In the Bible, we are told to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. One tool that I have found to help me with this is The Sacred Enneagram by Christopher L. Heuertz. This is a book about spiritual growth, and it acknowledges that there is not one right way but many ways of growing spiritually. The main point of the book is that if you know and are aware of your Enneagram type (I’m a 4w5), this can help in knowing ourselves and our relationship with the world around us. They say that knowledge is power (I learned this in 8thgrade, it’s one of the only things I distinctly remember learning that year, and one of the only things I retained, but hey at least I learned something).
Of course, the Enneagram is only one tool among many, but it’s also a very popular and eerily accurate tool. It’s become somewhat trendy in Christian circles and usually I tend to avoid Christian trends, but once in a while something comes along that I can get behind. Loving God with our heart, soul, and mind requires that we know enough about who we are and how we relate to God to be able to do so. My favorite season on the Liturgical calendar is Lent, because it’s a very introspective season (and it has purple), and I’m always sure to make a confession during Lent. Lent is generally a season of great spiritual growth for me. It’s in this silent introspection that I meet God. Which is kind of the point. And we know what comes after Lent: Passion Week, ending (and beginning anew) with the resurrection.
This is where The Sacred Enneagram is taking us. It’s taking us on what is basically a Lenten journey, figuring out who we are using a popular tool. Instead of just spitting out a “type” and being done, The Sacred Enneagram goes so much deeper. Knowing my Enneagram type before reading this book was useful, but it is not necessary as the books give guidance on how to find your type. It gives a detailed description of each type and gives an analysis of basic fears and desires of each type. After delving into each type in detail, it explains how each type likely experiences God.
In striving to live an authentic and spiritual life, it’s imperative to know ourselves so that we can know God. This book focuses on the ancient spiritual practices of contemplative Christianity. Many Christians these days see the ancient practices as irrelevant, but I disagree. It is the beauty of ancient practices that enhance our modern spirituality. That’s not to say that the modern is wrong, but at the same time we need to make sure we do not lose the ancient practices also.
As a writer, I’m all about stories, and knowing my Enneagram type helps me to live my story with God in a more authentic way. It helps me fulfill the greatest commandment: to love God with all my heart, soul and mind.
