The Enneagram

Issue: What is the enneagram? May Catholics use the enneagram?

Response: The enneagram is a symbol of geometric design. The symbol is made up of nine lines of equal length connecting to form a nine-pointed star. A circle connecting the nine points completes the enneagram symbol. 

   Because it is merely a symbol of geometric design, the enneagram itself presents no offense to faith or morals. However, particular use of the enneagram for cultic or pseudo-scientific practices can pose a threat to Catholic belief and practices.

Discussion: As a creature composed of body and spirit, man uses signs and symbols to express himself. He assigns specific meanings to the signs and symbols and shares these meanings with others. Once the meaning is understood, the explanation is no longer necessary. He must only use the sign or symbol and those who know them also understand.

The Enneagram as a Symbol
 

Given the beauty and goodness of the natural world (Gen. 1:31), man commonly uses various creatures or combines characteristics of different creatures to symbolize certain things. Because these natural symbols are limited, different cultures and peoples commonly use the same symbol but attribute to it different meanings. For example, the rainbow is a symbol used by almost every culture in every time of humanity. Christians commonly use the rainbow as a symbol of God’s promises and a hope for the future. It is common to see the rainbow combined with the cross to show the fulfillment of God’s promises in the death and resurrection of Christ. Masons also use the rainbow, as do certain satanic sects. The meanings they attribute to the rainbow certainly have nothing to do with the fulfillment of God’s promises. Other symbols used differently by various peoples are the sun, moon and stars.

Man will also create new symbols from natural shapes and designs. For example, the Star of David is a shape made up of six lines of equal length connected in such way as to form a six-pointed star. The pentagram is a star made from five lines of equal length connected to form a five-pointed star. Both stars are used as symbols by various cultures to mean different things. The enneagram is simply a nine-pointed star made up of nine lines of equal length and having a circle connecting its points.

Modern Uses of the Enneagram

Of itself, no symbol is evil. However, the meanings and uses of the symbol can be evil. Thus, it is not particular symbols we must avoid, but rather the evil meanings and uses attributed to them.

The enneagram has existed for hundreds, and possibly thousands of years. While its date of origin is disputed, it came to the United States in the 1960s. The diagram was discovered in the 1890s in Central Asia by a Greek-Armenian occultist by the name of George Gurdjieff. He received it from the Sufis who were using it for numerological fortune telling. Oscar Ichazo, a follower of Gurdjieff, added animal symbols, or totems, and attributed certain personality types to the various points on the star. Psychologist Claudio Naranjo used the diagram as a tool for evaluating personality types. He taught this to his students, who subsequently disseminated this use throughout the world.

Today, use of the enneagram in the United States still relates to the occult and is used as a tool of personality evaluation. Some merge both uses. Proponents of the New Age Movement and certain occult groups consider it to symbolize the “nine faces of God” which become nine demons when turned upside down. This dualism is not compatible with Christianity. It is also used in rituals of channeling spirits, horoscopes, meditations and drug use. Some attribute certain powers of self-salvation to use of the enneagram. These Gnostic and Pelagian ideals are in direct contradiction to the truths of the Catholic Faith.[1]

Within the psychological disciplines, the enneagram is often used as a tool of personality evaluation. Each of the nine points on the star represents a personality type. Each personality type has a vice and virtue connected with it. The various lines connecting the points inside the diagram and the circle connecting the points outside the diagram represent the various relationships that exist between personality types. These lines also are used to project methods of personality development and growth. Used in this way, the enneagram system of personality evaluation has never been scientifically tested or evaluated for reliability and validity. Many psychologists will recommend its use, but their recom-mendations are based purely on personal opinion, not objective criteria. All personality evaluation tools are limited in their applicable reliability. Because the enneagram lacks objective testing, its limitations are more pronounced.

Conclusion

In human life, signs and symbols occupy an important place. As a being at once body and spirit, man expresses and perceives spiritual realities through physical signs and symbols. As a social being, man needs signs and symbols to communicate with others, through language, gestures and actions. The same holds true for his relationship with God.[2]

“God created everything for man, but man in turn was created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to Him.”[3] Consequently, our use of signs and symbols must tend toward beauty and be useful for salvation. Any use contrary to this is not an act of love and service of God.

Unfortunately, some uses of the enneagram as described above are found in certain Catholic seminaries, universities, parish programs and institutes of religious life. The Pelagian and Gnostic ideals, the occult practices and the dualistic language contribute to a destruction of proper catechesis and poor formation within the Catholic Church. Use of the enneagram as a personality evaluation tool is often passed off as definitive and reliable. This can cause confusion and an improper focus on certain traits and behaviors.

If the enneagram is to be used as a thing of beauty and move people to salvation, the occult, Pelagian, Gnostic, and pseudo-scientific uses must be avoided. Pure Catholic meanings would have to be attributed to the enneagram for it to have value within the Church. For example, as an object of art, it could bear much beauty, just as other geometric designs bear much beauty. As a symbol, the circle could symbolize the eternity of God and the nine points could symbolize His absolute perfection (3 times 3).

   Any proper Christian meanings attributed to the enneagram would have to be known both to the one using it and the one seeing it. If mutual understanding is not established, the meaning is useless. Worse, scandal will continue if the meaning associated with its use continues to be anti-Christian. As Catholics, we must avoid use of the symbol entirely or attribute to it purely Catholic meanings.

Recommended Reading:

Holy Bible

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Documents of Vatican II

Précis of Official Catholic Teaching on The Church

Defending the Papacy; Gerard Morrissey

Catholicism and Fundamentalism; Karl Keating

Surprised by Truth; Patrick Madrid

Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic; David Currie

A Father Who Keeps His Promises; Hahn, Scott

Catholics and the New Age; Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J.

To order, call Benedictus Books toll-free: (888) 316-2640. CUF members receive a 10% discount.

Catholic for a Reason, Hahn, Scott, et al.

To order, call Emmaus Road Publishing toll-free: (800) 398-5470.

Available Faith Facts:

• Let the Son Shine: The Truth About the New Age

• Apocalypse Not Now: The Church , the Millennium, and the Rapture

• Going God’s Way: The Church’s Teaching on Moral Conscience

• God or Goddess: Our Heavenly Father Knows Best

• Can Catholics Be Freemasons?

• On Earth As It Is In Heaven: The Necessity of Law and Right Order

© 1998 Catholics United for the Faith, Inc.

Last edited: 12/4/98

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[1] Mitch Pacwa, S.J., article found in Our Sunday Visitor, 5 July 1992. See also his article in 1991 July/August issue of New Covenant.

[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catechism), no. 1146.

[3] Catechism, no. 358.

Date created: 2/25/2005
Date edited: 10/10/2007

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