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How each Enneagram type can make the world a better place by using their strengths.

April Jordan

How each Enneagram type can make the world a better place by using their strengths

Ah, the Enneagram. It’s a re-emerging personality typing system and is one of the only things I nerd-out about as much as sustainability. So I thought, why not merge the two and write about the ways each type might approach sustainability, social justice, environmentalism, community building and the like? I think this post could be a win-win: I had a heckload of fun writing it and I think this post could help people of each type to chart a path to a more sustainable and ethical lifestyle in a way that feels right for them. I reached out to a bunch of people on Instagram who I know are into both the Enneagram and sustainability, and prompted you all to share your types and why sustainability matters to you, so I’ve made sure to incorporate those perspectives and suggestions into this post (though I want to acknowledge that most of the people who responded to my questions about this are white North Americans, so the perspectives shared here are likely skewed to that perspective. If you are a person who identifies differently than this, I would so love to hear your opinion, experience and thoughts below so I may expand my understanding and make this a more inclusive post!)

If you’re not  sure what the Enneagram is in the first place or what your type is, I’ll give you a quick rundown here. I also strongly encourage you to either

here’s a super basic rundown if you have never heard of the Enneagram or need a refresher.

If you already know all about the Enneagram, skip to the next section. The Enneagram is a personality typing and mapping system (there are nine types, numbered 1, 2, 3 ,4 etc.) that is supposed to help you learn about your innermost desires, fears and motivators. Rather than focusing on behaviour, though, the Enneagram focuses on motivation - the why behind everything we do. There are several types that exhibit similar behaviours (for example, working really hard) but that do it for different reasons. For example, 6s work hard to gain security whereas 3s work hard so they’ll appear successful and 8s work hard so they’ll gain control of their own circumstances. Or some types may try to appear very positive, but for different reasons. 2s may do it to gain favour with people they want to please or impress, 7s do it to have fun or turn a difficult situation around, and 9s may be super positive so they can maintain a peaceful environment around them.

At it’s best, the Enneagram helps us to understand the worst parts of ourselves and how to get better. I’ve found it to be one of the most helpful tools for personal growth. As a 4 friend of mine put it, “the Enneagram shows us that the best of us is also the worst of us.”

Here is a super quick overview of each type and their common nicknames, but please note that each type has so, so, so much depth to explore (there are whole books dedicated to each type and hours of videos on YouTube to enjoy!).

Enneagram Type 1: The Reformer / The Perfectionist. Their basic desire is to be right, good or pure, and their basic fear is of being wrong, bad or corrupt.

Enneagram Type 2: The Helper / The Buddy. Their basic desire is to be wanted, loved or needed, and their basic fear is of being unwanted, unloved or not needed.

Enneagram Type 3: The Achiever / The Performer. Their basic desire is to be successful, admired or worthy, and their basic fear is of being a failure, insignificant or worthless.

Enneagram Type 4: The Romantic / The Individualist. Their basic desire is to find meaning, be extraordinary or find their identity. Their basic fear is of experiencing a life of meaninglessness, being ordinary/boring/common or having no distinct identity.

Enneagram Type 5: The Investigator / The Observer. Their basic desire is to truly understand the world, be competent or be knowledgeable. Their basic fear is of being helpless, overwhelmed by life or incompetent.

Enneagram Type 6: The Oracle / Loyal Skeptic / The Guardian. Their basic desire is to be secure, find certainty, have support or have guidance. Their basic fear is of being without support, of never finding certainty, that perhaps they are unable to survive on their own, or of being taken advantage of.

Enneagram Type 7: The Enthusiast / The Epicure. Their basic desire is to be free, to live a life of interest/excitement or to be fulfilled/satisfied. Their basic fear is that their needs will not/can not be met (either by others or themselves or external stimulus), of being trapped/stuck or of living a boring/painful/uninteresting/unfulfilling life.

Enneagram Type 8: The Challenger / The Protector. Their basic desire is to be strong/avoid weakness, to be in control of their own circumstances and to avoid being harmed by others.  Their basic fear is of being weak/unable to protect themselves, of being controlled by others or of being harmed by others.

Enneagram Type 9: The Peacemaker / The Mediator. Their basic desire is to have inner peace, to avoid conflicts/tension, or to go with the flow/preserve the status quo. Their basic fear is of not being at peace, of being in conflict/tension or of being upset/disturbed by others or circumstances.

