The Enneagram is a symbol that is associated with the human personality. Also known as the Enneagram of Personality, it is a categorization tool that places a person’s personality into one of the interrelated nine classes of personalities. The Enneagram is comprised of three parts: An inner triangle, a circle, and an irregular hexagonal figure. It is coined from the Greek words “Ennea” and “gram,” which means “nine” and “point,” respectively. This tool is intended to provide insight into modern psychology and wisdom. It has been connected to early mathematicians, philosophers, and Christians. 

Where Did The Enneagram Come From?

Several researchers of the Enneagram have linked its origin to some ancient groups such as the Pythagoreans, Desert Fathers, Sufi, Kabbalists, and many others. However, this claim has not been substantiated with proof. 

The origin of the Enneagram can be traced to the Greek American occultist called Georges I. Gurdjieff. Georges considered the Enneagram as the symbol of the cosmos and linked no other meaning to it. As years went by, personality type connotation was attached to the Enneagram by another occultist, Oscar Ichazo. Ichazo was a great development figure for the Enneagram.  

Oscar claimed to have discovered the personality types linked with the Enneagram after the Archangel Metraton disclosed it to him. The Bolivian-born later founded the Arica school in 1968, where personality types and related theories associated with the Enneagram were taught. These teachings formed a large body termed the Protoanalysis.

Oscar Ichazo exposed a Chilean psychiatrist, Claudio Naranjo, to the Enneagram. Claudio was the first person to connect the nine different personality types to the Enneagram. The students of Claudio spread knowledge of the Enneagram to the Christian communities in 1970. 

Since then, the symbol has been promoted by several persons, including the Franciscan friar Richard Rohr, Ormer Jesuit, Don Riso, late Benedictine nun, Jerry Wagner, and Suzanne Zuercher. Others include Don Riso and Russ Hudson, Mark Bodnarczuk, Beatrice Chestnut, Sandra Maitri Ginger Lapid-Bogda, David Daniels, and more. There is also the Enneagram Institute that brings the Enneagram knowledge to the public.

The Enneagram has many uses. From business to relationships, knowing your personality type and how that influences your interactions can be incredibly important. This is especially true if you are spending time with someone new, or even thinking about travel. 
You can take the test here, then check out books and other resources to learn more about your Enneagram type!