The Trap: Seeker
The trap for a Nine is being at seeker. The pattern of seeking is a way of self-narcotization. For example. one Nine l intet1'iewed would look at the microphone and try to figure it out. Rather than being involved in the discussion. he would be thinking. "1 wonder if that microphone is connected to those wires. and if there's n condenser
Nines can go on For hours figuring out and internalizing the world. Sometimes they enjoy woodworking. Particularly sanding. They‘ll sand for hours and hours and hours while they are lost in thought . . . working things out . . . working on the world . . . discovering how it all works . . . seeking the structure of the universe . . . or the secret of life.
Nines are people who can do monotonous work and dissociate for long periods. while still doing a good job. Here you may find weavers. or people who do computer data entry work that is very tedious and repetitive. They derive a certain comfort from it. The)" appreciate having their hands busy doing something useful while they "cheek out“ of the moment.
In my work I have discovered that Elle trap of the seeker can also be at trap door — an escape hatch to the other side. When the entire life is given in the willingness to seek the truth. the truth will reveal itself. The fixation itself becomes the vehicle to be ridden to the shore of the end of suffering. However. crossing to the other side means leaving the fixation and all ideas of "who I am" behind.
Defense Mechanism. Self-narcotization
The Nine believes that anger is Forbidden, or at least strongly judged and frowned upon. To be angry is to be neither loving nor lovable. Because they want to he "good." they use self-narcotization as a defense mechanism to numb the impulse lo rage.
According to Webster's dictionary, a narcotic is "a drug that in moderate doses dulls the senses, relieves pain, produces profound sleep" and, "something that soothes, Relieves, or lulls.“
For the Nine. this soporific effect can be achieved in a variety of ways. Although the drug of choice might be food, alcohol, or television, the Nine typically has developed ways to internally achieve this lulling. A workshop participant described the following self-soothing autosuggestion: