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The Modern Enneagram: Discover Who You Are and Who You Can Be
"The Modern Enneagram offers a fresh look at this ancient system. Clear, concise, thoughtful and illuminating, this book provides insight into the theory of the Enneagram and also offers excellent examples for application in life, love and work. It is a necessary addition to any Enneagram library."
--Deborah Ooten, PhD., CEO/Owner Conscious Living Center, Conscious Dynamics, LLC
Faced with the complexities of daily life, many people find themselves interested in cultivating a deeper sense of self-awareness, and nurturing more honest, understanding relationships with others.
This interest in personal growth prompted Kacie Berghoef and Melanie Bell to try the Enneagram personality typing system as a means of self-discovery. The Enneagram showed Kacie and Melanie how they saw the world, and helped them with emotion management, self-acceptance, career development, and understanding their families.
In The Modern Enneagram, Enneagram teachers Kacie and Melanie help you employ the practical principles of the Enneagram to find guidance, strength, and knowledge for navigating life's changes and challenges. The Modern Enneagram offers:
SIMPLE YET COMPREHENSIVE EXPLANATIONS for identifying and interpreting the Enneagram's fundamental structure
THOUGHTFUL DESCRIPTIONS of the nine Enneagram personality types including what drives each type, characteristic type behaviors, and type-to-type connections
INSIGHT INTO YOUR CORE DESIRES as well as practical strategies to meet these desires and achieve success in relationships, work, and daily life
The more you learn about the Enneagram, the more resources you will have at your disposal. Use the tools in The Modern Enneagram in the ways that best fit your personal needs and circumstances.
--Deborah Ooten, PhD., CEO/Owner Conscious Living Center, Conscious Dynamics, LLC
Faced with the complexities of daily life, many people find themselves interested in cultivating a deeper sense of self-awareness, and nurturing more honest, understanding relationships with others.
This interest in personal growth prompted Kacie Berghoef and Melanie Bell to try the Enneagram personality typing system as a means of self-discovery. The Enneagram showed Kacie and Melanie how they saw the world, and helped them with emotion management, self-acceptance, career development, and understanding their families.
In The Modern Enneagram, Enneagram teachers Kacie and Melanie help you employ the practical principles of the Enneagram to find guidance, strength, and knowledge for navigating life's changes and challenges. The Modern Enneagram offers:
SIMPLE YET COMPREHENSIVE EXPLANATIONS for identifying and interpreting the Enneagram's fundamental structure
THOUGHTFUL DESCRIPTIONS of the nine Enneagram personality types including what drives each type, characteristic type behaviors, and type-to-type connections
INSIGHT INTO YOUR CORE DESIRES as well as practical strategies to meet these desires and achieve success in relationships, work, and daily life
The more you learn about the Enneagram, the more resources you will have at your disposal. Use the tools in The Modern Enneagram in the ways that best fit your personal needs and circumstances.
178 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2017
675 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 26, 2020
Wow!
I had to take all kinds of personality quizzes as I worked through my various nursing degrees but I think the enneagram test was the most helpful. This book goes into such easy to read and associate detail with each type. Brilliantly written! Highly recommend if you are learning more about yourself!
I had to take all kinds of personality quizzes as I worked through my various nursing degrees but I think the enneagram test was the most helpful. This book goes into such easy to read and associate detail with each type. Brilliantly written! Highly recommend if you are learning more about yourself!
March 17, 2017
Shallow
This book gave barely an overview of types. No in depth ability to do more than vaguely guess at what siren may or may not be based on the limited descriptions. The application sections for work and relationships were merely telling Julia's story and how she handled things. While the explanations of types were too general, the detail of that one person was less than helpful to even think about putting Enneagram knowledge into practice.
This book gave barely an overview of types. No in depth ability to do more than vaguely guess at what siren may or may not be based on the limited descriptions. The application sections for work and relationships were merely telling Julia's story and how she handled things. While the explanations of types were too general, the detail of that one person was less than helpful to even think about putting Enneagram knowledge into practice.
April 12, 2017
3.5 rounded down
As someone who isn't new to the enneagram, a lot of the information presented here was familiar to me. That isn't to say that some of it wasn't useful - the sections on relationships and work were interesting and useful.
