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EnneagramThe Enneagram (or Enneagon) is a nine-pointed diametric figure which is used to indicate - among various other applications - a dynamic model of nine distinct yet interconnected psychological types (usually called 'personality types','character types', or 'character archetypes'). As a 'typology' model this use is often called the Enneagram of Personality though more often it is just called the Enneagram which can create confusion with other ways of using the Enneagram figure. Some only see the Enneagram as a personality typology, but others use it as a model for character archetypes. Certain groups see it in a religious or mystic sense also. Contemporary ways of understanding and describing the Enneagram have developed from various traditions of spiritual wisdom and modern psychological insight. The Diametric Figure The term 'enneagram' derives from the Greek word "ennea" meaning "nine". It is also known as an 'enneagon'. The usual form of the Enneagram figure is composed of a circle enclosing an equilateral triangle and an irregular hexagon that connects the nine points around the circle's circumference. Historical Development It is sometimes claimed that the Enneagram can be found in ancient sources, especially within the Sufi spiritual tradition. However, its first clearly established use as a typological model is found in the teachings of Bolivian-born Oscar Ichazo (born 1931) and his system of 'Protoanalysis'. Ichazo first taught his understanding of the Enneagram (or 'Enneagon' as it is called in his teachings) to students in Arica, Chile in the 1960s and later in the United States through his Arica Institute. Much mainstream Enneagram teaching has, however, been principally derived - 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 - including, significantly, a number of Jesuit priests and seminarians. The Enneagram figure's first definitely established use is found in the writings of the Greek-Armenian teacher G. I. Gurdjieff (d.1949). It is speculated by some that the Enneagram figure is possibly a variant of the Chaldean Seal from the times of Pythagoras. The nine Enneagram types are often given names that indicate some distinctive behavoural aspect of each particular type. Some examples are: - 1 – Critics
- 2 – Helpers
- 3 – Achievers
- 4 – Romantics
- 5 – Observers
- 6 – Loyalists
- 7 – Enthusiasts
- 8 – Protectors
- 9 – Mediators
There can be some significant differences among Enneagram teachers and theorists in their interpretation and approach. Some prominent teachers have developed and promoted ideas that have not been generally accepted. 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 express 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 some Jesuits. Some Enneagram theorists do not give much or any importance to the Wing concept. Stress & Security Points The internal lines of the triangle and hexagon indicate what are usually called the 'Stress Points' and 'Security Points'. Instinctual Subtypes Each type also has three main instinctual subtypes - the Sexual, Social and Self-Preservation subtypes. Ego-Fixations & Deadly Sins The 'Ego-Fixations' of the Enneagram types also correlate with the traditional Seven Deadly Sins with two additional ones - 'deceit' and 'fear' - at points Three and Six respectively. Therefore these nine deadly sins correspond to the Ego-Fixations as follows: External links
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