Enneagram: Encyclopedia - Enneagram

Enneagram

The Enneagram (or Enneagon) is a nine-pointed diametric figure which is used to indicate the dynamic ways that aspects of things and processes are connected and change.

These days the Enneagram figure's most well-known use is in indicating a dynamic model of nine distinct yet interconnected psychological types (usually called 'personality types' or 'character types'). These types can be understood as unconsciously developing from nine distinct archetypal patterns.

As a typology model it is often called the Enneagram of Personality but it is usually only called the Enneagram. This can cause confusion with the other ways in which the Enneagram figure is used.

Although usually understood as being a personality typology others understand it as a model of archetype-based character types. The theoretical distinctions between 'personality' and 'character' requires more clarification by those who make them.

Contemporary ways of understanding and describing the Enneagram of Personality have developed from various traditions of spiritual wisdom and modern psychological insight. Whilst many people understand the Enneagram principally in spiritual or mystical ways others understand it primarily in psychological terms.

Enneagram - The diametric figure

The term 'enneagram' derives from the Greek words 'ennea' (nine) and 'gramma' (something written or drawn). The figure can also be called an 'enneagon'. The usual form of the Enneagram figure consists of a circle with nine points. An equilateral triangle joins points 9 (at the top) with points 3 and 6 and an irregular hexagon joins the remaining six points.

Enneagram - Historical development

It is sometimes speculated that forms of the Enneagram typology can be found in ancient sources, especially within the Sufi spiritual tradition, or that the Enneagram figure is possibly a variant of the Chaldean Seal from the times of Pythagoras. Although there may be some truth to this, there does not appear to be any hard evidence to support such speculations.

It seems that the Enneagram figure's first definitely established use (at least in its most common form of the triangle and hexagon) is found in the writings of the Greek-Armenian spiritual teacher G.I. Gurdjieff (died 1949) and his Russian-born student P. D. Ouspensky. The teaching tradition established by Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (which is still continued by various other teachers and schools) is called the Fourth Way.

Gurdjieff's teachings were heavily influenced by his personal experience with Sufism as well as Orthodox Christianity and Buddhism. Even though some of the principal ways of understanding the Enneagram have come from the Fourth Way tradition there does not seem to be any clear evidence that he used the Enneagram figure as a typological model (at least not in the popular contemporary form).

One student of Fourth Way teachings, John G. Bennett, developed the idea of the Enneagram as part of a wider study that he named Systematics. This is unrelated to personality as such, but can be applied to transformative processes (see Bennett's book, Enneagram Studies, and Anthony Blake's book, The Intelligent Enneagram and Enneagram of Process). This use of the Enneagram has been applied to understanding and improving the functioning of groups, particularly in a business context (see Richard N. Knowles' book, The Leadership Dance).

Another branch of the application of the Enneagram is focused on different body types (see Joel Friedlander's book Body Types: The Enneagram of Essence Types, or Susan Zannos' book Human Types: Essence and the Enneagram).

The figure's use for a typological model is first clearly found in the teachings of Bolivian-born Oscar Ichazo (born 1931) and his system called 'Protoanalysis'. Ichazo first taught his understanding of the Enneagram (or the 'Enneagon' as it is usually called in his teachings) to students in Arica, Chile in the 1960s and later in the United States through his Arica Institute.

Much of popular Enneagram teaching has, however, been principally developed - directly or indirectly - from the teachings of the Chilean-born psychiatrist Claudio Naranjo who first learned the basics of the Enneagram from Ichazo in Arica.

It was principally from Naranjo that the Enneagram became established in the United States. His Enneagram teaching was further developed by many others teachers including a number of Jesuit priests and seminarians at Loyola University in Chicago.

Popular authors such as Helen Palmer, Don Richard Riso and Richard Rohr have also contributed significantly to the spread of Enneagram teaching in the United States and internationally.

There are, however, some significant differences between Palmer, Riso and other Enneagram theorists in their interpretation and approach. Some Enneagram teachers (such as Riso) have developed and promoted theories that have not been generally accepted.

Enneagram - The nine types

The nine Enneagram types are often given names that indicate some distinctive behavioral aspect, though these labels are insufficient to capture the nuances of the type concerned.

Some examples are as follows. (For convenience, the corresponding deadly sin is indicated in square brackets: see below).

• One: Reformer, Critic, Perfectionist [Anger]. This type focuses on integrity. Ones can be wise, discerning and inspiring in their quest for the truth. They also tend to dissociate themselves from their flaws and can become hypocritical and hyper-critical, seeking the illusion of virtue to hide their own vices. The One's greatest fear is to be flawed and their ultimate goal is perfection. (Alternative One description)

• Two: Helper, Giver, Caretaker [Pride]. Twos, at their best, are compassionate, thoughtful and astonishingly generous; they can also be prone to passive-aggressive behavior, clinginess and manipulation. Twos want, above all, to be loved and needed and fear being unworthy of love. (Alternative Two description)
• Three: Achiever, Performer, Succeeder [Deceit]. Highly adaptable and changeable. Some walk the world with confidence and unstinting authenticity; others wear a series of public masks, acting the way they think will bring them approval and losing track of their true self. Threes fear being worthless and strive to be worthwhile. (Alternative Three description)

• Four: Romantic, Individualist, Artist [Envy]. Driven by a fear that they have no identity or personal significance, Fours embrace individualism and are often profoundly creative. However, they have a habit of withdrawing to internalise, searching desperately inside themselves for something they never find and creating a spiral of depression. The stereotypical angsty musician or tortured artist is often a stereotypical Four. (Alternative Four description)

• Five: Observer, Thinker, Investigator [Avarice]. Believing they are only worth what they contribute, Fives have learned to withdraw, to watch with keen eyes and speak only when they can shake the world with their observations. Sometimes they do just that. Sometimes, instead, they withdraw from the world, becoming reclusive hermits and fending off social contact with abrasive cynicism. Fives fear incompetency or uselessness and want to be capable above all else. (Alternative Five description)

• Six: Loyalist, Devil's Advocate, Defender [Fear]. Sixes long for stability above all else. They exhibit unwavering loyalty and responsibility but are prone to extreme anxiety and passive-aggressive behavior. Their greatest fear is to lack support and guidance. (Alternative Six description)

• Seven: Enthusiast, Adventurer, Materialist [Gluttony]. Eternal Peter Pans, Sevens flit from one activity to another. Above all they fear being unable to provide for themselves. At their best they embrace life for its varied joys and wonders and truly live in the moment; but at their worst they dash frantically from one new experience to another being too scared of disappointment to enjoy what they have. (Alternative Seven description)

• Eight: Leader, Protector, Challenger [Lust]. Eights worry about self-protection and control. Natural leaders, capable and passionate but also manipulative, ruthless and willing to destroy anything and everything in their way. Eights seek control over their own life and their own destiny and fear being harmed or controlled by others. (Alternative Eight description)

• Nine: Mediator, Peacemaker, Preservationist [Sloth]. Nines are ruled by their empathy. At their best they are perceptive, receptive, gentle, calming and at peace with the world. On the other hand they prefer to dissociate from conflicts and indifferently go along with others' wishes or simply withdraw, acting via inaction. They fear the conflict caused by their ability to simultaneously understand opposing points of view and seek peace of mind above all else. (Alternative Nine description)

Enneagram - Wings

To some extent the personality issues and traits of the nine Enneagram types can be understood as 'overlapping' around the circle. Observation suggests, for example, that Type One people will also tend to manifest some of the characteristics of either or both Type Nine and Type Two. The two types on each sides of a person's principal type are usually called the 'Wings'. This aspect of Enneagram theory was first suggested by Claudio Naranjo and then further developed by Jesuit teachers. Some Enneagram theorists do not give much or any importance to the Wing concept.

Some theorists believe that one Wing will always be more dominantly active in someone's personality dynamics but others believe that both Wings can be active depending on life circumstances.

Enneagram - Stress & security points

The internal lines of the triangle and hexagon indicate what are called 'Stress Points' and 'Security Points'.

In Don Riso's teachings the lines also indicate what he calls the 'directions of integration' to healthier psychological states and the 'directions of disintegration' to unhealthy psychological states.

The sequence of stress points is 1-4-2-8-5-7-1 for the hexagon and 9-6-3-9 for the triangle, whereas the security points sequence is in the opposite direction (1-7-5-8-2-4-1 and 9-3-6-9). These sequences are found in the repeating decimals resulting from division by 7 and 3, respectively, both of those numbers being important to Gurdjieff's system. (1/7 = 0.1428571...; 1/3 = 0.3333..., 2/3 = 0.6666..., 3/3 = 0.9999...).

