The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The figure of the enneagram is made up of an inner triangle linking Points Nine, Six, and Three, and an outer shape formed by the..." (more)
Key Phrases: egoic reality, deficient emptiness, personal unfoldment, Holy Idea, True Nature, Holy Love (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Possesses a depth and completeness that I find missing in the existing enneagram literature. -- A. H. Almaas, author of Essence and Facets of Unity

Product Description

A groundbreaking exploration of the spiritual dimension of working with the enneagram by one of its earliest students and teachers in America.

Here is one of the first books to explore in an authentic and comprehensive way the original spiritual dimension of the enneagram. Among the most knowledgeable teachers of the enneagram in America, Sandra Maitri shows how the enneagram not only reveals our personalities, but illuminates a basic essence within each of us. She shows how traversing the inner territory particular to our ennea-type can bring us profound fulfillment and meaning, as well as authentic spiritual development.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585420816
• ISBN-13: 978-1585420810
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,926 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're ready for some "deep exploration," READ THIS BOOK!, November 13, 2003

By	Peter Messerschmidt "denmarkguy" (Port Townsend, WA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best E book- takes the E out of the pop psyc realm, April 8, 2000

By	Amazoniac (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul (Hardcover)

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.

62 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul (Hardcover)

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.