Enneagram : A Categorization And Growth Tool Of Core Fears, Deepest Motivations And Emotional Coping Tools.

[WaterfallMachine]

So there is this whole world of personal development found in typology and personality systems. These are usually doubted as massively inaccurate and flawed. But really, no one who uses them well actually sees it as a prediction for everything in life. It's good as a guide and one of the best guides I've seen in personalizing advice to specific people. People are unique, complex and different but this does not mean guides don't have insight. 

 

Definiton : A typology or a categorization of people's core fears, core beliefs. motivations, emotional coping tools as well as the likely behaviors they can have according to these four areas. It's also used as a personal development tool to find the limits of these worldviews and further develop yourself. 

What I want to know : I actually know a lot on this area already but I figured I'd share this information so other people might use it.

Anyway, here are some additional interesting parts to check.

The Levels of Development : This reminds me of the Graves model as it records different information in levels of development. But for each specifc type. Those at level 1 are free of their fears, aware of their limits, able to use their strengths for themselves and other people for compassionate use. At level 9, there are people driven to suicide and even people capable of murder. The idea is to go up the levels in development. You can get the book Personality Types by Riso and Russ Hudson for an extensive description for each type's level.

Integration and Disintegration : This is enneagram' s term for when you're at your best (integration) and when you're at your worst (disintegration as a type.) 

Passion and Virtue : It's the idea that every type has a passion (An unhelpful behavior) along with a virtue (helpful behavior.)

Fixation and Holy idea. : Fixation (An unhelpful worldview) along with a holy idea (A helpful worldview.)

So for example, a summary of one of these. 

Type 5's basic fear is helplessness. Their core motivation is to know. Their likely behavior is of solitude and reflection. Integration is when they are able to take action and influence the world rather than think all the time. Disintegration is when they become distracted and flighty. Their passion is avarice, not for material wealth, but in hoarding knowledge but in the limits of overpreparing for the world. The virtue is nonattachment, not in relationships, but a nonattachment to the safety of their minds and a readiness for the world. Their fixation is stinginess, not in money, but often of their time in that they believe they don't have enough time for other life areas other than knowledge. Holy omniscience is when 5s see things clearly rather than making false theories about the world and really understanding it,

Some resources :

For a summary of levels of development.

http://www.fitzel.ca/enneagram/levels.html

Description of the types.

https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/

https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/

A forum full of information..

http://personalitycafe.com/  - Just go to the enneagram section but you can check out the other information.

Some good books :

Anything by Riso Hudson or Beatrice Chestnut on this.

Edited April 30, 2017 by WaterfallMachine