Thirty-five years ago, I was introduced to the Enneagram by a friend who used this psychological/spiritual typing system to help corporate teams work more effectively. I took a test, learned about the personality traits of my type, and found it remarkably accurate. But I didn’t do anything further. Then, fifteen years later, I was reintroduced to it through the teachings of Russ Hudson and Don Riso, and it launched a shift in self-perception that changed my life.

The Enneagram typing system helps us see how our personality is shaped to keep us safe and embraced by others. It reveals nine types that, when understood on a deeper level – and used in service to the soul – provide a roadmap to freedom. By studying your type, you can see yourself more objectively, allowing you to change the behaviors that serve your ego, not your soul. By becoming more aware of how the ego operates in your life, you’re better able to gently set it aside so your choices are more aligned with your truth than the needs of others.

For me, as a type two – the helper – studying the enneagram gave me a powerful context for my life. Exploring this type helped me accept that from a very young age, I’d been helping others in the hopes of being loved. My work on self-care – books, workshops, retreats, etc., reflected the soul work I needed to do in order to express my gift of service at a higher level: Helping without any agenda.

After last week’s Zoom gathering on facing our fear of death, I thought about how much of our suffering as we age stems from the ways we’ve avoided doing our own personal work. Cultivating denial instead of courage. Ignoring past trauma. Avoiding conflict rather than learning to communicate honestly and directly. These are all habits that crystallize and grow stronger as we age. And the consequences do, too. People who are anxious become more anxious. People who are angry become angrier. People who are stuck get even more stuck. All at a time when we have fewer internal resources to deal with tough issues like loss, health challenges, or loved ones who require attention and care.

The Enneagram provided me with an effective roadmap for psychological and spiritual growth. It gave me a way to develop the self-awareness and skills I needed to navigate my wisdom years with far more peace and clarity.  And in doing so, it also helped me feel more alive, fulfilled, and less afraid of death.

This week, I’ve invited my colleague, Robert Holden, to join us for a Zoom gathering to explore how the Enneagram can help us age well. Robert introduced me to Russ Hudson more than twenty years ago, and he’s about to release a new book called Becoming Yourself: A Journey of Self-Discovery Using the Wisdom of the Enneagram. He’s a joyful teacher and an Enneagram expert who has spent months developing a test to help you identify your possible type. You can take the test here.

We’ll gather on Wednesday, February 18^th, at 3pm ET/12 noon PT to talk about the Enneagram and how it might help you. If you’ve joined us before, you’ll get the Zoom invite automatically. If not, you can register here.

If you take the test before our Zoom gathering, I have no doubt you’ll be fascinated by what you learn about yourself. The test takes five minutes 😀.

Love,

Cheryl