The Enneagram & Spiritual Formation: A Guide for Catholic Education & Other Christian Schools

What if the true source of a thriving Christian school culture isn't just found in its strategic plans, but in the collective self-understanding of its leaders?

In our journey towards being more Christ-like, we often focus on what we do—the programs we implement, the policies we write. Yet, the Christian tradition has always reminded us that true transformation begins from within. It starts with the courageous, often difficult, work of knowing ourselves as God knows us.

This is where a tool like the Enneagram, with its deep roots in spiritual discernment, can serve as a powerful map for that journey.

The Sacred Roots of the Enneagram

While the modern Enneagram has gained popularity, its deepest origins connect to spiritual discernment. It is believed that early Christian desert fathers spoke of patterns that hindered spiritual growth—what would later evolve into understanding the 'seven deadly sins.' The Enneagram builds upon this tradition, offering a nuanced map that can illuminate our path toward Christ-like wholeness.

It goes beyond behaviours to reveal the deeper motivations that shape our spiritual journey. It helps us recognise both our God-given gifts and the patterns that may distance us from authentic communion with God and others.

Nine Sacred Paths to Wholeness

Each Enneagram type represents not just a personality pattern but a unique spiritual journey with its own gifts, challenges, and pathway to grace:

• Type 1: The Strict Perfectionist– Driven by a deep desire for goodness and righteousness, Ones reflect God's perfect order and justice. Their growth journey involves moving from rigid judgement toward embracing divine mercy and the understanding that true perfection comes through grace, not striving.

  'For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.' (Ephesians 2:8)

• Type 2: The Considerate Helper– Reflecting Christ's servant heart, Twos embody sacrificial love and compassion. Their spiritual journey involves discovering that they are beloved not for what they give but for who they are in God's eyes, learning to receive as graciously as they give.

  'We love because He first loved us.' (1 John 4:19)

• Type 3: The Competitive Achiever– Threes reflect God's creative productivity and excellence. Their spiritual formation involves moving beyond achievements and appearances to embrace their inherent worth in Christ, finding identity in being rather than doing.

  'But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance... For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'' (1 Samuel 16:7)

• Type 4: The Intense Creative– Fours mirror God's beauty and depth of feeling. Their spiritual journey involves recognising that while they may feel different or separate, they are never absent from God's presence, discovering divine wholeness amid perceived brokenness.

  'You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.' (St. Augustine)

• Type 5: The Quiet Specialist– Reflecting divine wisdom and contemplation, Fives seek understanding and knowledge. Their spiritual growth involves moving from intellectual detachment toward embodied participation in community and the recognition that true wisdom comes through relationship with God.

  'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' (Proverbs 9:10)

• Type 6: The Loyal Sceptic– Sixes embody faithful questioning and covenant loyalty. Their spiritual journey involves transforming anxiety into the courage that comes through deepening trust in God's unfailing presence, even in times of doubt and uncertainty.

  'Perfect love casts out fear.' (1 John 4:18)

• Type 7: The Enthusiastic Visionary– Sevens reflect God's abundance and joy. Their spiritual formation involves learning that true joy comes not through endless seeking of new experiences but through grateful presence and embracing the depth found in limitation.

  'I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.' (Philippians 4:11)

• Type 8: The Active Controller– Eights mirror God's protective power and justice. Their spiritual journey involves transforming their strength from self-protection toward vulnerability and sacrificial love, following Christ's example of power expressed through surrender.

  'For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.' (Matthew 16:25)

• Type 9: The Adaptive Peacemaker– Nines reflect God's peace and inclusive love. Their spiritual growth involves awakening to their essential value and the divine purpose that calls them to active participation rather than passive accommodation.

  'Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

Applications for Catholic Education & Other Christian Schools

For Educators' Spiritual Formation

As Christian educators, understanding your Enneagram type can profoundly deepen your vocation. This is about more than professional development; it's about tending to the soul of the educator.

1. Authentic Witness– Recognising your temperament allows you to model authentic Christian growth for students. When a Type 1 teacher can acknowledge their journey from rigid perfectionism toward grace, or a Type 2 teacher demonstrates healthy boundaries alongside compassion, students witness genuine spiritual formation.

2. Staff Collaboration– Understanding different spiritual temperaments fosters charity in professional relationships. The methodical approach of a Type 6 colleague complements the visionary enthusiasm of a Type 7, creating a more integrated approach to Christian education.

3. Spiritual Direction– The Enneagram offers language and insight for spiritual direction, helping educators discern God's unique invitation to holiness through their particular temperament.

4. Prayer Life– Different types are naturally drawn to different prayer traditions within our rich Christian heritage. Type 1s may find consolation in the Examen, Type 4s in Lectio Divina, and Type 7s in charismatic expressions of worship. Understanding your type helps you discover prayer practices that nurture genuine connection with God.

For Students Spiritual Formation

For senior students, the Enneagram offers valuable formation tools:

1. Vocational Discernment– Understanding their God-given temperament helps students discern their unique calling in accordance with how God has created them.

2. Moral Development– The Enneagram illuminates each type's particular virtues and vices. For example Type 9s (Adaptive Peacemakers) can balance their vice of Sloth with their virtue of Right Action; Type 3s (Competitive Achievers) can balance their vice of Deceit with their virtue of Authenticity. This wisdom helps students recognise their spiritual strengths and areas for growth.

3. Community Building– Students develop greater charity and understanding toward peers whose spiritual and temperamental approach differs from their own.

4. Integration of Faith and Life– The Enneagram helps students connect their personal experience with the broader Christian story, seeing their unique temperament as part of God's design.

Implementing the Enneagram in Christian School Settings

To integrate the Enneagram into your Christian educational environment:

1. Leadership Team Development– Begin with school leadership, using the iEQ9 Enneagram assessment to foster deeper understanding and more effective collaboration grounded in spiritual awareness.

2. Staff Retreat Focus– Incorporate the Enneagram into staff spiritual formation days, exploring how different types experience prayer, ministry, and challenges within educational settings.

3. Senior Student Formation– For Years 10-12, offer Enneagram workshops that connect self-understanding with vocational discernment and spiritual growth.

4. Pastoral Care Approach– Use Enneagram insights to tailor pastoral care approaches that honour students' different spiritual temperaments and growth edges.

A Journey of Transformation: From Insight to Faith in Action

The true value of the Enneagram in Christian education lies not in labelling but in illumination—shining light on the unique way God has created each person and the particular path through which they are called to wholeness and holiness. Individual insight is the first step. The journey continues by turning that self-understanding into faith in action, creating a ripple effect of grace throughout the school.

As St. Irenaeus reminds us, 'The glory of God is the human person fully alive.'

The Enneagram serves as a sacred map that helps educators and students alike discover what it means to become fully alive in Christ—embracing both our God-given gifts and the transformative journey toward wholeness that unfolds through grace.

Jen Hanson-Peterson is the Founder of ThriveWise and a Certified iEQ9 Enneagram Practitioner for both Individual and Team Coaching (ICF Accredited).

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"Jen introduced us to the Enneagram, a tool that proved invaluable. Through her thoughtful and engaging facilitation, we gained a deeper understanding of our individual strengths and personality types. She created a space for trust, open reflection, vulnerability and meaningful discussions—helping us see how we could leverage our unique qualities to enhance team collaboration."— Maddi Hobbs, Head of Wellbeing - Transition, Wesley College Clunes

Would you like to explore how the Enneagram can enrich spiritual formation in your Catholic or other Christian school?