Eights and True Power

At average levels of development, Eights spend much of their energy proving their strength and resisting vulnerability. They are known as “The Challenger” or “The Protector” for a reason! Their natural tendency is to want to dominate and assert control over others and the environment.

With conscious movement toward their Growth Point at Point Two, however, Eights can become more compassionate and empathetic, even tender and humble like healthy Twos. They come to learn that true power comes with being able to appropriately modulate their intense energy, like “lightning contracted back into its cloud” (quoting Rumi). True power is about lifting others up and empowering them.

We each have a bit of Type Eight in us. What if we were able to become a little better at noticing “when a wind of personal reaction comes”, and instead of being swept along by it working with the gap between impulse and action?

This is “The Inner Jihad” by Rumi…

Learn from Ali how to fight without your ego participating.

God's Lion did nothing that didn't originate from his deep center. Once in battle he got the best of a certain knight and quickly drew his sword. The man, helpless on the ground, spat in Ali's face. Ali dropped his sword, relaxed, and helped the man to his feet. "Why have you spared me? How has lightning contracted back into its cloud? Speak, my Prince, so that my soul can begin to stir in me like an embryo." Ali was quiet and then finally answered, "I am God's Lion, not the lion of passion. The sun is my lord. I have no longing

except for the One. When a wind of personal reaction comes, I do not go along with it. There are many winds full of anger, and lust and greed. They move the rubbish around, but the solid mountain of our True Nature stays where it's always been. There's nothing now except the Divine Qualities. Coming through the opening into Me. Your impudence was better than any reverence, because in this moment I am you and you are me. I give you this opened heart as God gives gifts: the poison of your spit has become the honey of friendship.

- The Inner Jihad by Rumi