utterly within and beyond

"Finding your True Self, you will have found an absolute reference point that is both utterly within you and utterly beyond you at the very same time." Richard Rohr, The Immortal Diamond

In Christian tradition, this is referenced as "the mystery of Christ within you, your hope of Glory." (Colossians 1:27) or as divine DNA, "made in the image of God."

Outside of Christian tradition, others may call this Essence, Love, Source, Soul, Universe, Buddha Nature, Higher Power, Home. It is our non-constructed, inherently worthy, loved, indestructible Self. If you're reading this, then you are likely aware of this. It serves as the compelling vision for each of us, as we all have a sense that there is something more to us than all the striving, consuming, comparing, and competing. We desire Assurance, Rest, and Home.

The Enneagram works to help us get in touch with our Essence. Each of our personality type's patterns and defenses are trying to protect us by "staying in charge", but by doing so, the egoic false self becomes a barrier to a higher power and flow of freedom, love, God. This false self is very clever at disguising itself in order to stay in charge. I was 54 years old in Christian ministry for decades before I even started becoming aware of ego's particular strategies and conditioned patterns that were creating blockages in my life.

We'll never live fully from Essence/True Self in our human bodies, but Enneagram work does begin to illuminate True Self/False Self and invite us to surrender, integrate, and live more freely and fully in God/Love.

Consider some Enneagram work in your life to bring greater awareness to your True Self/false self. The goal is not to hate or try to cut off our false self- that will always be a part of us, casting both light and shadow, in our lives. The goal, however, is to remember our Diamond Self living within and beyond us and inviting us to shine from our glorious Self.