The Ennea what? I know, I get that a lot. Before diving into how the Enneagram shapes and supports personal growth and travel, and to dispel any thoughts you may have about alternative approaches being “woo-woo”, the word Enneagram comes from Greek, where “ennea” means nine, and “gram” means diagram. Hence, the term refers to a nine-pointed diagram used to represent and understand the nine interconnected personality types in the Enneagram system. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s dig in a little, shall we?
Evolving the Study of Human Behavior
There are many personality typology systems out there – MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), Insights, Clifton Strengths Finder, I could go on. I’m not here to say other typologies are wrong or bad, but they do have a pretty fatal flaw, in my opinion. They do a good job of putting us into a box, saying we are this, or we aren’t that, while not really explaining what we even do with this kind of information.
Case in point – being introverted or extroverted tells us how we become energized and how we apply that energy. Introverts get their energy by being alone and may find themselves drained after spending significant time around people. Extroverts get their energy in the opposite manner, by fueling up in social settings and groups. Here’s the thing, these are genetic inheritances that we don’t have the ability to change. So when I learned I am extroverted, I thought, “That’s no surprise!”, and then I thought, “So what?”
Enter the Enneagram. Actually, the Enneagram entered the universe a couple thousand years ago, and the exact origin is largely unknown. However, modern-day Enneagram practitioners have expanded upon the philosophical and psychological aspects of the system and have advanced its application in the study of human personality and behavior, significantly contributing to our understanding of the complexities of human nature.
Teaching Us Where & How We Can Grow
The Enneagram teaches us what drives our behavior and what makes up our proverbial “engines”. Understanding our type helps us to see why we feel the way we do, and to understand our thoughts and actions. Among the interwebbing of the 9 personality structures, one is identified as your core personality type, however because we are complex beings who are not just one thing, you also have access to all the other types. When we do the work to grow, we begin to see where we can pull in characteristics and behaviors from each of the other 8 points.
The Enneagram is engineered as a circle symbol to represent our dynamic selves. Instead of boxing us into one type, we are free to flow through the many layers of our experience.
Personal Growth & Travel
Transformative travel allows us to step outside of our comfort zone and grow. Whether it is traveling to a country solo, or opening our hearts, bodies and minds within the safe environment of a healing retreat, we will experience change or something different than what we have known. But often is the case that in new or different environments or experiences it is easier to stick with what we know, with what is routine, with what we can predict and where it feels safe? We all need and want to feel safe.
Raise your hand if you traveled somewhere, came home, and felt excited and motivated to do something? Perhaps, it was wanting to move to the location you just came back from, or attempting to cook the foods you ate while you were there. Keep your hand up if you slowly gravitated back to your old way of thinking and behaving when you settled in back at home, despite your best intentions. That right there is the problem. The Enneagram helps you build a solution.
We can’t change what we can’t see, so part of the journey is cultivating self-awareness. Many of us know what self-awareness is, but many of us also have a hard time articulating exactly how we go about seeing ourselves in action. We lead busy lives, and tend to fall into auto-pilot, out of habit. Many of us get frustrated, sad or upset when we keep doing “that thing” that we don’t want to do, say, or feel. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to give yourself permission to explore the nuances of your unique personality and tap into the kind of personal growth that has lasting change on your mind, body and soul?
Accountability Complements Your Personal Growth Journey
Before falling into the trap of overpromising behavioral change, it is important to know that part of the personal growth process is not only creating a plan, but also holding yourself accountable to adhering to your intentions and goals. It’s kind of like working with a personal trainer–when your time training with them is over, it is now time to get yourself to the gym and put that new knowledge and skills to use. What I am saying is that you can be equipped with the tools to grow, but you must keep steering the helm and doing the work even after you come home.
George Gurdjieff, a pioneer in inner work and philosophy once said, “Doing the work alone is not only difficult, it’s impossible.” And that is why Create Joy has teamed up with Pura Vida Coaching & Development to provide educational experiences, resources, and tools that will support those looking to authentically and effectively unlock their potential.
We are holding space for you to explore the unfamiliar while discovering yourself in the process.
