Exploring the Enneagram

Cicci Lyckow Bäckman has been a dedicated student of the Enneagram for many years, but in this beautiful and accessible book, she steps into teaching the true heart and soul of the Enneagram work. There are many places now where we can read descriptions of the nine types, but Cicci goes beyond this by inviting us into the core teachings for developing ourselves through our Enneagram type. The aptly named Aspects of You reveals to us the inner drives and mechanics behind each of the nine types through an exploration of the Centers of Intelligence. She describes the sense and function of the Centers but also offers advice on how to better express them and balance our lives through them. You can tell from her friendly and steady guidance that Cicci has really lived these teachings, and so she conveys them with a freshness and intimacy rare in writings on this subject. I am truly grateful to see her bringing this marvelous book into the Enneagram conversation, and highly recommend it to anyone seeking to engage in real inner work.

Aspects of you is the most comprehensive piece of work I have read on the centres and instincts to date. Cicci explores the centres and instincts with great intelligence, clarity and in a way that is both ancient and innovative. In addition to the theory, she offers experiential exercises to help people get in touch with their own processes, and see/feel the theory in practice. The test she offers at the end of the book is more comprehensive than most tests for instincts, and offers a deep and thorough way to start to determine which may be your dominant instinct, and which may be your blind spot. I would highly recommend this book to both beginners and advanced Enneagram students, as well as teachers and trainers.