5.0 out of 5 stars a great resource

L. · June 7, 2022

I have been studying the Enneagram for about 3 years now. Up until very recently, I was convinced I was a 5. But then I took a TriType test that revealed I was 6. At first, I thought it was wrong. But I was still intrigued. I had already done a lot of study on Tupe 5. But then I started reading more about 6. So then I was confused. Am I a 5w6 or a 6w5? A big shortcoming with many Enneagram books is that they focus a lot on how a number reacts in stress, but very little about how to move towards health. So I was on Bolo and stumbled across this book. I was not at all familiar with the author at all. This book is outstanding. It goes very in depth for each type. It talks about shadows and growth as well as motives, core fears, and how each number thinks. I read the profiles for both 5 & 6 and realized that I am a 6 with a very strong 5 wing. I highly recommend this book for both people who are new to the Enneagram and those who have studied it for awhile.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Clear, Practical, and Deep Guidebook

S. · October 7, 2021

Relatively new to Enneagram, I have been passionate about my self-study and read a few of the most pioneering books to date, including Chestnut’s “The Complete Enneagram,” which is excellent. I questioned whether to get this also; what would it have that was not in her other comprehensive work? It’s very clear to me now what that is. This book, with Uranio Paes, is a very practical and applicable guidebook. It is succinct, yet has a breadth and depth of wisdom that makes it the perfect “user guide.” It is for anyone applying the Enneagram principles in their journey to integration. If you want one book that cuts to the core of how to actually apply the concepts in a practical way, this is your book. This will be my recommended reading for my clients who are working with the Enneagram. Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal Enneagram Type overviews with key points of practice

m. · November 1, 2021

I'm a huge fan of Beatrice Chestnut's work and this book with Uranio Paes is a perfect addition to the materials they already have put together. I'm a certified practitioner of the Enneagram and find that this book is a perfect summary of what each type/subtype needs to focus on for their growth. I'm hoping the team puts together additional supplemental materials that can be used in team workshops as well. The book was a quick, but intense read with rich information about each type that is useful for my own learning and growth journey as well as for coaching dialogues. I recommend this book to any certified practitioner or individual who already has some knowledge about the Enneagram. Overall this book is a perfect addition to my Enneagram book collection and fills in many key elements necessary for healthy integration and growth.

4.0 out of 5 stars How Well Do You Know Yourself?

B.C. · July 9, 2023

Personality tests are widespread and most everyone among us has taken at least one, like the Myers- Briggs test. One that I hadn’t heard about until recently is the Enneagram test and after taking the assessment and discovering my own type, I wanted to know more. My search for additional insight led me to read this book, The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up.What you get with this book is a separate chapter for each of the nine enneagram types. Within each chapter, you will find a check list of traits common to that specific type; the different subtypes and so- called wings for each, and more.One cool feature of this book is that, rather than merely tell you about your enneagram type and what makes you tick, it also challenges you to improve your less- than- ideal tendencies and become a better person. It mentions what it calls the pain points and blind spots for each type, then suggests actions you can take immediately to turn these weaknesses into strengths.Because of the way this book is written, with a separate chapter for each type and similar format for each chapter, it is more like a reference guide than anything. If you want to know more about your enneagram type or the type of someone close to you, just turn to that specific chapter and start reading. If you don’t know of anyone who fits a certain type and have no interest in that type, just skip the chapter. Or, if you really want to brush up on all the different enneagram types and what each personality type is like, then you can read the book in full. It is completely up to you.As an enneagram type 1, Reformer, I was curious to learn more about my type and subtypes and what I can do to improve. The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up proved a useful guide to understand myself better and to see what I can do to be the best version of myself. You are often your own worst enemy, and this book is ready to help you learn more about yourself and those close to you, and show you how to strive to reach your highest potential.

5.0 out of 5 stars simple yet insightful

P. · February 7, 2023

I enjoyed reading this book. It’s straightforward and gives you good content in a clear manner. I would recommend this book to anyone new to the Enneagram.

5.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of information...and wisdom

A.C. · October 8, 2021

Although the Enneagram has become popular and there's lots of buzz about who is what Type, this book takes us on a path that actually encourages growth. I love the structure of the book. It is thorough and yet succinct. The authors have certainly managed to take an extremely complex subject and created tight descriptions and clear guidance for how each Type can walk the path to greater self-awareness. It is clear enough for a new Enneagram student to understand but meaty enough to hold the attention and inspire the experienced Enneagram enthusiast. For those who are not familiar with Subtypes - this information is included - including Shadow work by Subtype! This gem is just priceless!

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly useful

R.Z. · January 9, 2023

This is my favorite enneagram book! I love how concise it is and how well it describes the types using story. Most of all, I feel it offers a clear map for personal transformation.

Great!

C. · October 25, 2022

This is a fascinating book and very well written

So very accurate

S. · November 5, 2021

Amazing way to capture the enneagram so we can all relate to our types and types of others.

Disappointing

b. · April 18, 2024

I have studied the enneagram for over 25 years. I have dozens of books on it but it has been a long time since I bought one so I was excited to get this. I had heard Chestnut talk about the Enneagram and valued what she said so my hopes were high.There are several things wrong with this book. The main thing is that each type begins with a fictional ‘story’ about how this type came to be due to early experiences. The problem with this is that the stories immediately alienate anyone of that Type who doesn’t ‘fit’ that story. For example, Type Four describes a child who feels special and loved before a sibling is born and the loss triggers the familiar Four characteristics and particular pain. I am a Four whose sibling was older than me and I suspect my loss came from being a baby and toddler who was regularly ignored when crying, by a mother who would walk out the house slamming the door behind her and leaving me alone when I was just desperate to be held. We never bonded so in some ways there wasn’t much ‘loss’ there. This odd addition to the book would have made more sense with an introduction explaining that the key feature is ‘loss’ which can come about in many different ways and ‘here is an example of one possible way’.The other thing I did not like was the use of language. For some reason the authors decided to go with the original Enneagram language of ‘gluttony’ and ‘avarice’ and ‘passion’ (different from the modern meaning of the word) which makes it seem outdated, hard to read and understand and because language evolves, needs additional explanations as to what those words mean in this context. Even the ‘sexual’ subtype I was surprised to see: many books have moved on to substitute this for Relational although there was a concession to this with the term ‘one to one’.Finally, the constant reference to needing to wake up from the ‘zombie’ state jarred with me. Not the need to wake up, but referencing zombies. WHY?! This made the book seem weirdly American-centric, and for those of us who have no interest in zombies or find the notion of zombies very movie-specific it was off-putting to say the least. A bit like suddenly referencing vampires and bats all the way through. Bizarre.I will say one good thing about this book. I recognised my complex mother in one of the seven subtypes and had never managed to type her after 3 decades. So thank you for that!

Disappointing

J. · January 31, 2025

Sent back.It's good if you're looking for a high level overview of all 9 types.If you know your type, only about 25 pages out of 265 actually apply to you.There's not much positive. Author presents type as a maladaptive way of coping with life at a young age and then by the time you're an adult you're stuck in rut (I believe the term "zombie" was used). The goal seems to be to act differently then your type. I was expecting more on identifying strengths and about how to build on strengths and use that to make positive changes. No real in-depth actionable steps. More "this is the way it is, think about this, act differently."Disappointing.