Sufi Enneagram: Spiritual Warfare

Beginning with the self, we will learn the importance of using reason to control our desires (psychoethics); then the use of balanced reasoning in our relations with others (socioethics) and in our relation to Reality (theoethics). At the level of psychoethics, it means to be centered; it means we are able to use a balanced reason to control our passions. At the level of socioethics it means as spiritual warriors we deal with others in a fair and just manner, putting others and their needs before our own needs. In regard to our relationship with Reality, it means to put things in their proper place, to accept Reality as Trust-Giver and we as trustee. When we operate on these three levels in the manner described, and are confirmed by others for our sense of fairness we have won the greater struggle for moral healing. The Healing Work is the core of moral healing and the greater struggle. Moral healing works on two basic principles: preventing the development of vices (nahy an al-munkar) and commanding to virtues (amr bil maruf) in all three major areas of the self: how we think, how we act and how we feel. We begin with preventing the development of simple vices, and then how to manage compound imbalances and personality disorders using the Sign of God s Presence as it relates to traditional psychology. We end this part with learning how to command ourself to the three major virtues: wisdom, courage and temperance so that if we win the battle in the greater struggle, a sense of justice and fairness will be born that we will manifest it in our relations to self, others, and God. This is the study of the struggle or spiritual warfare of the monotheist to see the universe and all that is in it as aspects of the One God. The world view of monotheism (tawhid) forms the underlying basis for traditional psychology, in general, and its personality paradigm, in particular. The monotheist (hanif) regards the whole universe as a unity, as a single form, a single living and conscious thing, possessing will, intelligence, feeling, and purpose, revolving in a just and orderly system in which there is no discrimination no matter what one's gender, color, race, class, or faith be. All comes from God and returns to God.