What Is The Somatic Enneagram?

Marion Gilbert’s work with the Somatic Enneagram presents a unique and transformative approach to personal growth by integrating the wisdom of the body. Traditionally, the Enneagram has been studied from a cognitive and emotional perspective, focusing on the nine types’ mental and emotional patterns. However, Gilbert’s somatic approach delves deeper, recognizing that the body is a crucial element in understanding and transforming these patterns. By tuning into the body’s instinctual responses, individuals can begin to access a more profound level of awareness and healing.

The Somatic Enneagram teaches that much of our automatic behavior is rooted in survival strategies that are housed in the body. These responses, developed early in life, are often unconscious and deeply conditioned by our past experiences. This 'automatic reactivity' is triggered by perceived threats or challenges and is designed to keep us safe. That said, it can also limit our ability to fully experience life in the present moment, as we are often reacting to old patterns rather than responding to what is actually happening in real-time.

The Role of Awareness

Central to the Somatic Enneagram is the idea of developing a well-tuned 'inner observer'. This inner observer is the key to breaking free from automatic reactivity and accessing the deeper layers of awareness within the body. By learning to place attention on the body’s sensations and responses, individuals can begin to extend their presence into the present moment, rather than being caught in the conditioned patterns of the past.

Gilbert’s approach emphasizes the importance of descending from the mental and emotional realms into the physical and instinctual realms of the body. This "descent" allows individuals to connect with the root of their conditioned patterns and access the somatic impressions stored in the body. These impressions are often the result of early experiences where the body developed strategies to cope with overwhelming or threatening situations. By reconnecting with the body through somatic awareness, individuals can begin to unwind these deeply conditioned patterns and return to a state of flow, presence, and balance.

The Body's Role in Awakening

The physical or somatic center is often the most challenging to access because it operates on a subcortical level, below conscious awareness. This center is driven by the body’s survival mechanisms, which are fast, automatic, and deeply ingrained. These mechanisms have evolved to keep us safe and alive, but they can also create a sense of constriction, limiting our ability to experience life fully.

Gilbert’s work focuses on relaxing the automatic reactivity that arises from the body’s survival strategies. By turning attention inward and developing a somatic awareness, individuals can begin to recognize and release the contracted energy that keeps them stuck in old patterns. This process involves cultivating a 'felt sense' of the body’s sensations, which allows individuals to access the physical impressions that underlie their emotional and cognitive responses.

The process of awakening, according to the Somatic Enneagram, is a three-centered journey through the mental, emotional, and physical realms. Each center offers a unique lens of perception, and the integration of all three is necessary for true transformation to occur. As individuals descend through these layers of awareness, they begin to remember their true, unconditioned nature—what Gilbert refers to as our 'essential nature'.

The Power of the Present Moment

At the core of the Somatic Enneagram is the practice of present-moment awareness. The present moment is the only place where we can truly experience life, and it is through sustained awareness in the present that transformation occurs. However, the body often pulls us out of the present moment with its automatic responses to perceived threats. These responses can take the form of physical tension, emotional reactivity, or mental agitation, all of which are rooted in the body’s survival strategies.

By developing a conscious awareness of these automatic responses, individuals can begin to create space between the trigger and the reaction. This space allows for a new choice: to follow the conditioned pattern or to stay present and observe what is actually happening. As individuals learn to stay present with the sensations in the body, they begin to discharge the energy that has been trapped in these old patterns. This process of release frees up the body’s life force and creates greater capacity for experiencing the present moment fully.

Over time, this practice of somatic awareness leads to the integration of the conditioned, relative nature into the unconditioned, essential nature. This integration is the essence of the transformation process in the Somatic Enneagram. It allows individuals to move beyond their automatic reactivity and experience life with greater freedom, presence, and compassion.

The Impact of Somatic Awareness

The Somatic Enneagram offers a powerful tool for personal growth by addressing the root of automatic behaviors. Through the lens of somatic awareness, individuals can access the deeper layers of their personality patterns and begin to unwind the conditioned responses that keep them stuck. This work is not just about understanding the Enneagram types from a cognitive or emotional perspective, it's about embodying the transformation process by bringing awareness to the body’s role in shaping these patterns.

Marion Gilbert’s approach provides a comprehensive path to healing by integrating the mind, heart, and body. By recognizing the body’s role in our survival strategies, individuals can access new levels of self-awareness and begin to transform their relationship with themselves and others. This somatic approach invites individuals to explore the body as a source of wisdom and healing, offering the potential for deep transformation and greater alignment with their true nature.