Enneagram Type 8: Step 11

Type 8s are known for their strength, assertiveness, and independence, but they can struggle with vulnerability, surrender, and trusting a Higher Power. This guide will address these challenges and help them navigate Step 11 with more ease.

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Understanding Type 8 in Relation to Step 11

Type 8s value control, strength, and self-reliance. They often resist vulnerability and may struggle with the concept of surrendering to a Higher Power. Step 11, however, offers an opportunity to harness their powerful energy in a way that deepens their connection with their Higher Power while softening their natural defenses. It encourages the balance of personal strength with spiritual trust and openness.

1. Embrace Vulnerability Through Prayer and Meditation

For Type 8s, admitting the need for a Higher Power can be uncomfortable because it requires vulnerability. Step 11 calls for a willingness to let down your guard and open up to receiving guidance.

  • Prayer: Approach prayer as a powerful act of connection rather than a sign of weakness. Instead of focusing on self-reliance, practice asking for insight into areas where you might need support or wisdom.
    • Example prayer: “God, help me see where I can step back and allow Your strength to guide me, rather than relying solely on my own power.”
  • Meditation: Meditation for Type 8s can be a way to cultivate inner stillness, which is often uncomfortable for those used to action and control. Start with active meditations, like walking or movement-based meditation, and gradually transition to quieter forms of stillness. This will help ease into surrendering control and fostering trust in your Higher Power.
  • Affirmation: “I am strong enough to surrender and allow my Higher Power to guide me. My strength comes from trusting in something greater than myself.”

2. Shift from Control to Trust in God’s Will

Type 8s tend to take control of situations, often because they fear vulnerability or betrayal. Step 11 invites you to release control and trust in your Higher Power’s will.

  • Journal Exercise: Reflect on where in your life you might be holding on too tightly or controlling outcomes. Ask yourself, “What would happen if I trusted my Higher Power to take over in these areas?” Write about how control has impacted your emotional sobriety and where you feel ready to let go.
  • Discernment Practice: When making decisions, practice pausing to ask, “Is this my will or God’s will?” and “Am I acting out of a need for control, or am I allowing space for guidance from a Higher Power?” This helps to build trust in God’s plan rather than always relying on force or action.

3. Surrender Your Resistance to Authority and Power

Type 8s often have a complicated relationship with authority, preferring to be in charge rather than submit to anyone else’s rules. The 11th Step asks you to recognize that your Higher Power is not an oppressive force, but rather a source of wisdom and guidance that can help you.

  • Prayer for Surrender: “God, help me to release my need to control everything. Show me how I can trust in Your guidance without fear of losing my power or independence.”
  • Working with Authority: Consider how you view your Higher Power. Do you see God as a force trying to control you, or as a loving guide who wants the best for you? By reframing how you understand authority, you can develop a healthier, more trusting relationship with God.

4. Channel Your Strength into Spiritual Surrender

Type 8s have an incredible capacity for strength and leadership, which can be used to deepen their spiritual practice. Instead of viewing surrender as weakness, consider it an act of courage that requires even more strength than controlling situations.

  • Courageous Surrender: Practice stepping back in situations where you would normally assert control. Use prayer and meditation to ask for guidance on when to step in and when to allow others, or your Higher Power, to take the lead. This builds spiritual strength, allowing you to use your natural power in ways that align with your Higher Power’s will.
  • Self-Reflection: Ask yourself, “Where can I show strength by stepping back and allowing my Higher Power to take the lead?” This reflection helps you understand that surrendering control is not about weakness, but about trusting in something greater than yourself.

5. Allow Yourself to Receive Support from Your Higher Power

Type 8s pride themselves on being strong and independent, often resisting help from others or even from their Higher Power. Step 11 encourages you to receive support, trusting that you don’t have to do everything on your own.

  • Prayer for Support: “God, help me to accept Your help. Show me how to trust in Your guidance and support, and teach me that I don’t always need to do things alone.”
  • Challenge Yourself: Ask for help in areas of your life where you feel stretched or overwhelmed. This could be through prayer, spiritual guidance, or even seeking help from your support network in OA. Trust that accepting help doesn’t diminish your strength—it enhances it.

6. Balance Action with Stillness

Type 8s are action-oriented and thrive when they are doing and achieving. However, Step 11 calls for moments of stillness and reflection, which may feel counterintuitive to Type 8’s natural state of constant movement.

  • Create Space for Stillness: Set aside a few minutes each day for stillness and meditation, where you don’t have to act or fix anything. Use this time to simply connect with your Higher Power, allowing yourself to rest in the quiet assurance that you are guided.
  • Action in Alignment with God’s Will: After prayer and meditation, channel your action into tasks that feel aligned with your Higher Power’s will. This way, your natural drive for achievement is balanced with spiritual guidance, rather than just operating from a place of control.

Conclusion

For a Type 8, Step 11 in Overeaters Anonymous is about embracing a different kind of strength—the strength to surrender. By learning to trust your Higher Power, releasing control, and opening yourself to guidance, you can find a deeper sense of peace and spiritual connection. This step teaches you that real power comes not from controlling outcomes, but from trusting the flow of life and the wisdom of a loving Higher Power.

In Overeaters Anonymous, this work is crucial to maintaining emotional and spiritual sobriety. By surrendering some of your natural drive for control and action, you’ll find that your Higher Power provides the strength and support you need to move forward in recovery.