A Preview of My New Book

Here is another sneak peek into my book Know Justice Know Peace. This excerpt is from Chapter 2 The Inflection Point - Face it to Change it:

We know racism is the foundation we stand on to justify othering in all of its ugly forms: sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, classism, religious discrimination, ageism, national origin discrimination, socioeconomical inequities, and so on. So in order to face an age-old adversary that has infected every corner of our culture we need a plan, a guide that leads us through challenging times. Something more than a wish and a flurry of temporary activism—we need a miracle. The kind of miracle that emerges from faith, trust, and truth. The mere recognition that there is more that unites us than divides us is a first step toward bridging the divide. When we take the time to try to understand one another, it’s easy to discover we are not so different after all. We may occupy different perches in a hierarchical societal structure where our individual perspectives show us different views of the same dilemmas. However, the societal structure of systemic racism and the flourishing of othering has set us all up to fail. We were socialized into a system of beliefs that perpetuated and supported racism and othering. We were taught and conditioned to believe that White-bodied humans hold more value than people of color. Many people were taught that heterosexual people are “normal” and anyone who does not fit into that category is “abnormal.” Some of us were also given the message that people with disabilities were “less than” and consequently, we showed them less respect. Even in the realm of class and social standing, we harbor messages of value based on where a person resides in the social hierarchy.

This phenomenon exists throughout all the dimensions of our diversity in some form or another. These messages appeared everywhere from the time we were born. Whether you are Black, Brown, White, Asian, male, female, nonbinary, queer, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, a person with a disability, socioeconomically disadvantaged, or any form of “other,” you may have been taught things that were less than kind, useful, or true about people whose bodies, ethnicities, cultures, or values appear different from yours. You may even have been taught to devalue your own body based on the way it shows up in this world. Some of us share points of intersectionality that affect our perceived worth on multiple levels. Our different vantage points on issues that are vital to our survival may appear insurmountable. I assure you they are not. If we choose to move forward, we all have some things to unlearn and we must reeducate ourselves.

Much like an infection that requires treatment before it enters the bloodstream, we will have to inspect our own internal wounds and address them if we expect to survive. Find out where the wound is located in your being and begin the healing process. Cleanse, disinfect, and apply a clean bandage, and be patient with the healing process. Systemic racism and othering has inflicted wounds upon all humans regardless of how your body shows up in the world. We have seen the violence leading to death and destruction to the bodies of the Love Warriors among us. It will be the acceptance of our own flaws and differences that ultimately changes our future and leads us forward.

In a global society, we must ensure that the trajectory of our new path forward is aligned with unconditional respect for all of humanity. To thrive and prevail during these challenging times is to allow ourselves to learn from one another through our collective connection. In order to accomplish this, our differences must be carefully brought to the surface, acknowledged, and respected as valuable aspects of our human diversity. This process is a challenge we must face together with love, compassion, and connection. These words from the distinguished Black author James Baldwin remind all of us to be present to and with our challenges: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it’s faced.” This is where the Enneagram presents as a powerful guide for personal, individual, and collective transformation.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Know Justice Know Peace: A Transformative Journey of Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Healing through the Power of the Enneagram.

Don't forget if you pre-order before September 4th you get access to the bonus content including the Official Accompanying Journal for KJKP, The IDEA & Enneagram Guide for Beginners, access to my Full Enneagram Podcast Series featuring guests like Russ Hudson & Beatrice Chesnut, an exclusive invite to become a contributing author to The History of Othering Timeline Project, and more!

KNOW JUSTICE KNOW PEACE: A Transformative Journey of Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Healing through the Power of the Enneagram​ by Deborah Threadgill Egerton, Ph.D. with Lisi Mohandessi

What does the Enneagram Have to Offer in the World of Social Justice Work?

People often ask me, "How in the world can the Enneagram be combined with social justice work?" I have heard that question asked in many different ways, but the answer is quite simple. The Enneagram and the inner work involved in exploring the 9 personality structures perfectly align with becoming a strong and authentic Advocate & Ally in the inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism realm. So I am answering the most frequently asked questions about the work I do with the Enneagram and IDEA work.

As human beings, we are all connected… where do you think we are disconnected right now?

People occupy more space on this planet, however, we are moving away from one another even as we experience this expansion and find ourselves in closer proximity to one another. Our society contains silos of similarities, our families are increasingly divided by politics and beliefs, our communities struggle with the acceptance of our ever-expanding diversity which culminates in our own lives becoming compartmentalized into acceptable paradigms. We are faced with so many divides because we have forgotten the connection to our hearts. As we learn to restore and strengthen our heart connection we will acknowledge our similarities as well as our differences as the beautiful complexities that add to the rich tapestry of humanity.

How does healing in that space relate to the Enneagram approach?

The inner work aligned with the exploration of the Enneagram can be a transformative and healing experience. When the work is honored and continued beyond self-reflection, its wisdom extends into our spiritual growth and touches the world. The Enneagram teaches us how to heal our own wounds by illuminating our blind spots and showing us what we are really up to when we show up in the world. We become more open and accepting that we all see the world through 9 different lenses as we begin to heal by doing our inner work. As we heal our own wounds we are able to move beyond seeing people as objects and the shift toward regaining our own humanity allows us to begin to honor the humanity of every individual.

To understand Enneagram work - what are the essentials?

