Managing Stress In Difficult Times: A One-Day Enneagram Workshop

Managing Stress in Difficult Times:
Using the Enneagram to Access Inner and Outer Resources

Sponsored by The Enneagram Center of Santa Fe

When: Saturday March 22nd, from 10 - 4pm Mountain Time
Where: Meetup, online
Co-host: Sara Clerk
Cost: Free, or Pay It Forward

“Because the Enneagram wisdom is a way that is both phenomenological in approach and independent of the traditions of any particular religion, it carries an integrity [and universality] that makes it compatible with every known system of personal and spiritual understanding.”

--Hurley and Dobson, My Best Self: Using the Enneagram to Free the Soul (1993)

In this practical and hopefully therapeutic Saturday workshop, we will look at how each of the 9 Enneagram Types responds to the stresses and strains of daily life. We will focus especially on the emotionally difficult social-political, and environmental times we are all living in. We will look at the differences between so-called bad stress and good stress (eustress), according to the pioneering work of Hans Selye and his theory about our General Adaption Syndrome. And we will talk about the four primary stress response mechanisms that the human body activates when facing a perceived threat, including: "fight" (confronting the threat directly), "flight" (escaping from the threat), "freeze" (becoming immobile or paralyzed), and "fawn" (attempting to appease the threat by people-pleasing behaviors). These are essentially the body's different ways of trying to protect itself from danger depending on the situation, with "fawn" being a more recently identified response. Some now even speak of a fifth, called "flop" (collapsing or fainting).

Enneagram theory says that each of the 9 Types has a Basic Fear, Basic Desire and a Defense Mechanism built into their psychic structure, as well as habitual emotional, mental and physical patterns of behavior, all of which tend to become automatically activated under conditions of stress. In addition, each Type has an associated Passion or Vice that gets quickly triggered (Anger, Pride, Vanity, Envy, Avarice, Fear, Gluttony, Lust and Sloth), as well as corresponding Ego Ideals and Avoidances. In short, we get triggered into stress responses in characteristic and predictable ways.

However, the good news is that with targeted self-observation and increased self-awareness, intellectual and empathic understanding, and Enneagram-related spiritual practices, these patterns can be examined and changed, with each Type learning to relax through his or her personal reactivity in order to gain access to Type-specific psychological capacities and spiritual gifts, which can become powerful coping strategies and means of personal transformation. We can also gain insights about, and develop compassionate understanding of, the strength and challenges of the other 8 Types. This helps build bridges of understanding between individuals and within communities, which in turn can prevent and/or reduce stress levels before they become unmanageable.

This workshop includes: teaching pieces, meditations, breakout groups, screen shares, time for class discussion and questions & comments, and if there are willing participants, some panel work. No previous experience with the Enneagram is necessary for attendance, although already knowing your own Type and doing some advance reading (see below) is strongly suggested to get the most out of the event. Please note that this workshop is mostly on an intermediate level, and assumes that participants know, or believe they have discovered, their own Type. I will not have time to help individuals find and explore their own Type in a group setting. For that I offer in-person and on-Zoom Typing Interviews, as well as ongoing Mentoring Sessions. For more info about these services, including the fees, please visit my website, or call at: (415) 297-3174.

Schedule:
10 - 11:30 Introductions, Meditation, Teachings
11:30 - 11:40 Morning Bio-break
11:40 - 1:00 Teachings, Q&C
1:00 - 1:45 Lunch
1:45 - 3:00 Meditation, Teachings, Breakout Groups
3:00 - 3:10 Bio-break
3:10 - 4:00 Videos, Q&C, Final Remarks

If you plan on attending, please try to be with us for the entire workshop. This is to help create a shared and safe space for mutual support and group learning. If you RSVP and then later decide you can't attend, please try to let us know ahead of time so we can keep an accurate head count and monitor attendance.

Please note: all participants will be asked to leave their video on at all times, except for short and necessary activities (i.e. to answer a phone or the door, go to the bathroom, etc.). This is to prevent what is known on Zoom as "lurking"--which is when others in the group are visible, and you are not. This requirement is especially important because it is a personal growth workshop. It also helps us prevent "Zoom Bombing."

Finally, it would improve the experience for everyone if you connected with us from a stable device, by which we mean a computer, laptop or tablet that is not in motion (in a car, walking around a house or yard, etc.). Thanx for understanding!

For more information about Carl visit him at: enneagramsantafe.com. For more on the Enneagram see narrativeenneagram.org, and internationalenneagram.org. For more about this workshop, email Carl through Meetup or directly at: cmarsak@gmail.com. See you then and there!

--Carl

Recommended reading:

1. The Essential Enneagram, by David Daniels, M.D. and Virginia Price.
2. The Wisdom of the Enneagram, by Don Riso and Russ Hudson.
3. The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues, by Sandra Maitri.
4. The Enneagram in Love and Work, by Helen Palmer.
5. The Enneagram Field Guide, by Carolyn Bartlett.

Note: This workshop is not designed to be a substitute for psychotherapy, medical attention, spiritual direction and/or social support. If you are feeling highly stressed and are suffering we encourage you to find and make use of appropriate resources outside the group.