The Power of the Enneagram: Which Number Are You?
The only personality tool I use regularly is the enneagram. Why? Because it’s incredibly helpful in understanding myself!
If you’re unfamiliar with the enneagram, essentially it is a set of 9 world views, orientations, or ways of experiencing the world. There is evidence of the enneagram being utilized as far back as the ancient Greeks. Learn more here
Ultimately, the idea is that when we are in alignment and feel connected to our larger essence (some call this our God selves or universal consciousness), we have the ability to access ALL 9 ways of being and can approach any situation and employ whatever personality traits we need.
That being said, we also have a default way of responding to stimuli. Some call this our learned self, others call it personality. Essentially, it’s how we respond to the world especially when we feel afraid.
The only personality tool I use regularly is the enneagram. Why? Because it’s incredibly helpful in understanding myself!
If you’re unfamiliar with the enneagram, essentially it is a set of 9 world views, orientations, or ways of experiencing the world. There is evidence of the enneagram being utilized as far back as the ancient Greeks. Learn more here
Ultimately, the idea is that when we are in alignment and feel connected to our larger essence (some call this our God selves or universal consciousness), we have the ability to access ALL 9 ways of being and can approach any situation and employ whatever personality traits we need.
That being said, we also have a default way of responding to stimuli. Some call this our learned self, others call it personality. Essentially, it’s how we respond to the world especially when we feel afraid.
I like to think about this as our default setting, how we learned to be in the world to get our needs met and stay safe. It is not, however, who we are. Ideally at some point, we come against the confines of the limitations of this one lens (specific enneagram number) and realize that even at the healthiest levels, we are so much more than our personality.
This is exactly why I find the enneagram useful – it’s a gauge I can employ to determine if I am operating from a place of fear or love. In other words, have I fallen into my default operating system (enneagram number) or am I expansive and approaching the situation using the larger lens?
Alright, so how do you learn your number or, if you already know it, deepen into understanding it a bit further?
The easiest way is to look at what the core challenge/issue is for each number along with the corresponding virtue. In other words, when you drill down, what is your biggest fear or activation? Once you know that, you can tune into its antidote.
Here’s the List:
Point 1
Anger or wrath stemming from the desire to address something that feels unacceptable. Often this anger is aimed at oneself.
The point of healing/antidote is serenity. The idea being that you learn to accept rather than want others/things to meet your high expectations.
Point 2
Pride coming from feeling that others need you because you are the only one who can truly help them. In other words, you have an inflated idea of your own self-importance as it relates to your social circle.
The point of healing/antidote is humility and the ability to honor and recognize that all people are as capable of helping as you are.
Point 3
Deceit arising from the inability to be your true self. Instead, you play a role that is expected of you.
The point of healing/antidote is truthfulness, stepping out of expectations and being yourself.
Point 4
Envy stemming from a warped view in which you only see the positives of everyone else and solely see the negatives of yourself.
The point of healing/antidote is in developing equanimity and seeing all that you have to offer as well.
Point 5
Avarice coming from a feeling of needing to hoard resources – money, time, energy- along with minimizing your own needs in order to not feel depleted.
The point of healing/antidote is in detached engagement from a place of relaxation and expansiveness, knowing you can be involved and active in the world without being depleted.
Point 6
Fear that arises from doubt and anxiety, mostly focused on self-doubt.
The point of healing/antidote is courage. Taking action anyway, which is the courageous response.
Point 7
Gluttony stemming from a desire to fill yourself up with things or experiences, and to move on when life feel stale.
The point of healing/antidote is in sobriety and in seeing things through to the completion rather than moving on to the next exciting adventure.
Point 8
Lust or excess coming from a desire to release and share the incredible amount of internal energy and ideas you have.
The point of healing/antidote is recognizing your innocence and accepting yourself and others. This opens you to be vulnerable rather than needing to put your stamp on the world.
Point 9
Slothfulness as a desire to be unaffected by life. It can also mean that it is difficult to finish tasks or that you easily lose yourself / are swayed by what others want to do.
The point of healing/antidote is in taking inspired action that comes from you and your truth rather than being comfortable and following what others are doing.
The trick with this is to be HONEST with yourself.
Sometimes it’s helpful to access more resources as well
Try these:
Have fun with this and see how it helps you understand yourself.
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Image courtesy of Rostyslav Savchyn on Unsplash