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A review by allisonjpmiller
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Suzanne Stabile, Ian Morgan Cron
5.0
Knowing my Myers-Briggs type never did much for me. Knowing my Enneagram number has deepened my self-awareness, given me practical and specific tools for growth, and helped me better understand people who are wired entirely differently than me.
Part of what makes this ancient personality typing system so compelling is the fact that your number is not a static description of yourself; it's a spectrum you're constantly engaging with as you learn to recognize the behavioral patterns, coping mechanisms, and ways of seeing the world (both healthy and unhealthy) that are rooted in your number... and how they evolve as you do. The idea that your greatest strength is simply a conquered/integrated version of your greatest weakness—i.e., your struggles and victories emerge from two sides of the same coin—fascinates me, and echoes wisdom found across many spiritual traditions. Meanwhile, reading up on the other numbers tends to inspire a needed dose of compassion for people that might otherwise frustrate and/or mystify you. Since becoming familiar with the nine Enneagram types, I've largely stopped asking the question "How could anyone think that way?"
Cron and Stabile don't bother getting into niche Enneagram topics here, like the instincts, subtypes, or levels of development. For that kind of depth, check out any of the more detailed tomes written on the topic by Riso/Hudson or Richard Rohr. Instead, this is an accessible, well-organized primer on the basics—one I know I'll be referencing in abundance, and no doubt handing off to friends and family left and right. (Bonus: It's also laugh-out-loud funny in places.)
Part of what makes this ancient personality typing system so compelling is the fact that your number is not a static description of yourself; it's a spectrum you're constantly engaging with as you learn to recognize the behavioral patterns, coping mechanisms, and ways of seeing the world (both healthy and unhealthy) that are rooted in your number... and how they evolve as you do. The idea that your greatest strength is simply a conquered/integrated version of your greatest weakness—i.e., your struggles and victories emerge from two sides of the same coin—fascinates me, and echoes wisdom found across many spiritual traditions. Meanwhile, reading up on the other numbers tends to inspire a needed dose of compassion for people that might otherwise frustrate and/or mystify you. Since becoming familiar with the nine Enneagram types, I've largely stopped asking the question "How could anyone think that way?"
Cron and Stabile don't bother getting into niche Enneagram topics here, like the instincts, subtypes, or levels of development. For that kind of depth, check out any of the more detailed tomes written on the topic by Riso/Hudson or Richard Rohr. Instead, this is an accessible, well-organized primer on the basics—one I know I'll be referencing in abundance, and no doubt handing off to friends and family left and right. (Bonus: It's also laugh-out-loud funny in places.)