WHAT IS THE ENNEAGRAM?
Maybe you’ve heard of the Enneagram from a friend, at work or on social media. There are so many personality quizzes out there, it may just seem like another gimmick or party trick.
You’re right, personality typing is often used in surface ways to categorize people. Take the classic example of a come on at a party, “What’s your type, baby?” It’s used as a short cut to try to see if there’s synergy for a hook up.
But with the Enneagram what at first glance might seem like stereotyping personality actually is the tip of an iceberg of wisdom and insight that can transform your life. It has certainly transformed ours.
We want to show you how to go beyond. We invite you to a much deeper dive below the surface into your motivations and drives. Learning about the Enneagram can help you strategically manage your life, bringing in conscious choice instead of being unconsciously run by habitual patterns of thinking, feeling and acting.
Who are you, really?
Generally, when we describe ourselves, we describe our personality patterns, like “I’m warm,” “I’m hard working,” “I’m skeptical,” or “I am fun-loving.” We think these traits are who we are. Afterall, they seem reliable and consistent in our lives. Other people recognize them too. But many of us have a sense that there’s far more to who we are than those characteristics.
Generally, when we describe ourselves, we describe our personality patterns, like “I’m warm,” “I’m hard working,” “I’m skeptical,” or “I am fun-loving.” We think these traits are who we are. Afterall, they seem reliable and consistent in our lives. Other people recognize them too. But many of us have a sense that there’s far more to who we are than those characteristics.
Beyond “What’s Your Type, Baby?” is a video series where we learn to identify our deeply established patterns and at the same time begin to notice what’s possible when we move beyond them or try something different– to feel into a more expanded sense of self.
When most people discover the Enneagram, the insights are so captivating that we can spend a long time fascinated with pattern tracking and recognition. This can be quite useful, especially if it is used with respect, but the risk in this is staying at a level that ends up pigeonholing ourselves and others.
There are many great personality tests that assist us in identifying our assets and challenges. The Enneagram does this, and offers much more beyond as well. The nine types of the Enneagram are founded in our core beliefs and a mystical combination of nature and nurture. Understanding the motivation or the “why” behind our personalities can open up important opportunities for growth that go far beyond looking at what we say, do and feel.
Studying the Enneagram helps raise self-awareness and can move us from a place of automatic compulsion to self-observation to self-actualization. The Enneagram provides a framework to claim our wholeness– noticing when we are in a lower expression or higher expression of our potential.
As we develop skill with this, we see more clearly our limitations in interpreting the world the way we do. With the growing recognition that people do not all operate under the same assumptions, we organically move to develop a greater level of tolerance and empathy with others and stop taking their behaviors so personally. We develop an ability to manage our reactions and make new choices that have life-giving outcomes.
WHAT CAN THIS PROGRAM DO FOR YOU?
Improve
RELATIONSHIPS
personal empowerment
FIND COMMUNITY
Personal Freedom
finding your inner truth
Are you ready to go beyond?
Beyond “What’s Your Type, Baby?” lays a foundational understanding of the Enneagram using all three centers of intelligence: body, heart and head. There are six modules on our online learning platform that can stand alone or be used together.
You will receive:
- Important context about the system and its history.
- An introduction to the three centers of intelligence
- Poignant overviews of each of the nine points of view
- Basic orientation to wings, arrow, instincts and other commonly referred to aspects
- Exercises/meditations to invite you to feel into key themes of each type
- Key concepts to make the application of the Enneagram in daily life effective
- A playful application in the kitchen, “What’s Cooking with the Enneagram?”
This program can serve as a gateway to access other more advanced offerings from Enneagram Connections.
Now's the chance to change your life!
The Enneagram offers us insights that are both potent and transformational in themselves. Our teachings will illuminate how each type differs in thought, emotion and behavior. The practices in this series will guide you to experience key themes of each of the nine types.
The only requirement for benefitting from the Enneagram is a desire to know more about yourself without the assumption that identifying your type alone is a “one and done.” That’s why we’ve chosen to take you beyond what your type is (baby).
Sure, like other personality tests and systems, it’s fun to see yourself through an explanation of your personality style. But that alone doesn’t help with personal growth, insight and self-awareness or transformation.
Are you ready? Better understanding yourself and others will catapult you into a more effective, empowered, and compassionate way of being in the world. Let’s go beyond!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Using the practices you will learn from using this teaching has the potential to radically transform your experience of yourself and others in your life. You are the one who is empowered to address your dilemmas using the amazing insights you will learn.
It holds the potential to truly enhance the quality of your life through developing self compassion, self awareness, and supporting your ability to move out of knee jerk reactivity and self-destructive patterns. This teaching can help you engage in more meaningful relationships and better connecting to those you love.
There are many good Enneagram teachers and programs out there. Our introductory program lays a solid foundation for learning the Enneagram at deeper levels. We want you to understand that learning about type is a doorway to a powerful path and to practices that open up your full potential as a human being. It is not just a menu of character traits.
Our online program is affordable and can be revisited whenever you want in the convenience of your home.
The insights the Enneagram offers are both potent and powerful by themselves. Using the practices suggested in this series, you WILL be able to access an increased capacity and transformational magic.
Learning the Enneagram can provide you with outstanding self-awareness, increased empathy for others, and more ability to act in wise ways rather than automatic ones.
Don't take our word for it
Here's What Our Customers Has to Say:
Using the enneagram has helped me and my partner to improve our communication, not take things personally and want to get to know each other more.
P.L.
Student
With Renée’s facilitation using the Enneagram with my employees I’ve noticed the atmosphere of work is more open, relaxed and interactive. By the way, our productivity has almost doubled in the 6 months following our workshop series.
