As I have since late 1989 been mapping and teaching the Path of Fearlessness, as a universal path awaiting all humans who wish it; however, such an idealist notion has to be brought down to practical boundaries and limitations of real people in the real worlds (and personalities) they inhabit.
I am talking about the merits of and the limits of "personalities" (so, called "personality types" in psychology). In other words, some genetic, and some personality type patterning (usually pre-set during pre-natal to first 7 years of age) can influence the ease or difficulty of finding oneself able to slide along the path of fearlessness as a life trajectory--as a path of liberation.
Another factor is environmental circumstances, that will make it easy or hard to advance along the path of fearlessness. But all of the above factors are also built-in with the ability of making choices and being responsible for making them. A huge factor is the attachment to "social bonds" --that can be both valuable to growth and devlopment of fearlesnsess and it can be excruciatingly limiting. "Fear of exclusion" terrifies some people more than others--even though, as a social species we are all terrified to be socially excluded.
What I want to share with you is that the Myers-Brigg's Personality Assessment (with its 16 types of personalities, based on a lot of research), (for a free testing service to see which type you are: go to:Nine Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GE, United Kingdom
Registered in England and Wales, # 8646330
https://www.16personalities.com
....has some value in each of us finding our personality type general orientation [1]. Again, I am critical of much of the typology discourses, and that they are not critical enough to larger issues of what impacts people and their personality, values, genetic dispositions, motivational templates, environmental and historical and political conditions, etc. However, of late, I have seen that my own personality type is likely a larger factor in my own life and profession and my mission on this planet.
I am an INFJ type (2% of the population) [2] for sure, according to this personality assessment schema. I find this kind of psychological information sometimes helps me personally deal with my ups and downs in the world and explains 'a story' for my dilemmas, my doubts, and also my successses or near-to-come dreams of successes. In many ways, the following video (which I can't stand like the gross stereotypic images at all: you might just want to listen to it and turn the picture off or close your eyes)--in narrative is very good at describing the "enlightened INFJ" --although, it doesn't really define "enlightened" so you can take that with a grain of salt. I would say, it is a close description (i.e., 7 characteristics) of fearlessness personality, in other words. However, the rest of the summary of the INFJ provides a lot of resonance with my notion of walking the path of Fearlessness--and, why I am drawn to it...and, why others may be as well. Fearlessness provides the lens upon which to critique the world and be compassionate and useful at the same time. Yet, the video also explains why there is such resistance and animosity amongst most all people towards the INFJ types. [3]
End Notes
1. Btw, I am not interested in personality types (or any other typology, like Enneagram, like Astrology, or others) if "personality" is all that one is seeking to understand. I am rather interested in the soul path, and spiritual journey of consciousness and my role in that in this life time and/or others. Simply, I believe personality (also temperament) are sold constructs of a lot of gravity in determining how one evolves but there are also larger forces than personalities at work. Most spirituality, tends to diminish the importance of identifying one's personality and temperamental biases. You could say my interest is biopsychospiritual in this regard--that is, more ecological.
2. Note: this 2%, independently derived by Integral Theory (and Spiral Dynamics Theory) is resonant with % of people at Yellow-vmeme (i.e., Integral Consciousness). I have totally studied these later theories for decades, and knew that I was an "integralist" through and through. Now, to see it correlates with the Jungian model of Myers-Briggs is more than a little interesting and raises lots of questions. "Fearlessness" in its true sense is way beyond behaviors, it is a Paradigm and Consciousness in my own thinking and sure, probably < 2% of the population really 'get it.'
3. My book with a colleague on "Resistances to Fearlessness"(2021) is a good resource for detailed analysis of this problem; and, why the world remains addicted to Fear as its ruler.
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