T
hroughout the last 63 pages we have dealt with each of the nine spiritual styles, and I have deliberately applied the exact same criteria each time: Nine times we have highlighted the strengths of the respective styles; nine times we have spoken about their greatest perils; nine times we have seen why interaction with the opposite styles is the key to dealing with our own shadows; nine times we have approached each style from the viewpoint of those who, as representatives of the opposite style, are most distant from the style in question.
I am well aware that there may be fancier ways of introducing the individual styles, but my goal was not just to describe these styles. I wanted to familiarize you with the dynamics of the Trinitarian Compass. My expectation is that once you see how I have applied this scheme to, say, six different styles, you will be able to do this with the remaining three styles on your own. If, while reading my writing, you should have had the increasing impression that you knew exactly what I was going to say next, that would indicate that the Trinitarian Compass has started to take effect.
We have already used this diagram on page 81 to demonstrate that the centers of each spiritual style (symbolized by the yellow dots) are outside the intersection with other styles (for the sake of visual clarity, I have again reduced the presentation to three, rather than nine styles). The dashed circle shows that a form of unity is possible that includes the centers of all nine spiritual styles, while excluding their one-sided tendencies.
A picture that I use in all of my seminars and in most of my books. The individuals displayed here move in different—even opposite—directions, and yet they move in exactly the same direction, i.e. closer to the center. Their different starting points determine if this “same way” leads one person from right to left, or from left to right.
In practical terms, what do you admire about or believe you could learn from representation of your opposite style?
Further topics in the above chapter of the full version of the book
Not wrong, but incomplete - The two most common patterns - Two levels of integration - The consequences of Level B learning - No relativism - A symphony rather than just noise - Strengthening your own identity