Spiritual Discernment and Decision Making

One day a young fugitive, trying to hide himself from the enemy, entered a small village. The people were kind to him and offered him a place to stay. But when the soldiers who sought the fugitive asked where he was hiding, everyone became vey fearful. The soldiers threatened to burn the village and kill every person in it unless the young man was handed to them before dawn. The people went to the Pastor and asked him what to do. Torn between handing over the boy to the enemy and having his people killed, the Pastor withdrew to his room and read his Bible, hoping to find an answer before dawn. In the early morning, his eyes fell on these words, “It is better that one man dies than that the whole people be lost.”

Then the Pastor closed the Bible, called the soldiers, and told them where the boy was hidden. And after the soldiers took the fugitive away to be killed, there was a feast in the village because the Pastor has saved the lives of the people. But the Pastor did not celebrate. Overcome with a deep sadness, he remained in his room. That night an angel came to him and asked, “What have you done?” He said: “I handed over the fugitive to the enemy.” Then the angel said: “But don’t you know that you have handed over the Messiah?” “How could I now?” the Pastor replied anxiously. Then the angel said; “If, instead of reading your Bible, you had visited this young man just once and looked into his eyes, you would have known.”

What would you have done if you are this Pastor? Would you consider justifiable that one man should be sacrificed for the lives of the whole village? Would you felt that you have obeyed God by letting the Bible speak to you this way? Our first impression is that the Pastor did right. Is he not considerate of his village? Did he not seek the will of God through his Word? Is it not better that one should die so that others may live; especially if the one who is to die is a stranger? In fact he should be commended for his wisdom and piety.

However the angel was not happy. The fugitive is the long awaited Messiah. The Pastor asked a question which millions of persons before him have asked since they nailed the Prince of Peace onto a wooden cross to die, “How could I know?” Would it have made a difference if he has known earlier? Of course it would. He would have been willing sacrifice himself and his village for the Messiah. Or would he?

I believe that the Pastor had already made up his mind to save himself and his village even before his deliberation. He had already decided that the fugitive, this outsider, should be sacrificed for the greater good. His deliberation was just to find reasons to justify his actions. He agonised in prayer and in his meditation throughout the night, but just cannot find the peace until a random passage in the Bible confirmed what he had already decided. That would have explained why he did not go to meet the fugitive. It was a small village. Could it be that he was unable to meet the person he had already condemned? On hearing about the arrival of this fugitive, he would had already resolved to give up to the soldiers whom he knew is on the heels of this fugitive.

The Pastor’s greatest weakness is his failure to see that all men reflect the face of God and are all of equal value. If he did, he would no more willing to give up the fugitive to the enemy as he would give up any of his villagers. His second failing was to make up his mind first and then seek God’s counsel.

I wonder how often in our lives have we decided upon a course of action first, and then ask God to justify our actions? Having made up our mind, we would spend days, months and years in a struggle with God, and our conscience looking for confirmation and justification. We would interpret all circumstances and events to support our decision. We accept only the counsel of people who say what we want to hear. And we pick from the Bible passages that agree with our assessment while rejecting the rest. We suppress the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit and our conscience, resisting the sense of unease, and sometimes attributing it to spiritual warfare. We believe that the strong impression that we sense in our heart are a confirmation from the Lord, not suspecting that our hearts are capable of great self-deception. Then we proceed with the course of action, convincing others that it is God’s will or even worst that we speak for God. The result of these is often catastrophic. People are hurt, ministries disrupted, and our souls are severe injured. What is not of God will not endure.

