Insight #23: Mental maps

Hello everyone and welcome to Insight #23: On mental maps.

• Mental maps ( as I am calling them here) have been around for a long time, even existing in some forms in ancient societies. In general, a mental map is a collection of characteristics or qualities that form personality types which can be used to understand broad strokes of a person's psyche.

• There are many examples, but to name a few: The enneagram, the nahual calendar system, the native American animal totems, the zodiac, and many more. Though individually they might have different uses or goals, they all have the same base of trying to categorize people based on some factor/s and giving those categories characteristics.

• So, are they any good? Should we pay any attention to them? In my opinion they aren't just made up out of nowhere. There are definitely some better than others, but I have a few tips to get more out of these maps and how to use them to better understand ourselves:

1.- Don't use only one map. There are many for a reason, and using a single one limits greatly what you can do. Doing the next step with many maps increases your likelihood of getting value.

2.-Take bits and pieces. A great way to use a map is to find whatever category you fit in, and asking yourself if that is truly your way of being. Comparing and seeing what resonates is more important than getting an absolutely perfectly fitting category.

3.- Everything exists in a spectrum. Some of these maps include positive and negative personality traits. Remember that they are fluid, and that they exist within you in many gradations that change over time.

4.- Don't stay within a single paradigm. We can create distinctions between scientific and “spiritual” or “new age” maps, but we shouldn't stay on either side of the coin. The more different the maps you use, the more complete the picture.

5.- Remember that maps can become prophecies. If you take them completely at face value you can lead yourself astray. In contrast, if you like a category that you don't fit in, you can still use it's imagery and concepts to enact change in your life. There are no rules when it comes to maps, for in the end the journey is the one you take, not the one in the map.

That's all for today. Have you ever used a map before? If not, I recommend starting with your nahual ( broth date) and the big 5 traits. They are pretty different and should give you a good idea of how maps work.

Until next time, see ya.