Sustainability ideas for each Enneagram type

ENNEAGRAM 1: THE REFORMER / THE PERFECTIONIST

1s are highly competent individuals with a strong internal compass for what is right and wrong (though what one 1 considers to be right or wrong often differs from other 1s… but that’s another discussion for another day). They have an eye for what could be improved or better and are often deeply concerned with justice (my best friend is a 1 and is an absolute force when she’s decided that something needs doing!).

At their best, 1s are wise, principled and discerning, though they often punish themselves internally for making mistakes (and sometimes that punishment leaks out to the rest of us… oops!). There are a lot of 1s involved in the sustainability movement - which makes perfect sense! Type 1s take personal responsibility very seriously.

As one type 1 I know in the sustainability space said, “I think it’s every single person’s responsibility to start turning things around, so it’s hard for me not to be black-and-white or jump on every small injustice I see (stop using plastic water bottles!). But I also have a huge bleeding heart. I rescue dogs, give money to people with signs and have done a lot of volunteer work.”

My best friend is also a 1 and said about her type, “I feel that doing what is right and ethical is of the utmost importance, and so that definitely includes taking care for this planet that we all have to love on together! If everyone doesn’t do their part, that isn’t fair, so I have to make sure I do the best I can (if not a little extra to make up for those who aren’t pulling their weight). I’ve approached sustainability through avenues like being vegan, creating an ethical and sustainable wardrobe, trying to be more minimalistic, making eco-friendly changes in my lifestyle, etc etc. I just have to make sure I don’t hold myself super tightly to being perfect, since sustainability isn’t sustainable for myself if I burn myself out or if I’m not OK with failing sometimes.”

IDEAS FOR 1S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Influence policies and procedures in your arena where they need changing. Think: advocating for fairer hiring practices, fair wages, women in leadership, recycling programs and anti-discrimination laws.

  • Show us how to exercise restraint and self-control when it comes to consuming and being patient with progress. At your best you embody the serene and wise advocate and reformer - pass that strength on to others!

  • Teach others how to do things well and show them why sustainability is so important and how to do it well. You’re probably an excellent teacher and know how to communicate effectively. This could look like showing us how to plan ahead so we never forget our reusables, how to build a capsule wardrobe, how to incorporate Meatless Mondays or how to find a volunteer position that speaks to us. Just make sure you don’t do this when no one is asking for it. 

CHALLENGES 1S MAY FACE

  • Holding yourself and others (people, governments or companies) to impossible standards. The incredible standards 1s hold themselves, others and society to is a double-edged sword. While this does help to keep humanity moving forward, it can also be a stumbling block that makes both the 1 and those around them feel like they can never measure up.

  • Expecting others to do things your way. 1s often find very good ways of accomplishing or fixing things, but can sometimes think their very good way is the only right way.

  • Fixing or trying to perfect things that are “good enough” already. Good enough is often good enough! Recognize that sustainability is a long and nuanced process and every step along the way has its own beauty and should be celebrated for what it is.

ENNEAGRAM 2: THE HELPER / THE BUDDY

2s are warm, helpful and generous individuals who are driven to connect with others and be of service to their loved ones and to the causes they find valuable. At their best they are deeply altruistic and giving, however when less healthy they may struggle with pride and overstepping boundaries. One of my best friends is a 2 and is one of those people I go to most often for advice, encouragement or just a listening ear. What’s awesome is that 2s like it that way! They enjoy carving out a privileged place in the center of social circles to have people coming to them for help as needed. 

(Psst: I need some input from 2s on the way you all approach sustainability. Comment below or email me if you’re a 2 at april@theethicaledit.ca)

IDEAS FOR 2S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Find a volunteer position where you get to interact with others who will be openly and genuinely thankful for your help. This way you avoid depleting your emotional reservoir and are more likely to create a win-win situation! This could look like a million things, but fundraising for your favourite charity or offering a couple hours of pro-bono work to sustainable businesses each month are easily accessible examples!

  • Support your favourite creators, sustainable businesses and activists online. You basically wrote the book on making other people feel good, so share their posts, leave encouraging comments and suggest their pages or products to others to help spread the word about the great things they’re doing.

