Creation history

2.4. — Directions of movement from type to type.

Above, I presented my considerations about the directions of movement from type to type in the Mandala of Characters. These considerations are based on the Enneagram and my observations.

It used the idea from the Enneagram that particular types in their psychological states show behavior similar to other types of characters. Symbolically, we can say that particular types are moving from type to type during their psychological states. These psychological states are:

• typical state for the particular type (it is our base state),
• stress,
• comfort (relax).

From my observation and analyzes, I can get the conclusion that movement from type to type is different in two typologies. First of all, I found that transition from type to type in stress or comfort is more complex in the Mandala of Characters than in the Enneagram.

What could this result from?

Among others, several factors have an impact here.

1. The Mandala of Characters combines the Enneagram, Jung’s typology, and Ancient System.

When I was assigning someone to both, to the Enneagram and Jung’s typology, it happened that the particular types from both typologies mixed one with another. It means certain Enneagram types were enhanced with features from Jung’s typology. That is:

So, if the above types of Enneagram have been enriched, analyzing them probably became more precise.

2. In the Mandala of Characters there are 12 types of character and in the Enneagram 9 types.

Thus, the Enneagram was expanded from 9 to 12 types. For this reason, the Enneagram types have undergone some modifications. Specifically, the most significant modifications concern type 9 of the Enneagram. I think that type 9 in the Enneagram is too rich and overload. This type has more features than in reality. Above all, type 9 has many features that have Sensing types. Especially these sensing features that has Central Sensing Type (i.e., type 12 in the above diagrams). Actually, it is nothing strange in it. In the Enneagram, there are no Sensing types. Then, particular types of the Enneagram must take up these sensing features. I think that the most of them are put in type 9.

Next, the Enneagram types 2, 4, 5 and 7 were also modified.

However, despite these modifications, these types still have strong Enneagramic character. We can still treat them as the Enneagram types, which have been integrated into the Mandala of Characters. And which they have been enriched with features from Jung’s typology.

3. The terms “stress” and “comfort” (or “relax”), are too narrow. These terms do not fully show the essence of our psychical states.

The terms “stress” and “comfort” (or “relax”) over time began to seem too narrow for me. And these terms are unable to reflect everything that, what is happening in our psyche. These terms also seemed to me not expressive and characteristic enough. So, I was looking for the terms which will better match to the Mandala of Characters. Other terms which would replace taken from the Enneagram terms stress and comfort (relax).

It tuned out that it was challenging for me to decide on other terms. And actually, it is nothing strange, because the Enneagram is a very polished and refined typology.

At last, I thought that for me it would be most obvious and expressive to say:

• a state of certainty—instead of —comfort (relax),
• a state of uncertainty—instead of—stress.

After some time I started to please it, and I began to use the terms certainty and uncertainty automatically and unknowingly.

Terms “certainty” and “uncertainty”, are actually well understood in the Polish language. (I am Polish, so I am creating in the Polish language). These terms in Polish have the broader meanings than in English. They express not the only certainty, but also express confidence, reliability, credibility, power, etc.

When I was looking at English terms I found that there are more popular terms than “certainty” or “uncertainty”. I am thinking here about:

• self-confidence,
• self-esteem.

An especially popular term is the “self-esteem”.

Then, I think the most correlate and appropriate terms here for Polish “certainty” and “uncertainty” will be terms:

• low self-esteem,
• and high self-esteem.

However, personally, there is something that I don’t like in these terms. I feel that strong emphasis which emanate from the words “low” and “high”. We can think automatically that “high” means good, and “low” means “bad”.

Later it came to me an idea that instead of words “low” and “high” more acceptable for me will be using words “strong” and “soft”. That is:

• strong self-esteem—instead of—high self-esteem,
• soft self-esteem—instead of—low self-esteem.

Then, privately I use terms—strong and soft self-esteem.

But, besides I think there are better terms yet. It means:

• “Power State”—as high (or strong) self-esteem,
• and “Vulnerable State”—as low (or soft) self-esteem.

