the wheel of change

7/18/2019 The Wheel of Change

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-wheel-of-change 1/19

Enneagram Studies

The Wheel of Changeby Jeremy Chance

Copyright © 1996 Jeremy Chance. All Rights Reserved

The enneagram illustrated above is a remarkable symbol--no other symbol can or ever !ill encompass

its breathtaking scope and truth. "t is purported to be the tool that led to the invention o# the decimal

system.note1 "n esoteric and numerological terms it embodies the la! o# three and the la! o#

seven.note$

%ractically it telescopes the comple& structural actions o# any cosmic process you could everimagine--!hether it is cooking a meal releasing a ne! product saying the 'ords %rayer or dealing !ith

an addiction.note("n this article note) " !ill illustrate one small e&ample #amiliar to students o# Ale&ander*s

discoveries+ ho! ,rederick atthias Ale&ander*s ,A/ story is a classic e&ample o# moving around the

!heel o# change as represented by the enneagram.note0

tudy the symbol above. "t contains three elements+ a circle a triangle and si& straight lines. 2he circle

represents the cyclical nature o# change--death #ollo!s li#e li#e #ollo!s death--and its progression

through time. 2he si& arro!ed lines indicate the direction that inner !ork must take to motivate gro!th

around the outer circle !hile the triangle symbolises the three energies necessary to #uel this change

process.

In-Point Nine: Our Inheritance

"n the chapter 34volution o# a 2echni5ue3 #rom The Use of the Self Ale&ander begins his story at "n-point

9 on the ape& o# the triangle in the enneagram. 2his symbolises the place !here the vast inheritance o#

humanity enters our lives. "nterestingly Ale&ander named his #irst book Man's Supreme Inheritance.

2his *inheritance* can come in the #orm o# #undamental operating principles--inherited belie#s that govern

our perceptions and behaviour. At the start o# his story Ale&ander describes ho! he naturally+

http://www.ati-net.com/articles/jc-ngram.php#en1















...conceived *body* and *mind* as separate parts o# the same organism and

conse5uently believed that human ills di##iculties and shortcomings could be classi#ied

as either *mental* or *physical* and dealt !ith on speci#ically *mental* or speci#ically

*physical* lines.

An in#ant human being is a depository o# the vast collective e&perience o# humanity--ideas #eelings and

movements initially in#luence our behaviour !ithout any conscious or in#ormed decision on our part toaccept them. e are also born to a speci#ic se& build and height !ith #i&ed eye hair skin colour and

other racial characteristics.

And #urther on #rom our birth--none o# us had any immediate control over ho! !e !ere treated in our

earliest moments o# li#e. 2he years o# our upbringing have a po!er#ul e##ect upon our adult behaviour. "n

this sense the 7uddhists talk o# *!aking sleep*--that !e are still reacting as !e did in our early li#e

despite our removal #rom it. e are not *a!ake* to our #undamental operating principles so !e live

mechanical lives *acting out* on these patterns o# behaviour again and again. 8urdie## stated that the

vast maority o# humanity had not developed much past the emotional maturity o# a young child. note6 2he

!orldly array o# !ars poverty corruption and sel#ish indi##erence is ample testimony to the e##icacy o#

his vie!point.

As !e move around the enneagram !e are embarking on a process o# conscious development o# our

inheritance--this is the basis upon !hich !e proceed. 2his is the initial source o# *energy* that starts the

ball rolling. 4verything that happens in our #uture is dependent upon !hat has happened in our past--it

is these past actions that !e seek to be #ree #rom.

"n the 1$-step program they have a saying about our neurotic inheritance+ 3:ou are not responsible #or

your addiction you are responsible #or your recovery.3 2his is the #irst lesson o# the enneagram neatly

summed up by the erenity %rayer+ 38od grant me the serenity to accept the things " cannot change

courage to change the things " can and the !isdom to kno! the di##erence.3 ovement around the

enneagram is partly a process o# seeking an understanding o# !hat can and can*t be changed.

FIRST PERIO: PREP!R!TOR" PR!CTICES

Change gro!th and development come in the #orm o# t!o distinct periods. 2he enneagram re#lects

this--it can be divided symmetrically by a perpendicular line through "n-%oint 9 see diagram/.

4nergy #or the #irst period comes in at t!o sources--#rom "n-%oints 9 and (-- !hereas in the second

period there is only one source at "n-%oint 6. ;uring the #irst period !e pass through tages 1 $ and )

!hile !e complete the !ork necessary to prepare ourselves #or us #or a trans#ormation in our being.

;uring the second period !e pass through the #inal tages 0 < and =. >o!ever because our energy

comes in #rom only one source at "n-%oint 6 this second period--!hich concerns the trans#ormation o#

our being--takes longer to complete. ost o# us don*t ever get to #inish this #inal move around the !heel

o# change.

2he #irst period al!ays involves enlightening our ignorance o# the real issues !hich are o#ten initiallydisguised and mani#est only in symptoms--in Ale&ander*s case a hoarse voice coupled !ith an irritation

o# the mucous membrane o# the throat and nose. "n Ale&ander*s story the t!o periods !ere #irstly

realising that his problem !as caused by misuse and determining the basic preventative directions and

secondly discovering a success#ul means o# implementing them.

2he #irst period is characterised by con#usion #rustration--shado!s and intriguing glimpses o# a *cause*

!hich cannot yet be understood or ans!ered. ?ur understanding and language is negative--!e only

kno! !hat !e don*t !ant--so that our aim is conceived as essentially the absence o# that. 2his is a #alse






aim based as it is on a negative and narro! perception. All that !e can perceive during this early period

o# !ork on ourselves are the symptoms o# something hidden to our understanding.

"n Ale&ander*s case he kne! only o# his sore throat his hoarseness and through his doctors o# the

in#lammation o# his vocal chords. 2hese Ale&ander understood later !ere the symptoms o# his misuse

o# himsel# but at the time he had no such understanding. @or did his doctors !ho on the basis o#

Ale&ander*s overly long uvula recommended surgery to shorten it. hile !e no! kno! this to be utternonsense it !as still the natural outcome o# a narro! perception. ithin the little !orld o# *the Ale&ander

throat* cause and e##ect seemed clear.

At the time an aim is #inally realised as a vision tage =/ instead o# a negative tage $/ the

conceptions underlying it !ill be revolutionary to us. o to aim too early #or an immediate *solution* to

our problems !ould be like trying to cure measles by cutting o## the spots--getting rid o# these symptoms

does not heal the cause o# the disease.

"n this early period o# !ork our aim is not to make a change our aim is to understand !hat it is !e are

doing. >o! can !e change a thing !e have not even recognised

,A+ 32he things that don*t e&ist are the most di##icult to get rid o#.3 note<

Stage One: Ob#er$ation

2he motor o# conscious evolution is observation--collecting in#ormation about the concealed truths that

surround us and dispelling the ignorance that perpetuates our su##ering. 2his is the essence o#

Ale&ander*s approach+

tanding be#ore a mirror " #irst !atched mysel# care#ully during the act o# ordinary

speaking.

Ale&ander did not discover that the head must go *#or!ard and up* he noticed that it !ent *back and

do!n*--*#or!ard and up* became the obvious counterpoint to that+

" !as particularly struck by three things that " sa! mysel# doing. " sa! that as soon as "

started to recite " tended to pull back the head depress the laryn& and suck in breath...

