Fixation 3: “Ego-Go” / “Over-Efficient”

How do you want to be seen by others? How do you think others want to see you? How do you make the truth of your own being evident? How does it manifest in the world? These are some of the questions of the 3 space. I’d call this domain “Perception” and “Ambition”, names I find more useful than “Imagination” and “Creativity”. But all those names fit. Objects in the world are not perceived directly. In order to perceive a real object or phenomenon, we must create and interpret an image that translates raw sense impression into something that we can understand. Perhaps you have had an experience of looking at an unfamiliar painting or photograph where the intended image is not immediately apparent, especially if it is distorted, composed from an unexpected angle, or made with unusual colours. It takes your brain a few seconds to “snap into place” and “see” what you are “looking at”. Before that snap, it’s all just colour blobs and lines. After the snap, it is an “image”, something that represents an object in the world, or at least something in the artist’s mind. In the domain of 3, we find reflections of what is true or false, when we present ourselves to someone or when someone presentes himself to us; what are we seeing? Are they lying, are they telling us the truth? Who are these people? These questions are all about our personal visualization of reality. The common behaviour of using make-up is something very representative of this domain – When you wake up, your face seems dead and unattractive, extremely repulsive maybe. Then you wash it and put some make-up, accessories and clothing, you try to make your hair beautiful. There, now you are another person, a diferent version of you. How we see ourselves is the essence here; we may think of ourselves as big and brave, and we may see ourselves as empty and not so valuable. Our work is to see beyond the image to the underlying reality, in other words, to the truth of the matter. An image is a representation of a reality that reveals some quality to us when we interpret it. An image is a manifestation, an incarnation, a mirroring of the real thing behind the image. It is also an approximation; “the finger pointing at the moon is not the moon.” We can use an image to address and interact with something real, but the image is not the reality. From this domain and space, we reach novelty, a dreaming of the brand new, something that comes into the world that has never been here before. The one thing we are all called to help create is ourselves. Mostly, we walk around projecting an image of ourselves to ourselves and the world. This limited image reveals, even to ourselves, only a small part of who we really are.

“What are we here to do?” We can create something that can exist in no other way because its creation requires lived experience in this world. Just what that is will be unique to each one of us. Otherwise, why has more than one of us been created? We must work for the further creation and the ongoing evolution of the cosmos. Hate and deceit are the primordial traits of the fixation. The personality here is one of hyperactivity, compulsion, workaholic tendencies. We may create a certain image or alter-ego, another “self” of us, and to deal with this we’ll use the mechanism of identification, an adoption and habitude of being something we aren’t. May also happen minor image-distorting defense whereby the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by attributing exaggerated positive qualities to the self or others. Depersonalization or derealization disorder comes from the 3’s domain. In the 3 space, there is the core structure of the image triad: The histrionic personality disorder. Self-esteem depends on the approval of others. Image triad types tend to have an overwhelming desire to be noticed, and often behave dramatically or inappropriately to get attention. The fixation can manifest as over- exertion and extreme volition, desire for wealth or material gain, efficiency and utility. Type 3 is often perfectionist, in a similar manner as 1, and its self-realization relies on being in touch with deep emotions, art and sincere sentimentality. Certitude in the objectivity and the total applicability of things is another essence. When we cling to either of the poles of this domain, the inhabitants that move in are called The Lies. Either we pretend to have a skill that we don’t or else we are able do something skillfully, but we do not allow for a dream or inspiration. This is the lie of the snake – a misappropriation of true knowing. Either “it looks like I know” (Fantasy without requisite Skill) or “I think I know” (Skilled, but without inspiration, and so without meaning). In one sense, a law is just a description of how things are. A law establishes a general principle out of particular observations and tells us the truth about something. All this type of law requires is acceptance. If it’s raining out, it’s raining out. All the rain asks us is to accept it. It’s not necessary to like or dislike it. But when the rain is flooding the house through a leaky roof, it does no good to pretend that it’s not raining. It needs to be seen for what it is in order to respond appropriately. The polarities are represented by a character that tells stories and another that is always striving for results and success. Any job or project requires that we have a dream or a vision, but also the skill or technique to execute it. Most of these pairs are variations on this basic theme.