Forty Days on Being an Eight

What is it like to be an Enneagram Eight?
"Fósforito! The explosion happened so quickly there was no stopping it. My mother called me 'tiny match' when she would see this fire exploding from me." This is how Latina pastor, activist, and worship leader, Sandra Maria Van Opstal, describes her experience as an Eight. There came a point in her life when she saw how her fiery explosions were undermining her leadership. A wise spiritual director helped her discover how the Enneagram could reveal more about both her gifts and her weaknesses. Sandra offers insight from her ethnic journey alongside Enneagram wisdom. Each of these forty readings concludes with an opportunity for further engagement such as a journaling prompt, reflection questions, a written prayer, or a spiritual practice.
Any of us can find aspects of ourselves in any of the numbers. The Enneagram is a profound tool for empathy, so whether or not you are an Eight, you will grow from your reading about Eights and enhance your relationships across the Enneagram spectrum.

Sandra Maria Van Opstal is a second-generation Latina preacher and activist reimagining the intersection of faith and justice. She is the executive director of Chasing Justice. She is a contributor to the New York Times bestselling book A Rhythm of Prayer and she's also the author of The Next Worship.

Suzanne Stabile is an internationally recognized Enneagram master teacher. She is the author of The Path Between Us and coauthor, with Ian Morgan Cron, of the bestseller The Road Back to You. She is the host of The Enneagram Journey podcast. Along with her husband, Rev. Joseph Stabile, she is cofounder of Life in the Trinity Ministry located in Dallas, Texas.