So when we want to discern the will of God, let us be honest. Let us truly seek his wisdom and counsel and be open to listen and accept his guidance. We need to move into a place of solitude as Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane to listen. There is the need to fast and pray; disciplining our bodies so that we can be open to God. We need to adopt the attitude of listening to the whole counsel of God from the Bible, not just selected verses. Listening also involve hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking into our lives and by the Spirit through the mind of God, understand the circumstances and events in our lives. Spiritual decision making is not testing God as Gideon did with his fleeces. Last but not least, let us listen to the discernment and thoughts of our fellow Christians in our community. We share the same baptism and the same Spirit. If the Spirit has spoken to us, then he would have spoken to others too. If the other members of our community of faith do not agree with our plan of action, it will be wise to stop and take stock.

There is a great need for Christians to learn spiritual discernment. For too long, we have leaned unto our own understanding, using our minds to make decisions, and to discern a course of action. We must avoid what the Pastor has discovered. What seems right in our own eyes may not be right at all. We all need spiritual sight in our discernment. Let us beware that we do not unintentionally crucify Jesus again.

Soli Deo Gloria

Geoff Pound's Making Life Decisions

Another of a good friend whom I met online but have not yet meet face to face is Dr. Geoff Pound. I am glad he has finally published his workbook on discernment.

Product Description (from Amazon.com)
Dr. Geoff Pound's "Making Life Decisions: Journey in Discernment," is a workbook and travel guide for people wanting to make a forty-day journey in discernment. The book, which draws on down-to-earth biblical principles, is written for seekers, believers, doubters and specifically for those at a vocational crossroads. "Making Life Decisions" also contains seven group studies for people who want to take this trip with another person or with a small group. This can be used as a resource for a church exploring this theme over a short period by means of an integrated process of personal reflection, small group studies and worship services. "Making Life Decisions" is the author's response to the one question he has been asked more than any other in thirty years of local church, denominational and seminary leadership: 'How can I know God's will for my life or in this situation?' Geoff Pound says, "This is the book I wish I had been able to give every person that asked that question, to help them find their paths." This may be the most helpful book that we have published since it deals in depth with the subject of guidance. Rather than providing steps to know the will of God, through story and illustration, it equips readers to discern God's leading as they make their way through life. It's well-written and organized in short segments, which makes for easy reading. Each of the forty sections starts with an introduction followed by a Scripture reading. The reader is then encouraged to ponder the Bible passage in silence. This is followed by a reflection, which contains a story or quotation that illustrates the topic being considered. Journal questions follow with space for writing in the back. Participants are then encouraged to focus on something that will serve as a reminder of what they have learned. A prayer and a commission follow. Those of you who like F. W. Boreham will appreciate the many quotations and illustrations. There is a wealth of potential sermon material. Twenty Roman numeral pages precede 222 pages. These are spiral-bound with a hard plastic coil to make it easier to write. Please consider checking out the books we publish by F. W. Boreham. Our most recent is "A Packet of Surprises: The Best Essays and Sermons of F. W. Boreham."

About the Author
"I am a New Zealander by birth but I have lived for fourteen years in Melbourne, Australia where I served as Principal of Whitley College: The University of Melbourne. I am now a freelance writer, teacher and consultant. Since January 2006 I have been based in the UAE with my wife Lyn who works as an English Language teacher in a tertiary college. We live in Fujairah on the eastern coast, a two minute walk from the Indian Ocean and a ten minute walk in the other direction to the Hajar Mountains. We have a son in Sydney who works as an actor and a daughter who has taken time out from her job as a financial analyst in London to be a mother. My interests include sport, music, travel, walking, writing and tea collecting" (Geoff Pound). Geoff Pound has been instrumental in the formation and ongoing work of John Broadbanks Publishing, which was established to reprint the writings of F. W. Boreham. He hosts and maintains "The Official F. W. Boreham Blog" site. Close to his heart is the ministry of Theologians Without Borders, which takes him to many different countries as he shares the "vision of enhancing theological education through seminaries partnering together for mutual benefit across the world." "Making Life Decisions" is his first book. It's unique 40-day devotional format with space for journaling make it stand out among the many books on decision making and guidance. The clarity in which it was written, the liberal use anecdote and quotation, and the encouragement to take this journey with others, facilitate self-discovery. This is less how-to and more equipping for life. It's a valuable resource for anyone wanting to know and walk in God's ways.

