Workshops

Nine Faces of the Soul: The Enneagram & Spiritual Unfoldment

Sandra Maitri & Joyce Lyke
Esalen Institute, October 19-24, 2008

The enneagram of personality describes nine cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that our consciousness—our soul—takes as a result of losing contact with our spiritual ground in early childhood. While much information about the psychology of the nine types is currently available, the spiritual context for this rigid shaping of our souls is seldom recognized or taught. 

In this five-day workshop, we will explore some of the characteristics of the soul and how they are reflected in the enneagram. We will focus on the inner flow—the dynamic movement from one point to the next—in terms of what it represents regarding the loss of contact with our spiritual depths. This understanding—that of the Diamond Approach—provides an invaluable perspective on inner work, showing us how we can use the enneagram as a guide much like Ariadne’s thread to help us wind our way back through the labyrinth of the personality to the spiritual dimensions within. In the process, the continuum of our psychological patterns and our spiritual depths becomes apparent, indicating skillful means for inner development. 

We will also explore the movement of each type backward and forward along the lines of the inner flow, discussing and experientially grasping what this movement within our souls symbolizes in terms of our development. Additionally, we will explore what the inner flow describes about the child within—our soul child—and its relationship to our ennea-type.  If properly understood, this primitive and often highly problematic structure holds the key to aspects of our soul buried since early childhood. In this workshop, we will contextualize and explore this inner child, opening access to the dimensions of Being that it encapsulates. 

Although not necessary, some prior knowledge about the enneagram is suggested, as we will not be covering the basic information on the ennea-types in depth. Recommended reading: The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram—Nine Faces of the Soul by Sandra Maitri.

Sandra Maitri is one of the principal teachers of the Diamond Approach to Inner Realization and the author of The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul and The Enneagram of the Passions and Virtues:  Finding The Way Home.  A member of Claudio Naranjo’s original SAT group, she has worked with the enneagram in the context of spiritual transformation for almost three decades, teaches internationally, and is currently working on her next book.

How to Register:
The most efficient way to register for a workshop at Esalen is to fax or mail your reservation.  If you fax your reservation be sure to include accurate credit card information.

Esalen’s fax: 831 667 2724 

By Phone: 831 667 3005
If you prefer to make your reservation by phone, please be prepared with workshop dates and leaders names and your credit card.

General Information: 831 667 3000

E-Mail Inquiries: info@esalen.org

Express Reservation: 831 667 3000 ext. 7321 express reservations are for those who have previously taken a workshop at Esalen.

Catalog Requests: 831 667 3000 ext. 7100

Phone Reservation Hours: 9am - 5pm, Monday - Sunday

Workshop Fees and Accommodations:

Standard Accommodations for 5 Day Retreat is $1120
This is shared housing two or three persons per room with shared bathroom.

Bunk Bed Rate is $855 ( four or more persons per room)

Sleeping Bag Rate is $585 ( limited spaces available, first come first serve basis.)

(Inquire with the Esalen Reservations office about the “Friends of Esalen” program entitling donors to reduced workshop rates.)