Recently a Brit working in Canada complained to me that Canadian politicians are indecisive and don’t like to take strong stances or make controversial decisions. His observations really caught my attention, not because they were new to me, but because that is precisely how I had felt for a long time. I relate these particular characteristics and much more, to the “personality” of Canada, according to the Enneagram personality system.

I realized I hadn’t mentioned the Enneagram in this blog or in other recent writings, which is a glaring omission, since it is such a powerful life tool. I’ve never been a great fan of systems that claim to explain everything. However, 25 years ago, I was introduced to the Enneagram by my meditation teacher, Dhiravamsa with whom I was intensively studying to be a meditation teacher. At that time, in the early-mid 1980s, there were no published books on the Enneagram; it was a secret, direct-transmission system (originally from the Sufi masters) passed on from teacher to student. Dhiravamsa, one of the earliest high-level Eastern meditation masters to come to the West, received this knowledge from one of his own meditation students, Claudio Naranjo, who is regarded as a pioneer in integrating the Enneagram into Western culture, especially from the psychological perspective. From decades of experience, including my personal life and my interactions with many students and countless others, I consider this knowledge to be extremely valuable in terms of understanding human behavioural (specifically personality) patterns. It includes inter-personal interactions with family, co-workers, employers, employees, national leaders, and eventually, countries (some more obvious than others). In my broad estimation, I would say that 80-90 % of mature, human behaviour stems from the Enneagram personality types and early childhood experience… the latter often according with the Enneagram personality, which seems to be present at birth and therefore preceding specific early childhood experience.

To me, Personality is an individualized behavioural system which is analogous to the Physical body. We are “burdened” or “blessed” with specific attributes, which current societal norms might find “appealing” or “unappealing”. These are obviously and increasingly physical… we’re “hot” or “not”, depending on current social norms. However, we also have personality/ relationship characteristics, the impact of which society presently does not recognize… but which may be sub-consciously “appealing” or “unappealing” at deep, mostly unconscious levels. To me, it was obvious that George W. Bush was a paranoid manipulator, or at least subject to paranoid manipulators… as is Steven Harper in Canada. George W and Stephen H may be the same personality… or not… but in the end, they are subject to the same personality forces. These are not what they present on the surface. There are specific, easily determinable dynamics in play within their respective personalities…. which are not commonly recognized by the People. If this is true, then Democracy is lessened, diluted and undermined.

In the Enneagram system, the 9 personality types are depicted as being 9 points on a circle, with specific “arrows” of behavioural interconnection across the circle. If we look at this system from the broadest/ most profound perspective, we may conclude that the 9 points are just different perspectives on Reality… each legitimate and logically sound (because they are on the greater Circle)….but they do not encompass the Totality/ Oneness/ Circle of all perspectives. In order to move from our own specific, compulsive perspective, we need to let go and surrender… become Unattached (which is what the Buddha advised). In short, we need to embody not just one point of the Circle, but the Whole Circle, which requires a Spiritual journey of progression and transcendence of present impediments and compulsions.

Getting back to specifics, Canada is probably a #9 Enneagram personality, wanting everything to be “settled” and comfy… avoiding conflict at all costs. They want “harmony/ peace” but don’t like conflict or argument. Because they so want to be “settled”, they don’t have much self-starting initiative, relying on others to draw them into activity. Lo and Behold, the personality of the United States is a # 3, which is directly connected within the Enneagram system with the #9 personality and which leads the #9… which is what we see manifesting in many policy spheres….economy, global warming, military (Afghanistan) etc.

The USA is predominantly a # 3 personality with a significant # 1 component. The #3 personality is the Liberal/ media savvy/ marketing and sales/ image manipulation; the # 1 aspect is the Conservative/ Pioneer/ family oriented/ pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps mentality (which is prevalent in China). The #3 is predominant but the #1 is a very strong counteractive force.

As other examples, Japan and the UK are predominantly #4 personalities… sensitive, aloof from the masses (they are actually Islands). on which they look down but simultaneously envy. China is a #1 personality; India is predominantly #9. What a great and amusing Dance!!

AJ

PS: For those of you wanting to learn more about the Enneagram, Jeff Willis of the Tai Chi & Meditation Centre is giving a workshop in Toronto, November 26. Location: Fraser Studios, 115 Danforth ( near Broadview) Time: 7:00 p.m. Cost: $35