Transformation through the Enneagram
I use the Enneagram personality typing system in my clinical practice as a therapist with any clients who desire to explore this tool of self transformation. The enneagram consists of 9 personalities who have radically different ways of relating to others. I first discovered my enneagram number about 20 years ago when I attended a workshop on it during seminary. Later I worked with a spiritual director who helped me understand how the enneagram could help me to grow emotionally and spiritually.
The root of the word “personality” is connected to the Latin word “mask.” Therefore, our personality can be understood as a mask we put on daily, that we often learned to wear at an early age. We wear our respective masks to protect us from the world around us. Our masks include our reactions and ways of relating to others that sometimes keep us from being our best and true self.
The Enneagram consists of nine different types and no type is better than another. Each person’s number is formed by unconscious childhood messages, beliefs and wounds that we heard and experienced in our childhood. What happened to us as a young person shaped our understanding and view of the world. Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” The Enneagram offers us an opportunity to see our strengths and our growing edges and dance with them.
Carl Jung said, “We spend the first half our lives developing an ego and the last half of our life learning to let it go.” The enneagram is a tool that can help us to let go of our masks, defense mechanisms and ego so that we can be who we truly are.
Figuring out our Enneagram type can be a process of discernment. One of the easiest ways to move toward identifying our Enneagram number is to complete an online test. The Enneagram Institute has a great online test, but no one test can provide you with precise results. Another pathway to discerning our enneagram type is to read a book about it. A great book to start with is Ian Cron’s, The Road Back to You. You also could attend a workshop on the Enneagram or find a therapist, spiritual director or coach to work with to explore this personality typing system. I will be leading a workshop on the Enneagram at Yoga Landing on December 4, 2020 from 5:30p-9pm. You can attend this workshop in person or through zoom. For more information please check out: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/main_enroll.asp?fl=true&tabID=8
During the upcoming workshop, I plan to spend time looking at the following aspects of each Enneagram number:
Unconscious/lost childhood messages of each type
Words to describe each type
Gifts and growing edges of each type
Fears, desires and addictions of each type
Red flags of each type
The talk style of each type
Pathways of transformation for each type
The arrows of health and stress for each type.
Identifying our type is often painful, because it is uncomfortable to look at our shadow side. However, when we avoid discomfort we miss the opportunity to grow and become new.
During this workshop, after we explore the Enneagram types we will explore a yoga pose, mantra, meditation and quote that will help each Enneagram type find balance and more abundant life. To give you a little teaser of what is to come in this workshop at Yoga Landing (www.yogalanding.net), I would like to share with you a transforming mantra for each type.
- Type 1 is the Perfectionist and the mantra they need to hear is, I am enough.
- Type 2 is the Helper and the mantra they need to hear is, I care enough.
- Type 3 is the Performer and the mantra they need to hear is, I do enough.
- Type 4 is the Romantic and the mantra they need to hear is, My loved ones are enough.
- Type 5 is the Investigator and the mantra they need to hear is, I have enough.
- Type 6 is the Loyalist and the mantra they need to hear is, I am safe enough.
- Type 7 is the Enthusiast and the mantra they need to hear is, This moment is enough.
- Type 8 is the Challenger and the mantra they need to hear is, My vulnerability is enough.
- Type 9 is the Peacemaker and the mantra they need to hear is, My presence is enough.
Whether we take a test, read a book, work with a coach or attend a workshop on the Enneagram, I believe this typing system can help us understand our motivations and actions. In turn, this self-awareness will help us to take off our masks and find our truest self.
Let’s keep seeking to be our best self,
Christy
