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| The Road Back To You |
This book turned out to be fairly interesting. Although it just gets you started on the Enneagram journey... it provides a solid chapter on each of the 9 numbers of the Enneagram, each chapter giving information about characteristics that should be recognizable (at least to oneself). In fact, the book stresses the importance of NOT trying to determine what number anyone else is... that it is truly about motivation, not just outward appearance, thus we can’t really know where someone else falls on the Enneagram scale.
The author provides us with various information sections starting with bullet points highlighting “What’s it Like to be a Nine?” and so on. Those are terrific to quickly read through as you are trying to find a chapter that resonates with you. Then each chapter takes you more in depth on healthy aspects of your number, as well as traits that can come out in less healthy situations and deep stress. There is also a section highlighting a ‘danger’ point and suggesting ways to deal with that effectively. Other sections include information on each number during childhood, in relationships and at work.
I would like more information about interactions with others. I feel like this book has given me some very useful insight into myself and my own traits, but I would like to delve deeper into how I can better interact with, and build stronger relationships with, other numbers on the Enneagram. I do think this book is a great first step in discovery. There is also a study guide to accompany the book, but we didn't go through that. As for delving deeper into relationships and interactions with others, there is a second book that should accomplish that... I will need to look into getting The Path Between Us. This one is authored only by Suzanne Stabile.
Interestingly, in our book club discussion, the only people who felt sure that they had identified their ‘number’ were 2’s and 9’s. The rest were completely unsure. I have to wonder if there is something about the 2 and 9 personalities that helps them figure things like this out? :) Anyway, just thought that was interesting.
Here is a list of the ‘types’. The list starts with 8 and ends with 7 - you will have to read the book to find out why that is. :)
Eight - The Challenger
Nine - The Peacemaker
One - The Perfectionist
Two - The Helper
Three - The Performer
Four - The Romantic
Five - The Investigator
Six - The Loyalist
Seven - The Enthusiast
The Enneagram is a spiritual tool and most resources you will encounter have a Christian perspective. But it is not ‘in your face’ and in fact, some in the Christian faith view it with disdain. That is too bad, in my opinion. As one pastor quoted in the book states...
“To know oneself is, above all, to know what one lacks. It is to measure oneself against Truth, and not the other way around. The first product of self-knowledge is humility.”
And here is another quote from the book that I like...
“The purpose of the Enneagram is to develop self-knowledge and learn how to recognize and dis-identify with the parts of our personalities that limit us so we can be reunited with our truest and best selves, that “pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of heaven,” as Thomas Merton said. The point of it is self-understanding and growing beyond the self-defeating dimensions of our personality, as well as improving relationships and growing in compassion for others.
Finally, I also read that the Enneagram can be seen as representing the face of God. It contains all the attributes of God and each number contains facets of who God is. All the numbers have value and worth and all are part of the character of God that has been given to us. I like that, a lot!
The Road Back To You: An Enneagram Journey of Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron
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