Enneagram – An Interview with Clarence Thomson

Paul notes – “The enneagram is a remarkably accurate map of our inner geography. It is distinguished from much of modern psychology in that it illustrates our inner motivations and our behaviour only secondarily. The enneagram map depicts what model of the universe each of nine different kinds of people have. This map, like all maps, describes some things and leaves out others. “The enneagram will tell… us more, not only about ourselves, but very specifically what troubles us about ourselves…”

“… It portrays our biggest problem in life and our greatest gift -- and remarkably they are the same.

The fundamental premise of the enneagram is that each of us has one dominant (not exclusive) energy that drives us in everything we do. This dominant energy is our greatest gift so we use it too much and it becomes our chief fault - or sin. This energy, like a prevailing wind that bends a tree permanently, sculpts our interior geography and shapes our entire life.”

So writes, Clarence Thomson who was the former editor of Credence Cassettes and the author of several books on the Enneagram including, Parables and the Enneagram, and Enneagram Applications.

For a great many people, the enneagram provides an interesting insight into the inner realities of their lives, and the ways in which that inwardness works its way out outwardly. Spiritual directors and directees often find it a very useful tool as well. Personally I’ve benefited a lot from the insights that the enneagram has provided me. It provides good insights into the dymanics and besetting 'sins' of relationships too.  

Thomson notes the relationship between the enneagram and the cardinal sins or so-called “seven deadly sins.” Also insightful is his (sadly only) introductory comments on the “enneagram styles” [I might want to use the descriptor – “powers”] of corporate entities, e.g. nations (he talks about the US), institutions etc. He describes the book, The Purpose Driven Life as “an awful book” and is all focused on how to be a good “3”, which a large number of us aren’t.

The National Catholic Reporter has an interview with Clarence Thomson. It is an interview that is divided into three parts:

1.         What the Enneagram is and why it works.

2.         Widening your focus.

3.         The Enneagram fits into traditional Catholic theology.

You can download it (Mp3) here. You can complete an online enneagram exercise here. It should give you a reasonable indication, and certainly some useful insights to reflect on. Although, I’ve now had to modify my style. I had thought I was a “2” but in doing Thomson’s online version four times I came out three times as the a different style (three times the same, but different from a 2) and once as a “4”. As many of you will appreciate, however, we’re often a composite, but one dominant style.

Comments

[philjohnson]

Paul

Your post on the Enneagram is interesting, and it is certainly being used in Catholic forms of contemplative spirituality. Richard Rohr is a prominent Catholic writer who favours the use of the Enneagram in understanding personality and also spirituality.

I do not wish to detract from your post nor from the Catholic authors who encourage responsible and theologically reflective use of the Enneagram.

However, one point that I do feel that needs to be underscored is a matter of discernment. Although there is a corpus of Catholic literature that seeks to integrate the Enneagram into a theological framework, there is another stream of thought connected to the Enneagram that your readers do need to be cognizant of.

The Enneagram was conceived of by the Russian occultist George Gurdjieff, and other elements related to the 9 personality types were then developed by a Latin American psychic Oschar Ichazo of the new age Arica School.

There is an entire corpus of metaphysical literature built around the Enneagram that propagates an entirely different anthropology and cosmology that is essentially Gnostic, and thus in many respects stands in great tension with orthodox Christian teachings (as expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the Church).

I am not arguing here that because the Enneagram originated in the mind of an occultist therefore the whole thing must be rejected. That would be logically fallacious.

However, because of the sheer volume of published materials based on or explaining the Enneagram, some discernment is needed.

I am not normally much of a fan of Wikipedia, but its current entry on the Enneagram does draw attention to the occult tradition of literature, as well as the Catholic material, and also summarises some criticisms about the limitations of the Enneagram generally. There are also a few brief summary remarks about the new age and Catholic approaches to the Enneagram in my co-written book Jesus and the gods of the new age (Lion 2001).

blessings

[Matt Stone]

Yes, I would second Phil's comments here. While I suspect certain aspects of enneagram use are indeed redeemable, the system as a whole needs to be filtered through a process of critical contextualization before I personally would be comfortable using it, particularly amongst alt. spirituality seekers who may be more conversant of it's occult origins than the average Christian user.

[Paul Fromont]

Phil and Matt, I agree with the cautions you both raise. Thanks. You've done by way of comments what I was unable to do by way of a post - ut would have become all together unweildy.

I'm essentially of the view that there is much that, given appropriate "filtering", is redeemable and useful when good theological thinking is brought to bare.

[Mike Crowl]

Glad to see the comments on this post. I used to run a Christian bookshop and for a while, the Ennegram was all the rage. It always concerned me that its roots weren't Christian. However useful it was as a tool, it was always something with a rather shady background.