Customer Reviews

The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul

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3 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(4)

 

 

Sandra Maitri's "The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram" is, without doubt, the most insightful and meaningful book on the enneagram I have read. However, I must also agree with Ms. Maitri's own comments elsewhere on this page and caution potential readers that this is not a "beach read" and is best suited as reading for those who are seriously ready-- and honestly ABLE-- to take a deeper look at their own psycho-spiritual essence and soul. This is not a pop-psychology "personality typing" book, but rather a valuable guide for people-- "seekers"-- on their journey of self-discovery, transformation and self-realization.

Yes, the book DOES touch on the "Nine Points" of the enneagram in the "personality type" context most people know it, and it covers the psychological aspects of the different "types." The majority of "The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram" is dedicated to a thorough discussion of each of the nine enneagram points, examining the way each has "lost touch" with its essence or "Holy Idea;" describing the psychological and environmental circumstances for these losses, and then offering guidance on how to recover the part of the self that has been lost. That is an oversimplification, of course, as there is SO much more here. Maitri takes us on a spiritual journey that comes as close as ANY contemporary writer to reaching the origins of the enneagram as a system for integrating the nine ASPECTS (as opposed to personality "TYPES") of human consciousness into a whole and self-actualized person. And, in taking that journey, readers must be prepared to look "beneath the surface" and examine some of the "not so nice" (or "shadow" aspects) of their beings. Whereas the insights offered are often profound, they may also be a bit disturbing to some readers-- in the sense one would feel "disturbed" by a writer's ability to describe parts of one's psyche that has never been shared with anyone else.

The term "sprituality" by no means makes this a "religious" book-- an angle I generally avoid in a psychology and self-help context. Instead, it is a book about understanding and healing our souls, regardless of religious orientation.

Final thoughts: HIGHLY recommended (10 out of 10 possible bookmarks), possibly the best enneagram related book I have read in 10+ years! Definitely a book for the "serious student;" familiarity with the enneagram and the process of objective self-scrutiny is STRONGLY suggested (if not *essential*)-- as is a strong vocabulary and knowledge of the finer nuances of the English language. A gem of a book, but NOT for the faint of heart.

Thanks for reading,

--Peter

This book connects the nine points and shows how they all fit into a great spiritual whole in a way that no other book does. As Geneen Roth says in the intro, I already KNOW all of these things about myself, and while there is some comfort in seeing a pattern, what am I supposed to do with this info? Am I to be stuck forever as a discontented four? This book shows how transformation is possible and how each point represents an aspect of the divine unfolding. It lifts the Enneagram above the pop psyc level where you just find out who is compatible with whom. Well written, wonderful style.

I am a big fan of this book and find that it compliments the work of Riso and Hudson, Helen Palmer and others. The book has a lot of depth! The insights that Sandra Maitri illuminates regarding each ennea-type are expressed beautifully although not always in the most sensitive manner.

A can see where a lot of people would have resistance to this book because it unmasks the shadow side of the personality. However, this is precisely what the Enneagram is concerned with. Basically, it's about the different ways one can be an ego in the world and when you look deeply, this isn't very pretty to look at. I admire her for not sugar-coating what each type is about. The first time I read about my type, I laughed and at other times felt like crying.

Maitri does not take as scientific an approach as Riso and Hudson. However, this does not mean there is not a lot of value here. Shakespeare did not take a scientific approach to love, but he certainly had a lot of insight into it and there is much to be learned about life by reading his plays. Similarly, one can learn a lot about the various ennea-types, ennea-type dynamics and how all of this might be related to spirituality.

A lot of the knowledge contained in this book comes out of the work of Ichazo, Naranjo and A. H. Almaas. I have read Almaas' book on the Enneagram and I actually think that Maitri does a better job of presenting the types than he did. While I think she is appropriately introspective and interpretive, I don't find she is so speculative as to lose credibility with a less esoteric audience.

In short, this book combines psychology and spirituality in a plausible integration that has stood the test of time with respect to an empirically developed model. I think this is part of the value that Maitri offers. Riso and Hudson looked at the Enneagram more clinically and developmentally. They scratched the surface of the spiritual dimension, but Maitri expands on it. This isn't a treatise on Physics, it's a soulful look at the Enneagram.

Personally, I find this book to be very useful. While it is difficult to admit, I think she nailed my type and I have found what she wrote about the dynamics of other types to be true. In fact, I have taken Enneagram assessment classes and talked about her ideas with different types and they seem to agree. While a lot of people are triggered by what they read in her book, at the same time they seem to recognize the validity of it. She says a lot of the same things Helen Palmer, Riso and Hudson and others have said, but she takes it further and deeper in some ways. This makes her book a unique and valuable contribution, especially for people who have already read the other author's books.

Even if you are not someone who believes in the validity of the Enneagram, this is a thought provoking read. It will cause you to deeply inquire into your own personality dynamics and those of the people around you.

