Where did the Enneagram come from? Answered!

Where did the Enneagram come from?
There are three names you'll hear over and over again when it comes to the question of "Who created the enneagram?" But I'd like to introduce a fourth name...the often forgotten, overlooked, or disputed founder of the Enneagram.
Ready to find out who I'm talking about?
Let's get into it!
0:00 - Introduction
0:26 - The Big Three
0:36 - George Gurdjieff
1:08 - Oscar Ichazo
1:24 - Claudio Naranjo
2:10 - The Missing Fourth: Evagrius Ponticus (EP)
4:44 - George Gurdjieff's Connection to EP
5:26 - Final Thoughts on Loose Connections
6:06 - Conclusion
#enneagram #selfawareness #spirituality #selfhelp #motivation #selflove #wisdom #spiritualgrowth #enneagram #enneagram9 #enneagram8 #enneagram7 #enneagram6 #enneagram5 #enneagram4 #enneagram3 #enneagram2 #enneagram1 #reformer #helper #achiever #individualist #investigator #loyalist #enthusiast #challenger #peacemaker

[@Weberico]

Hey Colton! Another great video where you share very valuable information. I've found the connection between Gurdjieff and Ponticus amazing (I've never heard about Ponticus, then google him... He was the mind behind the seven capital sins, woow! thak you for encouraging further inquiries). Once again, thank you for your generosity and your service.

[@YouveGotaType]

Hey again Federico! Thanks so much for another great compliment and happy to hear you’re diving into the research rabbit hole yourself :)

[@BradKShapiro]

I appreciate your in-depth look at the origins. it needs to be corrected in one area though, and it’s a very important correction. I know because I was there. Claudio was taught five of the overlapping anagrams of a much larger system that Oscar had put together and Claudio focused on just one of the anagrams of the system and that is the personality typing anagram, which unfortunately gives a very misleading viewpoint of the entire system that Oscar put together. It always surprises me that enneagram teachers and students don’t study Oscar’s system they would discover that there are other aspects to the enneagram that expound one’s understanding of it in ways far beyond what is being theorized in the popular Enneagram community

[@YouveGotaType]

Glad you appreciated it, and wanted to add to the discussion further. It's definitely challenging to pack in the truest, fullest history of the enneagram in just a couple of minutes on KZbin. The origins and evolution of the enneagram could be it's own 12 week course ;)

[@thegoldsinno]

Hello! Seeing as how you are my absolute favorite source of enneagram content, and you’re a fellow 1, and you seem to respond to comments, I’ll ask you!!: Where do you recommend getting certified to be an enneagram coach? It seems like the price varies so very greatly and I’m guessing that means the content does as well.

[@WonderfulTruck-fi8lo]

Good video 👍

[@YouveGotaType]

Thanks!

[@martinwilliams9866]

Gurdjieff got the enneagram mainly from S. Karppe's French book on the Zohar & "Isis Unveiled" by Madam Blavatsky. Also I think it was influenced by Plato's 3 examples of pure forms, a triangle, cup (circle) & table (square), also again Aleph, Chi Rho & Omega, also also Galiliao's quote about triangles, circles & other geometrical figures, not forgetting Pythagoras's tectratys which combines 3 & 7, as did Gurdjieff's original enneagram.

[@YouveGotaType]

That's certainly one theory! Thanks for the information dump.

[@CourageToLiveTrue]

THANKS

[@YouveGotaType]

No prob!

[@georgegurdjieff37]

i hope you have read "in search of the miraculous" by PD Ouspensky

[@YouveGotaType]

That's partially why I call George "crafty" because even Ouspensky who was one of his closest peers/friends/collaborators had a falling out with him due to his ever-changing, eccentric behavior.

[@elijahshuler9985]

Can I ask about what Naranjo meant when he said he got it from automatic writing?

