What is the Enneagram
The Enneagram is a universal symbol or “blueprint” that offers insight into the fundamental laws that create and sustain life. In an analogous sense it is like applying the logarithmic spiral to the growth of nautilus snail shell.
The Enneagram, when applied at the psychological level, uncovers patterns inherent to our temperament, values and motivational drives that we have not been aware of before. It makes us conscious of; “why we do what we do”.
The Enneagram of Personality has been widely promoted in both business management and mindfulness related practices. In both contexts it is used to aid self-awareness, self-understanding and self-development.
We are indebted to the insights of Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo , and all those they taught, who have interpreted the symbol and attributed the psychological and spiritual qualities to each of the nine values.In its simplest form The Enneagram of Personality is portrayed as a model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types.
There is some virtue to this approach for each person does have a “home base”- in which they will recognise themselves more than the other eight. However, the wonder of the Enneagram is that it is a moving system, we have a home base but we also move between the different home bases. The Enneagram is living blueprint can be understood best through talking to people. Everyone is an expert on their type for their own experience is a good description of life at their home base.
One can equally trapped and freed by the Enneagram for at the level of personality it can feel all encompassing- you can’t do anything outside the pattern. But over time the Enneagram quite simply,; “saves me from the unhelpful habits of myself”.
Each of us will all recognise a part of ourselves in every type and this is because together they represent - like a rotating Kaleidoscope- the patterns behind how we “turn up” in this world. As one gets to know the Enneagram well, one can see each type arising and falling away as we react to life. Knowing the keys to unlocking the grip of each type- and particularly the key to our own “home base”- allows us to live more lightly and be less stuck in the tensions that arise. In this movement we get to see the world through the lens of the other types and this builds compassion and understanding. We get to recognise the deeper aspects of others through our own experience.
Once you have become aware of these patterns it is hard not to constantly see them arise in your own behaviours and the actions of those around you. All personal discussions then have the potential to become descriptions of the Enneagram and this is one of the magical experiences an understanding of the Enneagram can bring
“This fantastic coherence that has existed since the beginning of time, but has yet to be fully harnessed by mankind and the potential is truly mind boggling” Russ Blake- Microsoft- who discovered Atomic Modelling