The Deeper Meaning Behind the Enneagram Symbol
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Transformation
The Enneagram has gained immense popularity in recent years as a personality typing system, but its true depth goes far beyond nine personality types, and this embodies the coaching work I love doing and the personal journey I’m on. At its core, the Enneagram is an ancient symbol that represents a complete map of human consciousness and transformation. Each geometric element within this sacred symbol carries profound meaning, offering insights into our essential nature and the path to personal evolution.
The Circle: Our Foundation of Unity and Infinite Potential
At the most basic level, the Enneagram begins with a circle – but this simple shape carries remarkable significance. The circle represents unity, wholeness, and the eternal nature of existence itself. In ancient traditions across cultures, the circle has symbolized the cosmic creation process, expanding equally in all directions from a dimensionless center point.
This circular foundation of the Enneagram serves a fascinating dual purpose:
It contains and defines the nine personality types within its boundary (each of the 9 types are placed on the Enneagram where the other two shapes touch the circle)
It simultaneously suggests the possibility of transcending these limited patterns to access something more expansive
The circle embodies what mystics have called the Law of One – the fundamental concept that all things are interconnected in an infinite cycle without beginning or end. This speaks to our essential nature, suggesting that beneath our personality patterns lies an unlimited potential and an unbreakable connection to the whole.
The Triangle: Transcending Duality Through Higher Understanding
Overlaid on the circle, we find an equilateral triangle connecting points 9, 3, and 6. This triangle illustrates what's known as the Law of Three: the principle that three fundamental forces are needed to create any new phenomenon:
An active force
A passive force
A reconciling force
But the triangle's significance goes deeper than this basic law. It demonstrates one of humanity's greatest challenges: transcending the ego's dualistic thinking patterns and the illusion of separation.
The human mind (left unexamined) naturally tends to view reality in polarities:
Right vs. Wrong
Good vs. Bad
Us vs. Them
Success vs. Failure
The triangle's third point creates a bridge that unites these apparent opposites. It represents access to a higher knowing – a transcendent function that helps us move beyond binary limitations into a more unified understanding of reality. This is why work with the Enneagram often leads to:
- Greater emotional intelligence
- Enhanced perspective-taking abilities
- Reduced judgment of self and others
- Increased capacity for nuanced thinking
The Hexad: The Dynamic Nature of Transformation
The remaining lines in the Enneagram symbol form what we call a hexad, representing the dynamic process through which all things evolve. This shape embodies several crucial principles:
1. Everything in the universe is in constant motion
- From galaxies forming and perishing
- Down to the smallest particles
- Nothing remains truly static
2. All things are either evolving or declining
- There is no permanent steady state
- Growth requires active engagement
3. Movement follows predictable yet non-linear patterns
- Progress includes both advances and setbacks
- Growth rarely follows a straight line
4. Just when you think you understand something's true nature, it changes
- This serves to humble us (acknowledging the human mind does not truly understand the infinite and ever-changing fundamental truths about life and existence)
- Keeps us engaged in continuous learning
- Prevents rigid thinking
The hexad reminds us that the path of growth is rarely straightforward. It validates our experience of transformation as a complex journey with ups and downs, progress and setbacks, clarity and confusion.
The Complete Symbol: A Map for Conscious Evolution
When these three geometric elements – circle, triangle, and hexad – come together, they create a comprehensive map of human transformation. The symbol shows us:
1. Our Essential Nature (The Circle)
- Infinite potential
- Fundamental wholeness
- Connection to all things
2. The Path Beyond Ego (The Triangle)
- Transcendence of binary thinking
- Access to higher understanding
- Integration of apparent opposites
3. The Process of Growth (The Hexad)
- Dynamic movement
- Non-linear development
- Continuous evolution
This makes the Enneagram far more than a personality typing system. It serves as both:
- A diagnosis of our current state
- A roadmap for evolution
Practical Applications in Modern Life
Understanding the deeper meaning of the Enneagram symbol can transform how we work with this system:
1. Self-Observation
- Recognize when we're caught in binary thinking
- Notice our habitual patterns
- Observe our resistance to change
2. Personal Growth
- Trust the non-linear nature of development
- Stay connected to our essential potential (hey, that rhymes…)
- Embrace both challenges and breakthroughs
3. Relationships (this one is important, so I’ve given more context here)
- See beyond personality differences
Recognise we are all operating out of ego (this is necessary and appropriate for us to survive in society - and if you think you have transcended ego, that’s your ego talking), and the ego is made up of many rigid patterns of behaviour, thoughts and feelings. This includes you (and me).
- Appreciate others' growth journeys
Go gently with others who are different to you. They just have different patterns at play, and they are just as hard for them to shake as yours are… because we are mostly asleep to our own patterns/ego running the show.
- Connect through our shared humanity
We all know what it’s like to suffer: to feel defensive, misunderstood, frustrated, avoidant, eager, motivated, apathetic or upset. This is where our realities meet, and how we can find our shared humanity. Have compassion, and remember that the word compassion means COM (the latin for “with”, “together” or “in association” - think of the words commune, communicate, community) and PASSION (comes from the Latin word pati, which means "to suffer" or struggle - think “crime of passion”). So true compassion is about being present with someone’s suffering. That’s all - no need to fix it or change it. Compassion is about your ability to tolerate someone else being in pain. The true test of compassion is: Can you commune with someone and just be there with them when they are struggling? Can you stand to be around their pain? THIS is compassion.
Conclusion: Beyond Personality Types
While the nine personality types provide valuable insights into our patterns and tendencies, the true power of the Enneagram lies in its geometric symbol. This ancient wisdom tool shows us how we can:
- Remain grounded in our essence (our inherent goodness, the original truth of who we are, like the innocence of a child)
- Expand our self-awareness
- Increase our capacity for transformation (expecting that it will not be straight forward all of the time)
- Move beyond ego patterns toward liberation and the opportunity to have different approaches and experiences in life
- Connect with something larger than ourselves - the fabric of nature which we are all a part of, in its perfectly ordered and yet completely chaotic way.
The Enneagram symbol reminds us that we are not fixed entities and do not have to exist in our engrained patterns (or trauma responses) or rigid ways of seeing the world, but dynamic beings capable of profound transformation. By understanding and working with this sacred geometry, we can access deeper levels of awareness and consciousness about ourselves and the world around us, and realise our full potential for growth and evolution.
Whether you're new to the Enneagram or have worked with it for years, taking time to contemplate the meaning of its symbol can open new dimensions of understanding and application in your journey of personal development.