This new year has come in quiet, restful, on tender feet. Twenty Twenty Four has a nice sound to it.
My family has been talking a lot about the Enneagram. On the long drive to and from North Georgia, we listened to The Enneagram Journey with Suzanne Stabile. My husband and I were riding with our middle daughter and her 4 year old son. Enneagram language has now entered our family talk. It has transformed the way I speak to and about my daughters. And now, after 12 or so hours of instruction, my husband and I speak about it as well. It is an amazing tool toward empathy and understanding.
I subscribe to an Enneathought of the Day. This little short piece of advice is helpful in keeping me healthy in my ever present mind. I am a four which means my orientation to time is the past. I can get stuck in my feelings about things. My work toward a more healthy way of being is to be present.
I am still working on my One Little Word for this year. Come back on Spiritual Thursday for that post. (And certainly if you are a blogger and want to write with us, you can join with Inlinkz on Thursday.)
Today’s Enneathought teaching “Health is a measure of our capacity to be present.” I think this teaching is valuable to all of us. Here is my reflection:
Health is the Measure of our Capacity to be Present
Present to the muse inside.
Margaret Simon
Waiting with stillness.
Open to longing
all the while content with its
Begging of me
To do something courageous.
Get out of my head.
Put on my walking shoes.
Say hello to the morning light.
That is all that is required.
Margaret, there is so much to love about your post today. I love the quote “Health is the measure of our capacity to be present.” Wow. That is truth encapsulated into graspable words. I love your photos that you shared from North Georgia. Wouldn’t it be an amazing place for a writer’s retreat? Forrest Hills Resort or a big cabin would be the balm for the soul, with a writing retreat for all of us. And enneagrams. I have a friend at work who references this quite frequently. She talks about my wing numbers. I am strongly two of the numbers. I believe we decided I’m a 1 but I might be a 5 or something like that. You inspired me to go and get the book. I think I’ll need it in hard copy and in audio. Could this be a Spiritual Thursday topic?
I have heard about the Enneagram, but I have never looked into it. I think that quote is something I might write about today. There is such a connection between those four words: health, measure, capacity, and present.
Also, thank you for your kind words on my post. We are taking one day at a time, and although we have taken a few steps backward, we know we made the right decision. The nurse last night told us that whoever was taking care of her did a great job because she should have been in memory care way before now. That did give us some peace that we kept her home as long as we could.
And I also signed up to host a Spiritual Journey Thursday. I’ll be glad to get back to more of this type of writing.
You’ve peaked my interest… That morning light is beautiful in your poem and image, thanks Margaret!
Margaret,
The word “enneagram” is new to me, so I did a little investigating before commenting and see some of the concepts are ones I’ve thought about over time. I find the quote you shared somewhat paradoxical. I think that’s because we can’t always control our health. I suppose I’d need to define “health” if I were to write about that thought. Your post certainly has me in my head as I think about this new word, enneagram.
It’s fascinating to learn about it. The concept is very old. The term health is used to mean mental or spiritual health not physical health.
My grade level team used enneagram to better understand each other and work together. It’s fascinating!
Margaret, bravo to you and your hubby for bonding over Enneagram learning and language. I love all the action in your list poem of being present…waiting, getting out, putting on, “say(ing) hello to the morning light.” I like that last line too–such a truth of being present. The photo from your trip to Georgia is gorgeous.