If you are looking for a good general book to get started in exploring the Enneagram, then I recommend the Wisdom of the Enneagram by Riso and Hudson. This is a very well-balanced introduction to Enneagram theory and how you can use it for your own personal growth. These authors take a more mainstream approach and have done much work to validate the Enneagram model clinically. At the same time, they honor the spiritual dimension of it without diving into the spiritual specifics in great depth.

If I were only going to own two Enneagram books, the Wisdom of the Enneagram and the Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram would be my two "must haves." The former book leans in the direction of psychology and the latter goes deeper into spirit where Riso and Hudson stop. On the other hand, Riso and Hudson have other books that go deeper into the various psychological levels of the Enneagram model and map them back to DSM type classifications of psychological disorders. Again... the books are complimentary, they offer depth, but Riso and Hudson do it more from within a psychological framework. Maitri trys to go beyond this by exploring the spiritual dynamics that give rise to the psychological propensities of the various types.

I am a a student of the Enneagram and of many spiritual methods. This is one of the best books I have ever read about how the soul lives, breathes, and transforms. Ms. Maitri presents an immense amount of spiritual knowledge in mapping the spirtual facets of the Enneagram. She does this with a clarity reminiscent of Almaas himself (the highest compliment!). Her writing is earthy and simple with an underlying humility that I find evocative of the most realized teachers. The presence of True Nature and a deep wisdom accompany her words, which is often missing in spiritual writing; in other words, she KNOWS what she is talking about. If you have ever read Ken Wilber and others and wished they could be a bit more precise, you must read this book. I am so appreciative and grateful that such a book has been written. It will be a cherished resource in my life far into the future.

If you are a serious student of the Enneagram, this book is a "must read." With a clear insight into workings of the human mind and heart, Donna Maitri communicates not only an in-depth description of the personality types of the Enneagram, but also leads the serious student to some very valuable tools to work through and out of the habit of the personality.

It is a book you will want to read, and re-read many times. I stongly encourage the reader to follow her advice and resist the temptation to read only the chapters on your own type. The material is presented in a very thoughtful order and reading the book from cover to cover increases is value tenfold.

More than any other book on the Enneagram, this book has opened in me, a place of compassionate understanding for others habits of personality as well as my own.

Sandra Maitri's book is deeply insightful. It is a book that I return to again and again for glimpses into myself and others. It is "the" essential book on the Enneagram. In the work of self-knowledge, I have not found a more useful text that examines the wounding and personality formation that colors our projections, and thus how we see the world.

It is a wonderful book to travel with. Out of our mundane context, with time to reflect, we have the opportunity to see ourselves more clearly. Maitri's book can help put the proper emphasis on the constellation of our characteristics. It also provides insight into our partnerships and relationships as we struggle to understand each other.

It is a work of love and compassion.

Refreshing synthesis of psychology and spirituality-far more depth than the popular enneagram books, which leave you wanting (most other books are introductory by comparison). Very readable and accessible. After having bought so many books through Amazon, this is the first book I am compelled to recommend.

In truth I'm still getting through this quite good read. It isn't an easy read however, and for me (not an academic or an expert on the Enneagram) its proved difficult to assimilate at times. Having said that I have found it interesting and informative, with great detail for each of the nine enneagramic numbers. Having read other books re. The Enneagram I particularly wanted the spiritual side of this remarkable 'tool' to be explored. The author certainly does this with good effect and I look forward to delving into the book more and more as I become familiar with the subject matter....alas for me that will take some time !

If you're already familiar with the enneagram of personality types and want to go beneath the surface a little more; then this is probably going to be a useful book for you.
If you've never heard of the enneagram then books such as "Discovering your Personality Type" or "The Wisdom of The Enneagram", (both are by Riso & Hudson), might be a better place to start. As these books provide much more explicit ways to determine which type you may be.
Some knowledge of the principles of Eastern spiritual philosophy is also helpful. The author proceeds with the belief that the personality is not who we are but that it is a superficial veneer that sits on top of our true essence. It is this that really separates the book from others on this topic.
While most enneagram books attempt to describe in detail how our personalities operate. This book attempts to describe how they get built up from early childhood and subsequently how we can begin to free ourselves from our compulsive behaviours. As such it feels like a much deeper and substantial work. It is also a more nuanced approach but because of this it is a more difficult read and requires more effort to understand.

This book revealed things to me that I did not know about myself but which immediately rang true. For me it also compliments other disciplines of self examination such as meditation.

A remarkable book.

There are a lot on Enneagram books on the market, but this one is the only one I've felt really attuned to. I saw my"self" quite clearly in its descriptions, but without needing to further justify, defend, hate or identify with the ego structures I observed. That's saying rather a lot.

This is not just a parlor book of personality types. Rather, it goes into some real depths...even beyond the ego structures that have usurped people's sense of self. It's not an airy-fairy book (no holds barred when it comes to pointing out the powerfully obstructive nature of our identities), but it also presents real hope for returning to the soul level of self...and eventually to true nature. As Patanjali might have said, where there appears to be distortion, there is that which was never distorted--that which is just waiting to be rediscovered in its purity.