CORRESPONDENCE OF THE BRAINS WITH THE CENTERS IN THE ENNEAGRAM

As mentioned before, in the Theory of the Enneagram the three components that form personality are called Centers and correspond to the three brains. The limbic brain is placed in the emotional Center, the neocortex in the Center of thought and the reptilian brain in the instinctive Center.

The personality types ruled by the instinctive center are types 8, 9 and 1. They use mainly the reptilian brain.

The personality types ruled by the emotional Center are numbers 2,3,and 4 which use preferentially the limbic brain.

The thought Center rules personalities 5, 6 and 7 in which the use of the neocortex is predominant.

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE INTELLIGENCES WITH THE TYPES IN THE ENNEAGRAM

The nine intelligences Identified as functions of the three brains, have a clear correspondence with the nine personality types described in the Enneagram. This means that we not only find a correspondence with the Centers in general, but also with the multiple intelligences or the diverse forms in which the energies of each Center are used. Making a short resume of the extensive description that Elaine de Beauport makes of the Intelligence, I propose the following:

• Basic Intelligence: It gives Man the capability to come close or separate himself adequately from a given situation, the impulse to action. It corresponds to type 8.

• The Intelligence of Patterns: the pattern of the organization of energy in the reptilian brain has a stabilizing and harmonizing function from which the resistance to change can originate. It corresponds to type 9.

• The Intelligence of Parameters: or capability to establish limits to time, space, scope of action or thought. Rigid parameters can result in perfectionism and inflexibility. Adequate direction allows to establish new parameters and to open to multiple alternatives. It corresponds to the type 1.

• The Affective Intelligence : It gives the capability to be affected by persons, things or situations. It corresponds to type 2.

• The Intelligence of Motivation : It provides the capability to want something and to follow the impulse to pursue it until achievement. It corresponds to type 3.

• The Emotional Intelligence : This intelligence allows to “listen” to emotions that are loaded with information, to dwell within them and to depart when appropriate. It is for the limbic brain what rational intelligence is for the necortex . It corresponds to type 4.

• The Rational Intelligence : is responsible for sequential, logical and analytical thought and of cause-effect relationships. It corresponds to type 5.

• The Intelligence of Associations and of Random Connections: it is the ability to become associated or related to what is desired to become associated with. It corresponds to type 6.

• Spatial, Visual and Auditive Intelligence: The mental ability to visualize something better for the future. Some of its uses are planification and entertainment. It corresponds to type 7.

• The Intuitive Intelligence : Also corresponds to the right hemisphere of the neocortex brain and has no correspondence with the types of the Enneagram. This intelligence is the capability to know from within, derived directly from a (non-thinking) state of mind. In my opinion, this capacity becomes apparent in an advanced stage toward integration, that is, when the capability to use appropriately the other intelligence and a perfect inner unity has been attained.

Daniel Goleman in his book “The Emotional Intelligence” explains in detail the mechanics of the brain and the role that emotion plays in the reality of human actions and in the clarity of thought in the making of decisions. He reports the experimental demonstrations that “emotions are typically indispensable to take a rational decision” and, at the same time, the neocortex has a decisive role in directing emotions. He talks of two brains, two minds and two types of intelligence, rational and emotional, and of the need to balance them. Although he does not mention basic intelligence, he describes many of its functions. They are so intertwined and their functions are so interdependent that it is not possible to determine the limits of each one. Let us not forget that they are a harmonious trinity.

CONCLUSION

It is truly stimulating to discover coincidences between the teachings of the Enneagram and the findings of Science. The Enneagram talks about the three minds much before the present technical sophistication. At the present time, Neurology supports the teachings of the Enneagram, and it could multiply its expansive force by providing the rational and scientific backing required by a mass in desperate need of answers to the problems of existence. If we place the conclusions of Neurology in the symbol of the Enneagram we can see a perfect parallelism of three brains with the three centers that comprise personality.