Have you have been hearing a lot about the enneagram? I have a BS in Psychology, so I have taken my fair share of personality tests. When I first heard about it, I did not give it much attention. There are a million of those out there.

Then, I kept seeing people becoming obsessed (which I now am). I took one of the quizzes online (I do NOT suggest this). I was misidentified, so I continued thinking that this was another personality test. It’s cool to read, but doesn’t do much to change your life.

My Discovery

That all changed when a friend helped me find my true enneagram. My world was rocked. It hurt. My secret thoughts that I felt about myself were right there in the description. For the next month I went deeper into unfolding that number. The growth I’ve had since discovering my enneagram number has been astronomical.

Where the Enneagram Comes From

Richard Rohr has incredible information about where the enneagram comes from in his book The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective. So, if you’re wanting to dive in deep, I suggest this resource. He goes into this in detail. I will summarize.

Basically, we don’t know where the enneagram comes from. It goes back so far, there are no records. And, it has been used in MANY groups for a VERY long time. And it hasn’t changed! This is what blows my mind.

Across time and cultures, people will still identify with these nine enneagram numbers. This is not only an American thing. This is not only an English speaking thing. When I said it has been used by many groups, I meant all over the world.

The Difference Between the Enneagram and Other Personality Tests

Now, here is what separates the enneagram from other personality tests I’ve seen. The enneagram has nothing to do with your personality. So there you have it. It is NOT a personality test. The enneagram is how you view the world. It is the motivation behind your actions. The why behind the what.

For that reason, only YOU can truly know what your enneagram is. However, when beginning, I suggest talking with someone who has more knowledge about the enneagram than you. When I took the quiz myself, I misidentified. But, then I talked through it with someone who had a better understanding of the enneagram. They helped me find the number I truly identify with.

The discovery of your enneagram number may hurt. Like I said before, it may bring to the surface your worst thoughts and feelings. That’s ok. Because it also gives you a place to go. You do not identify with a number and live with your nightmares. The enneagram is fluid. You can learn how to grow. You can learn how to cope. You can discover things about yourself that you never noticed. It’s almost magical, but also very logical.

The Enneagram is Who You Aren’t

The most important thing to remember about the enneagram is that it isn’t who you are, it’s who you aren’t. I know, that sounds crazy. We just finished talking about which number you most related to. But the reason you identify with these numbers is because of what some call your “childhood wound”.

The theory is that when you were very young, you felt wounded in a specific way. From there, you have built up defense mechanisms. You developed specific motivations for the way you live your life. These grew into your enneagram number.

Richard Rohr talks about it as being your true self and your false self. Your true self is the self that has never been hurt before. It is the purest version of who you are. It is the most you that you could be. Your false self is all the layers that get in the way of that true self. The enneagram is the lens to the soul that can help identify the false self. From there, you can heal and move closer to becoming your true self.

That is the best thing about the enneagram. It is an incredible tool to encourage and aid in growth.

Conclusion

I encourage you to dive in. Read about the enneagram. Do some research about all 9 numbers, then discover the one that hits home. It can send you on an amazing journey of true self discovery. I have never felt more myself than I do today. I owe much of that to the enneagram getting me started down the road of wholeness.

Do you have any other questions about the enneagram? Let me know in the comments.