2he 5ualities necessary #or us to develop at tage 1 on the !heel o# change are also aptly described by

the 7uddhist teaching o# *mind#ulness.* 2his is our primary task the #irst step to!ards any spiritual

gro!th. 8urdie## also emphasises this a calls it *sel#-remembering* coupled !ith *sel#-observation.* "n

#act every spiritual teaching " have ever encountered places primary emphasis on this need to increase

a!areness o# our o!n behaviour.

:et ho! o#ten is this simple truth trampled upon in our rush #or di##erence ,A+ 34veryone is al!ays

teaching us the right thing to do still leaving us doing the !rong thing.3 o o#ten our obsession !ith our

goal blinds us to the causes o# our #ailure to attain it. 2o begin !ith simple observation !ith mind#ulness

re5uires patience tenacity and ultimately sel#-acceptance.

2his is the grand irony o# real change--it isn*t possible until !e accept ourselves as !e are. " love to

make this #ollo!ing e&periment !ith my pupils #or it #ascinates me that in response to a simple 5uestion+

3hat can you observe about yoursel#3 a pupil !ill set in motion a *cacophony* o# !riggles !rithing and

mutterances--yet amidst all this noise ho! can it be possible #or them to listen to their movements

accurately 2he activity they generate to *observe* themselves becomes itsel# the obect o# their

observation--in the process e##ectively disguising anything o# value that might have been discovered.






2his !iggling seems to be a physical e&pression o# a language that is #ull o# such phases as+ 3y neck

is too tight. " don*t have enough #reedom through my body. " #eel sti##.3 7ut these are not observations--

they are sel#-udgements. uch pupils do not actually *observe* anything--instead they dream up an

idealised state then proceed to criticise themselves #or being unable to achieve it.

2o undergo change through a 1$-step programme the #irst step is to admit !ho you are an alcoholic a

se& addict etc./ and ackno!ledge that you cannot control yoursel# that 3your li#e has becomeunmanageable3. 2his parado& has al!ays intrigued me+ the #irst step to gaining po!er is to admit to

your po!erlessnessB the #irst step to gaining control is to admit that you don*t have it. o it is that you

cannot change until you admit !ho you are and become #ully accepting o# that.

ithout sel#-acceptance " have #ound that it is not possible to observe mysel# and conse5uently " can

not change. All that is possible is #or me to do is deny mysel#--pretend this is a good ob o# it sitting up

so straight and tall 3"*m not !orried by that little bit o# soreness in my back3/. :et !hile my energy is

devoted to trying not to be !hat " actually am--!here is the possibility o# change

2he greater the energy that is spent on trying not to be !hat !e are the greater our attachment to being

there. 2he person !ho tries very hard to sit up straight 3because slumping is bad3/ !ill inevitably slump

do!n even #urther !hen they tire o# trying--giving cause #or #urther *#ailure* #ollo!ed by even moreenergetic attempts to *sit up.* @o change !ill ever occur although the person may momentarily believe--

in a bout o# *uprightness*--that they have changed. 2heir *sitting up* is causally related to their *slump* so

that one cannot e&ist !ithout the other--as their e##ort to *sit up* is increased so along !ith it is their

tendency to slump. " call it the *not-slump* slump.

,A+ 3" am putting into gear the muscles that hold up and you are putting them out o# gear and then

making a tremendous e##ort to hold yoursel# up !ith the result that !hen you cease that e##ort you

slump do!n !orse than ever3.

And all this because !e #ailed to appreciate !hat true observation is all about and set about putting our

*debauched* ideas #irst. 2he *idea* as the enneagram sho!s must come a#ter the #act not be#ore it.

Stage T%o: Inter&retation

o the problem that prevents real observation is that our current *idea* o# ourselves is collapsed together

!ith our observations+ the idea precedes the observation and acts to #ilter out all irrelevancies. " am told

that Ale&ander o#ten conveyed to his students the !isdom o# the chemistry pro#essor !ho strolled

around the laboratory !arning his students+ 3@o! no!--don*t #ind !hat you are looking #or.3

%hrases such as 3his neck is sti##3 and 3she looks tense3 are e&pressions o# interpretative thought+ you

don*t observe *sti##ness* you observe that 3...as a person turns their head in one direction they do it by

moving their shoulders and head as one unit3. " can deduce #rom this that they are sti## but " may be

!rong. 2he point is that the minute " am able to separate my observation #rom my interpretation o# it "

am immediately #ree to e&plore alternative e&planations #or !hat " am seeing. "t creates possibilities that

previously didn*t e&ist #or me.

"ndeed ho! many people !ho kno! their neck is *sti##* are able to do much about it Dery #e!. hy

7ecause o# this point--they have no access to the truth o# the situation because they have interpreted it

be#ore collecting precise observations. Ale&ander*s story is not peppered !ith such spurious

*observations.* >e uses 5uite a di##erent language+



u##ice to say that in the course o# these e&periments " came to notice that any use o# my head and

neck !hich !as associated !ith a depressing o# the laryn& !as also associated !ith a tendency to li#t

the chest and shorten the stature.

2hese are observations very e&act ones at that. >e even goes on to #uss about the !ord *shorten*

adding in a #ootnote+

Although it !ould probably be more correct to use the phrases *increase the stature*

*decrease the stature* " have decided to use the phrases *lengthen the stature* *shorten

the stature* because the !ords *lengthen* and *shorten* are those most commonly used

in this connection.

hen !e #ail to be as particular as Ale&ander !as in our observations it renders us incapable o# helping

ourselves. hen " understand that my neck is not simply *sti##*--but that my head is e&tended back and

my neck is dropping #or!ard and do!n--then " immediately have access to a course o# action that !as

previously unavailable--" can e&periment. ,A+ 3All !e !ill ever kno! in this !orld is !hen !e are

!rong.3

7ut there is a problem to overcome #irst and "n-%oint ( is its key.

In-Point Three: 'etting (el&

>o! many alcoholics kno! that they should e&periment !ith giving up that #irst drink but don*t >o!

many #at people understand they should at least give up the a#ternoon eclair but !on*t >o! many

!orkaholics kno! they should spend more time !ith their #amily but don*t

>aving an interpretation o# our observed behaviour should logically lead us to doing something about it--

yet human e&perience is 5uite to the contrary. 2he enneagram e&plains this phenomena by interpolating

"n-%oint ( the second point o# the triangle bet!een tage $ interpretation/ and tage )

e&perimentation/. 7et!een these tages $ and ) is the moment in the !heel o# change !here some

#orm o# energetic input is essential to be able to sustain the process. "# not !e !ill remain stuck at

tage $ #or the rest o# our li#e. >o! long have you been trying to solve the same problem

2he kind o# assistance !e receive at "n-%oint ( has many #orms. ?#ten the change process is olted into

action by a shock--in Ale&ander*s case #or e&ample+

y disappointment !as greater than " can e&press #or it no! seemed to me that I could

never look forward to more that a temporary relie# and that " should thus be forced to

give up a career in !hich " had become deeply interested and believed " could be

success#ul. Emy italicsF

Ale&ander*s realisation that his li#e*s dream !as on the line spurred him into starting his no! #amous

series o# e&periments. hat about yoursel# 2est the veracity o# this idea by e&amining the periods o#

momentous change in your o!n li#e. as there an event !hich triggered o## the change "t may havebeen a death an accident a marriage--something that shook you up su##iciently to trigger a di##erence in

your li#e. hether positive or negative in nature these *conscious shocks* act as catalysts #or the maor

personal evolutions !e have e&perienced during our li#e to!ards death.

