“The Enneagram is by far the most effective tool for deepening self-knowledge, sharpening self-awareness, and improving relationships.” –Ian Cron, The Road Back to You
Our BYs (Bridging Year pupils) recently completed an introductory Enneagram course with our Chaplain, Rev Tim. Rev Tim has not only been working with the Enneagram for over a decade but is also an internationally certified Enneagram trainer and coach.
What is the enneagram? The Enneagram (‘any-a-gram’) is a model of human personality which presents nine different types of people. It describes nine different ways of seeing and being in the world. In Greek, ennea means ‘nine’ and gramma means ‘something written or drawn’, hence the enneagram is a diagram with nine points on it, each representing nine distinct personalities.
For young adults, understanding yourself and your motivations better is key when deciding what your next critical steps in life will be, and navigating those waters.
On one hand, these can be helping you identify your strengths so you can look for opportunities for growth, or simply understanding your emotional triggers, and how and why you react to them.
“When we study nine personality types of the Enneagram, we can better understand how and why others see the world differently from us. This awareness leads to greater compassion and acceptance of others.” source
Not only do you gain a greater self-awareness of yourself through the course, but also hopefully a better understanding of how and why others see the world differently from us.
Another typology*! I don’t want to be put in a box!
(*typology: a classification according to general type, especially in archaeology, psychology, or the social sciences.)
The enneagram is different from other typologies. It is rich, dynamic and gets to the heart of human motivations. Your enneatype is not who you are; it is what you habitually and consistently do. The goal is to free you from your box! With self-awareness we can begin to understand why we behave the way we do. It’s also a powerful tool for understanding others.
The enneagram actually has some Christian roots and has been used as a tool for spiritual direction for many years. Even businesses are harnessing insights from the Enneagram and applying them to teams, leadership development, communication and conflict situations. Ultimately, we hope that the enneagram will make us more capable of loving ourselves, others and God.
To learn more about the Enneagram click here: