The Enneagram: What It Is and What It Isn t

Transcription

1 The Enneagram: A (Very) Short History The Enneagram is old. It has roots in several wisdom traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Seven of the nine Enneagram types are associated with the capital or deadly sins which originated with the Desert Fathers. But it was not until the late 1960s that Oscar Ichazo began teaching the Enneagram as we know it today. From Ichazo s school in South America, a group of Jesuits learned the system and brought it back with them to the United States. Richard Rohr learned about the Enneagram from this group and was one of the first people to publish a book about it in English. The Enneagram gained popularity as a tool within spiritual direction. Today it is widely taught as a way of understanding personality, addiction, relationships, and vocation. The Enneagram: What It Is and What It Isn t The Enneagram is a dynamic system. It was developed primarily in an oral tradition, in the context of relationships between students and teachers. A dynamic system is one that recognizes that humans are far too complex and nuanced to fit easily into simple categories; it supports the evolving, maturing human journey. The Enneagram is not a strict law or code. Its categories are not meant to bind or restrict you to a certain way of being and living. People who know the Enneagram in a superficial way think it s about putting people into boxes, but it actually works to free people from their self-created boxes. The Enneagram is a powerful tool for self-discovery and spiritual transformation. But it shouldn t be your only tool. The Enneagram is most helpful when used in conjunction with other practices like study, meditation, spiritual direction, and life in community with others. The Enneagram is not just a personality typing system. Yes, there are tests and quizzes that help you identify your primary Enneagram type, but that is often just the first step. This tool is meant to help you over a life-long journey. While self-discovery is important, it is not the Enneagram s final objective. The Enneagram s purpose is to help us uncover the traps that keep us from living fully and freely as our True Self so that we will use our unique, authentic gifts for the good of others and the world. For a more in-depth introduction to the Enneagram, check out these three posts by Father Richard Rohr:

2 Knowing Ourselves: When used in conjunction with a regular practice of contemplative prayer, the Enneagram can be powerfully transformative. It can open us to deeper and deeper levels of understanding and insight, love and grace. Loving the Whole Self: Our deepest sin and our greatest gift are two sides of the same coin. When we are excessively fixated on our supposed gift it becomes a sin. Maintaining this self-image, this false self, becomes more important than anything else. Belly, Heart, and Head: The Enneagram is organized around three centers: belly (gut or instincts), heart (identity and passions), and head (intellect and understanding). We need each part to be awake and integrated in order to do our inner work and to truly love ourselves, others, and God in a holistic, non-dual manner. The Enneagram: 9 Personality Types The Enneagram is divided into nine distinct personality types. As you read the descriptions of each, you may discover that you feel deep resonance with one or many of the different types. In fact, all of us have a little bit of each one inside us. Below are short summaries of the nine types with a link to a reflection by Richard Rohr where you can learn more about each number. The ONE Role: Reformer Virtue: Serenity Vice: Anger and resentment Basic Desire: Goodness, integrity, excellence Further Reading: Without prayer, love, and nature, ONEs can scarcely imagine cheerful serenity and patience, but remain aggressive idealists and ideologues. The TWO Role: Helper Virtue: Humility Vice: Pride Basic Desire: To give and receive love Further Reading: TWOs are redeemed from themselves the more they experience God as the real lover and realize that their puny love can only consist in sharing in God s infinite love. The THREE

3 Role: Achiever Virtue: Authenticity Vice: Deceit (especially self-deceit) Basic Desire: To feel valuable Further Reading: THREEs need endless successes and feedback to reassure themselves against a very honest and realistic insecurity. The FOUR Role: Individualist Virtue: Equanimity (appreciating life just as it is) Vice: Envy Basic Desire: To be uniquely themselves Further Reading: The essence of the FOUR is the mystery of our true identity. It feels oceanic, deep, unfathomable, mysterious. FOURs live for beauty, intimacy, and depth. The FIVE Role: Investigator Virtue: Non-attachment (not clinging and not avoiding) Vice: Avarice (for knowledge and for personal privacy) Basic Desire: Mastery, understanding Further Reading: The essential core of the FIVE is the soul s capacity to be illuminated and to illuminate, to make things clear. The SIX Role: Loyalist Virtue: Courage Vice: Fear Basic Desire: To have support, guidance Further Reading: The original blessing of the SIX is the quality of awakeness... that gives you an unshakable courage to take your place and walk your walk in the world. The SEVEN Role: Enthusiast Virtue: Sobriety (a sober joy despite life s difficulties) Vice: Gluttony (an insatiable quest for new experiences and options) Basic Desire: To be satisfied and content Further Reading: SEVENs are people who radiate joy and optimism. Their motto is More is always better. Mostly they are gluttonous for fun and options.

4 The EIGHT Role: Challenger Virtue: Innocence (or mercy) Vice: Lust (an addiction to intensity) Basic Desire: Self-protection Further Reading: Losing the sense of divine Presence makes EIGHTs feel vulnerable, deflated, and dead. The ego tries to force life into feeling real and alive again. The NINE Role: Peacemaker Virtue: Decisive action Vice: Sloth (lack of focused energy) Basic Desire: Wholeness, peace, harmony Further Reading: NINEs once knew that reality was all about love, all connected, operative, and effective. Love changes everything; love resolves everything.

5 Center for Action and Contemplation