What’s all the fuss about the Enneagram? This tool has EXPLODED back in the scene in the last 18
months and I’m excited about it! The Enneagram is a powerful and dynamic personality system that
describes nine distinct and fundamentally different patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. “Ennea” is
Greek for nine, and “gram” means a figure, diagram or something written. So, the Enneagram is represented by a diagram of a nine-pointed Star within a circle.
The nine personality types are the Perfectionist (1), the Giver (2), the Performer (3), the Romantic (4),
the Observer (5), the Loyal Skeptic (6), the Epicure (7), the Protector (8), and the Mediator (9). Each of
the nine personalities is based on an explicit perceptual filter and associated driving emotional energy.
As we’ve studied for this workshop, we’ve found the Enneagram is more than just another personality
test. It digs deeper into your Strengths, desires, weaknesses to help you discover your “why”. Why do
you think, feel and behave in particular ways based on YOUR fears and desires. The science behind this
tool is more in tune with your natural inclinations and goes further than the typical Myers-Briggs test that those of us in Corporate America have taken in our career.
So, yes, the Enneagram is great for self-discovery, but what does this have to do with yoga? Using the
Enneagram for self discovery and self study ties into Yoga’s Ethical Philosophy from the Yamas and
Niyamas (restraints and observances), Svadhyaya. Svadhyaya is a Niyama that challenges us to know
ourselves. Deborah Adele, the author of The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice, states,
“Self-study, the ninth jewel, is a pursuit of knowing ourselves, studying what drives us and what shapes
us because these things literally are the cause of the lives we are living. Self-study asks us to look at the
stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and realize that these stories create the reality of our lives.
Ultimately, this tenet invites us to release the false and limiting self-perception our ego has imposed on
us and know the truth of our Divine Self.”
Ready to learn more about your true self? We are so excited about our upcoming Yin and the
Enneagram workshop on October 19th! Join us in a relaxing Yin practice, followed by an introductory
session on the Enneagram!