego?
Three: Three’s feel valuable and on-purpose with their actions, however, this quality can define them which again, comes from Ego, not Essence.
Four: Four’s can go deep and see the beauty in the world, but when they identify with these qualities, they move from Essence to Ego.
Five: Discernment and clarity are true Observing qualities, but being an Observer is still an egoic construct.
Six: For the six (the consummate team player) being aware and awake feels like a mission and purposeful, but again, when it defines who you are, the Ego interrupts the Essence.
Seven: As the Enthusiast, Sevens are the joy in the world and spreading it feels on point. The Seven misses the mark by thinking this is their contribution and this pulls them away from Source.
Great, Julie, I thought I was on track, living in my gifts, being present, all of that stuff you lecture, oops I mean, share with me. How in the world do I go from Ego to Essence?
This is our life’s work and hidden in our stress arrow. Take a look at the Essence qualities above and find your stress arrow.
8 > 5
9 > 6
1 > 4
2 > 8
3 > 9
4 > 2
5 > 7
6 > 3
7 > 1
When you are living in Presence with your gifts at the ready, imagine and say to yourself “What would a ____ (fill in the blank with the Essence qualities of your Stress Arrow) do?
Going through life feeling like a black sheep (not the rebel image, more of the not fitting in image) I need to imagine what would a Seven (joy and freedom) do right now. We all have these other essential qualities at the ready (our Stress and Integration qualities). We actually also have the ability to tap into each and every one of the other eight qualities. The Enneagram represents the many faces of God. We complete each other. We just need to know how. And now you do.
I’m hopeful this gives you something to consider in the week ahead. Notice living from your gifts, drop the Ego, and explore the other Essence qualities. In the pause comes possibilities. Imagine yours.