The Wisdom of The Enneagram
The book review for The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types, by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson.
The Enneagram is a transformational tool that has its origin in a various set of wisdom traditions.
Compared to other personality assessment frameworks, the Enneagram has a bit more of spiritual edge to it. The Enneagram tries to focus on one’s essense, not the personality. To a great extent, it separates the personality from the essense, advocating that the latter can be realized and integrated despite the personality’s attempts to clutter one’s mind and behaviors.
The Enneagram offers a set of types, called after numbers — from one to nine— that describe different people’s essential qualities. One can take a test and recognize their type, and then use it as a starting point to discover their strengths, weaknessess, beliefs, fears, desires and underlying transforamtional work that leads to integration.
The nine types are:
1. The Reformer: idealistic, principled and perfectionist type.
2. The Helper: caring, interpersonal type; a giver.
3. The Achiever: success-oriented, goal-focused type.
4. The Individualist: romantic, introspective and sensitive type.
5. The Investigator: intense, cerebral, observing type.
6. The Loaylist: commited, reliable, security-oriented type.
7. The Enthusiast: optimistic, spontaneous, discovery-oriented type.
8. The Callenger: powerful, dominating, strong and assertive type.
9. The Peacemaker: easygoing, accepting and trusting type.
Each type has their aspects of levels of development: when each type is at their best (integrating), at average and below average (disintegrating).
Understanding basic emotions and basic desires of each type, their motivations, coping strategies, social interaction styles, and wake up calls (for moving into less productive states) creates an environment for a deep, profound transformational work.
For example, type seven has a tendency to be hungry for experiences, novelty and stimulation: the grass is always greener somewhere else. In more unhealthy states, this leads to gluttony of sorts: chasing novelty, distraction, and unability to focus. The integration for this type comes through realization that they already have enough, can enjoy everyday things, be content and happy as they are.
Starting this work allows one to step on a path that leads to integration: seeking truth, being open, starting a practice, “not doing”, getting meaningful support, learning from everything, and introducing authentic self-love.
The Wisdom of the Enneagram is a deep, practical and accurate book that gives very experiential assessment of who one truly is and what home they can return to.