7ut an event by itsel# no matter ho! shocking is normally not su##icient to keep the change process

ticking over. hile it may initially catalyse us into action unless this urge is #ed #rom another source our

e##orts !ill soon peter out until !e #ind ourselves back at tage $ again !ith all our old #amiliar problems.



2o sustain change support is necessary on an ongoing basis--this may take the #orm o#+ seeing a

therapist or attending a group regularlyB oining an Ale&ander training courseB becoming part o# a 1$-step

communityB !orking !ith challenging partnersB taking on a religious commitment--anything involving a

positive #orce outside ourselves that constantly calls our actions into 5uestion. "t is too simple really--so

simple that very #e! o# us ever realise ho! utterly essential it actually is. "t is asking #or help and so

o#ten this is the greatest stumbling block !e have.

"n-%oint ( is about humility it is about surrendering ourselves to be supported by the hands o# trusted

others.

"n the enneagram o# a healthy childhood our parents are situated at "n-%oint (-- encouraging us to take

risks and discover the !orld #or ourselves. 2he dys#unctional #amily goes to!ards e&plaining !hy many

individuals #ail to develop emotionally beyond the li#e o# little children.

o !ith some kind o# support structure set up in our lives !e are ready to start making the e&periments

that !ill lead us to!ards real change. "t is only at this point that the !ork on ourselves truly impinges

upon our inner lives. "t !as only no! that Ale&ander pulled out his mirrors and really began his !ork...

Stage Four: E)&erimentation

hat does it mean to e&periment on yoursel# An ans!er to this is to be #ound in Ale&ander*s o!n

success#ul e&periments. hat is #ascinating about these is that they inevitably involved him in giving

things up--yet the common idea about human e&perimentation comes across as a doing one e.g. 32ry

something ne! do it di##erently3. Ale&ander*s method long be#ore his discovery o# inhibition !as a *non-

doing* approach+

..." argued that i# my hoarseness arose #rom the !ay " used parts o# my organism "

should get no #urther unless " could prevent or change this misuse.

>o! many times have you seen another person attempt to correct a perceived postural #ault by

assuming a ne! *correct* one Ale&ander didn*t try to put himsel# right--such as the person !ho pulls his

shoulders back and sits up straight. :et isn*t that !hat most people do

As !e !ill see at this stage o# the enneagram it is a !rong e##ort to attempt to implement a ne!

behaviour. A ne! behaviour !ill evolve #rom the loss o# the old--something !ill #ill the void. 2ry to get

there too 5uickly and all that happens is that the ne! behaviour is gra#ted upon the old--distorting them

both. ?#ten !e mistake this #or change. Ale&ander comments on this+

,or " sa! that an immediate response !as the result o# a decision on my part to do

something at once to go directly #or a certain end and by acting 5uickly on this

decision " did not give mysel# the opportunity to proect as many times as necessary the

ne! directions...

>ere*s a practical e&ample o# this+ " !ant to give up my obsession !ith s!eets and unk #ood and lead ahealthy li#e. A healthy li#e " think to mysel# but then by 3acting 5uickly3 " proceed to rush to my 3certain

end3 by buying good #oods reading up on all the ne!est health diets converting my #riends and

embracing every *healthy* possibility " can. here are the 3preventative directions3 @o! the habitual

e&cess that lead me to eat bad #oods has redirected itsel# into an obsession about health. >aven*t you

met people like that @o!adays it is called a *positive addiction.* >o!ever " have not given up my

*unhealthy* behaviour " have simply redirected it into another sphere--it looks *healthy* but a real change

based on e&perimentation has not occurred.



%eople *cure* bad backs this !ay. "ndeed most medical and para-medical practitioners still advocate this

pseudo-method o# change to their patients in the #orm o# *postural e&ercises* and positions to *hold

themselves correctly.* Ale&ander teachers are !ell #amiliar !ith this kind o# stone-age nonsense. ?ther

people make these pseudo-changes by putting on accents !earing hip clothes or ust 3trying to talk

proper-like.3 henever you meet a person like this you are usually struck by their arti#iciality--intuitively

you kno! them to be in the act o# disguising their true nature.

*ine from Stage One to Stage Four

"# you re#er to the inner line bet!een tages 1 and ) on the diagram you can see that the arro! points

to!ards tage )--this indicates that the correct source o# material #or conducting e&periments at )/ are

our observations at 1/. 'ook no! at the line bet!een tages ) and $--here the arro! moves to!ards

tage $ but pseudo-changes are as !e have seen driven by endgaining *ideas* at $/. Gncannily the

enneagram predicts that this kind o# e##ort is against a true method o# change that is against the

direction o# the arro! bet!een tages ) and $. uch pseudo-changes are being driven by our #antasies

at $/ not our observations at 1/ and as such are a !rong e##ort. 2he changes gained by this method

are not real they are imagined--they #ill our minds !ith delusional thought smothering the truth o# !ho

!e are. %ositive a##irmations--currently the rage around to!n--mostly operate in this dys#unctional !ay

creating #ar more problems than they can ever solve.

>o!ever this pseudo-approach to change can seem success#ul o#ten permanently so. %eople may be

happy !ith that--so be it--but the ne! behaviour gra#ted upon the old re5uires continuous e##ort to stay

#unctional. 4ventually this *e##ort* becomes habitual resulting in a state o# permanent e&cessive tension

and energy loss and later ne! *complications* seemingly unassociated !ith the old. "t all probably leads

to a much earlier death.

2he important point here is not to con#use the nature o# true e&perimentation in our human behaviour

!ith those other kinds o# e##orts based on endgaining ideas directed to!ards *trying to do something

ne!.* "# this isn*t clear to us !e can !aste decades trying to solve our problems and having very little

success.

Real e&perimentation is bland #rustrating tedious and une&citing. "t inevitably #ails and re5uiresconstant perseverance tremendous commitment and unending dedication even genius to succeed.

2his is !hy it normally !ill never occur !ithout some sort o# support structure at "n-%oint ( supplying

the energy necessary to continue your e##orts. Alone you*d ust never keep it up. 2hat*s !hy !e have

churches 1$-step groups spiritual communities and the like. At this point #aith is not re5uired--!e do

not have to *believe* in anything. As !e shall see #aith !ill come later in the process--all that is re5uired

#or no! is your involvement in the community and an open-mind...

,or e&ample the #irst 5uestion any member o# 1$-step program !ill ask another !ho is slipping back

into old behaviours is+ 3Are you doing meetings3 eetings supply the energy necessary to continue the

great e&periment o# giving up the thing that is your obsession. hich brings us to understand the

essence o# e&perimentation in relation to human behaviour--giving things up sacri#icing letting go o#

attachments. urprised ?# course not it*s all very simple.

7ut it is not appealing 2he giving up o# destructive behaviours begins !ith laying open the deep scars

sorro!s and attachments that #irst prompted our destructive behaviours. 7ut ust as compassion can

arise !ithin us at the instant !e understand that another*s anger to!ards us is caused by their deep

hurt so does understanding the true nature o# our pain dispel our ignorance and diminish its po!er to

in#luence our behaviour.

