Enneagram of Personality

 

The Enneagram Personality Model is principally used as a typology system of 9 interconnected personality types (called “enneatypes”), allowing multiple connections among them and particular potential evolution paths – toward the fulfilment and integration of all positive features of each enneatype into a complet and self-fulfilled personality type – the 10th.

In spirituality, the Enneagram is more commonly presented as a path to higher states of being, essence, and enlightenment. It has been described as a method for self-understanding and self-development.

Our series of workshops and classes present the roots of the Enneagram personality model, starting with the philosophic and psychological concepts based on the earlier teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff and the spiritual Sufi tradition of the Enneagram.

George I. Gurdjieff (1866-1949) was an influential spiritual teacher of the early to mid-20th century who believed that most human beings lived their lives in a state of hypnotic “waking sleep”, but that it was possible to transcend to a higher state of consciousness, and to achieve full human potential.

Gurdjieff brought the Enneagram personality model from the Sufi spiritual tradition and introduced it to the Western world. He taught the Enneagram to a transforming population aiming to bring self-awareness in people’s daily lives and elevate humanity’s place in the universe.

According to Gurdjieff, his method for awakening one’s consciousness is different from that of the fakir, monk or yogi. His discipline was therefore originally called the “Fourth Way”. At one point, Gurdjieff described his teaching as being “Esoteric Christianity”. His complete series of books is entitled “All and Everything”.

We will continue our exploration with the modern contemporary view on the Enneagram as a Transpersonal Psychology introspective discipline, as well as practical ways of using the Enneagram tools for developing and perfecting one’s personality.

Learn more about our Enneagram Study Group at Satya Sattva.

Notes:

Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to recognize oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals.

Introspection is examination of one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings. In psychology, the process of introspection relies exclusively on observation of one’s mental state, while in a spiritual context it may refer to the examination of one’s soul. Introspection is closely related to human self-reflection and is contrasted with external observation.

Consciousness is the quality or state of being aware of an external object or something within oneself. It has been defined as: sentience, awareness, subjectivity, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind.