Introduction to the Vices, Virtues, and Fixations

In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Sikora, Seth "Creek" Creekmore and Lee Fields start their series on the vices, virtues and fixations. Vices, or passions, are usually associated as the opposite of virtues and are the emotional reactions to the loss of the essential virtues. Fixations are the mental reaction to this loss. The three hosts first discuss the origin and evolution of these terms before they get more specific with the nine different Enneagram types and how it fits with the core qualities.

“The vice, or the fixation, could develop because of a loss of contact with the virtue, or it could be from a loss of contact with God, or it can be a loss of contact with the healthy ego. So whenever we feel the loss of something, we need to fill it in with something else, and so that’s one way of thinking about these things.” -Mario [15:11]

“Coemergent doesn’t mean that they magically appear or they’re already implanted in us or anything. How we develop is through nature, nurture, the whole thing, and even nature and nurture is a duality that I’m learning is not exactly accurate.” -Creek [27:29]

“Sometimes, you really need anger, but overidentifying with it or using it maladaptively is where the struggle comes in.” -Lee [29:51]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:01] Intro

[01:17] The vices, virtues and fixations

[04:28] Things that are objectively wrong

[10:00] The origin and evolution of the terms

[20:04] Defining terms

[22:10] How it fits with the core quality

[26:57] Coemergent doesn’t mean innate

[30:51] All ideas evolve

[34:37] What are they good for?

[45:49] Action steps