  • You know all those random gifts and surprises you give your friends and family to brighten their day? Make ‘em sustainable! Find fair trade or eco-friendly versions of those gifts and give them to those you love.

CHALLENGES 2S MAY FACE

  • Saying yes to too many things/causes and exhausting yourself, then becoming resentful that your own needs are not being met (and then becoming aggressive or passive-agressive to those you think should be meeting your needs).

  • Teaching or moralizing to others who aren’t doing things your way.

  • Helping others or causes in ways that are not actually all that helpful, but that make you feel good. Helping is great, but make sure you’ve understood the true needs of the other before jumping in to offer your services. Sometimes what looks like helping to you is actually hurtful or disruptive to others.

ENNEAGRAM 3: THE ACHIEVER / THE PERFORMER

When Enneagram 3s put their mind to something there is no stopping them! My mom and some of my favourite sustainability influencers are 3s and they are such a force for good in the world. 3s are often upbeat, inspiring, self-made and extremely driven to succeed in their chosen arena as they tend to define their worth in terms of what they’re able to do, contribute or accomplish. Healthy 3s are driven to realize their full potential in life, though less healthy 3s can become deceptive as they try to convince the rest of us of their worthiness. As my friend Kate of @ethicallykate put it, “I want to live the best and most fulfilling life possible, and I think living sustainably is that! So I don’t think we are living to our full potential if we aren’t living sustainably and I don’t really think there is another option if we are going to live well and live big! Which makes sense when we think about 3s striving for the best, haha!”

However, they can get side-tracked by others’ opinions of what the “best” means when they’re less healthy. Another 3 who is involved in sustainability, Jill from @jillematthews says “sustainable living isn’t meant to be a popularity contest or acted upon because of peer pressure. It should come from a personal conviction and desire that is free and individual. It doesn’t have to fit a mould and isn’t about perfectionism. It’s about taking action in your own life and living it out freely without pressure! Make it real, personal and authentic to yourself.”

I really like the perspective on authenticity and worthiness that Marina of @blackberrytrees and @unaterra shared: “My journey with environmental sustainability starts with me trying to find my place in the world. I had been asking the question: ‘how can I leave the world better than I found it?’ and the days I help others are the days I feel most worthy of being alive. So the values of being helpful and of use motivate me to fight for justice and bring light to my interactions with others. Also, I feel indebted to the earth for what it has given me, and I am committed to giving of myself and being of service to give back.”

IDEAS FOR 3S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Inspire us! You are dauntless when it comes to sharing the ways you manage to “win” with sustainability, environmentalism and justice, so share away. Many people need to see what is possible and see that someone has gone before them and succeeded, and you can totally offer that sense of possibility.

  • We already know you make excellent entrepreneurs and leaders - so why not try your hand at starting or leading a sustainable business? I bet you’re up for the challenge!

  • Create and distribute truly authentic success markers, like certifications or memberships that can be obtained by achieving a certain level of environmental sustainability or social contribution.

CHALLENGES 3S MAY FACE

  • Overworking yourself in pursuit of appearing to be perfect or the best in your field, or ignoring your true desires in pursuit of what you think will make you look like the best or an exemplar in your field.

  • Becoming deceptive towards yourself or others if you don’t feel you’re measuring up or are facing a failure. Make sure that what you’re sharing with the world in order to inspire us is actually an accurate reflection of your goings-on and don’t worry too much about failure - you and I both know you’ll land on your feet no matter what! 

  • Avoid becoming distracted by status symbols (whatever that means in your social sphere) that detract from your true calling or mission.

ENNEAGRAM 4: THE ROMANTIC / THE INDIVIDUALIST

Self-aware, emotionally honest and sensitive, 4s are often those people who see and appreciate the deep nuance of the human experience. They do an excellent job of making sense of it and communicating their findings through beautiful mediums like art, poetry, or music. At their best they can be profoundly inspired and authentic and draw others towards this ideal as well. However, when less healthy, they can be moody and take everything personally. 

(Again… I need some input from the experts. If you’re a 4, please leave a comment below about your approach to sustainability or email april@theethicaledit.ca).

IDEAS FOR 4S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Show us how to make sustainability beautiful and desirable through repurposing and upcycling items, putting together rad ethical outfits or creating a home oasis out of sustainable and second hand items.

