Recently, I have been reflecting on the intersection of the Enneagram and Iconography. The Enneagram is a tool for personal and interpersonal growth based on a nine (Greek “ennea”) personality structure. One of the many categories and the area of my reflection is the orientation each person according to their personality has to time. Depending on their enneagram personality type they are future, present or past-oriented.
Icons help me to be present to God in my prayer and worship, both public and private and proclaim the truth that the one true God made Himself visible in the person of Jesus. An icon is a proclamation of the truth and mystery of the Incarnation- God with us. As I pray with icons, I enter into the mystery of the Incarnation and the Trinitarian nature of the Father creating, the Son saving and the Holy Spirit sanctifying me. The foundation of my faith strengthens as I respond to God’s call to remain with Him rather than thinking ahead to the next thing I need to do or reflecting on what has been.
The practice of painting icons deepens my experience of being present to the Trinity as an act of prayer and worship. I am awestruck by the Holy Spirit’s guidance and grace, humbled in the shadow of the Almighty Creator, loved by the Son, the God of the universe, who became flesh and dwelt among us and now resides in us. However, there are elements in the process that are challenging to a future-oriented person. Discerning the choice and particulars of the icon, drawing the cartoon, making the board, applying the gold, painting and varnishing the icon can all take more or less time depending on the circumstances. In any of these stages, I am tempted to rush the process, so I can get to the next part and finish the icon. And, when I succumb to the temptation, the unhappy consequence is that the process takes more time or the quality is affected, either of which is a bummer. I have learned to recognize the impatient impulse and seek God’s invitation to me to be present to Him and what is happening in the icon process. For example, when I am waiting for the paint or varnish to dry, God’s invitation to me is to realize that even though nothing seems to be happening, something is always occurring. The paint or varnish is imperceptibly drying and changing at any moment even though it may be happening more slowly than I would like. I cannot see it, but by faith and now experience I believe it. This realization has helped me have confidence outside the studio that God is at work all the time, even when I cannot see it.
The Enneagram encourages healthy balance, and for me and my time orientation, it is important to strengthen my experience and practice of being present. If you’d like to learn more about the Enneagram, here’s a great site. If you’d like to learn more about iconography, visit my resource page.
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