On January 30, 2019, the Department of Communication Studies co-sponsored a convocation program with Ian Cron. In a chapel convocation, Cron talked about how we can look at our own lives and callings as we all look to hear God’s voice and desires for our lives.

Cron is a writer, Episcopal priest, and an Enneagram expert. The convocation was held in the Chapel and was structured as a question and answer. The first question asked was: “How did being a priest play into an interest in the Enneagram?” Cron answered with not being afraid to go through the door. As you walk through the door, other doors will open for you. The Enneagram was one of many interests he had that intersected with his spirituality. He immediately took interest and looked into how it could bring him closer to God. He walked through the door and other doors seemed to open simultaneously.

Cron continued to get into the idea of self-knowledge. He claimed that without self-knowledge, there is no knowledge of God. Often times, self-knowledge is under emphasized in the Christian sphere but, God wants you to become yourself over the course of the long journey of life. When you find yourself and your calling, it brings glory to God. Cron touched on the idea that the more you know and understand about yourself, the more you understand the character of God because you are made in His image.

Another question asked was: “How has the Enneagram become a tool for self-discovery?” Cron then led into the idea that each individual expresses a particular type. Each type can reveal what is most beautiful about your personality but may also reveal your “shadow.” With this shadow in mind, the enneagram informs you of how you can walk down a “transformational growth path” in order to deal with your shadow. He gave an example of type four personalities having the shadow of envy. With the Enneagram, people are able to gain an understanding of why they feel the way they do and how they can possibly improve. Cron emphasized that when people are most healthy, they display a certain characteristic that unveils the goodness of God. Type nines display the peace of God, type fives display the wisdom of God. Cron encouraged the audience to use that “superpower” towards service to God and then you will shine bright in this world.

Cron was asked: “How does knowing our type help us understand our calling?” Cron answered by saying how you show up for life is a clue to help you understand the errand that God has sent you on. Each type has a pull towards a certain vocation. Cron challenged the audience to think about who they were before the world told them who they were supposed to be. He then encouraged them to go out and recover that part of themselves that they gave away to the world. “What have you put down in order to make life work for yourself?” In order to recover this lost part of yourself, he advised people to write a manifesto. Write down what you value, believe in, what you want to accomplish. Then think about how much of that can be accomplished in the field you are striving to get into. After writing your manifesto, place it on your wall or somewhere you can be in constant reminder by. In order to continue to allow the audience to think about their vocation, he posed the question: “what activity are you engaged in and it doesn’t feel like work?” You do not need to rush the process of finding your vocation. Just “smile, breathe, go slow- you will find your way.”

Then the question a lot of us have thought about before was asked: “What number was Jesus?” Cron encouraged the audience to think of the Enneagram symbol. The white part in the middle, that’s where Jesus was. Jesus was in the middle of every type and is simply all numbers. Now, I can’t lie, I kinda expected that answer but at the same time, it was enlightening to think about Jesus as a median to us all. Cron challenged everyone to simply get over ourselves and to not not be obsessed with just our number. We should be able to grab from any number and “do what love requires of us in the moment.” We need to live in awareness.

As Cron ended his talk, he spoke on the idea of Christianity as an enlightenment religion. Jesus is the light of the world and we must be awakened and respond to what is front of us. The Enneagram is simply a tool, it is not some all knowing idea that deserves as much power as it has been given. As you think about your vocation, think about what wants to enter the world through you. Simply “follow your bliss” as Cron said because your vocation will find you. Do not let the Enneagram or other people tell you who you’re supposed to be.

 

“Smile, breathe, go slow- you will find your way.”