When the Enneagram Meets the Body
Many people describe discovering the Enneagram at exactly the right moment in their lives. It arrives when we are ready to see ourselves more clearly and begin the work of transformation. That was certainly true for me—and it was also the case for Abi Robins.
Abi is a Certified Narrative Enneagram Teacher, a certified yoga therapist, author, podcaster, avid biker, and an active member of our community. Their work brings together two powerful paths of self-discovery: the insight of the Enneagram and the embodied wisdom of yoga.
A Shared Beginning
Abi and I first met during our teacher training in 2018. At the time, most programs were still held in person, and Abi completed the full course of study at the Vallombrosa Center in Menlo Park, California.
Abi describes those three intensive weeks of learning and practice as “truly a marathon.” Yet the depth of the experience created strong bonds among the students who shared it. The friendships formed during that training have lasted for years.
We both can attest to the power of learning the Enneagram in person. As Abi puts it, “If you ever have the opportunity to study with The Narrative Enneagram in person, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.”
Finding Both Map and Vehicle
Abi first encountered the Enneagram in 2013—around the same time they began practicing yoga. Discovering both within months of each other shaped their personal path in meaningful ways.
After moving to the Austin area, Abi connected with the local Enneagram community where they met Rick and Lesley Bradsheet, who have been involved with the narrative community for decades. Rick and Lesley’s mentorship inspired Abi to pursue training with The Narrative Enneagram, which led to pursuing certification.
Alongside their Enneagram work, Abi also trained as a yoga therapist—what they describe as “the PhD of yoga.” Yoga therapy works with the whole human system, integrating breathwork, conscious movement, meditation, and lifestyle practices to help restore balance in both body and mind.
For Abi, yoga and the Enneagram naturally complement each other. The Enneagram helps us identify the patterns and habits that shape our lives, while yoga provides embodied practices that support meaningful change. Abi explains:
“Blending both yogic practices and the Enneagram gives people things they can take action around to help move the needle; both yoga and the Enneagram are very time-tested ways to address these habits. Whatever the reason that you are using the Enneagram, whether it is for personal growth, for business, or for being a better parent, the information is helpful, but it stops if there is no action you can take.’’
Abi often uses a simple metaphor when speaking to the Enneagram community: “Have you been studying the map for a while and felt as if you aren’t going anywhere? You may not have a vehicle.”
To a yoga community, Abi might say, “Do you feel like you’re spinning around in circles? You probably have a good vehicle, but you don’t have a good map.”
When Abi combines their yoga practice and Enneagram work, they have both a map and a proper vehicle for the journey.
Opportunities to Practice Together
On April 16, Abi will lead our Third Thursday Community Gathering, Conscious Breath: Yogic Breathwork and the Enneagram. The session will offer a glimpse into their work and preview a deeper retreat experience.
On May 9 May, Abi returns to lead Flow and Flourish: An Enneagram and Yoga Retreat, a day-long immersive program focused less on information and more on direct experience. Through breath and movement practices, participants will explore what it feels like when the type structure softens, and new possibilities begin to emerge.
“What I want is for people to experience what it’s like when the type structure relaxes—and to access the qualities of the open heart. That’s when things get really interesting.”
In their book, The Conscious Enneagram: How to Move from Typology to Transformation, Abi describes transformation as a three-legged stool: practice, lineage, and community. These upcoming offerings invite participants to experience all three—together. Abi’s upcoming classes will give you the opportunity to access all three: a supportive community in which to explore, trusted teachers from a rich lineage, and effective, helpful practices to enrich your work.
We hope you’ll join us.
Contributed by: Catie Bilz
Catie Bilz is a member of the Board of Directions with The Narrative Enneagram. She is a TNE Certified Practitioner, Mental Health Therapist, lover of stories, and mom of 2.
