A way of understanding human personality has gained wide popularity in recent years. It is called the Enneagram. Its origins are a subject of debate and some people view the concept suspiciously or dismissively. To others, however, it is a helpful way to describe and understand human personality. <\/p>\n
The \u201cEnneagram\u201d outlines nine personality types that are commonly identified by numbers. Each personality (1-9) is characterized by a dominant strength or virtue and a dominant weakness or vice (which tends to be that person\u2019s default position when under stress). There is much more to it than that, and some enneagram enthusiasts can talk and talk about each type and its \u201cwings\u201d and so on. <\/p>\n
But discovering and understanding your personality can be an aid to prayer. For example, a \u201c1\u201d in enneagram terms is a \u201creformer\u201d\u2014a person who longs to be good, \u201cright,\u201d or even perfect, but is also tempted to become critical and judgmental. If you\u2019re a \u201c1,\u201d you probably take yourself and your spirituality very seriously. So how does that personality affect your prayer life? You probably tend to have high expectations. You may beat yourself up if you think your prayer life is lacking. So, you may find it helpful to follow the ancient practice of fixed-hour prayer that is explained in such books as Phyllis Tickle\u2019s The Divine Hours. Or you may want to relax your prayer habit, perhaps by taking prayer walks or injecting some form of play (such as coloring or painting) into your prayer life.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve never taken an enneagram assessment, you may want to start there (this can be done online). If you know your enneagram, however, here is a brief overview of the types, and possible corresponding prayer practices that each type may find beneficial (some because they match a person\u2019s strengths, and others because they counter a person\u2019s weaknesses): <\/p>\n
1. The Reformer<\/strong> 2. The Helper<\/strong> 3. The Achiever<\/strong> 4. The Individualist<\/strong> 5. The Investigator<\/strong> 6. The Loyalist<\/strong> 7. The Enthusiast<\/strong> 8. The Challenger<\/strong> 9. The Peacemaker<\/strong> The above is, of course, an over-simplification, and a case could be made that human personality is so complex that a person should try virtually everything in prayer in order to find a combination that \u201cfits.\u201d I certainly agree with that view. But you may be helped by thinking about how your personality influences your prayer life, and how your prayer life can be enriched by cultivating those practices that take advantage of your personality strengths and counter your weaknesses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A way of understanding human personality has gained wide popularity in recent years. It is called the Enneagram. Its origins are a subject of debate and some people view the concept suspiciously or dismissively. To others, however, it is a helpful way to describe and understand human personality. The \u201cEnneagram\u201d outlines nine personality types that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":31075,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[211],"tags":[30],"ppma_author":[465],"class_list":["post-24877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prayers-for-stronger-faith","tag-prayer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nStrength: <\/em>Being \u201cgood\u201d or perfect
\nWeakness:<\/em> Criticism, anger
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Fixed hour prayer, using prayer books, prayer walks, employing \u201cplay\u201d in prayer <\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> Caring, generous
\nWeakness:<\/em> Pride, burnout
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Solitude, prayer walks, \u201csoaking prayer\u201d (spending time in God\u2019s presence without expectations or demands)<\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> Success-oriented, rule-following
\nWeakness:<\/em> Deceit, concern for appearances
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Silence, solitude, learning to \u201cbe\u201d in prayer (as opposed to accomplishing tasks)<\/p>\n
\nStrength: <\/em>Sensitive, introspective
\nWeakness:<\/em> Envy, melancholy
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Silence, solitude, journaling, expressions of trust and gratitude<\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> Learning, thinking
\nWeakness:<\/em> Secretiveness, isolation
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Reading prayer-related books, conversational prayer, praying aloud, praying with others<\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> Faith, believing
\nWeakness:<\/em> Doubt, indecision
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Praying affirmations, praying aloud, memorization, prayer journaling <\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> Wisdom, planning
\nWeakness:<\/em> Dissatisfaction, impatience
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> A regular prayer routine, using prayer aids, prayer journaling\u2014especially prayers of praise and gratitude <\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> High regard for truth, unafraid of conflict
\nWeakness:<\/em> Self-sufficiency
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Praying affirmations, praying aloud, prayers of submission, trust, and abandonment <\/p>\n
\nStrength:<\/em> Loving
\nWeakness: <\/em>Avoiding conflict
\nPrayer Practices:<\/em> Singing, listening to music, praying the Psalms, praying with others <\/p>\n