Introduction to the Enneagram

Service Description

The Enneagram symbol made its first appearance in the 1949 publication IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS, authored by the Russian mathematician P.D. Ouspensky, who discovered the Enneagram by way of the teachings of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff. A noted Russian philosopher and mystic, Gurdjieff is credited as the earliest source of Enneagram knowledge. Gurdjieff described the Enneagram as a powerful tool, but he was careful not to discuss the subject of the nine human personality types in the same vein as the Enneagram, ostensibly to prevent his students from discovering the source and framework of the human phenomenon. Although Gurdjieff ostensibly withheld details of the human connection to the Enneagram, he certainly knew that the Enneagram was a perfect map of the human ego types, because multiple accounts describe his ability to diagnose the ego type of others. The next milestone for the Enneagram came in 1982 when Oscar Ichazo published a paper titled Interviews With Oscar Ichazo, where he used the Enneagram to explain the nine ego-personality types. Ichazo claimed that he developed the Enneagram personality system in 1954, as part of an insight that led to the development of an entire human development program, ostensibly the basis to start the ARICA human development school in 1968. The next milestone came from the work of Don Riso and Russ Hudson, who published multiple Enneagram books, each depicting the traits, behaviors, and psychology related to the Enneatypes. Their work provided an overall map of how the ego functions, such as the basic fears, desires, and motivations for each type. The next milestone occurred in 2019 with the publication of Understanding Human Evolution and the Nine Human Endeavors. This book is notable for taking a multidisciplinary approach to explain how and why humans evolved, thereby revealing the Nine Factors of Extinction, the Nine Human Endeavors, and the Nine Human Virtues. This seminar covers the Nine Factors of Extinction, and how they shaped, formed, and produced the nine Enneagram personality types. Richard's presentation provides the background necessary for a deeper understanding of the nine Enneagram types, since each type evolved for the explicit purpose of eradicating one of the Nine Factors of Extinction. Thus, this course provides a proper foundation for understanding the Enneagram, and is a prerequisite to further participation in the Enneagram Certification Series.