*ine from Stage Four to Stage T%o



:ou e&periment because you do not understand the true nature o# the problem you have. ?bserve the

inner line that moves bet!een tages ) and $. 4&periments have the purpose o# enlightening you on a

problem you do not understand. 2he idea arises out o# the practice not the other !ay around. Again--

Ale&ander+

As " !as unable to ans!er these 5uestions all " could do !as to go on patiently

e&perimenting be#ore the mirror. A#ter some months " #ound Eline #rom ) to $F that !henreciting " could not by direct means prevent the sucking in o# breath or the depressing o#

the laryn& but that " could to some e&tent prevent the pulling back o# the head.

2he value o# real e&perimentation is that it reveals to you the hitherto hidden elements !hich have

prevented the e&periment #rom being success#ul. 4&periments #ail--it is in their nature to do that. ,or

e&ample 4dison*s discovery o# the light bulb constituted say 9999 instances o# #ailure. hen #inally

he did succeed and the light came on !ith the 1HHHHth try--there !as no longer any need to

e&periment uccess brings us to tage 0 o# the enneagram and that is no longer in the nature o#

e&perimentation.

?ur #ailures deliver our successes--the discoveries the inner line #rom tage ) to tage $/ !hich in turn

generate ideas #or ne! e&periments moving #rom tage $ back to tage ) outside the circle/.

note=

2heinner lines then describe the intuitive process that !ill drive our more logical progression around the

outer circle o# the enneagram.

2his is a subtler aspect o# the enneagram+ it sho!s ho! progression around the !heel o# change occurs

through a marriage o# the logical and the intuitive. 2he outer circle--or logical processes--represents

change as it occurs !ithin the constraints o# time. Ale&ander*s description o# his progress uncannily

dovetails !ith the order o# points on the outer circle o# the enneagram. note9 >o!ever the inner lines--or

intuitive process--is the po!er behind this logical process. 2he intuitive process e&ists outside the

constraints o# time so #or e&ample the vision o# a #uture that does not yet e&ist becomes the cause #or

its o!n result.

*ine from Stage T%o to Stage Eight

Gp until this moment in the !heel o# change our research has been con#used happening in starts and

stops and is o#ten discouraging--being as it is so necessarily #ull o# #ailure. >o!ever persistence pays

o## and a day comes !hen !e suddenly have a *vision* o# !hat is possible a *pro#ound insight* into !hat

!e are actually !orking !ith. 2his moment o# discovery is symbolised by the line !hich runs across #rom

tage $ to tage =. Anyone !ho has undergone therapy or has had a spiritual e&perience can

appreciate the po!er o# these *insights.* 2he pieces o# a puIIle #all together and !e #inally realise many

things about ourselves that !e previously did not understand--in that moment the po!er o# our habit is

instantly diminished.

'isten to a person*s language regarding their behaviour and you !ill hear that their understanding o#

themselves tage $/ is ine&tricably linked up !ith ho! they !ant to be tage =/. "n #act it is impossible

to conceive o# a *bad sel#* !ithout the vision o# the *good sel#* and this is the primary e&planation o# thelink bet!een tage $ and tage =.

:et conceiving o# a vision #or yoursel# is not to be at tage =--it merely gives you an impetus to get

there. " might think out tage $/ !hat kind o# behaviours " !ant to have tage =/ but there are many

steps moving around the outside circle o# the enneagram through tages ) 0 and </ to take be#ore "

!ill be actually be like that i# ever.







As the enneagram sho!s the signi#icance o# this moment the inner line #rom tage $ to tage =/ is that

this *insight* moves you across to the le#t side o# the !heel o# change into the second great period o#

!ork on your el#--that o# trans#ormation. 2he evolution o# Ale&ander*s !ork on himsel# !as grounded in

this approach. 2he time did come #or him to attempt a trans#ormation--but only a#ter he had laboriously

identi#ied !hat he !as doing. ,A+ 3:ou can*t do !hat you don*t kno! i# you keep on doing !hat you do

kno!.3

%revention creates a void an emptiness !hich can be #illed by a ne! richness by ne! possibilities and

it is at this moment that our real trans#ormation begins+ the second and much harder move around the

le#t side o# the !heel o# change.

SECON PERIO: TR!NSFOR+!TION

Ale&ander*s shi#t #rom the preparatory right side to the trans#ormational le#t side o# the enneagram !as a

paradigmal shi#t bet!een t!o universes o# conception. "n the beginning he !as a man !ith a 3#aulty

voice mechanism3 in the end a visionary !ith a message #or all humanity to heed. o--!hatever

happened in bet!een

Ale&ander*s story neatly illustrates the divide bet!een the t!o sides o# the enneagram--#irstly hediscovers the preventative directions then secondly he determines ho! to carry them though into

practice.

"n this he clearly moves bet!een t!o paradigms o# perception. "nitially he e&ists in a Cartesian

@e!tonian !orld !here mind and body are separate entities !here cause and e##ect are considered in

separation. >e talks in terms o# the #ault !ith his 3voice mechanism3 as though it is someho! separate

#rom himsel#--a part to be #i&ed so all !ill !ork !ell again+

,rom this " !as led to conecture that i# pulling back my head depressing my laryn& and

sucking in breath did indeed bring about a strain on my voice it must constitute a

misuse of the parts concerned . Emy italicsF

"n the second hal# o# the story his perception shi#ts into an 4insteinian vie! o# the !orld !here

everything is relative to everything else+

"t is important to remember that the use o# a speci#ic part in any activity is closely

associated !ith the use o# other parts o# the organism and that the in#luence e&erted by

the various parts one upon another is continuously changing in accordance !ith the

manner o# use o# those parts.

2he #irst period o# a change process is represented on the !heel o# change by "n-%oints 9 ( and

tages 1 $ and ) the second period by "n-%oint 6 and tages 0 < and =. "n the #irst period o# change

the overriding #ocus is on the behaviour that is harm#ul--in Ale&ander*s case his hoarse voice. ?ur initial

perception is narro! never grasping the real truth o# the situation. ?ur understanding is in terms o#

negatives--all Ale&ander initially !anted to do !as to stop losing his voice so he could get on !ith hiscareer. 2hink o# your o!n *problems*--it is usually in terms o# the negative+ 3" !ish " didn*t drink so much

gamble like this eat so much etc.3 As !ork proceeds an understanding evolves o# an entirely di##erent

notion !hich moves us--through the inner lines #rom tage $ to tage = and then into tage 0--to !here

!e arrive and begin this second trans#ormational move around the !heel o# change.

hat brings about this change is an a!akening to the enormity and pro#undity o# the change being

called #or. Anyone !ho reaches this second period and completes it--and very #e! o# us ever do--!ill

e&perience a #undamental change in the !hole situation o# their lives. Ale&ander !as no e&ception to



this. ,rom being an everyday actor !orking in the colonies he trans#ormed himsel# into a visionary

genius i# a tad eccentric gaining #ame at the centre o# the 7ritish 4mpire.

'etting !cro## the Wheel to Stage Fi$e

The Inner Line from Stage Two through to Stage Five

?ne o# the chie# obstacles to !ork on ourselves during this second period is laIiness. %erhaps !e

have learnt a #e! things redirected some o# our behaviours more positively and !ell generally things

are going better and the desperate nature o# our situation--!hich originally prompted us to start !ork on

ourselves--has no! been alleviated and our drive to continue is conse5uently !eakened. e start

slipping back to tage $ again--this is very easy to do.