As with any book about this kind of topic, this is probably better read by dipping in and out, picking up the book when you have some specific need for it in your life. I only know the enneagram types of a couple of close friends, so when thinking about my interactions and relationships with them I am sure it will come in useful. This book has reminded me I need to encourage my parents and brother to find out their type to further understand them too! Now I just need to start working on all of the information I've learnt... which is of course the hardest part but I hope will ultimately be the most fulfilling.
And anyone reading who hasn't heard of the enneagram before I encourage you to check it out! It can be super insightful in understanding why you react to situations in the way that you do and understanding your own behaviour and others around you.
As someone who isn't new to the enneagram, a lot of the information presented here was familiar to me. That isn't to say that some of it wasn't useful - the sections on relationships and work were interesting and useful.
As with any book about this kind of topic, this is probably better read by dipping in and out, picking up the book when you have some specific need for it in your life. I only know the enneagram types of a couple of close friends, so when thinking about my interactions and relationships with them I am sure it will come in useful. This book has reminded me I need to encourage my parents and brother to find out their type to further understand them too! Now I just need to start working on all of the information I've learnt... which is of course the hardest part but I hope will ultimately be the most fulfilling.
And anyone reading who hasn't heard of the enneagram before I encourage you to check it out! It can be super insightful in understanding why you react to situations in the way that you do and understanding your own behaviour and others around you.
December 22, 2017
This should be a book that you read once to get acquainted with enneagram types and to decide if it's something you're interested in. It was really just an overview and then offered links to paid sites to take the test.
A decent free test can be found on similarminds.com - use that to find out your type and continue from there.
A decent free test can be found on similarminds.com - use that to find out your type and continue from there.
July 31, 2018
In many ways I'm a basic white girl, so I looovvvve personality typing, astrology, and anything else that is supposed to help me understand why the hell I am the way I am. I've done some exploring with Myers Briggs, but I was really curious about the Enneagram. This is a great introduction to the types and their wings, and uses narrative situations to help demonstrate how the different types interact with each other. I also really like that it stresses that we can't use these distinctions to excuse bad behavior ("I CAN'T HELP IT, I'M A SEVEN!") and talks about how different types often act in ideal, average, and stressful situations. The whole thing is framed as self development, rather than self labeling. Glad I own it and I can mark it up.
July 1, 2018
Most comprehensive Enneagram book. Actually it's the only one I've read but after reading this one, why would you wanna read another? It's all there.
September 5, 2024
Easy read about the enneagram and ways it applies to different aspects of life.
March 21, 2017
This is the first book I have read about the enneagram. I got it on a kindle deal. Even having read no other books this one feels like it is not one of the more helpful ones. It seems very cursory and brief. It was not especially helpful for discovering my number. There are about 6 paragraphs describing each type and then the authors go into work, romantic relationships, and domestic relationships. Toward the end I started skimming. The authors did include a helpful section of books for further reading. I will use some of those.
December 9, 2022
The science on most personality types is pretty iffy and a book like "The Modern Enneagram" does nothing to dispel that. While a book like Berghoef and Bell's will likely lead to some helpful introspection, I don't know how much benefit it has beyond a being a helpful springboard for a consideration of personality and motivations.
What I like best in the Enneagram-- its connection to motivations-- is largely lacking here. Cron and Stabile's "The Road Back to You" does a good job at utilizing the Enneagram to process healthy and sinful motivation. In contrast, "The Modern Enneagram" is largely severed from spiritual consideration. In fact, at the end of the book there are sections that have the reader utilize the Enneagram for "The Enneagram in Practice": the authors navigate areas like relationships, vocation, and spirituality. The spirituality section is a solitary page.
