Personality tests are fantastic tools to help us in self-discovery, self understanding and self acceptance. Not only that but it can also help with our understanding of each other as well…perhaps even to accept and embrace each other’s uniqueness.
The Enneagram is no exception. It’s been very popular especially among the yoga, self help and spiritual communities for a while now. It’s based on 9 personality types that are portrayed in a geometrical shape. The shape illustrates the rich, diverse and intricate interconnection between all personalities.
It’s a helpful tool for helping understand your unique tendencies. It also shows you what your shadows are.
….but for me it’s so complex! Some people totally understand it and others, like me, are mainly confused. But I want to know more! That’s why I invited Sarah Hamilton, Enneagram expert, onto the show to teach us!
Sarah Hamilton quit clinical medicine seventeen years ago to live a fuller life. Today, she’s the founder of WildWomanUnleashed and strives to guide and inspire women to reconnect with their authentic nature so that they can flourish with lives of balance, passion and fulfillment.
Plug in those earbuds and get ready for some self-discovery!
PS. Okay, I need to put this out there - as much as I love personality tests and find them to be so much fun, I also need to say that at the end of the day nobody and nothing gets to dictate who you really are except for yourself. These tests are tools to support you along the journey of self-discovery and is not the be all end all to who you are and what you should do. You’re the ultimate decider that.
Topic Summary:
What is the Enneagram?
How can it help you (benefits)
3 things you need to know about the Enneagram to get started
Sarah explains her own personality (9-7-4) as an example
RESOURCES
Sarah recommends this online test for your Enneagram profile: https://landing.trueself.io/
I’m still learning what it means but here’s what I got! Apparently I’m a “gentle spirit”
Key Nuggets:
What is the Enneagram
A personality test based on 9 personality types that are portrayed in a geometrical shape. The shape illustrates the rich, diverse and intricate interconnection between all personalities.
Has a spiritual heritage
There are different schools of thoughts on numbers and measurements
One school of thought depicts traits for head-heart-gut
Typically results shows you your wonderful qualities and also reveals shadow qualities (ex. A
type 8 can be like Martin Luther King or if the shadow side is strong then a type 8 can also be a super paranoid person)
There’s an instinctual sub-types that drive all of our behavior. We have all 3 but in varying strengths:
1. Self preserving: Taking care of yourself
2. Social: safety in numbers. Hierarchy. Where do I fit in socially?
3. Intimate/Sexual: Deep connections to others
Benefits and 3 things to know about the Enneagram
Shows you your core desires, needs and fears
It helps you understand your personality
It lets you step back and be the observer of your own life
Knowing what your tendencies are actually helps you release judgement when in shadow. To be able to take a step back see “oh okay, that’s just my personality taking over at the moment”
It helps you understand others
Sarah’s Example of Herself:
Based on the tri-type Enneagram, she’s a 9-7-4. The “9” is her gut, “7” her head and “4” her heart. She gives examples of how this plays out in her life and how it helped her understand her desire for comfort and ease even though she fearlessly pivots her path if it doesn’t feel like the right direction.
One of Your Biggest Lessons So Far:
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that we never stop growing and changing, and there’s no such thing as perfect… and so fulfillment in all areas of life comes down to exploring and accepting who we are, imperfections and all, and learning to love ourselves.”
What is one nugget of wisdom that you would share with fellow seekers who are on this journey of growth and transformation?
“One nugget of wisdom I’d share with pretty much everyone is that cultivating gratitude for what we have as well as letting go of our attachments and expectations of things turning out in a certain way are the keys to fulfillment. It doesn’t mean giving up on wanting things, instead it’s taking the time to figure out what it is exactly that we want, as in the emotional experience, and then leaving it up to the Universe to make it happen in the right time. This generally involves working through fear, which feeds attachment.”
Resources:
Sarah’s teacher is Katherine Fauvre and recommends her teachings and also her Enneagram test at TrueSelf.io
Links:
If you have any questions for Sarah or want to learn more, connect with her through:
Website: https://wildwomanunleashed.me
Email: sarah@wildwomanunleashed.me
Facebook: @wildwomanunleashed.me
Instagram: @wildwomanunleashed.me