The enneagram: a shared origin

oral tradition (modern variant) · 20th century

History and origins of the enneagram: from mystical tradition to modern typology.

The nine-pointed symbol is ancient; its use as a personality typology is modern and of disputed authorship. Honesty starts with not exaggerating its lineage.

The enneagram has roots in Sufism and oral tradition, but its typological version is recent. Knowing its history keeps you from treating it as an ancient or proven system.