The other concern that I have with the Enneagram that only increased in my read of "The Modern Enneagram" are the various ways that practitioners of the Enneagram slice and dice the Enneagram to serve a multitude of purposes. For instance, the Enneagram not only offers its practitioners one of nine types to identify with, but then shares that each of those types moves to a stress type when anxious and a security type when in peaceful situations. It is also broken into three centers (gut, head, and heart), social styles triads (assertive, compliant, and withdrawn), conflict resolution styles triads (competency, emotional realness, positive outlook), object relations triads (attachment, rejection, frustration), and on and on. What one finds is that the deeper you dive, the more you find that connects with you and the more that don't match at all. It feels like a Rorschach ink blot test-- there are a lot of splotches on the paper and you can make out of it whatever you want.
The Rorschach test is an apt analogy as the (quite beautiful) illustrations throughout are done with watercolor. There's lots here that the reader can turn into beauty, but is it true? I have a growing suspicion that there isn't much here that is true. But maybe that's just what a three would say. ;)
For more reviews see thebeehive.live.
What I like best in the Enneagram-- its connection to motivations-- is largely lacking here. Cron and Stabile's "The Road Back to You" does a good job at utilizing the Enneagram to process healthy and sinful motivation. In contrast, "The Modern Enneagram" is largely severed from spiritual consideration. In fact, at the end of the book there are sections that have the reader utilize the Enneagram for "The Enneagram in Practice": the authors navigate areas like relationships, vocation, and spirituality. The spirituality section is a solitary page.
The other concern that I have with the Enneagram that only increased in my read of "The Modern Enneagram" are the various ways that practitioners of the Enneagram slice and dice the Enneagram to serve a multitude of purposes. For instance, the Enneagram not only offers its practitioners one of nine types to identify with, but then shares that each of those types moves to a stress type when anxious and a security type when in peaceful situations. It is also broken into three centers (gut, head, and heart), social styles triads (assertive, compliant, and withdrawn), conflict resolution styles triads (competency, emotional realness, positive outlook), object relations triads (attachment, rejection, frustration), and on and on. What one finds is that the deeper you dive, the more you find that connects with you and the more that don't match at all. It feels like a Rorschach ink blot test-- there are a lot of splotches on the paper and you can make out of it whatever you want.
The Rorschach test is an apt analogy as the (quite beautiful) illustrations throughout are done with watercolor. There's lots here that the reader can turn into beauty, but is it true? I have a growing suspicion that there isn't much here that is true. But maybe that's just what a three would say. ;)
For more reviews see thebeehive.live.
May 16, 2017
Although I was aware of the concept, The Modern Enneagram by Kacie Berghoef & Melanie Bell is the first book on personality typology that I've read and I definately plan on researching more on the subject. The Enneagram speaks a universal language..no matter what background or religion, your type stays true. Having a passion for psychology, I find it a great tool for learning and growth. A guide rather than just categorizing, it goes into depth about how we handle situations and why. I really found it interesting to read about the types and relate them to my life. My favorite sections were 5, which give inspiration to apply the practice in your life as well as the appendix that includes shortcut questions and practices for each type. I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
"The road to self-realization is not always obstacle free. When we work on ourselves, we see things about ourselves that we didn't see before. While these things can be positive and heartwarming, sometimes we learn things about ourselves that we don't like. Other times, we uncover past hurt and sorrow. The journey is unpredictable. Luckily the rewards for doing this work are immense."
"The road to self-realization is not always obstacle free. When we work on ourselves, we see things about ourselves that we didn't see before. While these things can be positive and heartwarming, sometimes we learn things about ourselves that we don't like. Other times, we uncover past hurt and sorrow. The journey is unpredictable. Luckily the rewards for doing this work are immense."
September 26, 2019
The Modern Enneagram is a fascinating look into what drives each personality type as well as their shortcomings and tendencies. If you are the type who loves and in-depth look at yourself and those around you, then definitely check out this book. It's a quick read, but jam-packed with great information.
I loved that The Modern Enneagram went in depth on relationships and the workplace as well as the usual - it gave a more rounded look at each personality type. This is the kind of book you can reference over and over, as it makes what could be a very confusing concept easy to understand. It's also a great intro to the enneagram - for those new to the concept a book like The Modern Enneagram introduces you, so you can later move to more advanced readings on the topic.
I would recommend this book to those who are new to the enneagram, as I was when I started this book. For more advanced enneagram readers, this is probably not the book for you.