---

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 222 pages
• Publisher: John Broadbanks Publishing; First edition (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979033454
• ISBN-13: 978-0979033452
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches

Amazon.com sells it at $22.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

According to Geoff, you can also order it from AbeBooks.Com where the book is selling for US $14.00 or ₤9.35 (check out the converter on the site for your currency). Packing and postage are extra. To order in bulk, contact the publisher Mike Dalton direct if you use PayPal, personal check or money order. PayPal payments go to his email address (dalton.michael@sbcglobal.net) and checks or money orders should be made out to ‘Mike Dalton’ and mailed to 2163 Fern Street, Eureka, California, USA 95503.

My review on Amazon.com

4.0 out of 5 stars A spiral-bound workbook on discernment, May 6, 2009 By Alex Tang "the reader" (Malaysia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME) Drawing from his vast experience and wisdom, Dr Geoff Pound has written a wonderful workbook on spiritual discernment. His approach to spiritual discernment is not as structured as the Ignatian approach but rather by stories and quotations leads his readers into the process of spiritual discernment. It is easy to read. One can finish the workbook in forty days or at a more leisurely pace. The workbook also caters for individual or group studies.

Geoff Pound's Making Life Decisions

Another of a good friend whom I met online but have not yet meet face to face is Dr. Geoff Pound. I am glad he has finally published his workbook on discernment.

Product Description (from Amazon.com)
Dr. Geoff Pound's "Making Life Decisions: Journey in Discernment," is a workbook and travel guide for people wanting to make a forty-day journey in discernment. The book, which draws on down-to-earth biblical principles, is written for seekers, believers, doubters and specifically for those at a vocational crossroads. "Making Life Decisions" also contains seven group studies for people who want to take this trip with another person or with a small group. This can be used as a resource for a church exploring this theme over a short period by means of an integrated process of personal reflection, small group studies and worship services. "Making Life Decisions" is the author's response to the one question he has been asked more than any other in thirty years of local church, denominational and seminary leadership: 'How can I know God's will for my life or in this situation?' Geoff Pound says, "This is the book I wish I had been able to give every person that asked that question, to help them find their paths." This may be the most helpful book that we have published since it deals in depth with the subject of guidance. Rather than providing steps to know the will of God, through story and illustration, it equips readers to discern God's leading as they make their way through life. It's well-written and organized in short segments, which makes for easy reading. Each of the forty sections starts with an introduction followed by a Scripture reading. The reader is then encouraged to ponder the Bible passage in silence. This is followed by a reflection, which contains a story or quotation that illustrates the topic being considered. Journal questions follow with space for writing in the back. Participants are then encouraged to focus on something that will serve as a reminder of what they have learned. A prayer and a commission follow. Those of you who like F. W. Boreham will appreciate the many quotations and illustrations. There is a wealth of potential sermon material. Twenty Roman numeral pages precede 222 pages. These are spiral-bound with a hard plastic coil to make it easier to write. Please consider checking out the books we publish by F. W. Boreham. Our most recent is "A Packet of Surprises: The Best Essays and Sermons of F. W. Boreham."

