What Are You Hungry For?

Power, prestige, fame, and followers? Or maybe it's security, peace, connection and/or knowledge?

Part of my morning routine is to listen to talks given by my spiritual mentors and earlier this week I was hearing about inquiry and hunger. 

The speaker was stating how hunger is necessary in order for digestion to take place. If we aren't hungry, the food we ingest is poorly assimilated. On the other hand, if our appetite is strong, the fire of digestion is strong and we receive the nourishment required.

I was struck by this analogy as it's so applicable to each and every one of us when it comes to our core needs and motivations. The Enneagram helps us recognize that our behaviors, thoughts and interpretations are all in service of feeding a certain identity. That's a hunger that we all experience.

But how often do we question the way we pursue and satisfy that hunger? When we are physically hungry, we have the choice to eat healthy, nutritious food or those that taste amazing but provide little in terms of building immunity and strength. For some, the choice is clear, and for others it is difficult and we feel pulled towards health at certain times and towards taste at others.

Similarly, when it comes to the need of securing and ensuring certain identities are being validated by others, the same mood of inquiry is necessary. Prior to reacting in any given situation, we need to develop the habit of asking, “Am I going about feeding this need in the most healthy way possible? Or, am I allowing however I'm feeling at this moment (and which can change within the next few minutes!) to dictate how I will satisfy that hunger by the words and actions that I respond with?"

Try it for yourself by first of all noticing:

What identity do you find yourself feeding?