I started thinking about this a bit after listening to a new podcast that was recommended to me by some friends (thanks John & Kate!). It's called "Harry Potter and the Sacred Text". It is a wonderful podcast that covers the content of the Harry Potter books from a sacred reading perspective. They approach the text as one would a sacred text, and they look at the text through the lens of a different theme each podcast. I've made it to the early chapters of book 2, and I'm really enjoying the insights into the text as a narrative, but also into the spiritual and sacred practices that exist within my own faith system as well as others.
The aspect of the podcast that got me thinking about the multi-dimensionality of people was the voice message segment of the podcast. At the end of each podcast, they share a voice message that they have received from a listener who has additional insight to add to a previous podcast's theme and reading. On an episode I recently listened to, the voice message was someone who talked about the fact that students are sorted into houses. They suggested that the sorting hat doesn't sort them into houses based on the areas they are already good at, or the aspects of themselves that are the strongest. For example, they said that Hermione could have EASILY been sorted into Ravenclaw which is obvious to the reader throughout the series. She is clever, studious, and applies what she has learned outside of the classroom. She is the epitome of Ravenclaw. However, the person leaving this voice message said that the sorting hat places students into houses based on their potential and the areas of themselves that need to be further established or improved. They also suggested that the "golden trio", as many refer to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, are able to work so well together not because they are all brave Gryffindors, but because they each have qualities of different houses as well. They asserted that Ron has Hufflepuff qualities and Harry has Slytherin qualities (in addition to Hermione's Ravenclaw qualities).
I thought this was brilliant. How many times in life do we look for people who are the same as us, who share our opinions, who we can easily relate to? If you're like me, ALL THE TIME. I think, though, that an important point made in this voice message was that diversity, or how we are different, can help us grow in relationship with others.
(A friend of mine posted something similar on Facebook within the last week. I tried to find the post while drafting this blog, but I couldn't remember exactly who posted it. If I'm able to find it, I'll come back and edit this.)
I think that in addition to the diversity of thought in our relationships, we need to recognize the capacity we have for different skills, mindsets, attitudes, etc. that we each have within ourselves. As referenced above, Harry is a Gryffindor who has some qualities of a Slytherin. He is ambitious, and the sorting hat recognized the capacity he had to succeed in Slytherin. He's definitely a Gryffindor in important ways, but his Slytherin tendencies play a huge role in the plot and development of his character. I think it's important that we all recognize the various facets within ourselves in a similar way.
For me, this is an ongoing discovery. I've been fascinated by the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) for years, and I love seeing which character I'm similar to from my favorite stories when someone finds an MBTI chart. I have been learning more about the Enneagram over the last several years. I have also taken the StrengthsFinder multiple times (in different contexts). I really enjoy learning more about myself...especially when it's in a bit more of a "clinical" sense. I probably need to do some serious soul searching and face the deeper implications of my resistance to knowing myself outside of the parameters of these tests/quizzes/spectrums. For now, though, I'm pretty content to see what other people think about my personality type.
Something else that plays a huge role in this thinking for me is my current life stage. I'm entering a stage of transition. I recently decided to take some time off from teaching. I am finishing my 7th year teaching, and I'm recognizing some annual struggles I face that become very overwhelming for me. I'm not really sure what comes next, and I think that uncertainty has opened my mind to a LOT.
I'm curious what truth you find here. How do you see your multi-dimensionality playing out in your relationships or other settings?
I'm also curious what personality assessments and self-discovery tools you have used. What would you recommend to someone who is doing some soul-searching and self-discovery? Also, for those that have used MBTI, StrengthsFinder, or Enneagram (Harry Potter House)...how do you identify? I'll list mine below.
MBTI - ISFJ or ESFJ
Enneagram -
StrengthsFinder - Developer, Positivity, Focus, Woo, Belief (2005); Developer, Positivity, Empathy, Adaptability, Restorative (2008); Harmony, Intellection, Input, Learner, Relator (2014)
Harry Potter House - Hufflepuff
