The Present Moment and the Enneagram Part 2
June 17, 2026
The Present Moment and the Enneagram Part 2
Once, several years ago, at an International Enneagram Association conference in San Francisco, I attended one of its many informative workshops. Like so many workshops, in the one I chose, after the lecture, there were breakout discussion groups. The discussion group in which I was placed had three people. One of the people in my group—a nice young woman, was concentrating very hard on what I and the other group members were saying. She leaned forward when we spoke and she spoke with great intensity. I observed that her eyes were intently looking into the group members' eyes. But there was one other thing that I noticed about this dear soul. She appeared to be exhausted.
She had shared many insightful things in our small group, so I wanted to have a chat with her before we adjourned. During the course of our conversation, she said that she was relatively new to the Enneagram and to the subject of “presence.” She said she doubted she had the energy to be present to others all the time. She said, “Just between you and me, I am so tired right now, I feel like taking a nap. In every conversation, I have tried to be present but simply do not have what it takes; my mind is worn out.”
This dear soul was trying so hard, and to me this meant that she cared about others, her life and the beauty of living in presence. The problem was that she was like many of us who use our minds to be present. If I could speak to her again, I would say, “Please relax, all is well—we are already connected, we are already here, the Divine is in our midst—all we have to do is relax, drop into the flow and live in it. Blending with the Divine flow does not use up our mind or take energy from our emotions or bodies. It supports us, directs us and fuels our soul.”
Spiritual Practice
The next time you are consciously being present with someone, notice your energy level. Are you relaxed or are you “on.” If you are not in the flow of the moment, you may be trying too hard to be present. Simply stop. Smile and relax your entire being. Then you will be there.
Inquiry
How do I know if I am fully present to others and to myself?
Prayer
Dear God, Relax my heart, mind, and body into the flow of your Kingdom. Amen.
