enneagram

1. The Enneagram: A Framework
for Understanding Personality
Lecture Presentation
By: Instructor

2. Introduction to the Enneagram
• The Enneagram is a sophisticated model of human personality that categorizes
individuals into nine interconnected types. It provides insight into habitual patterns
of thinking, feeling, and behaving, and the motivations underlying them.
• This lecture will cover the history, theory, and practical applications of the
Enneagram, including an in-depth exploration of each of the nine personality types
and their growth paths.
• Understanding the Enneagram can help educators, counselors, and students
enhance self-awareness, improve relationships, and foster personal development.

3. History and Development
• The origins of the Enneagram can be traced back to ancient spiritual traditions,
including Sufism and early Christian mysticism. These traditions used symbolic
figures to describe universal patterns of life and human consciousness.
• In the early 20th century, George Gurdjieff introduced the Enneagram symbol to
the West as part of his teachings on spiritual self-development. He emphasized the
geometric and numerical aspects of the figure, highlighting its potential to map
human behaviors and life cycles.
• Oscar Ichazo, in the mid-20th century, systematized the nine ego fixations and
developed the basis for the modern Enneagram personality system. Ichazo’s work
focused on identifying patterns of mental, emotional, and behavioral tendencies.
• Claudio Naranjo further advanced the Enneagram by integrating it with
contemporary psychology, making it applicable in therapeutic and counseling
settings. He linked each type with specific personality traits, defense mechanisms,
and patterns of emotional response.
• Don Riso and Russ Hudson expanded the system with detailed descriptions,
introducing concepts such as levels of development, wings, and

4. Centers of Intelligence
• The Enneagram identifies three centers of intelligence: the Instinctive (Gut) Center,
the Feeling (Heart) Center, and the Thinking (Head) Center. Each center governs
specific motivations, fears, and behavioral tendencies.
• The Instinctive or Gut Center, comprising Types 8, 9, and 1, focuses on action,
control, and autonomy. These types often struggle with anger and the desire to
maintain integrity and personal boundaries.
• The Feeling or Heart Center, comprising Types 2, 3, and 4, emphasizes emotions
and interpersonal relationships. They are driven by desires for love, recognition,
and self-identity, often dealing with shame or inadequacy.
• The Thinking or Head Center, comprising Types 5, 6, and 7, prioritizes planning,
security, and anticipation of future events. These types often struggle with fear
and uncertainty, seeking knowledge and preparedness as a coping mechanism.
• Understanding the three centers helps explain the motivational focus of each type
and provides a framework for recognizing patterns of behavior across different
situations.

5. Type 1 – Overview
• Type 1, known as the Reformer or Perfectionist, is motivated by a desire for
integrity, correctness, and moral righteousness. Individuals of this type are
conscientious, responsible, and self-disciplined.
• They fear being corrupt, defective, or wrong, which often drives them to impose
high standards on themselves and others. Type 1 individuals strive for
improvement and aim to make the world better through ethical actions and
principles.

6. Type 1 – Core Motivations
• The core desire of Type 1 is to be good, virtuous, and right. Their core fear is
making mistakes, being morally flawed, or being criticized for imperfection.
• This internal drive leads them to develop strong self-control, attention to detail,
and a sense of responsibility toward tasks and relationships.

7. Type 1 – Interpersonal Patterns
• In relationships, Type 1s are reliable, conscientious, and supportive, often
encouraging others to improve or adhere to ethical standards.
• Challenges arise when they become critical, judgmental, or rigid, especially under
stress, which can strain relationships or create conflict with others who do not
share their high standards.

8. Type 1 – Growth Path
• Healthy growth for Type 1 involves embracing flexibility, self-compassion, and
acceptance of imperfections, both in themselves and others.
• Under stress, Type 1s may become overly critical or controlling, but by recognizing
these tendencies, they can learn to integrate more relaxed and creative behaviors
associated with Type 7.