A Dangerous Practice: Enneagram

[Michie]

Catholic interest in the Enneagram persists

The Enneagram is a nine-sided figure that looks like a theorem straight from Euclid’s Elements. Instead of teaching basic mathematical facts, however, the Enneagram purports to teach a path to enlightenment, a path that Church leaders find worrisome.


In 2000, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops prepared a draft statement, “A Brief Report on the Origins of the Enneagram,” cautioning against its use. It was never published, but it can be found on the website of the National Catholic Reporter. In 2003, the Vatican’s document “Jesus Christ, Bearer of the Water of Life” discussed the dangers of New Age spirituality, and mentioned the Enneagram in its glossary. In 2004, the USCCB Committee on Doctrine released “Report on the Use of the Enneagram: Can It Serve as a True Instrument of Christian Spiritual Growth?” for the conference’s internal use. Father Thomas Weinandy of the USCCB’s Secretariat of Doctrine provided that report for this article.

Last February, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami explained Catholic teaching on the Enneagram and related subjects in an online column titled, “New Age is Old Gnosticism.” He wrote that the Enneagram is a “pseudo-psychological exercise supposedly based on Eastern mysticism, [which] introduces ambiguity into the doctrine and life of the Christian faith and therefore cannot be happily used to promote growth in an authentic Christian spirituality.” The archbishop’s column is the clearest available teaching for the laity on this topic, and a neat summary of the bishops’ reports.

The Enneagram redefines sin, among other fundamental concepts, by simply associating faults with personality types, which is particularly tempting in a cultural climate of irresponsibility and narcissism. It encourages an unhealthy self-absorption about one’s own “type,” so that the type is at fault rather than the person. This gives rise to a deterministic mindset at odds with Christian freedom.

Religious who promote it

Continued- http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/994/a_dangerous_practice.aspx

 

[FullyMT]

Hogwash.

We used the Enneagram in an intentional community I lived in so that we could get to know each other better.
Basically, it lets you know the basic way in which you approach things and "why". For example, I am a "one" and I have equally strong 9 and 2 wings. The personality profile of when I go into stress and nourished (I can never remember the word for the opposite of stress) fit me very well. It helped me understand myself and my community mates when we got into fights and allowed each other to put ourselves in their shoes, to become more empathetic. What was even more important was for us to realize that we are more than just are numbers and need to realize that we are in control of how we react. Even though I am prone to be judgmental to myself and others does not mean I have the right to actually judge them. If I am feeling down, like most 1's I tend to become overly withdrawn -- however that is the opposite of what I need to be doing, although it may be "natural" it does not make it good.
To me, the Enneagram is just as useful as the Myers-Briggs personality test.
Does the Enneagram have new-age origins? Maybe. Does it need to be used in such a way? Nope.

 

[Ave Maria]

The Enneagram is just another Occultic thing, isn't it? If so then of course it is dangerous.

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

I never heard of Enneagram before 40 seconds ago and now I just really really want one.


Thanks.

 

[FullyMT]

The Enneagram is just another Occultic thing, isn't it? If so then of course it is dangerous.

You're thinking of the Pentagram.

 

[Tigg]

I never heard of it either. I wanna poke it or tap on it or... is it vegetable, animal or mineral? If animal, I dont need any more pets...

Edit: Something like a rubic's cube sorta? I am reading now ...

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

You're thinking of the Pentagram.

A pentagram is one of the most interesting and elegant shape in all of geometric design. There are literal books on the subject of pentagram and their applications in art, design and structural engineering

What's this occult thing you're talking about.

 

[Tigg]

More than I ever want to know.

How the Enneagram Personality System Works

I make no judgement on this whole subject as what I know wouldn't fit into a thimble.

 

[JesusIsTheWay33]

I thought an enneagram was some kind of brainwave chart.

 

[AMDG]

Yes the ennegram is rather like the occult. Read the book by Father Mitch Pacwa (of EWTN fame)--Catholics and the New Age.

 

[FullyMT]

Yes the ennegram is rather like the occult. Read the book by Father Mitch Pacwa (of EWTN fame)--Catholics and the New Age.

The enneagram is just as much a part of the occult as the Myers-Briggs personality test.

 

[AMDG]

The enneagram is just as much a part of the occult as the Myers-Briggs personality test.

Hmmm--does the Myers-Briggs personality test sort of tell a person that he doesn't need to depend on God, but should only be concerned with how a certain thing effects the person (and encourages him to act on that information)--much like horoscopes?

 

[FullyMT]

Hmmm--does the Myers-Briggs personality test sort of tell a person that he doesn't need to depend on God, but should only be concerned with how a certain thing effects the person (and encourages him to act on that information)--much like horoscopes?

The enneagram is not like a horoscope at all. Rather, it explains personality and perspectives from which we act. It explains that nobody is "perfectly" any number and that a healthy person would show signs of multiple. There is no understanding of one number getting along more with other numbers. It's not about "how a certain thing effects a person" but rather our general outlook of the world and how we generally react to what is going on around us. I use the word "generally" because nobody fits into a type perfectly. It is not supposed to be used to "box people in" but rather understand where people MAY be coming from in difficult community situations. It does not call upon stars or anything occult-ish (and if it does, it did not when I and my community did a basic evaluation which was, according to all of us, pretty spot on).

 

[AMDG]

a basic evaluation which was, according to all of us, pretty spot on).

And folks who believe in horoscopes, believe them to be "pretty spot on" too. The point is the lack of dependency on God and a dependency on outside sources instead--even certain numbers.

Like I said, Fr. Mitch Pacwa's book Catholics and the New Age covers it.

 

[FullyMT]

And folks who believe in horoscopes, believe them to be "pretty spot on" too. The point is the lack of dependency on God and a dependency on outside sources instead--even certain numbers.

Like I said, Fr. Mitch Pacwa's book Catholics and the New Age covers it.

The numbers themselves are meaningless. We could say the same thing about dependency on Myers-Briggs.

 

[Fantine]

The more we understand the science of the human mind, the more we look at sin differently.

Even the catechism acknowledges that sins are not committed in a vacuum, and that there are a number of conditions that have to be present for a sin to be "mortal."

I am sure that Fr. Pacwa is against the idea of addiction as well.

The most extreme example I have seen of this sin hyperfocus was in a Baptist minister I knew. He practiced "biblical counseling." He didn't believe in mental illness or addictions--just sin. He didn't believe in twelve step programs because all people need is the Bible.

He counseled a bipolar man, resulting in the man's son going to live with his grandmother because of the abuse that occurred when the bipolar man was off his meds.

This minister was a serious danger to any mentally ill person to whom he spoke--and the mentally ill person's family.

I personally believe that psychology and spirituality are both necessary for personal growth, and the most spiritually evolved people I know have thoroughly explored Catholic spirituality and other traditions. They might be practicing the Spiritual Exercises and reading Eckart Tolle and learning about the Enneagram at the same time.

No, I've never learned about the enneagram. I have, of course, done Myers-Briggs, and gotten different letters at different times. There's just something so formulaic about it all, and I don't find it appealing.

And I found Eckart Tolle to be a big snooze when I downloaded his book from the library on my MP3 player.

That being said, I have found centering prayer very helpful and tend to think that people like Fr. Pacwa need to lighten up.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

I know there is a relationship between carl Jung (Jungian Psychology) and the ennegream. carl Jung was very inetrested in the occult.

I would stay clear of both. Look up ennegream and/or carl Jung and the occult.

I wouldn't play with fire, you make think on the surface that it is benign, but what is behind it can creep into your life and wreak havoc.

 

[Fantine]

I don't know why, but an image of Mother Nadine just popped into my head. Mother Nadine, as in the founder of the Intercessors of the Lamb.

Yes, eventually her order was overseen by a trustee, and she resigned, but that had to do with financial irregularities and possible confidentiality violations in spiritual direction.

Intercessors director resigns; Omaha priest named trustee - Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Voice - Omaha, NE

To me, Mother Nadine's spirituality was far more dangerous than the enneagram. I was first introduced to her by a woman who showed me a video of Mother Nadine harping on about devils and evil spirits. (I later learned this woman had lost her job teaching religion in a Catholic school because her views were so extreme.)

Later, I met different people who had lost their jobs in church ministry because intercessors "prayed" and decided God was telling the pastor to fire these people....

On the other hand, I know someone who teaches the enneagram. I have never met a single person she harmed--I would trust her with my life.

I would not have said anything at all personal to these creepy prayer warriors.

And that leads me to believe that there is danger in any spiritual excess. Interpreting every event in your life based on the enneagram is bad.

Gettiing overly involved in some of these traditionalist Catholic organizations that are no better than cults is worse.

Anything that becomes a cultlike obsession is bad--even if it's involved with novenas, indulgences, etc.