The Nine Accelerators of the ATA Enneagram
Introduction to the Awareness to Action Enneagram, Part 7
This is part seven in a series providing an in-depth overview of the ATA Enneagram (you can read the whole overview here).
Working with the Awareness to Action Process (ATAP) helps to create the groundwork to make working with the Core Qualities easier; the Accelerators speed the process of their maturation. The Accelerators are helpful practices that help further change the psychological conditions from one that rejects (or feels some shame about) the Core Qualities to one that seeks out and embraces them.
If we extend our analogy of the acorn and the oak tree, the ATAP clears the ground and gives the young sapling the light and “breathing room” it needs; the Accelerators are the abundant sunlight, water, and nutritious soil that make growth happen faster.
The Accelerators are mapped to the diagram in a specific order, designed to help nurture a specific Core Quality and assist the growth of the corresponding Ennea-types. (See Fig. 5.) That said, each of the Accelerators are useful practices for anyone, regardless of Ennea-type.
The Accelerators are:
Point 1—Acceptance: Embracing the world (including yourself) as it is, without disappointment or anger. Remembering to act calmly to change the things you can and accept the things you can’t, and, yes, developing the wisdom to know the difference.
Point 2—Cognitive Empathy: Seeing others’ actual experiences and needs rather than projecting onto them what they “should” be experiencing (or what you are experiencing). Consciously fact-checking our intuitions about other people’s emotional states so we can act toward them appropriately.
Point 3—Purpose: Developing an explicit sense of meaning that ties together your actions and accomplishments, allowing you to focus on what really matters and letting go of activities that don’t serve your most meaningful objectives.
Point 4—Disidentification: Becoming comfortable with yourself by letting go of your comparisons and identifications with other people and ideals.
Point 5—Conscious Practice: Deliberately engaging in real-world activities rather than merely learning about them; creating a true “inner knowing” and ability to interact with life based on experience rather than abstractions or hypotheses.
Point 6—Evidence: Explicitly gathering a record of accomplishment so you can develop confidence based on a history of past success or an accurate understanding of any gaps that exist between your abilities and your goals (so you can methodically work to fill those gaps).
Point 7—Savoring: Being present with one’s current experience rather than anticipating the next one. Slowly extend the amount of time and attention you can dedicate to the activity of the moment.
Point 8—Self-discipline: Channeling one’s energy by engaging in regular, structured activities and the sense of union with or belonging to something larger than oneself.
Point 9—Generativity: Legacy building by working to develop and nurture the next generation. Using the wisdom and insights you have gained for mentoring, coaching, advising, etc., with no expectation of recognition or reward.
All nine of the Accelerators are useful practices for each of us, but I have found that we benefit most from first practicing the accelerator at the point that corresponds to our Ennea-type, as well as the two connecting points. The practices are designed to be mutually supportive with those at the connecting points. For example, the Ennea-type One benefits from practicing:
· Acceptance, by recognizing and letting go of their anger and frustration at themselves and others for not being perfect. Remembering the “Serenity Prayer” is helpful here, but so is developing a solid understanding of the mental and psychological imperfections built into human nature.10 When we understand that the cognitive structures of the brain make it impossible to be perfect, it becomes easier to accept our flaws and calmly work on the ones that truly need to be fixed.
· Disidentification, by recognizing and letting go of the internalized, self-critical messages that become such a part of the One’s self-identity. We do this by recognizing that these messages are often “implants” from others in our childhood or reactions to flaws we perceived in ourselves or the world around us and then beginning to gently challenge their validity. How do I know this belief to be true? Are there exceptions to this rule I have established? Who and how would I be if I was free from this limiting belief?
· Savoring, by recognizing that an important part of a well-rounded (i.e., more perfect) life is to play, to take pleasure in and be present in the simple things of life, that “good” people make others feel good as well and we can’t do this if we do not savor life in healthy ways.
When we practice the Accelerators we will start to feel the Core Qualities emerge from the shadows into which we have pushed them. We see that they have value and are part of a richer existence. We start to see more opportunities for safe ways to express these qualities and the mature expression of them begins to take shape. We also find it becoming easier to work on the authenticity stage of the Awareness to Action Process—we recognize the conflicting commitments more easily and find it easier to rewrite our limiting narratives.