"n Ale&ander*s case it !as 5uite clear that as he resumed his reciting career during the ten years o# his

e&periments he did not need to continue his e&periments #or the sake o# his acting career. Gnlike us

the di##erence !ith Ale&ander is that he didn*t stop at tage )--he carried on beyond that point.

Dery early on note1H Ale&ander*s in#orms us that+

A #urther result !hich " also noted !as that !ith the prevention o# the misuses o# these

parts " tended to become less hoarse !hile reciting and that as " gradually gained

e&perience in this prevention my liability to hoarseness tended to decrease. hat is

more !hen a#ter these e&periences my throat !as again e&amined by my medical

#riends a considerable improvement !as #ound in the general condition o# my laryn&

and vocal cords.

Gnlike Ale&ander a#ter a certain time !e *stop* the !ork on ourselves cut do!n or cease the visits to our

therapist or our attendance o# meetings #alls o## as the gradually improved circumstances o# our lives

distracts us. 7ecause o# this there is no longer any input at "n-%oint ( !hich remains essential #or the

#ar more di##icult development symbolised by the move through "n-%oint 6 #rom tage 0 to tage <. o

be#ore !e kno! !hat has happened !e #ind !e are up to our old tricks again.

7ut in Ale&ander*s case that did not happen. hy

Again the enneagram ans!ers this 5uestion by sho!ing us the necessity that to get to tage 0 #rom

tage ) !e must also #ollo! the direction o# the inner lines #rom tage ) up to $ across to = and

arriving at 0. Ale&ander clearly e&plains to us !hy even a#ter he had e##ectively neutralised his

hoarseness he !as able to continue his !hole investigation see diagram belo!/+

" began to see EStage 1F that my #indings up till no! EStage 4F implied the possibility

EStage 2 F o# opening up an entirely ne! #ield o# en5uiry EStage 8 F and I was osessed

with the desire e&plore it EStage ! F. Eitalics mineF





"t is clear that Ale&ander had a *pro#ound insight* that moved him !ay beyond his original starting point

and inspired him to continue. 2he key here is the causal relationship that inspiration has to !ork on our

el#. "n !orking on our el# one o# our primary obstacles is laIiness--o# either an active nature being

distracted by meaningless activities/ or passive !e ust can*t be bothered thinking about all this 3stu##3/.

"n 7uddhism laIiness is said to be countered by #aith aspiration enthusiasm and #le&ibility. "nspiration--

o# the kind Ale&ander !rote about above--is a source #or all o# these.

,aith is generated by the empirical realisation that the process !e are involved in is yielding

insights--3>ey3 !e think 3this is !orking3 ?ut o# our e&citement arises the aspiration to enthusiastically

e&ert ourselves to apply our insight in an open-minded #le&ible manner--each success becoming a

#urther cause #or inspiration.

Ale&ander*s e&pression 3...obsessed !ith the desire to e&plore it3 illustrates clearly the prime motivating

#orce that inspiration supplies and !hy there is a line running #rom tage = to tage 0. :ou can*t have a

clear idea o# the direction you must take Etage 0F !ithout a vision o# the possibilities this *vision* holds

#or you--this is the meaning o# the line running do!n #rom tage = to tage 0--it is motivating you to

maintain your consciousness o# the !ork necessary at tage 0.

,A+ 32he e&perience makes the meat it #eeds upon.3

Stage Fi$e: irection

Arriving at tage 0 !ith a direction to pursue does not e5uate !ith being able to *give directions* in an

Ale&andrian sense--that is a tage ) activity. At tage 0 *direction* has an entirely di##erent meaning--not

ust #reeing our neck and lengthening but appreciating and counter-acting the many #actors that

in#luence us to do other!ise so that our *direction* includes the strategies !e are developing to

harmonise all these con#licting demands. ,or e&ample the tension in my neck may be an e&pression o#

a belie# " have that " am too short--i# " use my aversion to this sel#-conception to motivate my e##orts to

#ree my neck 3"*m not going to stay like this--" !ill use the 2echni5ue to make mysel# taller3/ " !ill be

using my old habit to change my habit and it doesn*t !ork that !ay. note11

o this moment isn*t small--it is pro#ound. Ale&ander himsel# talks in epic terms !hen he has reached

this point in his o!n investigation+

" sa! that the search #or this kno!ledge !ould open out an entirely ne! #ield o#

e&ploration and one that promised more than any that " had yet heard o# and " began to

reconsider my o!n di##iculties in light of this new fact . Eitalics mineF





At tage 0 the nature o# the change process is that !e are no longer seeking an ans!er to our problem

as !e have it--!e are 3in EtheF light3. "t*s ust that !e seem incapable o# acting upon it ?ne o#

Ale&ander*s #avourite 5uotes !as that o# t. %aul in a letter to the Corinthians 32he good that " !ould do

" do not. 2hat !hich " !ould not do " do.3 2he important point is that by this time Ale&ander !as in no

doubt that these *directions* he had developed !ere absolutely necessary to make a change--an

evolutionary change in his thinking processes no less something that all humanity could bene#it #rom--

yet he could not #ind a !ay to maintain them beyond the stimulus to speak.

?ne day in the kitchen !ith arorie 7arsto! a#ter knocking my hand on a cupboard " remarked upon

my over!helming di##iculty in maintaining her concept o# *delicacy o# movement* in all my daily activities.

" shan*t #orget her reply #or it stays !ith me to-day+ 3?h yes3 she said 3delicacy is a !hole ne! !ay o#

living.3 Gp until that time " had never considered that #reeing my neck success#ully in an ongoing sense

!ould involve a trans#ormation o# such ontological magnitude. 2o-day it is abundantly clear.

o the inspiration the understanding that--yes this is the ans!er this is !hat " must do--does not o#

itsel# translate into its actualisation. e still must move #rom tage 0 through "n-%oint 6 to arrive at

tage < and in the process all manner o# un#oreseen obstacles present themselves. "n Ale&ander*s

case he !rote o# this moment+

" set out to put this idea into practice but " !as at once brought up short by a series o#

startling and une&pected e&periences. ... ?ver and over again " had the e&perience that

immediately the stimulus to speak came to me " invariably responded by doing

something according to old habitual use associated !ith the act o# speaking.

imilarly !e may be in an abusive relationship. e may have tried to improve the relationship--by

discussing things taking a di##erent attitude or approach until #inally !e slo!ly realise that it is time to

get out--no 5uestion about it. 7ut !e don*t get out. e stay on and on and on things getting !orse but

still !e don*t leave--!e are stuck at tage 0. hy

7ecause to leave is unkno!n to us--!e have no e&perience o# that so it is impossible #or us to generate

the reassurance that !e #eel !e need be#ore !e act. e keep !ondering+ 3here !ill " live >o! !ill "

eat Can " survive3 and so remain in a bad situation because o# this #ear o# the unkno!n.

2his is !here 8od helps. ?r as they say in 1$-step programs *your higher po!er*. 2his can be anything

accepted in #aith+ an obect o# devotion that o##ers us a reassurance and com#ort that is other!ise

impossible to generate. o the third and #inal energy--the most delicate o# all--enters our being at this

point to motivate the movement #rom tage 0 through to tage <. Call it *#aith* Ale&ander called it

*inhibition*.

In-Point Si)--Inhibition ,Faith

2hink o# this--!hen do those chores get done that re5uire an e##ort against our habitual tendencies 'ike

!riting an article or the dreaded spring cleaning "t gets done !hen a pressure e&ternal to us #orces our

hand+ the ubi5uitous deadlineB cleaning the house #or our mother--in-la!*s #irst visitB some event orperson !hose very e&istence gives cause to our actions.