About the Author
"I am a New Zealander by birth but I have lived for fourteen years in Melbourne, Australia where I served as Principal of Whitley College: The University of Melbourne. I am now a freelance writer, teacher and consultant. Since January 2006 I have been based in the UAE with my wife Lyn who works as an English Language teacher in a tertiary college. We live in Fujairah on the eastern coast, a two minute walk from the Indian Ocean and a ten minute walk in the other direction to the Hajar Mountains. We have a son in Sydney who works as an actor and a daughter who has taken time out from her job as a financial analyst in London to be a mother. My interests include sport, music, travel, walking, writing and tea collecting" (Geoff Pound). Geoff Pound has been instrumental in the formation and ongoing work of John Broadbanks Publishing, which was established to reprint the writings of F. W. Boreham. He hosts and maintains "The Official F. W. Boreham Blog" site. Close to his heart is the ministry of Theologians Without Borders, which takes him to many different countries as he shares the "vision of enhancing theological education through seminaries partnering together for mutual benefit across the world." "Making Life Decisions" is his first book. It's unique 40-day devotional format with space for journaling make it stand out among the many books on decision making and guidance. The clarity in which it was written, the liberal use anecdote and quotation, and the encouragement to take this journey with others, facilitate self-discovery. This is less how-to and more equipping for life. It's a valuable resource for anyone wanting to know and walk in God's ways.

---

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 222 pages
• Publisher: John Broadbanks Publishing; First edition (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979033454
• ISBN-13: 978-0979033452
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches

Amazon.com sells it at $22.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.

According to Geoff, you can also order it from AbeBooks.Com where the book is selling for US $14.00 or ₤9.35 (check out the converter on the site for your currency). Packing and postage are extra. To order in bulk, contact the publisher Mike Dalton direct if you use PayPal, personal check or money order. PayPal payments go to his email address (dalton.michael@sbcglobal.net) and checks or money orders should be made out to ‘Mike Dalton’ and mailed to 2163 Fern Street, Eureka, California, USA 95503.

My review on Amazon.com

4.0 out of 5 stars A spiral-bound workbook on discernment, May 6, 2009 By Alex Tang "the reader" (Malaysia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME) Drawing from his vast experience and wisdom, Dr Geoff Pound has written a wonderful workbook on spiritual discernment. His approach to spiritual discernment is not as structured as the Ignatian approach but rather by stories and quotations leads his readers into the process of spiritual discernment. It is easy to read. One can finish the workbook in forty days or at a more leisurely pace. The workbook also caters for individual or group studies.

Discernment in Decision Making

Leadership Journal, Summer 2008

An interesting article by Ruth Haley Barton on discernment in decision making in churches and as part of spiritual leadership.

Can You Hear God Now?
Your most important leadership role: discerning and obeying God's voice. Together.
by Ruth Haley Barton

What is it that distinguishes spiritual leadership from other kinds of leadership?
At the heart of spiritual leadership is discernment—the capacity to recognize and respond to the presence and activity of God both personally and in community.

The Israelite journey is really a story of ongoing discernment—learning to recognize the presence of God and then following that Presence wherever it went. For Moses as their leader, this involved entering into God's presence regularly, asking God what he should do, and then leading the people in that way. Moses' ability to trust God and listen and respond obediently to his instructions was so crucial to the Israelites' survival that the one time he failed to follow God's instruction fully, there were grave consequences (Num. 20:10-13).

Unlike Moses, we don't get to talk with God face to face. We must listen deeply.
It is no wonder that when Moses recapped the Israelite journey, he emphasized how important discernment had been to the whole operation. He reminded the people of the time God told them to choose leaders to serve as judges under Moses and that the heart of their spiritual leadership was the ability to be wise and discerning (Deut. 1:13). Later he spoke about wisdom and discernment as defining characteristics that distinguished them from other nations.

read more

.

Discernment in Decision Making

Leadership Journal, Summer 2008

An interesting article by Ruth Haley Barton on discernment in decision making in churches and as part of spiritual leadership.

Can You Hear God Now?
Your most important leadership role: discerning and obeying God's voice. Together.
by Ruth Haley Barton

What is it that distinguishes spiritual leadership from other kinds of leadership?
At the heart of spiritual leadership is discernment—the capacity to recognize and respond to the presence and activity of God both personally and in community.

