The Stages of the Work Thread

[speculative]

Greetings; the purpose of this thread is to discuss Don Riso & Russ Hudson's "The Stages of the Work." Do you use this as a tool in your Enneagram work? Are you moving along the stages, and how is it going? Any particular problems with a certain stage, or methods you would like to share that were helpful to reach any particular stage?

The Stages of the Work

If we were to really observe ourselves,
we would become aware of our habits.

If we were to become aware of our habits,
we would let go and relax.

If we were to let go and relax,
we would be aware of sensations.

If we were to be aware of sensations,
we would receive impressions.

If we were to receive impressions,
we would awaken to the moment.

If we were to awaken to the moment,
we would experience reality.

If we were to experience reality,
we would see that we are not our personality.

If we were to see that we are not our personality,
we would remember ourselves.

If we were to remember ourselves,
we would let go of our fear and attachments.

If we were to let go of our fear and attachments,
we would be touched by God.

If we were touched by God,
we would seek union with God.

If we were to seek union with God,
we would will what God wills.

If we were to will what God wills,
we would be transformed.

If we were transformed,
the world would be transformed.

If the world were transformed,
all would return to God.

–from The Wisdom of the Enneagram, Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson

(When posting, please quote the stage, which will make it easier to read the thread if it grows to multiple pages - many thanks. )

 

[speculative]

Currently, I am working on the stage:

"If we were to become aware of our habits,
we would let go and relax."

I have noticed that sometimes I can let go and relax, and other times I cannot. The times that I can relax are times that I catch myself in the habit and quit doing what I do not wish to do. The times I cannot relax are times when I see myself going through the motions of the habit, but cannot stop anyway. I have experienced the stage after the one quoted above, so I know that I can get past this stage, but I am working on being more consistent.

For myself, I think acceptance is dangerous. Sometimes to accept myself for who I am is the right thing to do in that moment; however, other times it becomes just an excuse to keep doing what I am doing and not grow.

 

[Heinel]

I think I'm in between letting go of fear and letting go of attachment.

Not sure if I want to let go of my attachments.

 

[Gerbah]

Thanks for that quote, it's lovely. I recently started investigating the Enneagram and it has really provided a lot of food for thought. I would say I'm at stage 1 but with glimpses of higher stages from time to time.

For me, I think what I really have to observe are my emotional states. It's as if I like to think things are very even inside and I don't like this evenness to be disturbed, although at the same time I feel bored and dissatisfied. Actually, my emotions are all up and down in one day, even though not much is changing in my external environment on a day-to-day basis. Yesterday I was angry, sad, happy, tired, ok, fearful. I'm not even-keeled at all. I think when I accept that, I will be a lot more relaxed.

 

[Fluffywolf]

If we were to let go of our fear and attachments,
we would be touched by God.

I think I'll just die when I die. It ends there for me.

Liking the 'seeing your life flash before you before you die' metaphor though.

 

[cascadeco]

I can get caught in the 'letting go' stage, but when I am able to let go and simply relax and EXIST, all of the other stages are pretty easy for me and come naturally; however, since I don't really believe in God as the blurb suggests, those stages aren't exactly applicable to me.

 

[Bubbles]

I think the God thing is more...being touched by the beauty of the world etc if you don't believe in 'im. And accepting that you're just one part of a very large existence.

 

[cascadeco]

I think the God thing is more...being touched by the beauty of the world etc if you don't believe in 'im. And accepting that you're just one part of a very large existence.

Awesome. Than I rock. I leap straight to the end without having perfected some of the middle stages.

 

[Bubbles]

Awesome. Than I rock. I leap straight to the end without having perfected some of the middle stages.