Articles added in 2007:

The Circle, Triangle & the Hexad (Part I) & Part II
These two-part article discusses the three major geometric figures of the enneagram: the circle, the triangle, and the hexad. I focus on the function of each figure and how the points on the inner triangle differ from those in the hexad.

Prototype Theory & the Enneagram
In the 1970s, Eleanor Rosch developed a theory of prototypes to account for why some category members seem more typical than others. In this short article, I talk about how an understanding of her work can help us understand why some of us have an easier time identifying our enneagram type than others.

The Subtype Magic Square
This short analysis offers a fun way to look at the relationship between type and subtype.

Subtype Relationships
There are three main subtypes, but some people seem to be a combination of more than one of them. So practically speaking, there seem to be six subtypes: self-preservation, sexual, social, self-pres./sexual, sexual/social, and self-pres./social.

Current Articles:

Let's De-pathologize the Enneagram (rev. 9-06).  This is an article published in the Enneagram Monthly (Oct.'06) that takes issue with the dominant paradigm of the field, which I find insufficient in four key ways.

The Enneagram & Ken Wilber's Integral Kosmology (rev. 10-06).  My second Enneagram Monthly piece, this article (Nov. '06) follows up where the "De-Pathologizing" article leaves off--by presenting an example of a broad meta-system that we can use as a framework for exploring the enneagram.

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes (rev. 6-06).  Enneagram subtypes are often considered to be a subset of the enneagram types--specifically, of the egoic personality type structure. In this article, I set forth an alternative theory about the nature of the subtypes, one grounded in modern systems theory.

The Enneagram of Life Paths (rev. 4-06).  Many people seek their path in life. We can use the enneagram to help us narrow the range of possibilities. In this article, I show how the very things that we consider limitations (like our enneagram point of view) may be the medium through which we can discover our life's purpose.

The Enneagram from a Systems Perspective (rev. 1-06).  The personality enneagram has been used as an instrument to diagnose psychological problems, as an ethical guide, and as a source of spiritual insight. But to date there is nothing written that looks at the enneagram from the perspective of modern systems theory. In this article, I talk about how the systems perspective offers a powerful and practical theoretical framework for working with the enneagram.

The Enneagram in Brief ( rev. 1-06).  This piece is a brief introduction to the enneagram that I use as a handout for people new to the enneagram. I've included it in this collection because it's the only truly basic article in the online article collection. What makes it a little different from other introductions to the enneagram is its emphasis on a process model to explain the relationships between different enneagram points of view. (For more info on how this works, see "Reconciling Personality with Process") .

Reconciling Personality with Process: Linking Two Views of the Enneagram (rev. 12-05).  There are two basic ways of viewing the enneagram. From one view, it's a system for discovering your personality type; this is the approach of most modern enneagram teachers such as Naranjo, Palmer, and Riso/Hudson. From the other, it's a system for illustrating a process; this is the approach of Gurdieff and the Fourth Way schools based on Gurdjieff's teachings. These two approaches seem miles apart. But I always suspected that they aren't as different as they seem. Using a Fourth Way source, I was able to find a way to link the two teachings. In this article, I show how each point can represent both a focal point for individual development (a personality type) and a stage in a life process that transcends the individual self.