The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues: Finding the Way Home (Hardcover)

by Sandra Maitri (Author) "This book is not simply about the enneagram..." (more)
Key Phrases: egoic sense, fear corner, affective atmosphere, Point Nine, Point Three, Point Six (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“In this second book on the enneagram by Sandra Maitri, she succeeds again, and in a more effective way, in showing how the enneagram is—more than anything else—a tool for inner transformation. She achieves this in a new way, one that illuminates the basic and subtle aspects on the path of transformation.”
—A. H. Almaas --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
How the mysterious nine-pointed symbol of the enneagram illuminates the worst pitfalls and highest virtues of our psyches.

The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues elucidates human experience beyond the personality structure. In the tradition of the enneagram, the Virtues are said to be the affective atmosphere that replaces the compulsive and reactive emotional patterns-called the Passions-as one becomes freer of the ego.

Sandra Maitri shows how the shift in our consciousness, or soul, from being informed by the Passions to being informed by the Virtues, is one of the hallmarks of inner development. In this book, Maitri explores how our awareness of the Passions, in turn, leads to the manifestation of the Virtues. This shift supports rowth on the level of personality as well as on the level of what is beyond-Being, or True Nature.

Maitri is widely known as one of the most literate and indepth writers and teachers on the uses of the enneagram as a tool of inner development. In this book she provides what can be for some an entry into inner work, and for others, who have been engaged in the journey for a longer time, a uniquely incisive explication of concepts they may have missed.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher; First edition first printing. edition (May 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585424064
• ISBN-13: 978-1585424061
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #323,793 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE NEXT STEP, November 8, 2007

By	A. Ensor (Minneapolis, Mn) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues: Finding the Way Home (Hardcover)

I read this book about two years ago so unfortunately it is not fresh in my memory. However, the book did make a big impression on me at the time and I have frequently recommended it to others who have just begun their enneagram inquiries. I had previously read three books written by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson (Personality types, Understanding the Enneagram, and another less impressive I can't remember the title...). I found that "The Enneagram of passions and virtues" was the perfect next-step in learning about the enneagram. Each chapter more profound than the next, everything tying together beautifully. The author basically underlines nine virtues and nine passions- She goes into decent detail over the pairing of these virtues and passions. She says that she has found that most people relate most frequently with one of these pairs of virtues and passions. An example of this would be "Envy vs. Equanimity" or "Fear Vs. Courage". I really recommend this book to someone new to the enneagram, someone who is looking to dig a little deeper. This begins with basic psychology, like Riso and Hudson, but goes beyond into the realm of the spiritual and existential (which, if you continue looking into the enneagram you are going to find its roots in spirituality anyway.) This book really helped me to understand myself and others, also what to do with the information in Riso and Hudson's books.

Another really great thing about this book is that it was much more of a gateway into this topic because it had so many great sources that after I finished reading this book I knew exactly where to go next. I was able to trace some of the roots and history of the enneagram as well as read other authors (such as Claudio Naranjo and Gurdjieff) who have written a great deal about the enneagram.

Finally, one criticism I do have about this book is that... well.... it was a bit cheesy. It seemed like the author would ocassionally go off for a few pages about how you can let your heart go free and let your soul go and move towards the light of ever-loving majestic type crap. I didn't really mind it at the time I was reading it, but it was a bit of a turn off. I guess it was just a bit excessive.

All in all, wonderful amazing book for the right person at the right time. Highly recommended to enneagram beginners. This book can be very intense and really open your eyes to human behavior and human intentions. It can really open you eyes and wake you up. This is a good thing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual view of the Enneagram, March 16, 2009

By	John Hempstead (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Reading Sandra Maitri is a little like wading through dark waters with gems in the creek bed. Reading is not quick and easy, but there are many rewards if you persist. I highly recommend any works of Sandra Maitri.

6 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Freudean Enneagram, July 27, 2005

By	Douglas O. Hammed (San Mateo, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Excellent review with a Freudean twist of the "Seven Deadly + 2 Sins". Was hoping for more insight of the underlying processes inherent in the Enneagram symbol that Gurdjieff, Bennett, Ouspensky and Vollmer discuss and how that relates to traversing the Enneagon.