Tamara Shantz
Enneagram
Living with a little more freedom....
We tend to think of ourselves as being in more control of our reactions than we really are. We tend to think that we live with a lot more freedom than we do.
The Enneagram is a powerful tool to help us begin to see just how habitual we are in our thoughts, feelings, and actions. It can help us see more clearly the deep fears and desires that drive our behaviour.
When we can see ourselves with greater honesty, we begin to have more choices.
We can choose to let go of our habitual patterns, become more present to what is arising in this moment, and respond to life, rather than react.
The Enneagram is a guide map on the journey of surrender:
letting go of our habitual reactions
so we might live more fully in this moment.
Enneagram Services
Enneagram Workshops
Workshops are an excellent place to learn about the Enneagram through teaching, exercises, and conversation.
I offer workshops from the basics to more nuanced aspects of the Enneagram theory.
Enneagram Coaching
Whether you are looking for one conversation to help you find your Enneagram number,
or a series of conversations to help you go deeper,
I am available to support you in growing in freedom and self-compassion through the Enneagram.
Enneagram at Home!
Consider hosting an Enneagram party.
I will bring my introductory Enneagram workshop to you and your friends. Get a minimum of 10 people together and I will lead a workshop just for you.
A great way to explore the Enneagram with the people who know you best.
Bring me to your Community!
I love creating personalized Enneagram workshops and retreats for leadership teams, churches, and organizations.
Contact me to explore how the Enneagram might contribute to your community life.
FAQs about the Enneagram
Can I be more than one Enneagram number?
In a word: no. However!
While the Enneagram suggests that we have one particular specialty for how we see and interpret our experiences, we are all influenced strongly by the people around us, and our various cultures. So your primary caregivers' personalities will shape and change how your personality is formed. And as you get to know the Enneagram, you'll learn about your secondary type, or Wing, and the numbers you are connected with in stress and growth. This is the beauty of the Enneagram - it is dynamic and nuanced which makes it all the more helpful!
Where did the Enneagram come from?
The history and lineage of the Enneagram requires more than a paragraph, of course, but in short....
The Enneagram as a system for personal transformation is a relatively recent development. The work was initially developed by Oscar Ichazo in South America, who began teaching it through the Arica School (Chile) in the late 1960s. It was built upon, and brought to North America by Claudio Naranjo and others.
The symbol itself is much more ancient and mysterious in origins.
Can my Enneagram number change?
Your Enneagram number will stay consistent throughout your life. Hopefully, however, you will find that with increased awareness and presence, that it is possible for your personality's coping patterns to become less 'thick'. That you might live with more freedom and from the gifts of your True Self - which is a form of change. If this topic interests you, consider looking into the Levels of Development teachings from Riso and Hudson. Or come to one of my workshops where we explore this further!
Is the Enneagram from a particular religious tradition?
Yes and no.
The Enneagram is not a religious system and can be integrated with any religion or spiritual practice. And, the roots of the Enneagram can be found in the mystical streams of the three Western religions: Judaism (Kabbalah), Islam (Sufism), and Christianity (Desert Monastics). There are also resonances with the teachings of Buddhism.
Is there an Enneagram personality test I can take?
Of course! There are a wide variety of tests out there, at varying levels of quality. I would recommend the RHETI which was rigorously developed through the Enneagram Institute.
I would also say that taking a test is not necessary. The Enneagram is a tool for self-awareness so in my opinion, the best approach is to read short descriptions of all 9 types, see which 2 or 3 resonate, learn more about those, and begin the practice of noticing which patterns you see in yourself. A lot of the value is in coming to a decision for yourself, not just taking the word of an external assessment.
What does the word Enneagram mean?
The word Enneagram simply means a Nine-pointed drawing. Taken from Greek, Ennea = Nine, Gram = drawing.
I don't like typologies that put me in a box. Why is the Enneagram any different?
What is your training? What does Enneagram certification mean?
Too often, we use personality tools to judge, dismiss, and treat one another as a type rather than the beautiful individuals we are!
And, as Russ Hudson puts it, the Enneagram doesn't put you in a box. It is trying to reveal the box you are already in, and to show you the way out. Like any tool, the Enneagram can be used poorly. But at its best, it can be fodder for deeper compassion and understanding.
I am a certified Enneagram teacher through the Enneagram Institute. My teachers included Russ Hudson, Gayle Scott, Lynda Roberts, Michael Naylor, and Andrea Isaacs.
I am incredibly grateful for the profound, rigorous, and transformative formation I received through this community. My training involved 4 week long intensives, a weekend workshop on Inner Critic structures, and adjudicated essays along with a teaching video.
The intensives focused not only on learning the content of the Enneagram theory but also the inner work of those of us in training. The EI believes firmly that those who teach this material must also be practitioners and guides who are always growing in their own capacity to be more fully present. Sadly, this training is no longer offered but anything that the EI or Russ Hudson is offering, is worth exploring!