In sum, the most acceptable terms for me are Power and Vulnerable States. Moreover, these terms are also short definitions of High and Low Self-Esteem. It means:

• High Self-Esteem—it is our Power State.
• Low Self-Esteem—it is our Vulnerable State.

Besides, as I mention above, instead of using terms High and Low Self-Esteem I prefer to use—Strong and Soft Self-Esteem.

OK, but what actually these terms mean?

These terms, among others, may mean:

High Self-Esteem (Strong Self-Esteem, Power State).

State of Strong Self-Esteem is when:

• we feel confident,
• we are valuable,
• we feel that we have an impact on the environment,
• we have the motivation to grow,
• our spirit is lifted up,
• we know our talents and skills, and we are able to use it,
• etc.

But also:

• we can be self-conceited or presumptuous,
• we can have to a high opinion about ourselves or misjudge ourselves,
• we can think that we are over other,
• we can manipulate others and use them for our purposes,
• etc.

Low Self-Esteem (Soft Self-Esteem, Vulnerable State)

State of Soft Self-Esteem is when:

• we feel uncertain or insecure,
• we feel undervalued,
• the environment overwhelms us, and we feel that we are unable to make any impact,
• we must still give in to something or somebody,
• it is hard to get out of somebody’s domination,
• we have lack of the will to develop, or we have lack of motivation,
• it is difficult for us to get willingness to do something,
• etc.

But also:

• we can feel motivated and ready to act despite fear and stress,
• our vulnerability can mobilize us to work, to create something new, to make a change, and so on,
• our vulnerability can cause desperation in us to change our situation, or to solve difficult problems,
• we can be more careful, realistic and reasonable,
• we will follow common-sense,
• we can be more sensitive and creative,
• we can be more compassionate and easy-going,
• etc.

Then, High and Low Self-Esteem (or Power and Vulnerable States) are broader terms than stress and comfort (relax). Besides, High and Low Self-Esteem are well-known and are well-established in the English language.

So, I think that comfort and stress are only parts of High and Low Self-Esteem. That is, comfort and stress are only part of this, how we can express our High and Low Self-Esteem. For example, stress can be:

• stimulating (it means, stress can energize us),
but also,
• inhibiting (it means, stress can slow us down).

But generally, stress is associated with problematic and difficult situations.

In turn comfort (or relax):

• state of bliss, rest, satisfaction and so on,
but also
• laziness, stagnation, procrastination, etc.

Examples of stagnation or procrastination may be:

• lack of motivation,
• apathy,
• satisfaction with some achievements and a lack of motivation for further development,
• avoiding thinking about something new,
• avoiding the opportunity to make some progress, because it is good enough for us (which can be cheating ourselves, because it is more comfortable to do nothing)
• overvaluation or inflation (when we have achieved something, and we think that it is so great that we do not have to do anything about it),
• etc.

So relax is usually associated with calmness, relief, carelessness and doing something nice. Comfort is mainly associated with easiness and ergonomics.

All in all, terms High and Low Self-Esteem are more clear and useful in the Mandala of Characters for the further considerations.

4. A new psychological state.

Then there is one more thing. A novelty that is not present in the Enneagram. That is,

• in the Mandala of Characters, there are three squares,
• and in the Enneagram we have:
  — one triangle between types 3, 6 and 9,
  — and a specific shape connecting types 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Next, in the Enneagram we have three mental states, i.e.:

• normal state,
• stress,
• and comfort (relax).

In the Mandala of Characters, we have three squares. Every square has four vertices. Every vertex symbolizes four psychological states.

What are these four psychological states?

Three psychological states I took from the Enneagram. It means, normal state, stress, and comfort. But these are three psychological states together. While in the Mandala of Characters we have four states because we have squares. And every square has four vertices. So, one vertex left. We have one vertex without any psychological state.

Then in this point of creation the Mandala of Characters I needed to find the fourth psychological state for fourth vertices of squares.

So, there was another problem to think through.

