Contemplative Enneagram Practitioner
Training & Certification
A Formation Journey
The Contemplative Enneagram Practitioner Certification is a professional training for both laypersons seeking contemplative Enneagram formation and professionals who accompany others—spiritual directors, therapists, coaches, clergy, and retreat leaders.
Rooted in the conviction that we cannot give what we have not first received, the program invites participants to deepen their own contemplative engagement with the Enneagram so that what they offer others flows from lived experience rather than technique alone.
Through study, contemplative practice, shared inquiry, and compassionate community, participants explore the Enneagram not simply as a psychological framework but as a path of awakening, integration, and transformation.
A Gentle Invitation to Discern
This program is designed for those who sense a call to accompany others through the contemplative wisdom of the Enneagram.
It may be particularly meaningful for:
- spiritual directors
- therapists and counselors
- clergy and ministry leaders
- coaches and leadership facilitators
- retreat leaders
- experienced Enneagram students seeking a deeper contemplative path
- experienced contemplatives seeking to engage the wisdom of the Enneagram
Many who are drawn to the program are not simply seeking to learn more about the Enneagram.
They come to deepen their own lived encounter with it—trusting that what we offer others must first take root in our own lives.
What Makes This Program Distinctive
The Contemplative Enneagram Practitioner Certification is rooted in a vision of the Enneagram not simply as a personality framework, but as a path of awakening and compassionate presence.
Several qualities distinguish this program.
Contemplative Orientation
The Enneagram is approached as a spiritual and contemplative path that invites us beyond personality structures into deeper awareness and wholeness.
Formation Before Technique
Rather than focusing primarily on tools and methods, the program emphasizes personal formation. Participants are invited to embody the work so that what they offer others flows from lived understanding.
Whole-Person Integration
The training explores the Enneagram through the lenses of instinct, emotional awareness, relational presence, and contemplative practice.
Compassionate Accompaniment
Participants learn to accompany others with humility, curiosity, and care rather than diagnosis or labeling.
Community of Practice
The program unfolds within a community of learners who support one another through shared reflection, dialogue, and contemplative practice.
The Shape of the Journey
The program unfolds across the course of a year through five modules, each building upon the previous one.
Together they invite participants into a deepening encounter with the Enneagram and its wisdom.
Learning includes a blend of:
- contemplative teaching
- experiential exercises
- reflective practice
- group dialogue
- professional application
Participants are encouraged to move through the program with spaciousness and attentiveness to their own inner process.
The first two modules, which focus on contemplative Enneagram formation, are open to all participants, including those not pursuing certification.
Modules 3–5 are reserved for those continuing on the yearlong certification path.
Program Modules
Module 1
Foundations of the Contemplative Enneagram
Participants explore the Enneagram as a path of awakening and wholeness, grounding the work in contemplative awareness and compassionate self-understanding.
This module introduces the contemplative orientation that shapes the entire program, inviting participants to approach the Enneagram not merely as a personality framework but as a doorway into deeper presence, humility, and integration.
Note: This module is a Friday – Sunday intensive and may be taken as a stand-alone course.
Module 2
Instinctual Bias & Inner Awakening
Drawing on Rev. Nhien’s original metaphor of The House of 3 Instinctual Rooms, this module explores the role of instinctual patterns in shaping attention, energy, and the conditions for the soul’s thriving.
Participants deepen their understanding of how instinctual bias influences both personal experience and relational presence, learning to approach these patterns with curiosity, compassion, and humility.
Note: This module is a Friday – Sunday intensive and may be taken as a stand-alone course.
Modules 3–5 are reserved for those continuing on the yearlong certification journey.
Module 3
Holding the Circle: Sacred Accompaniment
This module invites participants into the practice of sacred accompaniment within contemplative Enneagram spaces.
Through weekly 90-minute learning labs, participants practice facilitating Enneagram-informed contemplative gatherings using formats such as reflective dialogue and fishbowl facilitation, receiving supportive feedback as they develop the presence required to accompany others.
The module also includes a half-day Typing Accompaniment Training, exploring how to support others in discovering Enneagram type with humility, curiosity, and care.
Module 4
Crafting Your Calling: Designing Your Practicum
During a two-day online training, participants reflect on how the contemplative Enneagram may be integrated into their own context—whether in spiritual direction, coaching, ministry, counseling, teaching, or community leadership.
Participants then design and implement a contemplative Enneagram practicum within their own setting, supported by two private mentoring sessions with Rev. Nhien.
The module concludes with a final reflection paper prior to the retreat.
Module 5
Coming Full Circle: Integration & Wholeness
This in-person three-day contemplative immersion gathers participants for reflection, practice, and integration as the yearlong journey comes to completion.
Together we will explore the Enneagram’s connecting lines, celebrate the path traveled, and co-create sacred space. As appropriate, members of the cohort may be invited to share their unique gifts with the community—deepening our commitment to walking the path of wholeness, oneness, and unity, both in our own lives and in the ways we accompany others.
Certification
Participants who complete the program are recognized as
Contemplative Enneagram Practitioners (CEP)
through Evolving Enneagram.
Certification reflects both a participant’s engagement with the program and their commitment to integrating the contemplative Enneagram into their own life and work with others.
Because the program is rooted in shared practice and community learning, live participation is strongly encouraged and required in most cases.
Participation & Completion
Participants who miss significant portions of the training may be asked to complete additional Hybrid Certification Path requirements, which include private make-up sessions with Rev. Nhien.
Participation guidelines include:
- If more than one hour of Modules 1, 2, or 4 is missed, a 90-minute private make-up session is required.
- If more than six Learning Labs or more than 30 minutes of the Module 3 half-day training is missed, a 60-minute private make-up session is required.
- Module 5 (the final retreat) must be attended in person. We expect that sometimes unexpected circumstances arise; any missed time may require additional make-up training at Rev. Nhien’s discretion.
Additional details about the Hybrid Certification Path and associated fees will be provided to participants if needed.
Program Investment
The Contemplative Enneagram Practitioner (CEP) pathway is a multi‑module formation journey that unfolds over several months of study, practice, and mentorship.
Regular tuition for the upcoming CEP program is expected to range between $3,000 – $3,500 USD, with early‑bird discounts offered.
Payment plans will also be available, and a limited number of scholarships will be offered for those in need.
Many participants have found that their spiritual organizations or workplaces are willing to subsidize this professional training.
Because each cohort forms as a contemplative learning community, exact dates and final program details will be shared when applications open.
Program Investment
Participants may register for Modules 1–2 as stand-alone courses or apply for the full yearlong certification program.
Module 1
Foundations of the Contemplative Enneagram
2026 pricing coming soon
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Module 2
Instincts & Inner
Awakening
2026 pricing coming soon
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Contemplative Enneagram Practitioner Certification Path
Yearlong program—all 5 modules
2026 pricing coming soon.
For reference only, see below for 2025 tuition:
Benefactor Rate:
$3300
(Pay it forward to support scholarships)
Regular Fee:
$3000
limited no. of partial scholarships will be available
