Enneagram Life: Personal, Relational, and Biblical Insights for All Seasons

by Elisabeth Bennett

Enneagram Life is a one-of-a-kind resource on the Enneagram!
 
No matter what you know about the Enneagram and your type, you will discover something new, something deeper, within the pages of this book.
 
Enneagram Personal, Relational, and Biblical Insights for All Seasons takes you on a journey of discovery that examines how your personality type affects all aspects of your life—from childhood to advanced adulthood.
 
Author Elisabeth Bennett proves that rather than being “too sacred for mere mortals” or “just another personality quiz,” the Enneagram is a useful tool for understanding why people respond in different ways to life’s triumphs and tragedies.
 
Elisabeth gives you insights into your own life and the lives of those around you, all from a biblical perspective. She explores the big questions of how personality and your everyday past, present, and future intersect and are answered within the wisdom of how God formed you.
 
“The Enneagram stereotypes can feel limiting,” Elisabeth explains. “I wanted to give a much broader look at what personality is, how it changes, and the different facets that impact it at different stages.”

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are someone who has appreciated learning about the Enneagram in your own life, this book will be a gift for you. It is FULL of practical insight and gentle wisdom for every season of life. I’m honestly blown away at how much this book covers while still staying super practical. I especially love the sections on childhood wounds, marriage, parenting and grief, but it is hard to pick a favorite because there is just so much insightful goodness in these pages.

I highly recommend this book for people who already know a little bit about the Enneagram (since this one isn’t a primer) and for people who want to grow. Whether for your own personal growth or understanding those in your life better, this book is an invaluable guide.

PS. While you don't necessarily need to be a Christian to read this book or find it helpful, it is worth noting that each section is grounded in a Christian worldview.

“Part of what we fear when we believe personality assessments put us in a box is that people don’t change and our flaws are permanent. On the contrary, throughout your lifetime, you will change, grow and conquer your worst pain points with God’s help without losing who he created you to be.” -Elisabeth Bennett

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was really wanting to dive in deeper into the enneagram and learn more about myself. I learned so much more than I expected. It gave me insights into loved one's behavior and that is so valuable. It also has helped me to parent my 11 year old better. While it is important not to type your child, learning about the childhood messages of each type and what they need to hear gave me some direction on how to avoid reinforcing any of the messages. I know some people who are skeptical of any personality assessment and feel like it is putting them in a box. The way it is explained in this book is so helpful to me - example: if we turn the numbers into colors and assign 5 to be purple, we can look at people as plum or lavender. They are both still purple, just different shades and intensities. As an artist and creative, I loved this. I also really appreciate the perspective of God and faith in relationship to my number. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about all the numbers in all the different seasons of life.

[Jaymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars = Great! Might re-read. Really enjoyed this - the layout (life stages) is creative. It shakes up the usual order of material - for example, wings are covered at the end. The work chapters were the most interesting to me.

I think newcomers could start here, but I think there are better options for a first resource (The Road Back to You is one). But this is a good early resource.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about the Enneagram is how it doesn't fit a person into a box - with the Enneagram, we find knowledge of ourselves and how we're made as we evolve and grow and learn and develop. This book digs deep into that - what each number looks like through the seasons of life. Elisabeth covers so many topics (stances, parental orientations, etc) woven throughout and writes in bite sized chunks enough to make this a great reference tool for years to come.

[Kim Damon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking forward to diving in a little deeper into the Enneagram for my business and was especially interested in how grief impacts the types differently. I was surprised to find myself relating to this book throughout different periods of my own life.

I loved how this book addressed the seasons of life in the Enneagram. I had several ah-ha moments knowing my adult children's types as well as my own. It even helped me to understand how just how amazing they have become as adults and the relationship I have with them now.

Enneagram Life is one of the most complete books on the types that I have read. It covers childhood messages including adolescence, young adulthood, work, marriage and later years. It's packed with the beautiful scripture for all types and seasons in life.

If you are searching for a deeper understanding of the Enneagram types, this is the book to get!

KD

[Holly Bisset · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is loaded with wisdom and I know I will come back to it and read it over and over again! Elisabeth shares insight and truth with gentleness and boldness.

The book was everything I’d hoped it would be, and more. The chapters on childhood and adolescence especially helped me to understand how I became the person I am today, and the adulthood chapters gave direction and empowered me to start becoming more of who God made be to be.

I’d recommend this book to anyone looking to understand themselves and their loved ones, but especially to people looking for tools to fuel their personal and spiritual growth.

[Sally Conroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved studying the Enneagram the past couple of years and Elisabeth Bennett’s books have been some of the best I have read. She writes so practically and clearly. Enneagram Life takes you through four seasons of life (childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and advanced adulthood) and shares how each stage impacts our personality and how our numbers and experiences work together in who we become in each stage. I find it all very fascinating and accurate. I love being able to understand who I am more clearly and why I do the things I do. This book is a deeper dive into the Enneagram. I would recommend more for those who have done some studying already and are familiar with the topic.

[Holly Procita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider myself to be an Enneagram nerd. I love learning and reading books about the Enneagram. Elizabeth's book is divided up into four seasons and contains many very practical tips for each season of life. If you have a basic understanding of your Enneagram type then this book would be a great read to take that understanding and practically apply it to life. This book will also help you understand other types better. I found this book really easy to read and to be quite accessible for anyone interested in learning more about the Enneagram. I will be adding extra copies in my library to give away to friends and clients who want to learn more about the Enneagram.

[Janet]

The approach Enneagram Life takes is so much more than just learning about my type. The author makes the information easy to understand, digest, and apply it to my own life. It explains how your type can show up as a child, in your relationship with your parents & siblings, as an adult, as male or female, etc. It has brought a well-rounded view and made knowing my Enneagram Type come alive and personal. If you're unsure what your type is or how the Enneagram works in your life, read this book. It will not disappoint. I can't wait to share this book with others.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enneagram Life is a resource you will want in your library whether you are an enneagram coach, a counselor, in church ministry, or are using the enneagram for your own personal growth. Elisabeth's writing style is very easy to read, yet it is very comprehensive. I love how she combines the enneagram with the different seasons of our life, how to grow individually and in relationships, and that she always points us back to God. @author.elisabethbennett @enneagram.life

[Courtney Pletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a great developmental psychology lens to the Enneagram as we transition through different seasons of life. I highly recommend this especially for parents as I gleaned the most in parenting styles and the potential impacts my parenting style has and where it developed. I’ve yet to read another Enneagram book that navigates stages of life and I think this is so wonderfully done.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice easy read with great insights

[Brooke Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool how the book divides life up into 4 stages and talks about the enneagram and how it affects the different stages of life.

[Camry · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so good. Lots of self-reflecting in every single chapter.