Re: Activities, discipline: Is One the way to go?

Subject:

Comments:
: : That's quite a list, Jasper, : : I've been taking Tae Kwon Do for a couple of years, I've found that to : : be extremely valuable. Pushing your physical limits several times a : : week and seeing yourself progress from an inept beginner to a : : practitioner of a martial art has been good for my life, even my soul. : : It's helped me shake up my limiting self-identification as a sensitive : : artist through the confrontation in sparring with people, cultivating my : : previously neglected aggressive side. Also, auditioning doesn't : : seem as scary once you've fought someone you don't know in a tournament. : : I'd like to cultivate the talent I've always had for drawing and music, : : but there's only so much time in a week. Maybe after I get my : : black belt. A non-purposeful social life is important for those like : : me who can get isolated. I've found it actually takes a One-like : : discipline to develop my Fourish artistic talents, like when I was : : practicing guitar regularly (and since have lapsed). : : What is this about the direction of integration? Is a One really the : : way to go for us Fours? Anyone reading this, I'd like your thoughts. : : Konrad : J: I only repeat what the professional enneagramist have said, Don Riso for example, that fours integrate by going to one. I think this ties in with one of the recommendations they continuously make to us four: That we need self discipline. E.g., each day eating right, exercising, going through routines that are good for us, rather than feeling we are exempt from the routines either because (a) we are too unique for them; or (b) they are boring. : Other people on the board, however, have said they integrated best when they became healthy eights. : Personally, I am a disciplined person--I do some of the one things: try to eat right to keep my cholesterol down, take melatonin to get enough sleep every night, do aerobic classes and jump rope 3 to 5 days, and attend cultural events around the city when I can afford them, and all of these things do go a long way to keeping the depression and anxiety at bay. However, they do not cure creative and spiritual craving that I have. This only gets satisfied when I move in the direction of the three wing--doing acting, meditation, painting, attending a book discussion group and/or when I move into the five wing gathering information on how to go about doing the three-type activities. So, if you were a house builder, you'd want the first level of your house to be a solid ONE base (disciplined, routine) so you'd have the mental and physical strength/wherewithal upon which to gather FIVE information (in your five wing) and then top the sundae with the whip cream and cherry--the THREE creative/spiritual activities we fours crave.--Jay : : : : : : : : : Hi everyone, : : : : : : I'm just getting on this board; I've known I'm a Four : : : : : : for a few years, and I'm glad I've finally found a : : : : : : place to get in touch with other Fours! : : : : : : Once you've figured out what type you are, what do : : : : : : you do to evolve to the highest level you can? I've : : : : : : found keeping track of negative thoughts, developing : : : : : : an ability to be aware of them along with posture and : : : : : : breathing to be helpful. I've established a daily : : : : : : meditation practice, but I feel the times my thoughts : : : : : : actually disperse to be pretty fleeting. What kinds : : : : : : of meditation practices do you all recommend? : : : : : : And are there good Enneagram resources in New York : : : : : : that don't cost money? : : : : : : Konrad : : : : : best thing i ever did was get into acting. made me feel like i was good at something b'c i was using my natural resources. i like that...natural resources. master an art. : : : : *** : : : : How fortuitous! The first response I get on the Fourboard is from a fellow : : : : actor! What kind of projects have you been doing? How do you find your : : : : artistic expression relates to your Fourness? : : : : Are there a lot of artists on this board as you'd expect? : : : : Konrad : : : Over the last 12 years (which I consider my real adult life), I too have tried many activities, but if you look at my list, the one I have involved myself more than the others has been acting. If you are introverted it is the scariest, riskiest one of the bunch, but, boy the rewards to your self esteem are invaluable. Just connecting with a fellow classmate in a scene is an unbelievable high for a four. I recommended it to Tiggy in another message I posted to her today. : : : Other activities I've tried: yoga, floatation tank, massage, aerobic exercise (do this one three to five times per week), acrylic painting, creative writing, and a varied amount of volunteer work. Also, tried different ethnic restaurants (eating at McDonalds all the time just doesn't cut the mustard for a four)and going to see plays (watching action movies doesn't do it for me either). Whether or not any of these activities ever amount to more than a one shot deal never mattered to me--trying them even one was an eye opening experience I never forgot. : : : I recommend fours to try something like the above in areas that may be of interest (even a poetry reading contest) just once, because even if it turns out not to be your thing, you may meet some interesting people in the process who will lead you down a different path you never thought of before--and that may turn out to be your thing.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL: