This book is an attempt to explore various aspects of the enneagram, the symbol that G. I. Gurdjieff introduced to the modern world, and which he stated represented a complete description of the laws governing the universe. Because of the importance he attached to it, it has long intrigued followers of his teaching, and others, yet the understanding of its meanings remains very incomplete. In particular, how it relates to modern mathematical and scientific descriptions of the laws governing the universe has largely been unexplored. This book tries to find connections between these two approaches to the truth, while also recognizing and exploring the differences between knowledge based on symbols and that based on scientific theories and mathematical formulae.

G. I. Gurdjieff was a spiritual teacher in the first half of the twentieth century who offered an unusually penetrating analysis of the human condition together with practical methods for the development of being and consciousness. The Enneagram in the Writings of Gurdjieff presents a unified solution to a number of mysteries connected with his writings and with the emblem of his teaching, a geometric figure known as the enneagram. Gurdjieff called the enneagram the philosopher's stone of the alchemists and a source of great power, yet he never explained it satisfactorily to his pupils. This book shows that Gurdjieff transmitted through his writings an understanding of the symbol that he chose not to divulge in his talks. It also shows that the emblem of his teaching can be seen in the large-scale structure of his writings if one knows how to look below the surface. Richard J. Defouw became fascinated with astronomy as a youngster and went on to earn degrees in this field at Harvard and Caltech. His main interest subsequently shifted to the ideas of Gurdjieff. For two years he participated in a study group associated with the Institute for Religious Development headed by W. A. Nyland, a direct student of Gurdjieff. Later he spent ten years as a pupil in the Gurdjieff Foundation of Colorado. In The Enneagram in the Writings of Gurdjieff, Dr. Defouw presents an analysis of the literary world created by Gurdjieff that one might expect from someone whose first interest was the search for order in the natural world. The surprise is that such an analysis is possible.

Over one hundred years ago in Russia, G. I. Gurdjieff introduced a spiritual teaching of conscious evolution—a way of gnosis or “knowledge of being” passed on from remote antiquity. Gurdjieff’s early talks in Europe were published in the form of chronological fragments preserved by his close followers P. D. Ouspensky and Jeanne de Salzmann. Now these teachings are presented as a comprehensive whole, covering a variety of subjects including states of consciousness, methods of self-study, spiritual work in groups, laws of the cosmos, and the universal symbol known as the Enneagram. Gurdjieff respected traditional religious practices, which he regarded as falling into three general categories or “ways”: the Way of the Fakir, related to mastery of the physical body; the Way of the Monk, based on faith and feeling; and the Way of the Yogi, which focuses on development of the mind. He presented his teaching as a “Fourth Way” that integrates these three aspects into a single path of self-knowledge. The principles are laid out as a way of knowing and experiencing an awakened level of being that must be verified for oneself.

It would be impossible for most of us to spend a day without coming into direct or indirect contact with dozens of people family, friends, people in the street, at the office, on television, in our fantasies and fears. Our relationships with others are the most changeable, infuriating, pleasurable and mystifying elements in our lives. Personality types, based on the ancient system of the Enneagram, will help you to enjoy more satisfying and fulfilling relationships in all areas of your life by introducing you to the nine basic personality types inherent in human nature. This knowledge will help you better understand how others think and why they behave as they do, as well as increasing your awareness of your own individual personality. Written by the leading world authority on the Enneagram, it offers a framework for understanding ourselves and those around us, as well as a wealth of practical insights for anyone interested in psychology, counselling, teaching, social work, journalism and personal management.

This Essay follows Gurdjieff's challenge: "Take the understanding of the East and the knowledge of the West - and then seek!" "Enneagram & Transformation" is dedicated to the knowledge/science of the West, by examining and describing the systemic and processual foundations of the Enneagram. The result is the acknowledgement of the Enneagram as a universal Metamodel whose rules can be applied to analyze the most complex issues. The explanations presented in "Enneagram & Transformation" confirm what Gurdjieff taught his students in St. Petersburg: "Generally speaking, one must understand that the Enneagram is a universal symbol. All knowledge can be summarized in the Enneagram and interpreted with the help of the Enneagram. And so you can say that you only know, or understand, what you can insert into the Enneagram. What you can not fit into the Enneagram is not understood. " An additional way for further model creation is the extended form of the Enneagram based on relevant Gurdjieff's quotes - the EN-Cosmogram©.

At last, an ennegram book that explains the full potential of this mysterious nine-pointed symbol, with applications far beyond personality typology. A remarkable tool for analyzing and understanding many different areas of endeavor, the ennegram can be used to enhance powers of intuition, the capacity to see situations holistically, and the ability to find connections between the different regions of knowledge and experience.

Explores the relationship between the mystical cosmology of G. I. Gurdjieff and the discoveries and theories of modern science.