I loved that The Modern Enneagram went in depth on relationships and the workplace as well as the usual - it gave a more rounded look at each personality type. This is the kind of book you can reference over and over, as it makes what could be a very confusing concept easy to understand. It's also a great intro to the enneagram - for those new to the concept a book like The Modern Enneagram introduces you, so you can later move to more advanced readings on the topic.
I would recommend this book to those who are new to the enneagram, as I was when I started this book. For more advanced enneagram readers, this is probably not the book for you.
May 28, 2017
I'd actually give this book a 2.5/5 if I could.
This is an excellent book for beginners. It goes over all major points of the theory without spending too much time on each topic. It gives a solid general overview of the Enneagram and gives the reader a springboard to bounce off of to begin working on self development.
For those who are looking for a more in-depth book, this might be a pass for you. The book has enormous breadth but very little depth which can be a strength for some readers. This book also does not link Enneagram to like theories, perspectives, and philosophies. While historical figures in Enneagram are mentioned, it is a surface level mention of these figures and fails to give much elaboration on what each theorist contributed to the system.
This is an excellent book for beginners. It goes over all major points of the theory without spending too much time on each topic. It gives a solid general overview of the Enneagram and gives the reader a springboard to bounce off of to begin working on self development.
For those who are looking for a more in-depth book, this might be a pass for you. The book has enormous breadth but very little depth which can be a strength for some readers. This book also does not link Enneagram to like theories, perspectives, and philosophies. While historical figures in Enneagram are mentioned, it is a surface level mention of these figures and fails to give much elaboration on what each theorist contributed to the system.
July 17, 2017
This book would be a good brief intro to the Enneagram. I was actually hoping for more. It's beautifully designed and fun to flip through but doesn't give any new information or perspective. I kind of liked the fact that the book had a character named Julia and described how this particular 7 engaged with life and maybe if the book had a bunch of different characters, that could have been helpful.
I did like the different triads though. I wasn't aware of how many different ones there were.
Like another reviewer said, it's good for flipping through as you need to. For example, I found it very insightful to read about the 8s in my life the other day.
If you're familiar with the enneagram, you probably won't find any new information but it sure was pretty!
I did like the different triads though. I wasn't aware of how many different ones there were.
Like another reviewer said, it's good for flipping through as you need to. For example, I found it very insightful to read about the 8s in my life the other day.
If you're familiar with the enneagram, you probably won't find any new information but it sure was pretty!
July 6, 2018
This is an interesting easy overview. The Kindle edition is also cheap on Amazon, and I was able to get through it in one afternoon. There aren't any personality tests in it, but if you really need them, it is only $10 and the sites are listed. If you've done any kind of personality work before, if you are at all self-aware(perhaps you've lived long enough to have had some things pointed out to you), or if there is someone around who knows you, it is pretty easy to figure your type out just from looking at the descriptions. One of the parts I liked best is the inclusion of strategies for dealing with stress or frustration for your own or other types.
August 27, 2018
Of all the books I've read this summer, this is one of them.
I read and teach extensively about personality typing, but somehow this is my first exposure to the enneagram. This book explains the enneagram possibly as well as it can be done, but the enneagram itself is needlessly complicated. As a means of explaining our personality differences, it simply falls short of the instrument explained in Marita Littauer's "Wired That Way." If you're interested in learning about your personality and how you can better interact with others, skip this book and any other dealing with an enneagram and pick up a copy of Littauer's book.
I read and teach extensively about personality typing, but somehow this is my first exposure to the enneagram. This book explains the enneagram possibly as well as it can be done, but the enneagram itself is needlessly complicated. As a means of explaining our personality differences, it simply falls short of the instrument explained in Marita Littauer's "Wired That Way." If you're interested in learning about your personality and how you can better interact with others, skip this book and any other dealing with an enneagram and pick up a copy of Littauer's book.
February 11, 2019
As a beginner to the Enneagram, I thought this was a nice entry-level read! It provided a broad overview of the types, and motivators for each one which I found interesting. The more and more I read I could see my traits come through in my types (I took the Enneagram Institute test prior to reading this book). The only other exposure I had to Enneagram before this was Reading People, which sparked my curiosity. I’ve already found it helpful at understanding the “why” behind my habits. Looking forward to digging deeper into my Enneagram studies!