These sequences or directions are often indicated on the Enneagram figure by the use of arrows on the lines of the triangle and hexagon (as in the example in this article above).

The traditional understanding of the stress and security points is that when people are in a more secure or relaxed state they will also tend to express aspects of the connected type in one 'direction' of their particular sequence and the other 'direction' when in a more stressed state. A relaxed One, for instance, will tend to manifest some more positive aspects of the Seven personality type (which makes sense, as Ones tend to be highly self-inhibitory, whereas Sevens give themselves permission to enjoy the moment). On the other hand, a stressed One begins to express some more negative aspects of the Four personality (particularly the obsessive introspection; they also share a certain amount of self-loathing and self-inhibition).

Another common understanding is that people may access and express both the positive and negative aspects of both type points depending on their particular circumstances.

Enneagram - Instinctual subtypes

Each type also has three main instinctual subtypes - the Self-Preservation, Sexual and Social subtypes.

• Self-Preservation subtypes focus on personal survival and well-being.
• Sexual subtypes focus on intimacy and one-to-one relationships.
• Social subtypes focus on others, groups and community.

Enneagram - Ego-fixations & deadly sins

The Enneagram types have also been correlated with the traditional Seven Deadly Sins plus two additional descriptors - 'deceit' and 'fear'. The '7 sins + 2' need to be understood in a much more specific meaning than usual.

• One – Anger

Anger as a frustration in working hard to do things right, while the rest of the world doesn't care about doings things right and doesn't appreciate the sacrifice and effort made.

• Two – Pride

Pride as a self-inflation of ego, in the sense of seeing themselves as indispensable to others - they have no needs yet the world needs them.

• Three – Deceit

Deceit in the misrepresentation of self by marketing and presenting an image valued by others rather than presenting an authentic self.

• Four – Envy

Envy of someone else reminds this individual that they can never be what the other person is, reawakening a sense of self-defectiveness.

• Five – Avarice

Avarice in the sense of hoarding resources in an attempt to minimize needs from a world that takes more than it gives, thus isolating oneself from the world.

• Six – Fear

Fear often in the form of a generalized anxiety that can't find an actual source of fear yet may wrongly identify one through projection, possibly seeing enemies and danger where there are none.

• Seven – Gluttony

Gluttony not in the sense of eating too much, but instead, of sampling a taste of everything the world has to offer (breadth) and not taking the time for richer experience (depth).

• Eight – Lust

Lust in the sense of wanting more of what this individual finds stimulating to the point that most people would feel overwhelmed and say too much.

• Nine – Sloth

Sloth or laziness in discovering a personal agenda and instead choosing the less problematic strategy of just going along with others' agenda.

Enneagram - Research issues

Because of differences among teachers in their understanding of the personality characteristics of the nine types and more theoretical aspects of Enneagram dynamics, some skeptics argue that more research needs to be done to test the Enneagram as an empirically valid typology.

Whilst some believe that the research already done has not given support to the Enneagram's validity (especially concepts of the Wings or the Stress and Security Points) others believe that by its somewhat complex and 'spiritual' nature the Enneagram typology is too difficult to test by conventional empirical methods.

Recently published research (2005) based on a type indicator questionnaire developed by Don Riso and Russ Hudson [1] claims to have demonstrated that the nine Enneagram types are "real and objective".

In addition, a partially finished book entitled "Personality and the Brain" was posted for free download in December 2005. This book, written by a self-described "hacker", presents a model for linking the Enneagram to the current findings of neuroscience regarding prefrontal cortex (PFC) and amygdala asymmetry. If this model proves correct, the Enneagram will enjoy direct validation. However, at present, the model is merely one layperson's hypothesis.

Enneagram - Criticism

Many psychologists and scientists regard the Enneagram as a pseudoscience that uses an essentially arbitrary set of personality dimensions to make its characterisations. Lacking falsifiability, the claims of Enneagram theorists cannot be verified using the conventional emperical scientific method. In this respect it is not considered to be any different from many other typological models such as that of Carl Gustav Jung's on which the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is based.

The Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue of the Roman Catholic Church has also expressed concerns about the Enneagram when used in a religious context because it is claimed that it "introduces an ambiguity in the doctrine and the life of the Christian faith". [2]

See also

• G. I. Gurdjieff
• Ouspensky
• Fourth Way
• Gnostic circle

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Enneagram", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki