Where Did the Enneagram Come From?

Should Christians use the Enneagram? 

My name is Amy Wicks with Simply Wholehearted and I’m a faith-based Enneagram Coach for moms. In this post, the main question I’m going to answer is centered around the Enneagram origins. 

In the first post of this series, I shared that the Enneagram is a universal tool. It is not a religion.

I believe that we should observe the fruit of any teaching and I briefly shared why the Enneagram has been beneficial to me. 

Remember the two ground rules for engaging in this content today. 

First, let’s agree that we can disagree with dignity.

You may come to a different conclusion than I do, that is okay! The Enneagram is just a resource and the Gospel message always comes first. My prayer is regardless of what you decide about the Enneagram your mission will be to share Christ’s love to others.  

Second, I would ask you to put curiosity before judgment. Before you jump to conclusions or bring preconceived notions, be willing to walk in curiosity as you take in the content that I’m about to share.

I’ve received variations of this question - Is the Enneagram is a New Age Occult? And of course, I have had many Christians argue that we should never participate in something that originates in another religion. 

So, I’m going to answer this in two parts. 

First, is the Enneagram an occult? 

Second, is it okay for Christians to participate in something that is used in other religious traditions?

To answer the second part first, It’s important to note Christians have a long history of appropriating practices from other religions and cultural practices.

The least of which is the truth that Judaism is the foundation of Christianity. Of course, this is another conversation for another time, but worth acknowledging. 

Christians have also had centuries of impact on art, literature, music, and even philosophy. Not to mention, education, political order, and the economy. None of these aspects of modern-day culture were exclusively birthed by Christianity. But rather, Christians have used their talents, knowledge, and insight to impact these cornerstones of culture. 

I would best describe that the Christian Enneagram teachers are not co-opting, but rather stepping into other streams that embody of wisdom to know ourselves and God better. 

I believe the stream is wide enough and safe enough for Christians to practice and draw meaning Enneagram. 

Is the Enneagram an Occult or exclusive Sufi teaching? 

The Enneagram is potentially a tradition that can be traced back thousands of years. Its history is murky and unclear and it’s probable that what it is today is very different than what it was in the ancient days. 

Some would argue that it is hardly the same. 

George Gurdjieff is attributed as being one of the first in the 20th century to incorporate it into a modern-day wisdom teaching. But the stories of his use and teaching methods were borderline abusive. He may have introduced the term Enneagram, but the coaching practices and insights we use today do not resemble his contributions.

Then there is Oscar Ichazo whose personal accounts regarding the origins of Enneagram have changed repeatedly depending on his audience and the year. He’s been documented to say he was given the information in a divine coma, but also from angel and he has at times even claimed the information on the one hundred eight Enneatypes was just inherently known to him. But, personal accounts aside the Enneagram’s history is much more ancient than the 1950s. He also spent 10 months with 60 Jesuits and mental health practitioners in Arica, Chile who are most likely those who gave him insights that we now know as Holy Ideas, Fixations, virtues, and passions. 

And then insert Claudio Naranjo a student of Ichazo who later took the teaching to Berkley, CA. It was in these years that the teaching was made available in small circles and those students adopted the material and wrote from their understanding. 

This transfer caused many figures and fractures among the early Enneagram community because they were merely humans caught up in the glory more than the compassion, unity, and understanding the teaching can offer. 

So, just like many Ancient philosophies are adopted in many cultures today the E that my biblically-based community practices today is almost nothing like it was at many points of it’s a journey into Western Culture. 

We are not seeking to transcend the information of the Enneagram, but rather we are present to work of God here on earth, and how the Enneagram can bring knowledge of self in order that we may know God better. 

Let me be clear that there are certain streams and teaching that as a Christ-follower that I would not be comfortable participating with. 

BUT their existence does not exclude me from teaching and participating and encouraging fellow believers to use this personality Typology. 

Again, as a Christ-follower, we need to be asking ourselves a better question. Instead of wondering IF we should use the Enneagram, you need to consider WHO will be teaching you about the Enneagram.

When the Enneagram teaching is used to grow compassion towards one another, understand our weaknesses in light of God’s grace, and to celebrate our God-given strengths, then we have a resource that will bear good fruit. 

The next post in this three-part series is, The Top Three Ways Christians Can Use the Enneagram for Spiritual Growth. 

If you are still curious about how to use this amazing resource,  Then I’d love to continue your Enneagram journey with me and you can do that two ways- get my FREE Gift and guidebook specifically created for moms! The Enneagram for Moms Guidebook can be found here or you can book a FREE 15-minute discovery call if you want to learn more about how to flourish in your God-given personality.

If you prefer to LISTEN to this series- check out the Simply Wholehearted Podcast!