Welcome to this blog! As you will notice, it’s not only about the Enneagram, but also on inner growth in general. However, since what I am exploring is the Enneagram, the centres and the instincts (among other things), I’m assuming that most of you know about these things. But if you don’t, there will be plenty here for you anyway 🧡
Cicci Lyckow Bäckman
The one who blogs 😉Latest posts
Is “positive outlook” actually a way of bypassing painful or negative aspects of life?
In Enneagram circles, we sometimes hear about “positive outlook” as a part of some types’ makeup. The term originally comes from Don Riso’s description of the Harmonic groups, that say something about each type’s coping strategies and habitual patterns of reaction; their go-to response, as it were. I wrote about the positive outlook — what it means and doesn’t really mean — the other day in the article The true meaning of ”positive outlook” in Sevens, Nines and Twos. On and off, I hear about the positive outlook being (or, at the very least, offering) a bypass mechanism; a chance…
The true meaning of ”positive outlook” in Sevens, Nines and Twos
Often in Enneagram descriptions, we see Nines, Twos and Sevens described as having a “positive outlook”. But what is this about? Surely, there are plenty of surly Nines, nagging Twos or impatient Sevens around? Are they really all that “positive”? Let’s clear up some of the confusion 😊 The term “positive outlook” came about when Don Riso discovered the set of Enneagram groups that he called the Harmonic groups — groups that don’t match the centre triads or the Hornevian groups, but have their own symmetry. This grouping refers to how the types respond to conflict, difficulties and, well, life…
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Bringing the space — our collective need for room to digest and process
When I have had Enneagram courses, we’ve looked into the Hornevian groups. We look at the different social strategies, what they are and what they contribute. Usually, we have the different groups gather and reflect on themselves and the others. And often, the same thing happens — a thing which, as I see it, illustrates a deep need in our current society. You know the Hornevian groups? It’s the three-by-three cut off the types that Don Riso and Russ Hudson named after the German psychoanalyst Karen Horney. Horney, in turn, identified three interpersonal trends in people: moving against, towards or…
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When the Enneagram presence runneth over — the challenges and gifts of expanded reach
Picture a lake. Then, picture it raining — a lot. And picture the natural outlets from the lake being obstructed. When this happens the lake flows over, covers the beaches and nearby fields. Let’s say these grounds weren’t constructed to drain such masses of water, so the circumference of the lake expands. To a casual beholder, the lake seems to have grown significantly. But beneath the surface, we can see that although the surface area of the lake has expanded, the expansion has happened over very shallow ground. From the side, if we could view the lake in its entirety, the…
But what if I don’t know where to start?
I’m not quite ready yet. I need to check a few things first. Prepare some more. Consider some things. Sometimes, we postpone starting something because the decision has not quite landed. But sometimes, we do know what we want. What we long for. What we’d like to experince. When this is the case for you, do you get going? Do you start moving towards that which you want to create, see, experience, express or live in? “Well, not always”, you might say. And of course, no, not always. We don’t always know how we can get there, despite having a…
Horizontal vs vertical — the topographic Enneagram map
Often, I see questions in Enneagram groups like, “Which type is most likely to cheat on you?” ”Who is likely to take the high ground/make it in marketing/get divorced/react to XXX”? It seems that many people who are familiar with the Enneagram are yet not familiar with the levels of development. The idea of these levels comes from Don Riso, who was the first one to describe them. I don’t know if the Enneagram Institute is still the only one teaching them, but considering who important they are to type descriptions, it’s hard to believe that any decent-level Enneagram teacher…
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Identifying and neutralising the inner critic
“The inner critic”, the superego or our “internal judge” have been given man names throughout history. It is the aspect of us that judges, criticises, questions, has opinions and routinely rains on parades and raises self-doubt. But what is this critic, how can we identify it, and most importantly, how do we get out from under the criticism? Our inner critics don’t all sound alike. They focus on different things, too, based on our childhood experiences and our personality types. For some people, it stands out clearly and sounds just like you would imagina that a critic would. It speaks…
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When the answers don’t help you – look closer at the question you asked
Do you find yourself frustrated on your path to increased insight, balance or inner growth? Do you ask questions, but don’t seem to receive, or understand, or know what to do with the answers? Or do you get answers and follow up on them, only to find yourself walking in circles? If this is you, you might want to take a closer look at the questions you’re asking. In life in general, and certainly when it comes to inner growth, asking the right question is key. In school, we learnt that our job was to get the answers right. Towards…
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Opinion factories, reactivity and interacting with the world
Someone asked, “How are you finding the increased hostility and shaming that goes on online these days”? I had to sit with that for a while. It’s been on my mind for a while, and it’s got stronger since the whole corona virus circus started. Heavily one-sided opinions being forged, voiced and defended left, right and centre seems to possibly be a part of the much-heralded ”new normal”. And how was I finding it? I remember a day in May, when a high-profile male in Sweden had been caught buying sex. Suddenly, the experience on social media, at least as…
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Get curious about your you-nique expression of consciousness
It’s a bit “duuh”, but also quite fascinating: There are no two people exactly alike. Yes, there are different types, instinctual priorities and even life experiences that we can pinpoint fairly well — but the specific combination of those things a well as the undefinable quality that makes you you, are unique for each individual. That’s why you, and your curiosity about yourself, are central elements in your inner growth. So, self-knowledge is to some degree about finding out where you fit in within types, preferences, et cetera (whether you’re aware of them as such or not, and regardless of…
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