I solved this problem in a similar way as with term stress and comfort which I change into High and Low Self-Esteem (or Strong and Soft Self-Esteem).

It means, then I thought through about the term “normal state” (or “typical state”), which I created based on the Enneagram.

With time, however, I decided to change the name “normal state”. I did it under the influence of Jung’s works.

Then, what was the name which I use instead of the “normal (or typical) state”?

I came to a conclusion that the best way of calling this state will be using a term—“Conscious State”.

I liked it because it is easy to make the definition of this state. That is, the Conscious State is when we are mainly influenced by our consciousness.

When, according to Jung’s philosophy, I established the term—Conscious State—it became obvious that the fourth unnamed psychological state I should call—“Unconscious State”.

With time, I confirmed myself in the fact that these names are useful and well-matched to the Mandala of Characters. Besides, I could not find out better names.

Summarize the above, in the Mandala of Characters, there are for psychological states. These are:

• Conscious State,
• High (or Strong) Self-Esteem—that is, our Power State,
• Low (or Soft) Self-Esteem—that is, our Vulnerable State,
• Unconscious State.

And these four psychological states we can group into two pairs. States in these pairs are opposite to each other. These two oppositions are:

• Conscious State—Unconscious State,
• Strong Self-Esteem—Soft Self-Esteem, (or Power State—Vulnerable State).

I present these states in the following diagram.

In the diagram above, I presented psychological states for type 1.

Like in the Enneagram in the Mandala of Characters every type has his psychological states located differently. So, for each of the 12 types in the Mandala of Characters, their psychological states will be in different places.

In general, however, there will be such relationships for all types.

• Conscious State will be in the place where the given type is located. For example, type 1 in the above diagram has Conscious State, at the point which is marked just type 1. So, Conscious State it is our main state. In other words, the name of the particular type is taken from the place where there is his Conscious State.
• Conscious State and Unconscious State will be opposite to each other, i.e., on the two opposite vertices of the particular square. That is, at the ends of the diagonal of the given square.
• Strong and Soft Self-Esteem will be located opposite each other, i.e., on the other two opposite vertices of the particular square. That is, at the ends of the second diagonal of the given square.

In the diagram above there are also arrows on particular line segments connecting four types on the first square. These lines have directions that are fitting to the movement during Strong Self-Esteem (or Power State). In the Enneagram, we would say that it is the movement during comfort (or relax).

As I mentioned above, the movement between types of characters in each of the three squares is different. At this point of development of the Mandala of Characters, I figured out that during Strong Self-Esteem State (or comfort):

1 square.

The types which belong to the first square are moving from type to type mainly in a clockwise direction.

2 square.

The types which belong to the second square are moving from type to type mainly counterclockwise.

3 square.

The types which belong to the third square are moving in both directions to a similar proportion.

These above movements from type to type during changes of our psychological states are not the last version. Actually, it was just my first attempt to this subject. From that time until now I am still coming back to this issue, and I am researching it again and again. In the beginning, I was not happy that this problem appeared so not easy. But over time it is for me more and more interesting and fascinating.

I think I can say that researching this subject it is one of the main sources of development of the Mandala of Characters.

Coming back to the description of the creation of my typology, let’s say something more about the new fourth psychological state. That is, about Unconscious State.

This fourth state is a state opposite to the Conscious State.

Inspired by Jung’s theories, at first I assumed that this state is what he described as—the unconscious. Later, however, I modified the Unconscious State. And I started describing Unconscious State as part of unconsciousness.

Unconsciousness, of course, is really big. But since the beginning of my work on my typology theory, I have looked for terms with well-understood meaning. Meaning which will be both proper name (or short definition) and symbol.

Then, generally speaking, unconscious State this is the part of the part of the unconsciousness that is most distant from the Conscious State. We can see it in the above diagram. If we look at it, the Conscious and Unconscious States lie on the opposite vertices of the square. That is, they are as far away from each other as possible.

But what exactly can we say about Unconscious State?