[@YouveGotaType]

Hey Elijah, I'm assuming you've seen the popular clip used by many Christians to say that the enneagram has demonic roots because Claudio Naranjo said he came up with the ennea-types via "automatic writing." This is a term used by non-Christian spiritualists to describe channeling a higher power or usually a spirit (be it a good spirit or a demonic spirit) for inspiration. I have a fairly deep background in Theology & The Arts, so I personally believe it's just another attempt at describing a heightened experience of inspiration. Claudio Naranjo was a pretty egotistical guy if you watch his other interviews, so I take it like him being cocky and saying "This ennea-type system is SO AMAZING that it must have come from a higher power." If he were Christian, he would've likely described it as being inspired by "the Holy Spirit." It's funny to me that so many Christians don't see the parallel between "automatic writing" and things like speaking in tongues - which if you've ever seen in person - seems way crazier than Naranjo's description of feeling inspired because he discovered a system that seems to tap into so much profound, healing, universal truth. I do plan to make a video on all this soon because I come from the Christian community and deeply understand (and empathize) with the apprehension around the enneagram system. But it's like avoiding psychology because Freud did cocaine or not driving a VW because Nazi's developed them. Last thing I'll say is that if you do any creative work at all, you can probably describe an experience of "getting into the flow." This happens a ton with musicians, painters, writers, even athletes. I take this to be a form of inspired, creative work that is VERY hard to describe - so people from all backgrounds struggle to put words on such an ambiguous experience like Steven Pressfield does in the amazing book The War of Art. He describes the thing all artists are working to get in touch with as "the Muse." He personifies inspiration by saying, "This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete." Overall, even if Naranjo thought he was channeling an evil spirit, I really don't think an evil spirit would tell me I need to be more loving, kind, selfless and open to a divine source of love like the enneagram does (i.e. Riso & Hudson's work). That sounds way more like what most Christians say Jesus is all about. That's my two cents!

[@elijahshuler9985]

@@YouveGotaType good points. Also I may be wrong, but I don’t always think “automatic writing” is channeling a spirit in all cases. I remember reading that psychologists examined some people who were engaging in automatic writing and they found that it had nothing to do with spirits but the unconscious part of the mind. So for me, if Claudio was studying the enneagram beforehand, it’s more likely that it came out through is subconscious of examining the people and archetypes than a spirit that gave him the information at random. Just a thought

[@YouveGotaType]

@@elijahshuler9985 totally agree about the subconscious aspect of it all. Always hard to know what connections our mind is making while we’re not even consciously thinking about the topic itself. Sort of like what dreams do as well. Great conversation topic! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@elijahshuler9985]

@@YouveGotaType you’re welcome. May I ask if the debate between Todd Wilson and Marcia Montenegro was worth watching? Or have you not seen it?

[@YouveGotaType]

@@elijahshuler9985 haven’t seen it but I’ll definitely google it now

[@HoldFastApolpgetics]

For research regarding the origins please checkout Midwest Christian outreach and Marcia Montenegro

[@YouveGotaType]

I wholeheartedly disagree with their stance, but thanks for suggesting. For context, I have a masters degree in theology from Fuller Seminary so I’m well aware of how some christians feel about this and have formulated my own educated opinion on what the enneagram and scripture teach.

[@maryfitz7174]

What is your opinion of the statement by Claudio Naranjo regarding his originating the concept of the enneagram during an automatic writing of his? He denies that this concept originated hundreds of years ago. Truth is ???

[@YouveGotaType]

I think Naranjo is a smart guy, but I also think he feels wildly unappreciated for his enneagram contributions, and he even sued Helen Palmer back in the day for plagiarism. I believe there has been a snowball rolling throughout history picking up more and more information about human behavioral patterns, and Gurdjieff, Naranjo, Ichazo, etc etc are all just one more layer of the snowball but there is no one true source of the Enneagram as it's known today because there have been so many individual contributors from many different fields (philosophy, psychology, and spirituality). Also, I personally don't believe in automatic writing. I think most people would call it "inspiration" or creative writers would call it listening to their inner "muse" or Christians may call it the "Holy Spirit." That's just my take! Clearly no one can prove it or else there wouldn't be so many debates about it's origins.

[@metamutualguruist65]

Kick that wisdom again & again & again

[@godmode3611]

Are you ENFJ or ENFJ by any chance?

[@YouveGotaType]

Nope :)

[@FlashBangBANGz]

So the enneagram doesn't have demonic roots? Darn.

[@YouveGotaType]

Sorry to disappoint 👿

[@martinwilliams9866]

Although Gurdjieff did write a huge book called "Beelzebub's Tales to his Grandson"

[@HoldFastApolpgetics]

It’s not Christian

[@YouveGotaType]

Disagree. But a very thoughtful comment.