Hilary
Happy Business Owner
“Renée is an excellent teacher. Not only does she know this material inside and out, she has a very ‘easy to understand’ way of unraveling the nine Enneagram types or personalities so that even a novice can grasp the differences.
As a professional certified coach and licensed addiction counselor, I find the Enneagram to be a powerful way for clients to feel ‘not so alone’ in their journey towards wholeness. More than once someone has said to me, “Oh my gosh I thought I was the only one who felt like that.” I especially like the way Renée breaks out how, I as a certain Enneagram type, can work more effectively with my clients. This is really important, and much needed instruction, on using the Enneagram personally and professionally! Great stuff Renée!”
As a professional certified coach and licensed addiction counselor, I find the Enneagram to be a powerful way for clients to feel ‘not so alone’ in their journey towards wholeness. More than once someone has said to me, “Oh my gosh I thought I was the only one who felt like that.” I especially like the way Renée breaks out how, I as a certain Enneagram type, can work more effectively with my clients. This is really important, and much needed instruction, on using the Enneagram personally and professionally! Great stuff Renée!”
Rebecca Smith
MEd, PCC, SAP, SUDP, ERYT
My exposure to the Enneagram was very limited until I met Renée Siegel a few years ago. She invited me to an Enneagram workshop, and I was hooked from day one. My journey since has been beautifully enhanced by Renée’s understanding and willingness to share the wealth of knowledge that she has accumulated in her Enneagram certification process as an Enneagram trainer.
As a result, I have greatly enhanced my personal and my professional life. Renée is a gifted therapist, teacher, and willing participant in helping all who cross her path seeking to better themselves. This has been evident as I observe her compassionate focus on bringing wellness to a world that is in dire need of her expertise.”
As a result, I have greatly enhanced my personal and my professional life. Renée is a gifted therapist, teacher, and willing participant in helping all who cross her path seeking to better themselves. This has been evident as I observe her compassionate focus on bringing wellness to a world that is in dire need of her expertise.”
Mona Goshen
Student
I’ve learned that the Enneagram isn't just a personality diagnosis, but a tool that can be applied to many areas of my life. At work, it helps appreciate what my work mates contribute, as well as understand their stress or fearful responses. Instead of being offended or put off by them, I seek to understand and make the situation more doable for both of us. In relationships, it allows me to leave space for moments when the clash of downward spiral is taking place- it allows me to leave room for these differences, too, and then approach the relationship afterward with the idea of personal work and responsibility instead of ‘making everything better.’ My life would be less rich without the Enneagram, I believe. Having clues and keys to my own personality gives me empowerment over it, and avenues to both work with, and be gentle and understanding towards it.”
Gina Mammano Van der Kam
Author
“The Enneagram has been for me a tool of liberation. I have come to see that the Enneagram is not really about improving the Ego, but more about being present to whatever Life is calling me to do at any given moment.
John Amos
Canon Lawyer, Enneagram Teacher
“Suddenly my life began to make sense! Learning the principles of my personality style and to know that I am not alone has been extremely reassuring. The Enneagram has helped me become free of unhealthy patterns and ways of relating to myself and others. It's also helping me to develop the gifts of my style and express them more freely in the world. It has transformed my relationship with my two grown sons. I am learning to let go of perfectionistic tendencies and open my heart in acceptance and love. We have a much closer relationship now.
As I practice getting comfortable with conflict, I'm able to deal more effectively with problems that come up at work and in personal relationships, addressing problems as they arise and not waiting until things get worse. I'd say most importantly, I'm living as if my presence does matter. I do have gifts that are needed and wanted in the world, and I want to share them. What I appreciate and love about the Enneagram is how it helps me stay connected with my more authentic self and helps me self-correct when I veer into automatic or reactive ways of being. It also helps me develop compassion for other types and the struggles they may be experiencing. I can't imagine trying to do life without the insight and tools the Enneagram offers to deepen understanding of ourselves and others in our world.”
As I practice getting comfortable with conflict, I'm able to deal more effectively with problems that come up at work and in personal relationships, addressing problems as they arise and not waiting until things get worse. I'd say most importantly, I'm living as if my presence does matter. I do have gifts that are needed and wanted in the world, and I want to share them. What I appreciate and love about the Enneagram is how it helps me stay connected with my more authentic self and helps me self-correct when I veer into automatic or reactive ways of being. It also helps me develop compassion for other types and the struggles they may be experiencing. I can't imagine trying to do life without the insight and tools the Enneagram offers to deepen understanding of ourselves and others in our world.”
Joanne
Student
“There are so many benefits from learning the Enneagram, but I guess the most helpful has been to recognize how what I thought was helping was actually pushing people away from me. It was indeed a blindspot. I have come to see one of the most helpful things about the Enneagram is revealing blindspots. If I didn’t know the Enneagram, I would still be pushing people away and not knowing why, which caused me to suffer so much. Also my thinking that I was always right did not lend itself to good relationships.”
B Morris
Student
From working with Sarah have learned to gain inner peace almost immediately. Her work has helped me to become more accepting of myself and others and not take things so personally. It has helped me stretch outside my comfort zone. Anyone would benefit from working with Sarah. She has helped me see myself in a way that I could not have seen otherwise. I feel much more grounded and much more at peace.
Suzette
Caregiver
I really like the experiential nature of Sarah's guidance. I have gained valuable insight about my way of being, which sheds light on my innate tendencies and patterns of behaviour, and then provides a kind of roadmap to navigate current challenges as well as enlightenment about relationships between myself and others.
A F
Student
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