A few things. First, on the eclecticenergies link.
As you can see it's, at least in part, a New Age site, having Chakras, I Ching, and so on. I went ahead and linked to it because the Enneagram itself is not New Age. And from taking Enneagram tests on other sites; I can tell that eclecticenergies is using the same psychological science (regarding the Enneagram) in their tests.
Second, the Enneagram is both generalized and detailed.
It's not about stereotyping or singling people out into being a a certain type. Neither is it like astrology (as it is popularly practiced), to where like you're supposed be be "like" your zodiac sign.
The Enneagram, like the Myers-Briggs, is based on psychological science. The types are general descriptions of your basic and secondary personality traits, or your type.
These kinds of tests for Christians.
I'm a Myers-Briggs INTP. By the Enneagram I'm either a 5w4 or a 5w9. When I looked up these types' descriptions they describe me quite well (accurately). However, as a believer I'm not saying anything like, "Well, I'm an INTP, so I might as well stay home all the time and read,"
No, of course not! God's Word that tells me that I'm not supposed to live like that. So the benefit of these tests are, imo, an alternate way of understanding your basic personality makeup. We don't need pysch tests to tell us our strengths and weaknesses. But these tests are helpful tools we can use toward that end (is really all this thread topic is about).Another site (similarminds) has Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, and other types of free psych testing: http://similarminds.com/enneagram_word.html
The above link is their Enneagram.
(Similarminds classifies things rather differently).
E.g., here are my results from them:
5w9
Type 1 Perfectionism
|||||||||||||| 54%
Type 2 Helpfulness
|||||||||||| 46%
Type 3 Image Focus
|||||||||||||| 54%
Type 4 Hypersensitivity
|||||| 30%
Type 5 Detachment
|||||||||||||||||||| 82%
Type 6 Anxiety
|||||||||||||| 54%
Type 7 Adventurousness
|||||||||||| 46%
Type 8 Aggressiveness
|||||||||| 38%
Type 9 Calmness
|||||||||||||||| 66%
type | score | type behavior motivation
5 20 I must be knowledgable and independent to be happy.
9 16 I must be peaceful and easy to get along with to be happy.
1 13 I must be perfect and good to be happy.
3 13 I must be impressive and attractive to be happy.
6 13 I must be secure and safe to be happy.
2 11 I must be helpful and caring to be happy.
7 11 I must be high and entertained to be happy.
8 9 I must be strong and in control to be happy.
4 7 I must avoid painful feelings to be happy.
____________________________________________________
Note how they classify number 5 as "Detachment" as opposed to Thinker-Investigator, and 9 as "Calmness" rather than Peacemaker.
Actually, I think similarminds may be the most reliable and/or accurate of all the psych test sites I've used: Overall, I seem more like a 5w9 than a 5w4 (as I had gotten on another test).
See that 82%? Pretty "thoughtful," eh? I'm a 5 beyond any shadow of doubt!
(and didn't really have to think about it, I've ALWAYS been like this),
Lastly for now, psychologists who've studied all this stuff tell how you can use the Enneagram (also Myers-Briggs) to improve your life. You can find this yourself if you explore the sites. As an example, as an INTP, I can be lacking in E (E as opposed to I, Extraversion over against Introversion). In other words, I need to make conscious efforts to try to balance out my natural tendency to live in my own internal-world by considering others; their opinions, what others think and believe an so on. Another way to say this could be, "Though I have a strong internal sense of things; getting out and mingling with others is where I can make a difference" (or I can stay home forever and just post on blogs),
With the Enneagram, if you look around, you'll find the traits in other types you need to shoot for: Just like an I (Introvert, such as myself) needs to balance things by doing what doesn't come naturally (Extroversion, get out there in the world of people, places, ideas, and things), etc.
Psych tests or not, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. I just felt these tests (the Enneagram primarily on this thread) would be a cool thing for us to look into and use.
Your Detached, Thinker-Investigator Christian friend,
who likes a calm, peaceful existence and atmosphere,
(and who doesn't have to know everything but wants to!)
Rick, Thanks!
Rick! You could have given a language warning! The last item was a shock (although it made me laugh.)