  • Help translate needs, thoughts and feelings between groups who may have a hard time understanding why others are doing what they’re doing or feeling what they’re feeling. You have an uncanny ability to understand humans and their nuance and that is 100% necessary if we are going to move humanity forward.

  • Stand up for those whose struggles are not being acknowledged. You aren’t afraid to dive deep on emotional topics and honor individual experiences. Issues of human rights, religious freedoms and anti-discrimination may be of particular interest to you, and you are probably pretty darn good at explaining these issues to those who don’t get it yet.

CHALLENGES 4S MAY FACE

  • Taking it personally or becoming moody or combative when others don’t respond to your emotional pleas for understanding. More fact-based types may have a difficult time understanding why your way of seeing the world brings such value. But you’ve got this! 

  • Getting lost in your mind palace instead of taking action.

  • Lamenting what could have been or what should be instead of accepting what is and seeing the beauty in the here and now. This can look like criticism, hypocrisy, neediness or unnecessary negativity to others who are trying really hard to do the right thing and affect change but are making mistakes (as humans are prone to do!)

 

ENNEAGRAM 5: THE INVESTIGATOR / THE OBSERVER

5s have an uncanny ability to understand complex or confusing topics  in-depth (cough sustainability cough). When healthy, 5s like Malcom Gladwell do an exceptional job of explaining these topics to the rest of us with enough detail that we can understand the topic well, but with enough brevity that it doesn’t overwhelm us (think of Malcom’s podcast Revisionist History!). We absolutely need 5s leading the charge on discovering the best ways to advance sustainability and explaining those findings to the rest of us! 5s are particularly good at remaining as objective as humanly possible and looking at just the facts, but when less healthy they can be aloof or cold and act superior.

If you’re a 5 and want to share some input on your approach to sustainability, drop a comment below or email april@theethicaledit.ca

IDEAS FOR 5S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Help us make sense of the facts! And no, that doesn’t just mean throwing those facts at people and hoping they get it. Make sure you put it in a format that makes sense to those who are new, uninformed, skeptical and/or have incorrect preconceived ideas.

  • Come up with creative solutions to big problems. You have so much ingenuity swirling in your mind - we need more of that!

  • Show us the cool, unexplored and novel aspects of sustainability that we may not know about yet. We know you ended up in some weird corner of the internet at 2am last night… show us what you found in a fun and creative format! 

CHALLENGES 5S MAY FACE

  • Acting intellectually superior. While you most likely do know more than everyone else in the room about your topic of interest, be sure to communicate your facts and ideas in a way that avoids belittling those who don’t know as much.

  • Worrying that you have missed an important detail that will inevitably make you look incompetent when you share your findings, and therefore avoiding sharing anything at all. Honestly, you probably know 34652938 times more about the topic than everyone else. If you miss one thing, it’s fine!

  • Becoming cynical, detached, argumentative and/or aggressive when others fail to respond to your facts and teachings the way you want them to.

 

ENNEAGRAM 6: THE ORACLE / THE LOYAL SKEPTIC / THE GUARDIAN

Capturing the essence of type 6 is tricky because while all 6s are primarily motivated by the need to find some form of security or certainty, what security or certainty looks like is often different for every 6! I really like the way the book Millenniagram by Hannah Paasch describes their essence: as an all-seeing Oracle. 6s have the ability to see all possible outcomes for a given scenario, and at their best they synthesize and filter this information to become excellent decision makers, problem-solvers and advice-givers. However, when less healthy they can overthink any topic or decision all day long or become aggressive or stubborn if they think someone/something/some idea is going to damage their source of security. 

So anyway, in sticking with the idea that a lack of security in one form or another is their main concern, it makes sense that one 6 who replied to me on Instagram put it this way: “the idea that there is no planet B is terrifying and is enough to motivate me!”

The fear of eventually running out of resources or of being taken advantage of by large corporations or corrupt governments is often a driving force for 6s who, despite generally desiring support, security and/or certainty, are incredibly skilled at living and thinking independently because many 6s don’t trust many people (there’s a reason people say 6s are a bundle of contradictions!). This ability to be independent thinkers often makes 6s truth tellers who know how to speak truth to power and see what’s hidden in a given agenda, marketing campaign, contract etc. Speaking of being independent, a friend I know who is an Enneagram 6 built her own tiny home!

IDEAS FOR 6S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Dig into topics around honesty and integrity vs deception and transparency. Think greenwashing, labor laws and cultural appropriation. You often notice things others don’t and are well-suited to uncovering shady business practices.

  • Build community and draw others into the sustainability movement! At your best, you do an exceptional job of making others feel included in your crew. Put that to good use and show others that there really are a lot of like-minded people doing this work and that banding together really can create change. 6s can also be wildly funny (many comedians are 6s), which helps put big, scary issues into a palatable form.

  • Stick up for the underdog. You tend to identify readily with underdog causes and are a total force when it comes to speaking truth to power. Think anti-racism, LGBTQ2IA+ advocacy and worker’s rights.

CHALLENGES 6S MAY FACE

  • Analysis paralysis or overthinking/doubting yourself and which actions you should take. 

  • Groupthink (going along with the pack) or anti-groupthink (rejecting the pack just because it’s a pack). Try to make sure you’re letting the merits of a given idea, company or thought stand on its own, regardless of what others are or aren’t saying about it.

  • Taking aim at or leading a mutiny against people or companies who are a perceived authority even if they haven’t actually done anything wrong or have made an understandable error.

ENNEAGRAM 7: THE ENTHUSIAST / THE EPICURE

7s are enthusiastic visionaries who tend to be multi-talented and fast-moving. They are often experts at making big problems feel solvable and making others feel welcomed, and may be realistic truth-tellers and nuance-seekers (often with a side of humor and sarcasm). They often have an easy confidence and self-empowerment that others find inspiring and helps keeps people and projects moving. 7s are often able to cut through the clutter and envision a better future, even if hope seems lost to the rest of us. But, as with other numbers, a 7s big energy can also be their downfall. They may struggle with excess or become scattered and flighty. But, if you ever need someone to hype you up and make you believe in yourself and your ability to take charge of your big dreams or change the world, find a 7!

IDEAS FOR 7S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Organize a fun event that gives back - like a beach cleanup! You get instant gratification, can hang out with a group of like-minded people and get to be on the beach. Win-win-win! (And if that beach cleanup goes well, organize a few more!). A similar idea is organizing a yoga class that donates all proceeds to charity.

  • Volunteer at an animal shelter. You hate the suffering of others almost as much as you hate your own suffering. Put that protective streak to good use and help out the innocent! Better yet, find a shelter or sanctuary overseas in a country you’ve been dying to visit and help out there.

  • Try all the weird new sustainable products that freak other people out (but not you - wacky novel things are kind-of your jam) and share your honest findings to help others choose how they want to proceed with their own sustainability journey.

CHALLENGES 7S MAY FACE

  • Avoiding the topic of sustainability altogether because it’s difficult or unpleasant. Remember: if anyone knows how to reframe such a challenging topic to make it feel possible, it’s you! Put that gift to use!

  • Over-consuming unethical products (or even over-consuming ethical products… which can become unethical if done too much).

  • Judging others who haven’t changed their ways once you believe you’ve moved past your issues with indulgence, avoidance and the like.

ENNEAGRAM 8: THE CHALLENGER / THE PROTECTOR

The 8s I know in the sustainability space tend to focus heavily on social justice. As one 8 friend, Tara from @misstarateng put it, “we’re the justice warriors!” 8s are confident, bold and powerful and know how to speak the truth even when no one else will and take on the big, scary issues in the world while barely breaking a sweat. Beyond that, underneath their big, boisterous exterior, there is a soft, gooey heart that just wants everyone to be protected and safe. At their best, 8s empower and protect others, but when less healthy can accidentally control or bulldoze others. Tom Lahue, one of my favourite Enneagram YouTubers, talks about how many 8s work in fields like social work and go into fields that involve looking after those who can’t care for themselves, such as children and animals.

IDEAS FOR 8S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Become an activist or advocate for a human rights issue that affects the most vulnerable and that gives you the chance to power up and affect change in a big way. Think homelessness, child labor, forced labor, anti-racism or human trafficking.

  • Speak the truth with kindness and compassion on tough issues where others may find those conversations difficult or intimidating. As much as you know how to have hard conversations, you also know how to access a deep well of compassion and empathy and make others feel understood, safe and seen.

  • Encourage and empower others to take action on their sustainability journey! You know how to just get started and figure it out along the way and how to help others feel confident to do the same. 

CHALLENGES 8S MAY FACE

  • Becoming combative when you perceive someone as an oppressor, even if they’re making an honest mistake and just need a gentle correction. Slow down and ask yourself if it’s possible that they don’t actually realize the effect they’re having on others. Try to point this out with kindness.

  • Powering up to try to help everyone or do everything or tackle every issue you come across, but burning yourself out in the process (I know, I know. You think you can do it all. I’m here to tell you that no, you can’t, and you need to chill the fuck out sometimes and give your body and brain a god damned break. Pacing yourself is protecting yourself!).

  • Drawing attention to difficult topics without considering whether or not others are in a mental and emotional space to handle such disturbing ideas. Thanksgiving dinner is not the place to bring up the horrors of human trafficking when Aunt Sue is already sad because her dog just died, ok?


ENNEAGRAM 9: THE PEACEMAKER

My husband, my sister, one of my closest friends and one of my favourite sustainability influencers, Olivia (@thesimplyliv on Instagram), are 9s. The common thread I’ve noticed here? They all tend naturally towards slow, sometimes even minimal living (even if they wouldn’t necessarily call it minimalism). They are deeply caring and can see multiple sides to any given situation and often bring with them a sense of calm and serenity. However 9s can also get too invested in their sense of serenity and refuse to acknowledge difficult or upsetting topics.

I really like the way Olivia from @thesimplyliv described what it’s like to be a 9 in the sustainability space: “I’m able to balance caring deeply about the big issues AND seeing multiple perspectives on that issue. I’m drawn to the ways each person, with their unique skill set and perspective, can combat the problems plaguing our planet and therefore make a change collectively. Inspiring incremental and lasting change through lifestyle changes is my jam. There is room for everyone to contribute!”

IDEAS FOR 9S TO GET INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Show us the beauty of living a slow or minimal lifestyle. Many people have a hard time imagining the benefits of this (thanks, capitalism…) or how to do it well, but you do it naturally and with a seeming ease. Teach us your ways!

  • Help others to understand each other and explain differing perspectives on hot-button topics like sustainability, social justice and environmentalism in a way that makes sense to them. You have an uncanny ability to understand all perspectives and make others feel seen and heard while also introducing them to a concept they may not have considered before.

  • Invite others into the movement! You help to make things feel possible.

CHALLENGES 9S MAY FACE

  • Struggling to start positive changes or avoiding change altogether. 9s often report that they struggle with inertia - which means continuing in a present state unless that state is changed by an external force. So if you’re already on a roll, you will likely keep going. But if you slow down or stop you may struggle to get going again.

  • Avoiding tackling the difficult topics or avoiding difficult conversations out of fear of conflict or interpersonal tension.

  • Going along with the group or being influenced by others, some of whom may appear to have good intentions but will actually take advantage of others who are trusting (cough greenwashing cough).

See this social icon list in the original post

If you found this interesting or helpful and want to learn more about the Enneagram, here are a few more resources you can check out:

Millenniagram

By Hanna Paasch

Irreverent, fun, fast and down-to-earth, this book gives you a quick overview of the types with more modern language than some of the other books out there. I should note that this book is pretty simplified (almost over-simplified at times) and not suited to deep dives, but if you’re after an interesting self-help guide that can be read on your deck while you sip a cold one, this is a good read.

The Road Back to You

By Ian Morgan Cron

A simple, straightforward read that is funny, compassionate and focused on helping people become the best versions of themselves, this is one of my favorite Enneagram resources.

9 Types of Leadership

By Beatrice Chestnut, PhD

One of my all-time favourites, I find this book highly practical for developing our effectiveness at work. Chestnut lays out what each type is like as a leader and as an employee and how to best work with each. If you’re in a position of leadership or wish to be one day, I can’t recommend this enough.

The Complete Enneagram

By Beatrice Chestnut, PhD.

This book goes deep. Chestnut breaks down each type into three “subtypes” based on “instinctual variants” - basically how or where each type directs their form of attention and energy. This is one of my favorite resources for learning about the Enneagram. While it can get a little wordy at times, it is more than worth the read in my opinion.

The enneagram, a christian perspective

By Richard Rohr and Andreas Ebert

The Enneagram was popularized in North America in Christian Circles, and this is one of the more widely-used and well-respected books out there. It goes pretty deep and incorporates Christian teachings and values into descriptions and lessons for each type.