The Wisdom of the Enneagram and Understanding Yourself Is a Superpower
- Brainz Magazine
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Diana Arlett is a holistic therapist, writer, and public policy advocate. She is the Author of Align with Purpose; Awaken to Your True Calling, published in 2023, and founder of the Aligned Method, a life coaching program designed to help people tap into their truest essence and live authentically in a state of abundance.
Over the past two decades, the most significant thing I have learned is the importance self-knowledge plays in our personal development journey. Understanding yourself is truly a superpower; perhaps the most powerful one you have. It is the cornerstone of personal development because it creates the foundation for meaningful, lasting growth, forcing us to look at ourselves, accept our humanness, and establish a foundation from which we can build ourselves into the person we wish to become.
When we understand our instincts, values, motivations, fears, and habitual patterns, we gain the clarity needed to make intentional choices rather than living on autopilot. 90% of what we do in a conscious state is a product of our subconscious programming. Until we are willing to really delve into it and cultivate more intimacy with ourselves, it is impossible to truly evolve.
Without self-awareness, we risk pursuing goals that don't align with who we truly are, repeating unhelpful patterns, or blaming external circumstances for internal struggles. With it, we can identify areas for improvement, build emotional resilience, and create deeper, more authentic relationships. Ultimately, self-knowledge empowers us to live with greater purpose, integrity, and fulfillment.
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for self-knowledge and spiritual growth because it helps uncover the core motivations, fears, and desires that drive behaviors. Rather than focusing on surface-level traits, the Enneagram identifies nine fundamental personality types, each with distinct patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting.
How enneagram supports self-awareness and spiritual development
1. Deep self-knowledge
The Enneagram brings clarity to:
Core motivations: Why you do what you do.
Automatic patterns: How you react under stress or insecurity.
Blind spots: Unconscious habits that limit your growth.
This awareness invites conscious choice rather than reactive living.
2. Inner transformation
True transformation begins with honest self-observation. The Enneagram doesn’t just describe your type it offers a path of integration and growth. Each type has a higher potential and spiritual essence it can move toward when healthy.
3. Compassion for others
Understanding that everyone operates from different core fears and desires fosters empathy. The Enneagram teaches that no type is better than another; each has gifts and challenges. This insight softens judgment and deepens relationships.
4. Spiritual awakening
Each type reveals what we mistakenly rely on for a sense of self. As we release these ego fixations, we reconnect with our true essence, which many spiritual traditions describe as the divine image within. This involves setting firm boundaries with people who compromise your self-respect or try to rewrite your personal story into something more palatable to them.
For example:
Type 4 (The Individualist) learns that their worth doesn’t depend on being unique or special.
Type 3 (The Achiever) realizes they are valuable beyond what they produce.
Type 9 (The Peacemaker) awakens to their presence and voice.
5. A map, not a box
The Enneagram isn’t about labeling or limiting yourself; it’s a dynamic system that reflects where you are on the journey from ego to essence. Used wisely, it becomes a sacred mirror, reflecting both your shadow and your light.
Here's an overview of the 9 Enneagram types and their corresponding spiritual growth paths, highlighting what each type must awaken to move beyond ego and reconnect with their true essence:
1. The reformer
Core drive: To be good, right, and ethical.
Spiritual growth: Letting go of perfectionism and accepting imperfection in themselves and others leads to serenity and the grace of divine perfection.
2. The helper
Core drive: To be loved and needed.
Spiritual growth: Releasing the need to earn love through service reveals their inherent worth and opens the heart to divine, unconditional love.
3. The achiever
Core drive: To be successful and admired.
Spiritual growth: Letting go of image and performance allows authentic self-worth to emerge, reconnecting them to the divine presence that values being overdoing.
4. The individualist
Core drive: To find identity and be unique.
Spiritual growth: Releasing attachment to emotional intensity and specialness uncovers a deep connection to the present moment and the beauty of ordinary being.
5. The investigator
Core drive: To understand and be competent.
Spiritual growth: Surrendering the need to withhold and overanalyze opens them to emotional richness and divine abundance, reminding them they are already whole.
6. The loyalist
Core drive: To feel safe and supported.
Spiritual growth: Trusting in a deeper inner guidance and divine security dissolves fear and builds faith in life’s unfolding.
7. The enthusiast
Core drive: To avoid pain and be happy.
Spiritual growth: Embracing stillness and presence allows them to discover true joy, not in distraction, but in the fullness of the now.
8. The challenger
Core Drive: To be strong and in control.
Spiritual Growth: Surrendering control and softening the heart uncovers vulnerability and divine strength rooted in love, not force.
9. The peacemaker
Core drive: To maintain harmony and avoid conflict.
Spiritual growth: Awakening to their own desires and voice reconnects them with divine presence and their essential role in the world.
You can take the test for free here:
Remember, this is just one tool that can be helpful for developing more self-awareness, propelling you forward and aiding you to reach new heights.
Read more from Diana Liliana Arlett
Diana Liliana Arlett, Holistic Therapist, Writer, and Public Policy Advocate
Diana Arlett is a leader in holistic and spiritual wellness. She has an impressive background in strategic planning, business, and law and has completed a broad range of certifications in yoga, pilates, hypnotherapy, life coaching, cognitive behavioural therapy, personal training, and sports nutrition. Having worked for years as a public policy specialist across the three tiers of Australian Government, she now guides people to tap into their natural gifts and talents to create an abundant and fulfilling life.
