[cyamitide]

Dear 8s,

How does integration happen for your type? I'm interested in hearing what it feels like to you, what goes through your mind, what inspires you to reach out to healthier levels.

 

[DJArendee]

I'm a gymnastics instructor and I work with children. Its the most rewarding thing I've done in my life. I'm also free to act like a child when doing this. They just bring it out of me. Also next to that, when I compare myself to my ISTP 5 friend, he has these wild visions of power that I don't have. He wants to be on the top of a skyscraper firing people for fun while demanding BJ's. I just want to find a nice community to be a part of that I can help out in and be accepted. I'm trying to make more money right now. But acquiring power just seems so shallow to me. Its fun, but there are more important things to do in life than be isolated yet powerful.

 

[Coburn]

I'm a gymnastics instructor and I work with children. Its the most rewarding thing I've done in my life. I'm also free to act like a child when doing this. They just bring it out of me. Also next to that, when I compare myself to my ISTP 5 friend, he has these wild visions of power that I don't have. He wants to be on the top of a skyscraper firing people for fun while demanding BJ's. I just want to find a nice community to be a part of that I can help out in and be accepted. I'm trying to make more money right now. But acquiring power just seems so shallow to me. Its fun, but there are more important things to do in life than be isolated yet powerful.

Dude, your friend sounds like a trip.

 

[DJArendee]

He's intense. He's teaching me how to get rich, and he's kinda pushy about me helping him get rich. He's the brain and I'm the fearless doer. I don't really care if I own an empire but I feel like, "shit, why the hell not. Lets do something big with my life."

I read something interesting in the 8 personal growth page that bothers me and I'm trying to figure out what it means:

Eights typically overvalue power. Having power, whether through wealth, position, or simple brute force, allows them to do whatever they want, to feel important, to be feared and obeyed. But those who are attracted to you because of your power do not love you for yourself, nor do you love or respect them. While this may be the Faustian bargain you have made, you will nevertheless have to pay the price that whatever power you accumulated will inevitably be at a cost you, physically and emotionally.

I have a feeling this is what I was complaining about in my "fame isn't worth it" thread. It says 8's "OVERVALUE" power, possibly meaning its not as good as we make it out to be. I, personally, have come to value the simple life. Warren buffet is one of the richest men in the world right now, and he lives like a poor person. He does finance only because its "fun," lmao. What a cocky bastard.

 

[marzipan01]

Dear 8s,

How does integration happen for your type? I'm interested in hearing what it feels like to you, what goes through your mind, what inspires you to reach out to healthier levels.

I would like to respond to your question with a few other questions.
1. Why are you interested?
2. What is going through your mind when you are curious about type 8 integration?
3. How do you achieve healthier levels of integration as a type 1?
4. Do you think that at healthier levels of integration you would be so concerned with type 8 integration?
5. What does it feel like to you when you relax and see the perfection that exists in every moment?

 

[cyamitide]

1. Why are you interested? - for purposes of learning about enneagram
2. What is going through your mind when you are curious about type 8 integration? - never been there myself so nothing comes up
3. How do you achieve healthier levels of integration as a type 1? - come to 1 forum and ask if you really wish to know
4. Do you think that at healthier levels of integration you would be so concerned with type 8 integration? - ones seek to expand their knowledge at any levels, silly question
5. What does it feel like to you when you relax and see the perfection that exists in every moment? - again, come to 1 form and ask

I've answered your questions now I challenge you to answer mine.

 

[marzipan01]

1. Why are you interested? - for purposes of learning about enneagram
2. What is going through your mind when you are curious about type 8 integration? - never been there myself so nothing comes up
3. How do you achieve healthier levels of integration as a type 1? - come to 1 forum and ask if you really wish to know
4. Do you think that at healthier levels of integration you would be so concerned with type 8 integration? - ones seek to expand their knowledge at any levels, silly question
5. What does it feel like to you when you relax and see the perfection that exists in every moment? - again, come to 1 form and ask

I've answered your questions now I challenge you to answer mine.

I am still on the fence with whether I am 8 for a core type. However, I do know 874 and 5 are the only types that have ever stuck out to me.

What 8 feels like for me:
~when I want something, my vision narrows in on it and I think about nothing else. I push and push until I get it to the point where I know I'm doing something right if I'm pushing against everything.
~the urge to push other people's opinions out of my radar so I can move toward what I want
~all or nothing. I have to merge with whatever I'm doing.
~It has to be mine in order for me to naturally care about it: ex. my friend, my house, my car, my dog, etc. But when I do care about it, I care about it alot.
~when I'm having a good time, I lose control of my volume

Integrating at 2, to me, then, is merely the consequence of self-actualization. I don't believe that 8 is naturally aware of how the energy of type 8 is received. When we love we LOVE, when we hate we HATE, etc. While I appreciate this energy in others, other people do not always appreciate this energy. It is said that 8's are too aggressive, that they're domineering and prone to violence. If we are violent it is only because our energy--when engaged--is perceived as violent. Like a beast that devours all the brownies or hungrily sucking down a book. Physical violence, I believe this to be a characteristic of less intelligent 8's or very unhealthy ones to say the least. This is not, in my opinion, typical type 8 behavior. Though, 8's like to call themselves evil and the enneagram descriptions enjoy indulging this perception. It is my opinion that 8's call themselves evil because many people seem to imply that they are.

And on this last note, we come to the type 1. For some reason, 1's stand against and oppose the wild, loud, vibrant, passionate energy of the 8.

When a type 8 comes (metaphorically) riding through town to chase the bandits out, the type 1 sees similarities in both the hero and the villain and says that both must get out of town. Sure, heroes and villains are the same in that they both have a disrespect for the law and an inability to submit to anyone but themselves.

Type 8 integration means incorporating empathy (type 2). It means listening to other people before fighting them. It means acting as though the other person loves them and wants to be on their side rather than assuming right out that they will be rejected. Type 8's as I've said before often call themselves evil. This is a defense mechanism that defends them from opening their hearts to empathy and type 2 integration. I think this is particularly true about 8w7's who are honest about their aggressive tendencies almost calling out a warning so that they can justify their aggressive nature--(well, I warned you. so, it's really your fault).

Type 8 doesn't have a strong moral code but there is an instinct to protect the innocent and fight against villains. Practical, real, and full of life. If/when type 8's realize how they sometimes trod on other people, their desire to fight the villain and protect the innocent helps them to wrestle with the demons that live in their inner world which helps them integrate to 2 and become pillars of greatness. This means recognizing the innocence in other people, the vulnerability within themselves, and recognizing that people like each other and genuinely care about one another even the type 8.

What it feels like specifically:
Like my heart is bursting open and I'm constantly on the verge of tears. Although, that just might be the unsustainable emotional epiphany that leads one toward integration.

Still it's a struggle. As I assume it is a struggle for everyone to keep on with integration. I have seen many 1's who have difficulty in accepting the perfection that exists in this moment, 2's who have difficulty recognizing their own needs, etc. etc. The nature of enneagram type is to define us by our weaknesses, unfortunately, for the 8, that means defining ourselves by the weakness of strength. By that I mean, when I'm at my least healthy, I become steadily more territorial, power hungry, and aggressive. When I'm on my game and in control of myself, I am warm, receptive, and tuned into other people's needs.