Introduction to “The Enneagram and the Major Arcana”

Let’s Talk About the Enneagram!

Welcome to the introduction to my next video series that is entitled, “The Enneagram and the Major Arcana.” This will be a nine-week series, covering each of the nine gifts listed on the Enneagram. You may be familiar with the Enneagram in a variety of contexts, but I like it best for spiritual formation.

I understand the Enneagram as a list of nine different gifts that are the expression of the Universe or the Divine in our world. Each of us is born into one of those gifts. Depending on which gift is yours, you will have a certain perspective on things, a certain kind of calling and work, and you’ll experience a certain kind of neurosis when the gift is distorted. Part of the work that I do is to help people figure out which gift is theirs and help them to release the distortion so that they can allow that gift to flow freely,  as it does when we’re very small children.

The Enneagram as the Hero’s Journey

That is typically what I do with the Enneagram, but for the purpose of the next nine weeks we’re going to be looking at the Enneagram from a different perspective, from the perspective of the Major Arcana in the Tarot. The Major Arcana is set up to represent the spiritual journey of a human, which means that in order for us to complete our work we have to do all the steps in the Major Arcana.

Instead of focusing on just one gift that we’re born into, then, we must develop all the gifts for us to progress as human beings. That’s what we’re going to be doing in this series – look at each of the gifts. The Major Arcana cards correspond to the numbers in the Enneagram, and demonstrate for us mature gift – the gift that is no longer fearful, no longer distorted, no longer burdened by feelings that something is wrong with us.

Each of the Major Arcana cards that we’ll be looking at gives us a picture of what it looks like to be fully human and realized in these gifts. Below are some prezis, which I’ve developed in doing workshops on the Enneagram. It’ll just give you another resource if you want to learn what I do with the Enneagram. Of course, if you want to talk more about that contact me and we’ll set up a time. I can help you figure out which gift is yours and what it means.

Here are the gifts of the Enneagram, using my own designations:

One: Righteousness

Two: Lovingkindness

Three: Potency

Four: Originality

Five: Wisdom

Six: Loyalty

Seven: Joyfulness

Eight: Power

Nine: Peacefulness

As I’ve said before, in the teachings of the Enneagram each of us finds ourselves originating in one of these gifts. But in the next nine weeks we’re going to work on all of them. I really hope you’ll join me for this really exciting journey that I’m on.

Below are the Prezis I Developed for a Workshop in a Christian Context.