The Enneagram. You might have heard this word pop up recently in conversation, social media, or even a BuzzFeed article. It’s become quite popular over the past few years, especially within some corners of American Christianity. A lot of the more recent book and podcast resources have a spiritual and/or Christian approach to the Enneagram. While it can certainly be taught and understood through a spiritual lens, it isn’t exclusively Christian or even religious. Just as with other more well-known personality typing systems or psychological archetypes, it can be used and appreciated by the religious and non-religious alike.
I tend to keep away from much of a religious or spiritual understanding of the Enneagram in this article. Although I’ve been studying the Enneagram for about a year now, I still consider myself a novice. There are layers of understanding to peel back and explore, and I’ve really only just begun. However, I will include resources at the end of this article that are both spiritual/religious and non-spiritual/non-religious.
CENTERS/TRIADS
The Enneagram is complicated, and how its nine types interact can be difficult to understand. It’s not as straightforward as the more familiar Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The best way to begin breaking it down into manageable chunks is with the triads. The Enneagram consists…
