The Enneagram and The Work of Byron Katie

The Unfolding Enneagram

The Work of Byron Katie is a way of identifying and questioning any stressful thought. It consists of four questions and a turn around.

Question 1: Is it true?

Question 2: Can you absolutely know it's true?

Question 3: How do you react — what happens — when you believe that thought?

Question 4: Who would you be without the thought?

Turn the Thought Around For the sake of this conversation as it relates to the Enneagram I encourage each of us to question our thoughts about ourselves and then turn the thought around.

Write down a statement you believe about yourself in regards to your Enneagram type. For example, as a type 7 I might write, “I love that I am able to FIND the positive in a situation." The turnaround might look like, “I love that I don't HIDE from negative situations."

In addressing the turnaround we can begin to look at ways we avoid certain thoughts and beliefs. If, as a type 7, I am constantly looking for the positive in a situation perhaps it's because I'm trying to avoid what I find painful.

While this is a different approach to The Work of Byron Katie, it is a way to begin questioning long-held beliefs about ourselves and others.

Resources: