About The Enneagram
What is it?
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation. Stemming from the Greek words ennea (nine) and grammos (a written symbol), the nine-pointed Enneagram symbol represents nine distinct strategies for relating to the self, others and the world. Each Enneagram type has a different pattern of thinking, feeling and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview. Learning about these patterns fosters greater understanding through a universal language that transcends gender, religion, nationality and culture. While we are all unique, we share common experiences.
Working with the Enneagram is an “inside job” that begins with you determining your own type, and then exploring ever-deepening personal and/or professional development. Extraordinarily precise, the Enneagram also helps you create healthier relationships and provides tools to work through conflicts. Integrating psychology, spirituality and somatics, our dynamic Narrative Enneagram programs offer you unique and transformative opportunities to engage with the Enneagram.
The Narrative Tradition
Rick and Lesley teach in the Narrative Tradition, which allows the types to speak for themselves, rather than learning about them through lecture or reading. We believe that the most effective way to learn the Enneagram and recognize personality differences is through people speaking from their own experience. By listening to panelists’ personal stories and descriptions of their particular inner worlds and realities, you will come to know and understand your own type, and recognize other type patterns more clearly. And by participating on type panels ourselves, we learn even more about our own inner workings.
Each of our panel events and interactive meetings bring the Enneagram to life through meaningful conversations and insights. It allows a deeper understanding, and creates compassion for both ourself and others.
Learn more about the Narrative Tradition at https://www.enneagramworldwide.com
BODY TYPES: 8, 9, 1
Body Types
Body-based types lead with the body for movement, sensate awareness and gut-level knowing. Their focus is on personal security, control, social belonging and taking right action. The underlying emotion is anger. Also known as the Instinctual Center
Type 8: The Protector
Protectors believe you must be strong and powerful to assure protection and regard in a tough world. Consequently, Protectors seek justice and are direct, strong and action oriented; they also can be overly impactful, excessive and impulsive.
Focus of attention: Injustice, not being controlled by others, and getting things moving in work or play.
Life Lesson: To harness the life force in productive ways, integrating self-assertion with vulnerability.
Type 9: The Mediator
Mediators believe you that to be loved and valued, you must blend in and go with the flow. Consequently, Mediators seek harmony and are inclusive, amiable, easygoing, comfortable and steady; they also can be self-forgetting, conflict-avoidance and stubborn.
Focus of attention: Other people's agendas and the external environment.
Life Lesson: To reclaim yourself and wake up to personal priorities.
Type 1: The Perfectionist
Perfectionists believe they must be good and right to be worthy. Consequently, Perfectionists are conscientious, responsible, improvement-oriented and self-controlled; but can also be critical, resentful and self-judging.
Focus of attention: What is right or wrong, correct or incorrect.
Life Lesson: To change what can be changed, to accept what cannot be changed, and to develop the wisdom to know the difference.
HEART TYPES: 2, 3, 4
Heart Types: 2, 3, 4
Feeling-based types emphasize the heart for positive and negative feelings, empathy and concern for others, romance and devotion. Their focus is on success and relationship, performing up to expectation of the job or of other people. The underlying emotion is sadness and shame. Also known as the Emotional Center.
Type 2: The Giver
Givers believe you must give fully to others to be loved. Consequently, Givers are caring, helpful, supportive and relationship-oriented; they also can be prideful, intrusive and demanding.
Focus of attention: Others' needs, feelings and desires.
Life Lesson: To develop the humility that comes from allowing yourself to be loved without being needed and to have needs of your own.
Type 3: The Performer
Performers believe you must accomplish and succeed to be loved. Consequently, Performers are industrious, fast-paced, efficient and goal-oriented; they also can be inattentive to feelings, impatient and image-driven.
Focus of attention: Tasks, goals and recognition for accomplishments.
Life Lesson: To reclaim the truth that love comes to you because of who you are, not because of what you do.
Type 4: The Romantic
Romantics believe you can regain the lost ideal love or perfect state by finding the love or situation that is unique, special and fulfilling. Consequently, Romantics are idealistic, deeply feeling, empathetic and authentic; they also can be dramatic, moody and sometimes self-absorbed.
Focus of attention: What is missing.
Life Lesson: To reclaim wholeness in the present moment by appreciating what is here and now, feeling the experience in their bodies rather than over-indulging in the story of what is happening, and accepting themselves as they are without needing to be special and unique.
Head Types: 5, 6, 7
Thinking-based, head types lead with ideas, gathering information, figuring things out and rational decision-making before acting. Their focus is on creating certainty and safety, or finding multiple options. The underlying emotion is fear. Also known as the Intellectual Center.
Type 5: The Observer
Observers believe they must protect themselves from a world that demands too much and gives too little. Consequently, Observers seek self-sufficiency and are non-demanding, analytic, thoughtful and unobtrusive; they also can be withholding, detached and overly private.
Focus of attention: Intellectual understanding, accumulating knowledge, and potential intrusions from others' agendas, needs and feelings.
Life Lesson: To reconnect to the vitality of your life force and your heartfelt feelings, realizing that ample energy and resources are available.
Type 6: The Loyal Skeptic
Loyal Skeptics believe you must gain certainty and security in a hazardous world that you just can't trust. Consequently, Loyal Skeptics are intuitive, inquisitive, trustworthy, good friends and problem-solvers, but also can be doubtful, accusatory and fearful.
Focus of attention: What could go wrong, worst-case scenarios and how to deal with them.
Life Lesson: To reclaim trust in yourself, others and the world, and live comfortably with uncertainty.
Type 7: The Epicure
Epicures believe you must stay upbeat and positive to keep your possibilities open to assure a good life. Consequently, Epicures seek pleasurable options, and are optimistic and adventurous; they also avoid pain, and can be uncommitted and self-serving.
Focus of attention: Multiple options and idealized future plans.
Life Lesson: To reclaim and accept all of life, the pleasures and the pains, in the present moment