?n a pro#ounder scale the enneagram illustrates this simple #act o# human e&istence. "# you re#er to the

symbol you !ill see that this ne&t point on the enneagram--"n-%oint 6--is the third and #inal ape& o# the

energy triangle--this means that be#ore !e can move #rom tage 0 through to tage < !e need another

intake o# energy. 2his is illustrated by such phrases as 3" must summon up the strength...3 or 3...#ind the

courage to...3 "n each instance there is a sense that an *e##ort* is necessary and the enneagram sho!s

us that the energy to motivate this *e##ort* comes in at "n-%oint 6--a kind o# energy that in#uses our being



to produce the pro#ound ontology o# understanding that occurs at tage <. 7ut o# !hat substance is this

energy made o#

"# as the 1$-step program teaches this is the period !hen !e say to ourselves+ 3'et go and let 8od3

such an act re5uires #aith that there is a 8od or 7uddhas or hiva--!hatever obect o# devotion you

adopt--to give us the grace !e need to make this dangerous and threatening change. Are these obects

then the source o# this energy 2he energy seems to come #rom being released #rom doing !hatever it!as doing be#ore !e *inhibited*--hence our energy seems to come #rom generating this *nothingness*

something that should appeal to all 7uddhists at the very least. "t seems in nothing !e #ind everything--

even 8od.

,or those that react negatively to such !ords as devotion or #aith it might be e&pressed in simpler terms

o# belie# in the goodness or rightness o# the human spirit. >is >oliness the ;alai 'ama e&presses this

vie! most elegantly+

" consider human a##ection or compassion to be the universal religion. hether a

believer or a nonbeliever everyone needs human a##ection and compassion because

compassion gives us inner strength hope and mental peace. 2hus it is indispensable

#or everyone.

note1$

hatever the intellectual underpinning--there is an 3inner strength3 that needs to enter us by !ay o# our

#aith in something to supply us !ith the impetus necessary to undertake the momentous change !e are

about to undertake. o-- let us call it simply *#aith*.

7ut !hat a#ter all is #aith hat are !e trusting 2he 5uestion de#eats the very notion that gives rise to

it #or i# " must 5uestion #aith then by de#inition " don*t have it. ,aith is sel#-reverential and admits no

intruder and yet as a po!er #or trans#ormation has no e5ual. >istory is littered !ith the stories o#

e&traordinary achievements by ordinary people #illed !ith #aith.

J.8. 7ennett in his booknote1( about this kind o# enneagram--as opposed to the popularised enneagram

o# personality types--states that "n-%oint 6 is the hardest point on the enneagram to understand.

Certainly my e&perience con#irms this.

The *ine from Stage Fi$e to Stage Se$en

hat !as Ale&ander*s notion o# this #aith >e called it trust+

2his meant that " must be prepared to carry on !ith any procedure " had reasoned out

as best #or my purpose Ei.e. the move #rom tages 0 to <F even though that procedure

might feel wrong . "n other !ords my trust in my reasoning processes to bring me sa#ely

to my *end* must be a genuine trust not a hal#-trust needing the assurance o# feeling

right as !ell. EAle&ander*s italicsF

2he #lip side to all this is that !hile #aith enters in at "n-%oint 6 something else is going on along theinner line bet!een tage 0 and tage <--this movement is about loss it is about allo!ing a void to open

up in our li#e by losing our attachment to !ays o# being that have become because o# their #amiliarity

com#ortable. ,or those o# you !ho have gambled or su##ered #rom substance abuse this moment can

mean giving up a !hole circle o# #riends !ho are associated !ith the destructive behaviours. ?r it may

mean coming to terms !ith #eelings o# inade5uacy or nervousness--being !illing to drop the behaviours

that disguise these uncom#ortable emotions. ,rom an Ale&ander perspective pupils o#ten e&press

themselves as #eeling 3too tall too commanding3 as though #rom this place they !ill not be loved by







others. A#ter all--!hy do !e need #aith "t is because !e #eel !e are losing something--our current li#e

much as it might torture us is also all !e kno!. And so !e hang on.

:et it can become even more tortuous to remain stuck at tage 0 in the change process--!e understand

!hat*s going on and !hat must be done so the longer !e leave making the necessary change the

more inclined !e !ill be to #orce ourselves back!ards into denial and ignorance. e can easily go

back!ards and undo all the good !ork !e have done--even at this later stage o# the process. till it ishard to conceal truth once !e have recognised it--it goes to e&plaining !hy so many religions urge us

never to abandon re#uge in their doctrines and practises never to turn our back on their teachings. 2o

do so is #ar !orse than i# !e had never begun.

o !hile the move itsel# #rom tage 0 to tage < is about letting go it is our #aith or trust that supplies us

!ith the strength o# grace to take this #rightening step. And !hen #inally !e do truly cross over into the

void it is to our vast surprise not a void at all but a !orld #illed !ith love and lightness an empty space

#illed !ith light...

Stage Se$en: Ne% E)&erience#

%eople talk about *debauched kinaesthesia* and *#aulty sensory perception* but i# our senses are as badas everyone seems to claim they are--!hy !ould !e persist !ith Ale&ander lessons hy does

anyone "ecause it feels so good -- isn*t that our primary motivation to keep returning #or more

2hrough the hands o# a skill#ul teacher !e can occasionally e&perience ourselves as !e truly are not as

!e imagine ourselves to be.note1)

tage < is about both loss and freedom. 2he loss can be great but in its place !e e&perience #reedom--

a glorious #eeling o# !ell-being and openness to the !orld. ometimes " think Ale&ander teachers

e&clude #eelings even dismiss them yet !ithout #eelings !e cannot make distinctions bet!een good or

bad-- !ithout #eelings Ale&ander could not have possibly determined ease #rom sti##ness. tage < is

about gaining a reassuring e&perience o# #reedom and this #reedom becomes a source o# human

happiness and creativity.note10

7ut did Ale&ander have such a reassuring e&periences as he sho!n the !ay through e&perience

@o--at least not at the order o# magnitude " am discussing here--and there*s the rub #or us. Ale&ander

!as so phenomenally success#ul precisely because he didn*t egin the !ork !ith the kind o#

*e&periences* that !e begin !ith. "t !as #or us that Ale&ander skill#ully evolved a techni5ue #or delivering

these *e&periences* o# the change !hich !e are attempting to #inally implement on our o!n. 2his is a

*double-edged* gi#t as these *!onder#ul e&periences* become addictive--!e start to rely upon our teacher

to deliver them. 'ook at all the #uss that goes on in Ale&ander training schools about 3getting my turn

#rom the teacher3. "t is disheartening.

uch dependence also leads to a #orm o# emotional *Ale&ander abuse* !here the teacher sets him or

her el# up as the all-kno!ing one and the pupil is demeaned told to have #eelings that are *unreliable*.

2his is a gross distortion o# Ale&ander*s actual vie!point. Ale&ander never told us not to notice our

#eelings nor did he ever intend us to teach that our #eelings are inherently !rong--i# that !ere really thecase upon !hat basis do !e distinguish ease #rom tension "# you read him care#ully you !ill come

across the !ord *appreciation*--3#aulty sensory appreciation3. "t is our *interpretation* at tage $/ that is

at #ault not the direct e&perience !e are having at tage 1/. 2he person !ho #eels a#ter a good

Ale&ander lesson that they are *leaning #or!ard* as they stand is in #act *#or!ard*--forward# that is# from

where the$ haituall$ stand !hich is back. 2heir #eelings are not !rong--it is ho! they interpret them

that is at #ault.