July 1, 2018
Overall, I really enjoyed this book because it dove deeper into the enneagram & how different types interact. They did an excellent job explaining the enneagram with concision & clarity. They did a great job analyzing enneagram types in the work place, in interpersonal relationships, & ways to interact with each type.
Some of the example narratives erred on the side of cheesy & their section on growth felt recycled & cliché.
As I said- overall it’s an enjoyable, insightful read.
Some of the example narratives erred on the side of cheesy & their section on growth felt recycled & cliché.
As I said- overall it’s an enjoyable, insightful read.
February 28, 2019
The content definitely helped me further understand the enneagram in many areas of life, and I definitely appreciated the real life examples. If I had any complaint, it would be the formatting was a little confusing and broken up. I wanted to read more in-depth about each type before getting to the application, and the type descriptions were much too short. Overall though, it is a good primer on the topic and definitely worth a read.
March 18, 2019
This book was a bit of a disappointment. I have previously done some work with the enneagram. This book was touted as having some fresh insight. It did not. Also disappointing was that in order to use the book, the reader not only had to take an enneagram test but had to pay for it outside the parameters of the book. It is more of a supplemental tool.
June 15, 2020
Vill man bara ha en introduktion till de nio olika personlighetstyperna är det här en bra bok att börja med, men jag som redan visste en hel del hade velat ha mera. Det blev sist och slutligen ganska ytligt och kortfattat.
För den nyfikne kan jag meddela att jag förmodligen är en tvåa (med trea som vinge)!
För den nyfikne kan jag meddela att jag förmodligen är en tvåa (med trea som vinge)!
September 10, 2020
This is the Enneagram book I needed. It was really helpful to see more modern examples of life. I also very much appreciated the encouragement to use the knowledge from this book to work better with those around you (coworkers, partner, family of origin, etc). The breakdown of sections make sense to my type 4 mind. I read this in a single sitting this evening. Highly recommend this read.
January 21, 2018
Enlightening and enjoyable read. Tremendous insight to add to the results of enneagram test. Highly recommend thiis book to anyone looking to understand why they are inclined to act or respond in a certain manner and how they can use those strengths and grow this weaknesses.
October 9, 2018
Good as an introduction to the Enneagram system. The examples listed here are too simple to mirror real-life problems, which probably isn't the fault of the writers, but was the actual intention of this book.
February 12, 2018
Lacking
I had no interest in the examples of people... since there isn't one for every type. A lot of it is generic and there's not enough specific info to warrant the length of the book.
I had no interest in the examples of people... since there isn't one for every type. A lot of it is generic and there's not enough specific info to warrant the length of the book.
July 12, 2018
This is a good follow-up to the other Enneagram books I've read, but I still think the Ian Cron book is the best for beginners. I really appreciated the chapters on using the Enneagram at work and in relationships. Very good way to "dabble" and get your feet wet.
September 18, 2018
This book is a great starting place for anyone interested in learning about the Enneagram. It covers the basics of the system, types and why it is useful in an informative and easy-to-read way. It also lists additional resources for those looking to dig deeper.
October 27, 2018
Decent starter book that provides a broader perspective than just descriptions of each type. Could use more detail on the types to help you discern between multi type test results though. It doesn't really get into the core drives and passions of each.
December 30, 2018
they never give you the way to find out your own enneagram.....you have to go to a website and pay for it first THEN read this book..... kinda a let down honestly. wish i did the test THEN read that book-
July 2, 2019
Good general overview of the Enneagram types for people new to the concepts and theories (like me). Eager to read more about the various types and how to use that new knowledge to aid personal growth and a better understanding of the people in my life.
November 28, 2019
A few nuggets. But a lot of different lenses for a beginner book, but not much depth for someone who knows more about the Enneagram.
For a fun beginner book, I would recommend The Millenneagram. And for more advanced, Riso and Hudson, or Helen Palmer.
For a fun beginner book, I would recommend The Millenneagram. And for more advanced, Riso and Hudson, or Helen Palmer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews