The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types by Don Richard Riso, Russ Hudson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types
Book Review: There is true wisdom in this book
Summary: 5 Stars
I have now read and re-read this book over several years. The observationally-based Enneagram system it describes for understanding yourself and others is almost scarey in its accuracy and usefulness. Last summer I attended a one-week Level 1 training offered by the two authors (Don Riso and Russ Hudson). Even after all that exposure to the Ennegram material, I still find this book bears re-reading again and again. I give this book my highest recommendation to anyone who is a student of human nature. Book Review: Misuse of the Logo of Everything Existing
Summary: 1 Stars
The use of the Enneagram in the way this and other books teach is a complete fraud. It is a travesty of a very holy diagram. This typology was invented by certain self declared "hasnamussian" teachers at Esalen and elsewhere who had no contact with anyone in the chain of teachers directly from Gurdjieff. The Enneagram is a cosmic diagram more akin to what astrophysisists work with. In the beginning was the Enneagram...the Logo.
It would not matter if it lead people to the real thing, but most seem satisfied with the dreams of growth this false system gives.
If you read this, be advised that the Enneagram was given by G. I. Gurdjieff, it was unknown and has not been found anywhere except where he first promulgated it. This was as he is quoted by P.D. Ouspensky in 'In Search of the Miraculous'. Any materials published from the circles authentically maintaining this remarkable teaching of The Fourth Way ever use the diagram as a system of personality types.
Book Review: What's your number from a whole new dimension
Summary: 5 Stars
The enneagram is a tool for growth if you're looking for excellent pointers for further self-growth. In addition to the standard Myers-Briggs and True Colors testing, knowing if you're an "8" with a "7" wing can add enhanced awareness to your life planning in career, relationships, etc. This is not a replacement for counselling but a form of personality profiling for development and healing. If you have taken career testing, such as a vocational aptitude and strong interest inventory assessment, the enneagram can help you consolidate all this data you know or don't know about yourself. Highly recommended for anyone whose committed to knowing their blindspots and working to increase their natural competencies for a fulfilled life.Book Review: Good Introduction to the Psychological & Spiritual Enneagram
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Wisdom of the Enneagram" is one of the better introductions to this popular personality typing and growth system, but the book actually offers a lot more than you'd expect from a general text on the enneagram. Unlike most books on the subject, it offers exploration of both the psychological AND spiritual sides of the enneagram and, with the inclusion of Riso & Hudson's useful system of "Levels of Development," it is a fairly complete learning tool for newcomers and advanced students, alike. As a student of the enneagram for a dozen-odd years, if I were to recommend a *single* book of lasting value for someone wanting to gain an understanding of the enneagram, this one would be near the top of the list.
Part I-- "The Inward Journey"-- approaches the enneagram from a historical and general informational perspective. This section includes a brief-- but quite accurate-- self test, as well as thumbnail descriptions of each of the nine enneagram types. The rest of the section covers topics to help the reader understand the basics of personality, essence, ego and awareness. The authors also explain the interactions and parallels between the enneagram and other personality theories. The section concludes with a primer on the "mechanics" of the enneagram, including the concepts of "Wings," "Instinctual Variants," "Levels of Development" and "Integration and Disintegration."
Part II consists of nine chapters, each one covering a corresponding enneagram type, in depth. For those who don't already know their type, each chapter begins with a fairly detailed set of questions to help the reader determine if he/she resonates with that type. The authors then describe the type and its associated issues in considerable detail, with separate sections to show the differences caused by a predominant "wing," and by a person's "instinctual variant." Although self-tests (and even online "quizzes") can be helpful in determining type, by far the most accurate and reliable way to be certain is to read detailed type descriptions to see which has the strongest feeling of "rightness." The descriptions offered here are quite comprehensive, and are expanded through adding Riso & Hudson's system of "Levels of Development" for greater "granularity." Each type-chapter then progresses to describing the underlying "issues" facing that type, along with guidelines to the "paths to growth." Whereas these sometimes feel a bit "mechanical" to me, and perhaps are not the most thorough I have seen, they are certainly quite adequate to start readers on a path of personal development.
Part III-- "Tools for Transformation"-- is somewhat brief, but does a respectable job of introducing the spiritual aspects of the enneagram. The section includes "type-appropriate" considerations in choosing and following a spiritual practice, and talks about ways in which each type can get trapped by their fixation. There is also a brief discussion of transcending ego and personality, and how to find our essence, which will lead to a state of inner peace.
Final thoughts: Highly Recommended (9 out of a possible 10 bookmarks) as an excellent introduction to the enneagram, with enough in-depth material to help students quite a long way along their journey to self-actualization. Whereas the authors' backgrounds in the more psychological traditions of the enneagram (as a "personality typing tool") are often evident, the inclusion of spiritual material makes this a highly worthwhile read.
Thanks for reading!
Book Review: Welcome insight
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never reviewed a book on Amazon before, though I have bought plenty. This says a little of how useful this edition has been to me. I am in a loving relationship that is under a lot of stress and I have been bewildered about why we do the things we do to each other when it is obvious that they are not what we want to be to each other. This book gave me some insight into why and more importantly, how to change. I hope I didn't find it too late...