Another problem that this glori#ication o# the e&perience thro!s up is that the !ork can easily cease to

be truly educational--instead it becomes over!helmingly therapeutic !ith a vast maority o# the lesson

undertaken passively by the pupil in a semi-supine position. 2here is nothing inherently !rong in this--

indeed " think it can be seen in a positive light--but it !ill rarely i# ever lead to the truly trans#ormational

change that tage < is about. "n #act everyday Ale&ander !ork rarely reaches such levels o# pro#undity.

>o!ever !e all have enough kno!ledge o# times !hen such amaIing trans#ormations have occurred

that our #aith in the !ork remains solid. 2his is inspiration at !ork.

o the e&periences !e gain at tage < are the result o# a pro#ound letting go #acilitated by our trust in

the process "n-%oint 9/ our teacher "n-%oint (/ and more o#ten than not our #aith in a higher po!er

"n-%oint 6/. "# ho!ever !e try to hold on to our e&perience and our idea o# it !e immediately rob it o#

its essence--#reedom. 2his not only happens at the level o# movements--!e become *Ale&android* like--it

is also re#lected at the level o# our thought--!e can 5uickly and easily descend into dogma and

righteousness. >o! can trying to hold on to an idea o# our e&perience result in this negative outcome

2o *hold* needs an obect and so sets up in our mind a duality. 7ut in this moment o# #reedom !hat !e

have actually achieved is the absence o# !hat !e had--!hich is achieving nothing. >o! can you hold on

to nothing :ou can*t-- you can only hold on to *something* and once you*ve done that *nothing* is gone

and !ith it your #reedom. arorie 7arsto!+ 3:ou*d better talk about a *preventing* because i# you talk

about a *keeping* you !ill sti##en.3 note16

o as soon as !e *kno!* at tage < !e cannot be there any more--it contradicts the essence o# tage

<. ,A+ 3:ou all !ant to kno! i# you*re right. hen you get #urther on you !ill be right but you !on*t

kno! it and !on*t !ant to kno! i# you*re right3 and 3hen the time comes to trust your #eeling you !on*t

!ant to use it.3 ?r arorie 7arsto!+ 3o you are learning less and less about yoursel# and more and

more o# !hat is possible3. "*ve al!ays puIIled over these aphorisms and this is the closest "*ve come to

understanding them.

Just as being at tage 0 is more than ust *giving directions* so is being at tage < more than the #eeling

a#ter a 3good lesson3. "t is a pro#ound moment--!here !e come to e&perience o# our true essence.

hich leads to a #inal ve&ing 5uestion--does the Ale&ander !ork imply a morality

*ine from Stage Se$en to Stage One.

2he #reedom e&perienced at tage < does " #eel reveal to us a little o# the true nature !e have in

common !ith each other. 4veryone reports a similarity o# e&perience at tage <. hat !e gain at tage

< is a 3little bit o# nothing3--that is preventing ourselves #rom doing the thing that is harm#ul to us--so as

arorie 7arsto! puts it+ 3All you*ll get is the absence o# !hat you had.3 note1< 2his 3little bit o# nothing3 is

usually e&perienced as something gentle a##ectionate even loving--!hoever #elt like hurting someone at

the same instant they e&perienced the happy #reedom o# an e&ceptional Ale&ander lessonnote1= "n this

state can emotions such as anger ealousy and pride co-e&ist 2his bliss#ul condition !e all

occasionally e&perience at tage < may serve to con#irm that the essence o# our human spirit is at the

very least benign and at most benevolent.

o on this basis it is possible to argue that at tage < a !hole ne! !ork commences on ourselves--

one directed to!ards having an interest and compassion #or others. "t is as i# a universe o# ne!

possibilities appears that never e&isted be#ore. ,A+ 32here is so much to be seen !hen one reaches

the point o# being able to see and the e&perience makes the meat it #eeds upon.3

2his last 5uote o# Ale&ander*s goes to e&plaining the line #rom tage < through to tage 1. Another

ourney begins a ne! seeing--bringing !ith it a !hole ne! order o# challenges and 5uestions. 2he last

step in the 1$-step program concerns helping others and it is o#ten my thought that our second turn










around the !heel o# the change concerns compassion and the sel#less loving o# others. 2he #ruits o#

Ale&ander*s li#e is certainly a testimony to this idea--his !ork has besto!ed a great gi#t to humanity and

has and !ill continue to do so relieved untold numbers o# people #rom su##ering. "ndeed even animals

are beginning to bene#it #rom Ale&ander*s pioneering !ork.note19

Stage Eight: Integration

2his is the time o# completion. "t is also the time o# leadership. A person that has reached this level o#

integration in a change process serves as a leader to others--Ale&ander being the case in point. 2hey

become a living illustration o# the possibilities available to others !ho have not been able to succeed in

the same !ay. 2hey are the *old timers* !ho speak up at 1$-step meetings and are more deeply

involved in 1$ stepping--reaching out to others !ho are still in need. 2hey are the rinpoches the high

priests that inspire us to !ork on ourselves.

2he di##erences bet!een tage < and tage = are t!o#old. ,irstly at tage = the ne! behaviour has

come to #eel normal and natural !hile secondly it is no longer a struggle to maintain this ne!

condition--there is almost no chance no! o# *slipping back*. As !e sa! in our discussion o# getting to

tage < one o# the stumbling blocks to implementing change is parado&ically the change itsel#. ?ur

habitual tendency is to!ards the #amiliar. ,A+ 3Change involves carrying out an activity against thehabit o# li#e.3 >o!ever !e do eventually come to a time !hen the change comes to #eel #amiliar.

2hink o# learning a language. A#ter the long period o# gaining a vocabulary and learning to

communicate there is still a phase !here !e #ind ourselves reverting to our natural language !hen tired

or upset. e can speak easily and to others it seems to have no e##ort attached but to us it is still an

e##ort still not a natural thing. e still think and dream in our old language. e may still #ind ourselves

moving back and #orth bet!een the t!o--sometimes translating #rom one language and back into the

other.

>o!ever i# !e persist !hile especially *preventing* ourselves reverting back to our mother tongue a

strange thing happens--!e begin to think in the ne! language all the time even dream in the ne!

language. "t becomes a part us one that !e are unlikely ever to undo. "n #act this change can become

so complete that !e may even #orget ho! to say things in !hat !as once our mother tongue. Andalso--at this stage it is easy to teach others.

,rom tage = our legacy moves into "n-%oint 9 becoming a part o# humanity*s inheritance and #orever

changing the lives o# the people !ho #ollo! us. Ale&ander*s !ork has no! become part o# that

inheritance. All great teachers leave behind them a trail o# in#luence that e&tends #ar beyond their o!n

limited li#e spans. Could 7ill ilson and his #riends have ever kno!n !hat an e&traordinary e##ect their

1$-tep programme !ould have in the !orld o# today @o! there are 1$-step programmes called

@arcotics Anonymous 8amblers Anonymous 4aters Anonymous e& 'ove Addicts Anonymous

,undamentalists Anonymous and so #orth.

