Welcome.
Before we begin today's meditation,
A brief word about Enneagram Type 1s.
Type 1s are principled,
Conscientious,
And focused on improvement.
They tend to see the world through a lens of how things should be and work hard to live with integrity and purpose.
Ones often feel a strong inner critic and may struggle with perfectionism or rigidity.
At their best,
They embody grounded wisdom,
Moral clarity,
And sincere dedication to justice and wholeness.
There are three subtypes of Type 1,
Self-preservation,
Social,
And one-to-one,
And each type expresses their type's core motivations differently.
This is a general introduction,
And you are invited to explore your specific subtype to deepen your understanding.
Let's begin.
Begin by gently arriving.
You may choose to close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Allow your body to be however it needs to be right now,
Resting,
Supported,
Safe.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose and release it gently through your mouth.
Let your breath be your companion.
Let each inhale bring you towards presence.
Let each exhale soften whatever you are holding.
You do not need to fix or improve anything right now.
There is nothing to earn here.
You are already beloved.
Hear this word from the prophet Isaiah.
In returning and rest you shall be saved.
In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
Let these words wash over you.
In returning and rest you are not saved by perfection,
But by returning.
Returning to your breath.
Returning to what is already good within you.
Returning to the God who delights in you.
There is strength not only in striving,
But in quiet trust.
Let yourself receive that truth now.
As a type 1,
Your heart may long for goodness,
Integrity,
And what is right.
You care deeply about doing the right thing.
For others,
For the church,
For the world.
You carry a vision of what could be,
And often feel the weight of what is not yet.
There is beauty in your devotion,
But sometimes that same inner fire turns inward.
And the voice that calls for goodness becomes a voice of criticism.
You may find yourself striving,
Correcting,
Never quite arriving.
Beloved,
What if the voice of God is different?
What if it is not the harsh critic,
But the gentle companion?
What if God is not asking you to be better,
But to be whole?
Your true self is already whole.
Not flawless,
But full of grace.
Not rigid,
But radiant.
Not correct,
But courageous.
Let these questions meet you where you are.
After each one,
You will have space to pause and reflect.
What am I striving to fix that may not need fixing?
What does God see in me that I often overlook?
Where might I offer grace to myself as I would to another?
Let these questions settle into you,
Not for answers,
But for awareness.
Now take a moment to gently scan your inner landscape.
Begin with your body.
Where in your body are you holding tension or tightness?
Is there a place that wants to soften?
To rest?
To be held?
Now turn to your heart.
What emotions are present on the surface or underneath?
Can you name them gently,
Without judgment?
And now your mind.
What thoughts are looping or lingering?
Can you let them be,
Without needing to correct or control?
Bring your attention to all three centers.
Body,
Heart,
And head.
Allow them to come into harmony.
Let your breath anchor them in this moment of grace.
Inhale grace.
And exhale self-judgment.
Beloved,
You are not required to be perfect in order to be faithful.
You are not asked to earn love,
But to embody it.
May you listen before leaping into critique.
May you return again and again to the truth of who you are.
Whole.
Held.
Beloved.
And as you go through your day,
May you carry this pause with you.
Returning when the voice of the inner critic grows loud.
Remembering that the invitation is not to fix yourself or others,
But to be yourself in the presence of a gracious God.
Amen.