I think we can say that this condition occurs when we do not get to know ourselves. When what we usually try to keep in hiding and “hold down” is going out. When something not typical for us takes control over us and then for some time we cannot consciously control it. So it is, as Jung among others has defined an “autonomous existence” that takes control over our typical behavior and our consciousness has a small and limited influence on us.

Unconscious State also represents something that consciously we are unable to give ourselves. Or we are able to give ourselves a small amount of it. Usually, we have to take it from our surroundings, from outside of us. Often throughout our lives, we feel a great deficit of it, so we feel a strong desire for it. When we give in to it, we can be unable to stop it. Or we can spend hours on it. Or we can give ourselves to it with such intensity that we do not get to know ourselves. We can then forget about the whole world. Or we do not know what is happening to us.

When we satisfy this “hunger”, or when we cool down, and we find that something controlled us, then we try to avoid it. For example, we promise ourselves that we will not do it anymore. Often we are angry with ourselves that we have given in to it, we do not understand ourselves, how we could do it, etc.? On the other hand, we can also miss it, and we wait for the opportunity to give in to it again.

So, when we cool down, and we stop to give in to the Unconscious State, we return to our normal (or typical) Conscious State. Then we try to live consciously, and we control ourselves. Next, we follow our conscience roles until we feel desire again to do something by our unconscious. Or we will be less focused and alert in avoiding its influence.

We can also be very self-controlled, and we are able to not let our unconsciousness to control us. Or we very seldom give in our unconsciousness. For example:

• we have to work a lot, and we do not have time for it,
• we live in a place we do not have the opportunity for it, e.g.:
  — we fear someone's anger; we are afraid that we will be condemned for it;
  — we think that something terrible will happen if we give in to it;
  — we will lose what we have; we are afraid of punishment for it;
  — we are scared that we will lose our identity or our typical character and people in our environment will stop to have respect for us;
  — we are afraid that we will lose our esteem or honor in a place where we live;
• etc.

Many people undergo their unconsciousness only when they are alone, or they are in the company of a close and trusted person (or persons). However, we can also be under the influence of our unconsciousness in the presence of others. For example, when we lose control of ourselves, or we simply “drift away” in our thoughts. And we do not focus (or we are unable to focus) on what exactly is just happening around us.

In a sense, the unconscious can be described as our personal: pixie, genie, devil, angel, fairy, wizard, desire, strange affection, moment of forgetfulness, strange addictions, time of privacy, devoting for our unusual hobby, dedicating ourselves to our other interests, etc. So, the influence of our unconscious we can call in many ways. Among others, it will depend on our beliefs, age, individual development, etc.

To sort out these various unconscious influences that we can give in, Jung described them as archetypes. We can imagine archetypes as characters that we can unconsciously play or personify. These unconscious characters are, for example, Shadow, Anima, Animus, Great Mother, Wise Old Man, and others. (These archetypes I will use and explain many times in this work. And I will be finding out how they can look like for particular types of characters?).

Despite many discoveries about our unconsciousness, there is still a lot to discover. Besides everybody needs to discover his own specific unconsciousness. In sum, this subject is fascinating.

In the Mandala of Character, I made a point where is the Unconscious State. As we can see above, this state I figured out thanks to the Enneagram and Jung’s psychology. Now, this point of Unconscious State is making our considerations more clear. Besides, we need to have a “basis point” in our journey through our personalities.

Then, let’s come back to our considerations about Unconscious State.

Unconscious State has many interesting features. One of them is that this state can connect with three other states. (It means, the Conscious State, the Strong, and the Soft Self-Esteem States). In other words, Unconscious State can penetrate other states. And we can also partly give in to it when we are in other states. Or the Unconscious State can coexist simultaneously with them. It silently accompanies other our states, whether we realize it or not. We can say that all the time in a greater or lesser extent we are under the influence of our unconsciousness.

Unconsciousness has the greatest impact on us, of course, when we are in the Unconscious State. The smallest impact is when we are in the Conscious State.

In the Strong and the Soft Self-Esteem States, unconsciousness has a similar influence on us as our consciousness.