For people beginning their journey, I have compiled a basic Enneagram overview which can be found on my website DeborahEgerton.com/enneagram. I have also found that many people who have very little experience with the Enneagram or are just beginning their exploration find what they are searching for in The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types a book written by Don Richard Riso and my dear friend Russ Hudson. For a deeper look into how this work is connected to the Enneagram, I encourage everyone to read my new book Know Justice Know Peace: A Transformative Journey of Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Healing through the Power of the Enneagram available now for pre-order.

Your concept of IDEA - inclusion, diversity, equity, anti-racism - how does it intersect with Enneagram work?

A fundamental flaw in our foundation and ability for human connection is the failure to pick up the mirror and do the work of coming to fully understand ourselves as individuals who ultimately become part of a collective community in a societal structure. If we truly intend to repair the divides our world currently faces, we must start with ourselves. The Enneagram provides a detailed guide for inner work and allows us to move out of a “me and mine” mentality and into an “us and ours” way of being—this is the framework for accelerating a cognitive shift into mindfulness at an individual level which can help us to become more present to how we show up in the world in relation to “other” human beings.

Who are the “types” to guide healing across our differences?

Every “type” or Point within the Enneagram has the capacity to actively engage in healing across differences and ultimately contribute to a unified reconnection across our divides. There are inherent gifts found within each of the nine Enneagram personality “types”—remember we have all nine types within us and we lead with our dominant Enneagram energy—and we can harness the gifts from every Point as we become engaged Advocates and Allies in healing and reconnecting our fractured society.

Much of this work includes work around “othering” - can you describe the potential healing impact of Enneagram work?

“Othering” is the process of assigning meaning and perceived value to a group of people based on some dimension of their diversity—assumed race and ethnicity, gender and sexual diversity, socioeconomic status, religion, age, geographical location, physical and mental ability, skin tone, culture—compounded with the stereotypes, biases, and unconscious patterns ingrained into the societal perception of the value assigned to each category of “other.” When viewed through the lens of the Enneagram, race as a social construct, the effects of systemic discrimination based on all dimensions of diversity, and subsequently how we have all been gaslighted into accepting this as our reality becomes painfully clear. IDEA work is not sustainable without having an ongoing relationship with and dedicated practice for “doing the work.” You need to surface your inherent biases, internal wounds, and trauma to build the capacity to go through the fire without being consumed. Through the inner work experienced within the Enneagram, you begin to uncover the path to self-healing, an integral step toward collectively healing all of humanity.

A Sneak Peek into My Book "Know Justice Know Peace" - The Head Center

As we approach the release of my new book Know Justice Know Peace: A Transformative Journey of Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Healing through the Power of the Enneagram, I would like to offer a glimpse into the actual chapters. For the past 2 weeks I have provided a sneak peek into Chapters 5 & 6 the Body Center and the Heart Center.

This week I invite you to explore the Head Center with me. Here is a sample of Chapter 7 The Bridge Builders - Head Center: 5-6-7:

The Head Center, or Thinking Triad, is home to Points Five, Six, and Seven. These three energies have a wisdom that comes from internalization and reflection. This group is centered around inner guidance—a persistent state of “getting stuck in their head”—and expressing their fear in different ways. Many people who identify with the Head Center Points (Five-Six-Seven) have a distinct experience with the emotion of fear or anxiety, more so than the other centers. All humans experience fear, as it is a basic human emotion; however, for the Five-Six-Seven fear is the paralytic behind many of their patterns of behavior.

During times of pain and suffering, either internally or externally, Five- Six-Sevens experience an uncomfortable cognitive dissonance that often transforms into internalized anxiety and redirected fear. This pattern consequently connects Five-Six-Seven to the capacity for reflection and guided action. The Head Center is concerned with looking to the future as a way of finding solutions, support, and guidance for addressing their fears. The management of fear and anxiety is dependent on how the Point in question is attempting to reassure themselves, fulfill the core motivation, and avoid the basic fear.

We call the Head Center the Bridge Builders, because that is exactly what they do—find or create the bridges between people and themselves for reconnection and collective healing or protection. Each Point builds bridges in its own way, which we dive into in each section, but they all take action based on how they internalize their anxiety and fear. The capacity for honest reflection during times of conflict without reacting impulsively or instinctually resides within the Head Center. When operating from a healthy space, Five-Six-Sevens are wise observers of how to secure justice, equity, and fairness and will find pathways for reconnection through kindness, courage, and objectivity. They are the center that can see the big picture and access a multiperspective balance, because they are wired to make space for reflection and intentional presence more readily than most.

On the other side, the internalization and fear residing in the Head Center can lead to deep disconnection and destructive patterns. When operating from an unhealthy space, Five-Six-Sevens can be neurotic, selfish, unfeeling, insecure, and nihilistic, and ultimately fall into a toxic pattern of rationalizing and acting upon their own internal narrative for the wrong reasons. Many people within the Head Center experience a paralyzing wall of fear and anxiety surrounding a particular unhealed or unexplored internal wound. This wall can be brought down by diving into the inner work necessary to move through the passion, fixation, and virtue.

We all have access to the Head Center energy, and sometimes the fear we pick up from these Points can serve as a wake-up call or a catalyst for helping us land in our virtue. Not all fear needs to be paralytic in nature.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Know Justice Know Peace: A Transformative Journey of Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Healing through the Power of the Enneagram.