"n the same !ay it is natural to e&pect Ale&ander*s !ork to #lo!er into many di##erent plants--each one

being seeded by the li#e o# that previous to it in an unbroken chain reaching back a century to thoseinnocent e&periments conducted by a desperate young Australian actor !ho used his craving #or #ame

to #uel an iron determination to overcome his adverse circumstances.

!bout The Writer





Jeremy Chance is the 4ditor and %ublisher o# ;"R4C2"?@ an international Journal on

the Ale&ander 2echni5ue. >e trained at the chool o# Ale&ander tudies in 'ondon

5uali#ying in 19=H and later undertook e&tensive post-graduate !ork !ith arorie

7arsto! #rom 19=6 to 199$.

%.?. 7o& $<6 7ondi @ $H$6 Australia

2el+ H$-9660.((6) ,a&+ H$-9660.10<=4-mail+ ;irection Journal

Jum& to irection Journal/# home&age

Return to !TI/# !rticle# &age

En0note#

1/ ee The %armonious &ircle by James ebb 2hames and >udson+ 'ondon 19=H/ #or elucidation on

the origins o# the enneagram and speci#ically ho! it came to be part o# 8urdie##*s teaching. go back to

te&t

$/ ee %.;. ?uspensky*s In Search of the Miraculous #irst published in @e! :ork in 19)9 #or a #uller

discussion o# the #unctions o# the la! o# three and the la! o# seven. go back to te&t

(/ ee nneagram Studies by J.8. 7ennett published by amuel eiser+ GA 19=(/ #or a study o#

nine di##erent enneagrams including those mentioned in the te&t. 2here is also a valuable introduction!here 7ennett discusses some o# the general aspects o# the enneagram that is the basis o# this article.

,or a discussion o# the change process in overcoming an addiction see 32he Anatomy o# Addiction3 by

this !riter in ;"R4C2"?@ Journal Dol 1 @o 9 pp.()(-()0go back to te&t

)/ 2his article is based upon the !orkshop " gave at the Congress--most o# !hat appears in this article

!as probably said during the !orkshop but as " didn*t prepare a paper to give it " o##er this as my a#ter-

the-#act recollection. go back to te&t

0/ 2he !orkshop !as based upon the chapter 34volution o# a 2echni5ue3 #rom Ale&ander*s book The

Use of the Self published by Dictor 8ollancI+ 'ondon 19=0/. Gnless noted other!ise all indented

5uotes in this article come #rom this chapter and the reader is encouraged to read it in its entirety #or an

understanding o# the conte&t o# all the 5uotes given. ,urther 5uotes in this article #rom this chapter !ill

not be re#erenced. go back to te&t

6/ ee In Search of the Miraculous op. cit. go back to te&t

</ Ale&ander ,. 3@otes o# "nstruction3 The (le)ander Techni*ue+ the essential writings of ,- Matthias

(le)ander edited by 4d!ard aisel 2hames and >udson+ 'ondon 19<)/ All #urther 5uotes preceded

by the notation 3,A+3 come #rom this source and !ill not individually re#erenced. go back to te&t

http://www.ati-net.com/_orphans/sm.php?to=help%20at%20directionjournal.com

http://www.directionjournal.com/


http://www.ati-net.com/ati-artl.php


http://www.ati-net.com/articles/jc-ngram.php#enr1








http://www.ati-net.com/_orphans/sm.php?to=help%20at%20directionjournal.com













=/ 2he astute reader may !ell pick up !hat seems to be a contradiction--in that " argued previously that

to move #rom tage $ directly to tage ) !as a !rong e##ort yet here " am arguing the opposite

>o!ever close e&amination !ill reveal that this isn*t the case as there are t!o roots to tage )--one is

directly along an inner line #rom tage 1 to tage ) the second along an outer line around the circle

#rom tages 1 through to tage $ and then relying on "n- %oint ( through to tage ). 7y moving around

the outer circle you are also getting to tage ) but by #irst going through tages 1 and $ !hile

depending upon the energy at "n-%ut ( to #inally get to tage )--this is a correct method. !itching #romthe outer circle at tage $ to go against the arro! do!n the inner line to tage ) is a !ay to get there

and is !idely done--but it doesn*t !ork there is ample evidence o# that. >o!ever launching into a

discussion o# that and o# the distinctions bet!een the t!o correct moves is beyond the scope o# this

article as a discussion o# this could easily #ill another article by itsel#/ so my readers are le#t to ponder

#or themselves the signi#icance o# these three alternative routes. go back to te&t

9/ As " have taught the 4nneagram many people have puIIled over the #act that on the enneagram

direction precedes inhibition !hereas in practise it seems the reverse is true. 7ut this is not true in the

process o# discovery #or ho! can you inhibit a thing that is not recognised ,irst you must be able to

identi#y the thing you intend to prevent. >o!ever can the 3preventative directions3 e&ist !ithout the

recognition o# that !hich they 3prevent3 *,or!ard and up* is in actuality only the *prevention* o# *back

and do!n* so you must as Ale&ander did #irst identi#y *back and do!n*. 2his all means that the

discovery o# an appropriate *direction* must precede that o# any *inhibition* !hich a reading o# Ale&ander*s story does veri#y to be the case. go back to te&t

1H/ 2his 5uote occurs on page = o# Ale&ander*s $9 page chapter on 32he 4volution o# a 2echni5ue3 op.

cit. go back to te&t

11/ 2his is based on an aphorism o# arorie 7arsto!+ 3:ou are trying to use your old habit to change the

habit and it doesn*t !ork that !ay3 noted by the !riter during the summer o# *=6 in Australia. go back to

te&t

1$/ 2he ;alai 'ama .imensions of Spiritualit$ isdom %ublications+ 7oston 1990/ go back to te&t

1(/ nneagram Studies 7ennett J.8. op. cit. go back to te&t

1)/ 2his is based on comments made by 2ommy 2hompson in an unpublished talk+ 3orking !ith

4motional Releases3 in 'ondon ?ctober 19=9. >e !rites+ 3ost people !hen you take them

some!here !hich is di##erent #rom !here they !ere they say something that e5uates it !ith a #eeling.

2he only thing they are e&periencing #or a brie# moment in time is the absence o# !here they have

been. 7ut no sooner than that brie# moment passes do they describe a #eeling to it and no sooner than

they have done that do they put themselves to !here they #eel themselves to be.3 go back to te&t

10/ 7ased on a teaching by >is >oliness the ;alai 'ama !here he !rites+ 3,reedom is the real source

o# human happiness and creativity3 /ords of /isdom argaret 8ee %ublishing+ ydney 199$/

p.$( go back to te&t

16/ 3arorie 7arsto!*s Aphorisms3 ;"R4C2"?@ Journal Dol $ @o ) pp.16-1=. go back to te&t

1</ "bid. go back to te&t

1=/ ?# course many people !ill argue that some Ale&ander e&periences are not pleasant at all--they can

release great !aves o# repressed anger or tears. ?# course this is true. >o!ever it is not necessary to

go into a lengthy discussion o# this as it doesn*t change my point that at other times !e have all





























e&perienced some #orm o# happy release. "t is only those e&periences that " am discussing at this

point. go back to te&t

19/ ee 3orking !ith r pooks3 by ally 2ottle in ;"R4C2"?@ Journal Dol $ @o 1 p.1( !here the

author recounts her e&perience o# giving Ale&ander hands-on !ork to horses.



the wheel of change

Documents