Enneagram Described
The Enneagram is an ancient and powerful study of human personality, showing how each of us develops into one of nine basic personality types, based on the perspective adopted in childhood. The Enneagram personal development system examines the core of each type, which is a habitual preoccupation about life. These habits are so strong that they give us a distorted view of life.
For most infants, the home environment has a thick psychological energy that is primarily generated from the parents. So if the parents are experiencing feelings that limit their nurturing capacity, the natural result is that the child suffers.
Part of Us in All of Us - But There's Only One You
While we may identify with some of the other personality types, and indeed have some traits from each type, there is one primary pattern that drives our motivations and reactions to what we experience. These motives and reactions are what cause the pain and disconnection in relationship to our ourselves and others.
Early on in life we tried to protect ourselves from feeling pain, fear and insecurity, and developed one of nine different patterns of behavior. When we recognize these patterns we start to see how predictable our reactions are, and how we limit ourselves with these habitual beliefs or perceptions.
Knowing our key preoccupations gives us insight into our motivations and intentions. With this knowledge and awareness we are better able to liberate ourselves from these personality patterns.
The Enneagram is far more than just a description of our personality; it has the components of a deep and powerful relationship to our spirituality. Learning the deep wisdom of this system as a powerful personal development system can accelerate our personal growth toward living a fuller life.
Enneagram Personality Types Summary
Perfectionists generally have a high set of standards by which they judge themselves and others. Unconsciously there is a tendency to compare reality with what should be, rather than what is. The belief is that one can gain worthiness or love through being good, and adhering to the "rules" of internal correctness. More...
Givers are focused on what they believe others want or need from them in life to succeed. They can alter themselves in order to become what they believe the other would like for them to be. This point is often the "power behind the throne," preferring to be in the background to support the important other vs being center stage themselves. More...
Performers present a surface image of conformity, competitiveness and high achievement, but have great difficulty expressing their personal feelings and needs concretely and directly. It is difficult for them to distinguish their own feeings from the feelings that come with a "role." More...
Romantics are in search for what they feel is missing in life. Feeling a sense of dissatisfaction with life as it is, "nothing" is good enough, including themselves. They attract distant and unavailable people, intensifying the feelings of loss, and abandonment. A deep depression and a sense of hopelessness is common. More...
The Observer's core issue is fear of feelings. They've learned to detach from their feelings. They struggle with their emotional connections to other people. If overwhelmed by powerful or continuous contact, they will withdraw in order to figure out where they stand. More...
Skeptics define the essence of fear. They can be either phobic, appearing furtive and frightened of a situation, or counterphobic seeking out a fearful situation to lessen the anxiety. The outward characteristics look different, but they are derived from the same psychological base. More...
Optimists, while a fear type, they don't look like one. They handle their fears by focusing on the positive and imagining future plans, options, and possibilities. This type wants to avoid inner pain in themselves and others by looking on the bright side of things. More...
Protectors are the essence of the anger, used as armor designed to feel strong and in control. Underneath, is a much younger more vulnerable part that they are attempting to protect. Often they make contact with others through confrontation and fighting, which helps them identify external threats, and know where others stand. More...
Mediators are also anger points, but whose anger went underground early on in life. Feeling they were the "forgotten" children, set up a dynamic of falling asleep to their own inner needs, priorities, and dreams. Their anger is not expressed outwardly as it is with the eights, but more passive/aggressive. More...