I now realize that several years ago my passion and given task (assigned by me and by the universe) was to teach the enneagram practice and process to children. Children and the Enneagram I declared. I worked with a team called Conscious Dimensions who, to this day, are creating books, games and lesson plans to teach the enneagram to children. I gave a presentation along with Deborah Ooten at the 2019 IEA Global Conference, Children are our future: Typing children. In this presentation we explained how storytelling was a wonderful way to learn about the self and others.
My 1st grandson, born in 2016, was my influencer. And then something else happened. My dad, Great PaGa Siegel, Skookie was diagnosed with dementia. It worsened and in July of 2023, I put him in a facility. My passion, I thought, was now suddenly suspended. Or was it?
In my last blog I explained my journey of uncertainty. I was uncertain if I had done the right thing by putting my dad into a memory care facility because an otherwise very healthy man, with memory issues only, left a memory care facility a very broken man. * The attached picture shows my dad today. I still visit him 2 to 3 times a day. The new facility is a little better. My daily presence, I believe, has made a difference. And not just for my dad, but for the other residents. I check on and interact with many of the other senior folks that live at his same facility.
My grandson and I, on occasion, visit my dad. I let my grandson decide whether he is up to seeing Great PaGa Siegel. I do not force him. I want him to be comfortable. On our 1st visit, I decided to make up stories, fairy tales, about the residents in hopes that he would not fear some of the odd behaviors he would see.
One resident, we pretended, had been an airplane pilot and he continued to imagine he was flying. He would walk by us quickly making sounds much like an airplane. Another resident would appear angry. Yes, she would scream a lot. We decided she had been a queen and her kingdom had banished her. Angry, she was always yelling out, looking for a portal back to her kingdom. And so on.
It worked. It brought great comfort to him and to me. He has no fear and on occasion, he will ask about a resident and their story. And so, it goes. Storytelling. Fairytales of the memory care residents.
This process helps to bring us, my grandson, me, my dad and the other memory care residents a bit closer. And I realize that my passion, which I declared years ago, was never suspended. It has simply evolved. And by doing the work and being present, I and others are receiving a beautiful gift. Connection.
My passion and task (assigned by me, my grandson, Skookie and the universe) will be to continue to teach the enneagram of practice and process to children AND senior citizens. Children, Seniors and the Enneagram I declare! Continuing to learn about each other through storytelling, fairy tales and love.
In Love Always,
Gaga Lala
*You can read my last blog here: https://www.goconscious.com/news/uncertainty-by-cathy-hudson/
Your child, ages 10 and over, can take a fun and interactive enneagram test on our website: N-1games.com
YOU can take an enneagram test here on our website:
https://etest.goconscious.com/eTest/
Cathryn S. Hudson (Gaga Lala) works with the Conscious Living Center, The School of Conscious Living and Conscious Dynamics. She is a certified teacher in the narrative tradition of the Enneagram from the School of Conscious Living and holds a BS degree from the University of Cincinnati from the School of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning.