The first path is to awaken the soul at the primary Points on the archetypal map. That is the path up the face of the mountain. The more familiar one is what we know as the Path of Integration. As we begin moving up our levels of development within our personality type, we begin to contact what Riso and Hudson call the Security Point, and what Sandra Maitri names the Soul Child. In both cases, they are speaking about the lower to average levels of our Point of Integration. Instead of first expressing this Point in a highly developed way, we find ourselves acting out less appealing behaviors. Maitri suggests that our challenge is to accept and embrace this part of ourselves that was unacceptable in our early lives. By doing so, we can begin to move into the higher levels of development of this Point and support the fulfillment of the personality as it begins to integrate consciously with the soul.
The following summary is taken from the appendix of Maitri’s The Spiritual Dimensions of the Enneagram.
The Soul Child of the Nine wants attention, to be in the spotlight (Three)
By acknowledging and accepting pushiness and drive to success, transform exhibitionism into sincere RECOGNITION OF BEING one’s own person
The Soul Child of the Three is inwardly shy, timid, self-doubting (Six)
By accepting insecurity and holding the child, transform fear into INNER CALM and effortlessness, INNER CONFIDENCE in ability to persevere & bounce back
The Soul Child of the Six wants to avoid the world, and to be comfortable and entertained (Nine)
By doing nothing to find and fix problems, transforms worry into realization that “I am the same as all that exists†and finds TRUE PEACE
The Soul Child of the One wants to play, have a good time, indulge (Seven)
By allowing pleasure-seeking, turn focus away from what is wrong with everything and discovers SIMPLE HAPPINESS and APPRECIATION OF LIFE
The Soul Child of the Seven is inwardly miserly, withholding, withdrawing (Five)
By allowing inner emptiness and avaricious, transforms gluttony into experiential understanding that there is ENOUGH and a true belief that ALL IS WELL
The Soul Child of the Five dreams of being lustily immersed in life and of “getting even†(Eight)
By allowing the bully and bigot, transforms into an embodiment of belly and heart, leading to COURAGE and the belief that life is an adventure
The Soul Child of the Eight is inwardly needy and clingy, a lonely child fearing rejection and wanting to be close (2)
By allowing neediness and pain, heart can open again and feel genuinely CONNECTED
The Soul Child of the Two is inwardly envious of other kids getting what they want, self-pitying (Four)
By putting themselves first, begin to respond to own impulses, fill own needs, set limits with others, become more CENTERED in SELF than self-centered
The Soul Child of the Four is inwardly bossy, pushy, critical of others who don’t follow the rules (One)
By accepting their need to be right and to control, begin to see INHERENT PERFECTION in things as they are, including themselves