The Enneagram

Self-Knowledge Leads to Integration and Wholeness

Our essential, authentic nature is spiritual. While many associate the term “spiritual” with religion, in this context it means that each of us is a unique individual with a purpose for which we were born and a potential that can be realized. Seeking and learning to work with one’s spiritual nature is a worthwhile pursuit, but it can be challenging. The Enneagram is a map that guides us as we strive to realize our potential.

The Enneagram provides direction for growing in consciousness. It gives insight into the human condition and the meaning of our lives. The Enneagram is based on the principle that each of us has the ability to grow, transform and evolve into authenticity and into our highest potential. This transformation occurs in all levels of our being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

The Nine Personality Types

The Enneagram introduces us to nine personality types (or “archetypal patterns”) that influence how we think, feel, behave and relate to ourselves and others. These patterns are universal and each individual’s personality corresponds to one of the nine types. These patterns evolve during our formative years as we seek security and survival in our environments. They are shaped by our family, culture and society at large, amongst other factors. Regardless of their specific origins, these patterns ultimately obscure our essential nature. Without becoming conscious of these patterns, we continue operating within them, which limits our growth in authenticity and consciousness. The first step in the growth process is identifying which of the nine personality types describes our habitual ways of operating in the world.

The personality names in the image above were created by the late Dr. David Daniels, M.D., who taught the Enneagram at Stanford University’s School of Medicine.

The Three Centres of Intelligence

The Enneagram also reveals that each of the nine personality types corresponds to one of three centres of intelligence. We lead either with the head (thinking) centre of intelligence, the heart (emotional) centre of intelligence, or the body (moving) centre of intelligence. These three centres are linked to the three “brains” in our head, heart and gut, and to our neurobiology. When we lead with the head, we seek first to understand; when we lead with the heart, we seek first to relate; and when we lead with the body, we seek first to act. These are our conditioned, habitual and automatic ways of perceiving and responding to events.

Though we may be dominant in one centre, we have two other centres of intelligence operating within us. For example, a person may identify and lead with the type 1 personality-structure, which is also their body intelligence. In emotional patterns, they may identity with the type 4 personality-structure and, in head or thinking patterns, with the type 6 personality-structure. Their full personality structure, then, is 1-4-6. Another person who leads with a type 1 personality-structure may have different centres of intelligence related to their emotional or head intelligences. These variations explain some of the differences that we see in people with the same dominant personality type.

Over-relying on one centre, or an imbalance in any of the three centres, causes us to function less optimally. This is the case for many of us as we navigate our relationships, work and day-to-day lives.

The Work

We must consciously work to align the energetic patterns in our three centres and to bring them into balance. When we do, each can contribute its full intelligence to our ways of thinking, relating and acting in the world. Further integration is required to develop our fourth centre – our spiritual centre – which masters these intelligences and enables us to live beyond our conditioning.

With self-observation, awareness and acceptance of our mental, emotional and physical patterns, we realize the strengths and limitations of these subconscious patterns within our psyches.

With honesty, humility and dedication, our self-knowledge grows. As we let go of our conditioning, our perspective changes. We develop our ability to respond creatively to life events. We become resilient and our ability to deal with difficult circumstances gracefully increases. We learn to make choices freely – choices that are true for us and that are in our own and others’ best interests. We start to develop maturity, wisdom and an authentic presence.

The Journey

By accepting ourselves just as we are and embracing where we are in our journey, we expand our self-compassion and ability to care for ourselves. In direct proportion to this, our acceptance, compassion and care for others and our world also grows.

Someone on the journey to wholeness and authenticity can experience resistance and fear. This is a natural reaction to change because our brains perceive it as a threat to survival. An experienced coach, mentor and guide is invaluable in addressing our discomfort during the process of transformation. Though this transformation requires commitment and effort, it is well worth it as we discover and experience meaning, purpose and greater well-being.

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