The Enneagram and MET as Complementary Tools

If you work with people, it is extremely helpful to be able to recognise their personality style, just as a traveler you might find it helpful to know if you were communicating with an Italian or a Nigerian. By understanding “where a person is coming from” you will be far more effective in whatever capacity you work with them. By knowing your own Enneagram style, you open the door to profound personal development.

What is the Enneagram?

The Enneagram is a very powerful model for developing insight and understanding of ourselves and others. It is used as a practical tool for spiritual development, personal development, and improving relationships. It has been described as the bridge between psychology and spirituality, and by combining it with Meridian Energy Therapies you then have both a map and a vehicle for profound change.

The Enneagram describes nine very different ways of viewing the world. Each style has its own talents, gifts and limitations. Each style has different motivations, often unconscious, that lead to behaviour patterns, some of which help us - and others that cause problems. Fortunately we now have some great techniques within the field of Meridian Energy Therapies to address problem emotions, self-limiting beliefs and negative behaviour patterns. What the Enneagram does is to help you to identify and recognise the issues which have to be addressed.

You might be forgiven for thinking that the Enneagram serves to put us in a box or restrict us. Instead it shows us how we may be restricted already – and how to be more free.

The Enneagram Model

The diagram below represents the Enneagram. Because it is a dynamic model, people can move to different places. In fact another way to think about it is that we have all nine parts within us, however we have a preferred base. You can see that for any type there are lines leading to two other types. One of these is where a person is likely to go under stress and the other is where they can find themselves when feeling very secure. Also we are also influenced to some extent by the types either side (known as wings).

Typical Characteristics

1. The Reformer: Perfectionist. Tidy. Principled. Rational. Self-controlled.

2. The Helper: Caring. Helpful. Kind. Generous. Possessive.

3. The Achiever: Effective. Speedy. Adaptable. Ambitious. Image-conscious.

4. The Individualist: Artistic. Emotional. Melancholic. Intuitive. Self-absorbed

5. The Investigator: Clever. Intellectual. Introverted. Perceptive. Detached.

6. The Loyalist: Doubtful. Loyal. Engaging. Responsible. Defensive.

7. The Enthusiast: Positive. Fun. Upbeat. Accomplished. Impulsive.

8. The Challenger: Determined. Bossy. Self-confident. Decisive. Domineering.

9. The Peacemaker: Peaceful. Comfortable. Understanding. Receptive. Complacent.

Guiding Personal Development

In general people encounter problems when they are too fixated in one point of view. This concept is acknowledged in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) where the aim is to become healthier and more resourceful by expanding one’s ‘map of the world’. In TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technique) the technique includes the contemplation of opposites so we have access to a wider range of possibilities and choices.

The same principles underpin the Enneagram. It provides a real clarity to where we are and where we need to go in order to lead more fulfilling lives. But insight alone is not always enough, no matter how profound. That’s where Meridian Energy Therapies come in, in providing the means to move in the direction that the Enneagram has indicated.

Enneagram Training and The Hero’s Journey

Each of the nine types have challenges to their personal development, and in Greek mythology Homer’s Odysseus encountered each challenge in turn, before he could find his way home to Ithaca. During the two day training “The Enneagram in Action” we will use the hero’s journey as a theme to understand the Enneagram, explore individual challenges and identify how to overcome them.

Finding Out More

The next Enneagram in Action weekend is on the 11^th & 12^th July. Enquires to Peter Delves (01926) 856746 Website: www.delves.co.uk