For nearly thirty years of my life now, I have been interested in the cultural split between ideas and the language of the body. As a trained dancer, I learned at an early age to trade in my body’s natural instinctive movement expression for the so called more graceful language of ballet and modern dance. As a good Four, I worked hard to replace myself with an image But once I realized how inauthentic this was, I was driven equally as hard to undo what I’d done to find my true expression, both in dance and in life.

As fate would have it, I found myself smack dab in the middle of the new age movement at the moment eastern awareness practices were being combined with western psychology. I got to ride the second wave of body-oriented work that has come to be known as the Somatics.

Somatic Work explores the body in relationship to the entire experience of being alive. It focuses on the connection between physical phenomena occurring in the body, cognition, and human capacity in general. Known for the tenet that the mind is slippery but the body seldom lies, somatic philosophy teaches that high quality body function and awareness are central to the development and maintenance of our deep humanity.

After five years of immersion in the somatic approach, I met the Enneagram. It showed me, on a more intellectual level, how differently different personality types related to life. The more I studied, the more apparent it became to me, how these attitudes showed up in the body in accordance with Enneagram type. Eventually I developed a way to teach these various armoring styles to my Enneagram associates and the Enneagram to my somatic colleagues.

Recently it occurred to me mostly because of an inspiring lecture I heard Claudio Naranjo give about the Devine Comedy of Dante that I could include another of my passions, the history of art in painting, to my synthesis. I realized that many of the great European masterpieces supported my basic thesis for a healthy and fulfilling life: When we allow the body to be open, relaxed and naturally aligned with gravity, the essence states the Enneagram system so brilliantly describes become far more accessible.

What a thrill to see in the magnificent images of ages past, both the healthy and the fixated states describes in the Enneagram work. I loved the idea that Dr. Naranjo put forth that night. He theorized that the message of Dante’s brilliant allegory was, not about what happens after we die, but, that life on earth is hell when we are in the grip of our fixation, and heaven, when we are resting in the arms of love.

What follows are a few examples from my workshop: The Art and Practice of the Enneagram: Mind, Body and Soul:

Type One

High internal standards of correctness are both a blessing and a curse for the fussy, critical, idealistic Ennea-type One. With attention focused on how to improve on an imperfect world, Ones tend to be fault finders who subscribe to one right way solutions. At their best, these upright, fastidious, high-energy people are ethical and precise, with superb powers of criticism. They can be fine mentors and principled, visionary doers.

This painting by Diego Velázquez of Mother Jerónima de la Fuente expresses the body language of a Type One personality who is lost in resentment and one right way thinking. It is easy to see that her commitment to obedience has not facilitated an open, compassionate life – that she is instead using her beliefs like a weapon.

Mother Jerónima de la Fuente by Diego Velázquez, 1620

Whereas, this painting by Ingres of The Virgin of the Host, aptly expresses the body language of a Type One personality who clearly embodies the essence of perfection serenity.

The Virgin of the Host by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1854

Type Seven

Agile, optimistic planners and inspiring networkers, Enneagram Type Sevens report they like to connect concepts that don’t appear at first glance to be related. Masters of the art of the possible and idiosyncratic visionaries, Sevens at their best are gifted, perceptive, witty enjoyers of live. Magical thinkers, who prefer to avoid conflict, closure and routine, are, at their worst, narcissistic, irresponsible, self-serving Peter Pans, who refuse to grow up.

This painting expresses the body language of a Type Seven personality lost in the narcissism of gluttony and charm.

While this painting by William Blake, entitled Albion, expresses the body language of a Type Seven personality who has evolved into a state of pure joy and exploration.

"Albion," by William Blake