If you’ve heard people talk about the Enneagram, chances are they talk about it enthusiastically and often.
If you haven’t heard people talking about the Enneagram, you probably will soon. Many people who have embraced the Enneagram not only think and talk about it a lot, but say things like, “For the first time, I understand why my relationship with my daughter was so difficult.”
Additionally, using the insights gained through the Enneagram, many have changed their approach and improved their relationships with others and themselves.
What is the Enneagram?
Simply put, it’s a system based on nine interrelated personality types.
Elizabeth Newcomer, a certified Enneagram teacher at The Narrative Enneagram, says the Enneagram is most helpful in finding common ground with others and being compassionate with yourself.
“I think it’s a useful tool not only for self-awareness, but also for strengthening relationships with others and understanding where people come from,” Newcomer said.
The Enneagram was not created by one person or group, but Georgian philosopher George Gurdjieff is credited with reintroducing the symbol into the modern world around 1916, says Andrea. Vidrin says Enneagram mentorship and spiritual direction.
Vidrin said Gurdjieff did not assign characters or types to numbers. Instead, it was credited to the Bolivian philosopher Oscar Ichazo and facilitated by Claudio Naranjo, who brought the information to the United States.
Today, the nine types are commonly identified as one, the Reformer. 2, helper. 3, motivation. 4, the artist. 5, the thinker. 6, Loyalty. 7, Generalist. 8 is the leader and 9 is the peacemaker. Different names have been given to the nine groups by people and groups, but like Shakespeare’s roses, they are all associated with the same value despite their names.
The goal is not to accept types
Through thought, time, energy, and personal research, those interested in the Enneagram typically identify with one of the nine types. But Vidrine emphasized that the goal is not to embrace types, but to transcend them.
“Two very important Enneagram developers, Russ Hudson and Don Riso, say the Enneagram doesn’t keep people in boxes,” said Vidrin. “It shows you the box you’re in and the exit. To me that explains it all.”
The word Enneagram comes from the Greek word ennea, meaning nine, and the letter symbol grammos. Thus, according to his Enneagram Narrative, the nine-pointed star symbol represents his nine types related to Self, Others, and the World. Different types are spread out on the edge of the circle, and each point has connecting lines to other points.
The newcomer explained that the Enneagram is further divided into three parts, or three centers of intelligence: the head, the heart, and the body. Each type belongs to a center that controls how we behave, what motivates us, etc.
Each Enneagram type also has two wings, the numbers on either side of the type. Newcomers say wings affect how types appear – and people usually have dominant wings.
For example, Newcomer is a Type 4 with 3 wings. Her dominant wing 3 is also known as Performer. Coincidentally, the newcomer is also an actress. However, she notes that her personal motivations for a Type 3 and those of a Type 3 in general are different. She doesn’t care about success or recognition like a Three, she cares about being special and unique, which is the desire of a Four.
“We have all kinds of elements in ourselves because [the Enneagram] It’s like a map of human experience, and we can all feel envy like 4, or anger or resentment like 1.
“It takes two people to tango, but…”
Both Bidlin and Newcomer emphasized that a good place to start exploring the Enneagram is to first learn your own type and then understand others.
“Yes, tango takes two,” Newcomer said.
One of Newcomer’s clients, Lauren Baum, has attended various workshops where Newcomer uses the Enneagram for organizational development of companies. Baum explained that the Enneagram is an invaluable tool for building culture, self-awareness, and understanding team dynamics.
Most recently, Newcomer hosted a workshop for Baum’s startup, holding individual sessions with each teammate, followed by group discussions about the strengths and limitations of Baum’s team.
“Since then, we’ve become more open and vulnerable with each other, we’ve understood how to support each other in moments of optimism and in times of challenge, and we’ve figured out how to work together,” Braum wrote.
Mirais Holden, a Type 6, uses the Enneagram to understand how and why she interprets the world differently than others. I have found that it helps me to understand the perspective of a person.
But it’s important to remember that the Enneagram isn’t a test of behavior, it’s a test of inner motivations and interpretations, she said.
“It helps me adjust how I take care of people in my life. Thank God I knew about the Enneagram before I started dating my partner,” Holden said. I would have thought that was insane, and I wouldn’t have been at all familiar with the type of worldview he has.
How to find out your Enneagram type
Vidrine recommends starting with the Eclectic Energies Enneagram Tests, while Newcomer recommends The Narrative Enneagram.
After doing the evaluation, Vidrine said it was important to read the top three results and then get offended. Essentially, the right type should “call you out on their own”.
“If you read about your type and feel proud, no, it’s not your type,” she said.
In return, becoming self-aware helps most people to be more self-compassionate.
Anna deTiege, Type 4 and one of Newcomer’s clients, had the same impression as Vidrine.
After taking the Enneagram test and discovering her type, deTiege changed how she interacted with people. Understanding her nine Enneagram types has helped her become a better friend and spouse.
deTiege believes her work at Newcomer has taken her to new heights, both personally and professionally. She said her self-awareness, which her Enneagram requires, helped her to be more compassionate with herself.
“It’s not a flattering test, but I think it’s on the other end of that spectrum. It shows what’s possible when you’re your best self,” deTiege said. I think you also know that you are your self because, at least for me, there is a sense of peace.”