Introduction to the Enneagram

Journeying together in community

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The Enneagram as a tool for

building relationships embracing diversity being present to one another navigating conflicts with each other

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Different Types of People

Are you a: Morning person? Night person?

Do you prefer: Coffee? Tea?

Do you like: Salty snacks (potato chips, nuts, popcorn)? Sweet snacks (candy, chocolate, cake)?

Different Types of People

Are you more interested in: science? literature?

Are you more: logical? emotional?

Do you like to: plan everything in detail? act spontaneously and see what happens?

Different Types of People

Are you: energized by spending time with people? Tired out by spending time with people?

Do you mostly: obey the speed limit? speed when you “need to”?

Is your idea of a great holiday: doing something active (hiking, sightseeing)? doing something relaxing (going to the beach, reading)?

How many types of people are there in the world?

Currently, about 7 billion

People are individual, but… …there are characteristics that groups of people share.

Extroverts and Introverts Are you energized or drained by interactions with people?

Detail-oriented and globally-oriented Do you see the details or the big picture?

Lots of variability of personality within each category

Personality “typologies”: systems of personality types

Ancient Typologies

Astrology Positions of sun, moon, and planets at time of birth

Ancient Greece: Humours (bodily fluids) Blood: Sanguine type (optimistic and upbeat) Yellow bile: Choleric type (irritable and angry) Black bile: Melancholic type (depressive and withdrawn) Phlegm: Phlegmatic type (reserved and nonreactive)

Modern Typologies Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Extroversion/Introversion Sensing/INtuition Thinking/Feeling Judging/Perceiving E.g., ENFP = Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving

Academic Psychology: Big Five personality traits Openness to Experience Conscientiousness Extroversion Agreeableness Neuroticism

Personal Style and Preference

L’Arche Core Value 9 We are all individuals with different

Life goals Gifts and strengths Challenges Styles, approaches, tendencies, and preferences

The Enneagram

Nine-pointed “star” enclosed in a circle. Each numbered “space” represents one type of person.

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Parts of the Enneagram Symbol

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CircleEquilateral Triangle:

3-6-9Irregular Hexagon:

1-4-2-8-5-7

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Enneagram Centres

Three Centres

Heart Head GutFeeling Centre Thinking Centre Action Centre

Turned Outward

UnawareTurned Inward

Turned Inward

UnawareTurned

OutwardTurned

OutwardUnaware

Turned Inward

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Heart Words Head Words Gut Words feel think sense

touch see hear relate know smell

participate make sense explore unite look tell

be connect do be with reason act

fit together observe get going come apart understand take charge empathize logical is like

imagine vision sits well look like seer comfortable convince watch "my gut says" persuade contemplate

desire

Working with Styles of Reacting

Which list of words do you most strongly identify with? Heart Head Gut

How do you react to an unexpected overload? Feelings-based Ideas-based Action-based

Working with Styles of Reacting

Think of someone you interact with often. What do you think is their most likely centre? Heart Gut Head

When do interactions with this person become challenging to both of you? Can you see a positive side to your style and their style?