The Israelite journey is really a story of ongoing discernment—learning to recognize the presence of God and then following that Presence wherever it went. For Moses as their leader, this involved entering into God's presence regularly, asking God what he should do, and then leading the people in that way. Moses' ability to trust God and listen and respond obediently to his instructions was so crucial to the Israelites' survival that the one time he failed to follow God's instruction fully, there were grave consequences (Num. 20:10-13).

Unlike Moses, we don't get to talk with God face to face. We must listen deeply.
It is no wonder that when Moses recapped the Israelite journey, he emphasized how important discernment had been to the whole operation. He reminded the people of the time God told them to choose leaders to serve as judges under Moses and that the heart of their spiritual leadership was the ability to be wise and discerning (Deut. 1:13). Later he spoke about wisdom and discernment as defining characteristics that distinguished them from other nations.

read more

.

God's Call Waiting

God's Call Waiting
Be faithful where you are while you wait for God's call.
by John Ortberg,

I keep a small rock on my desk with a single word painted on it: naviget. I cherish that rock. My wife gave it to me during a spell that was dry for me and hard for us; when I felt like my past was crumbling and I was not sure what the future held. And if you don't know Latin, keep reading; you'll eventually find out what it means.

I first came across this word in a wonderful article by theologian Gilbert Meilander called "Divine Summons." The article was about the notion of calling and vocation, which have long been vexing subjects for me, because I wondered if I would ever get one...

...Which brings me back to the article by Meilander. He writes about how Aeneas, in Virgil's The Aeneid, has a divine summons to be the founder of Rome—"I am the man/whom heaven calls." But building Rome is not what Aeneas wants to do. He is forced to give up his love and his attachment to the past.

For a calling is very different than a quest for fulfillment. A calling, though we glamorize it, is not glamorous. It is a response to a summons. It is a kind of surrender. It is a willingness to die to the past and move to the future. C.S. Lewis wrote, "To follow the vocation does not mean happiness, but once it has been heard, there is no happiness for those who do not follow."

Aeneas does not want to leave his home to follow his calling; it means leaving old dreams and old loves. But there is a larger and better destiny to which he is called to submit. So Jupiter says of him, "That man should sail."

And he does. Sailing means embracing the pain of leaving behind what he thought was his comfort and fulfillment. It means trusting that somehow he is not just moving into the future; he is being led. It is Abraham leaving Ur for he knows not what. It is Moses leaving Egypt for a land he will never enter. It is Jesus walking the Via Dolorosa toward a hill he does not want to climb.
"That man should sail." It meant—a little like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show—it's better to have the faith to embrace reality with all its pain than to cling to the false comfort of a painless fantasy. That life and growth and meaning can come only in the risk of obedience. The future—even if it's hard—is better than nostalgia.

It meant that in leaving port there was something to sail to. It meant hope.
"That man should sail." I did. I have. I am. The phrase in Virgil is a single Latin word written on the rock my wife gave me in love and trust. The word sits on my desk each day to remind me: Naviget.

John Ortberg is editor at large of Leadership and the pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California.

read complete article here

God's Call Waiting

God's Call Waiting
Be faithful where you are while you wait for God's call.
by John Ortberg,

I keep a small rock on my desk with a single word painted on it: naviget. I cherish that rock. My wife gave it to me during a spell that was dry for me and hard for us; when I felt like my past was crumbling and I was not sure what the future held. And if you don't know Latin, keep reading; you'll eventually find out what it means.

I first came across this word in a wonderful article by theologian Gilbert Meilander called "Divine Summons." The article was about the notion of calling and vocation, which have long been vexing subjects for me, because I wondered if I would ever get one...

...Which brings me back to the article by Meilander. He writes about how Aeneas, in Virgil's The Aeneid, has a divine summons to be the founder of Rome—"I am the man/whom heaven calls." But building Rome is not what Aeneas wants to do. He is forced to give up his love and his attachment to the past.

For a calling is very different than a quest for fulfillment. A calling, though we glamorize it, is not glamorous. It is a response to a summons. It is a kind of surrender. It is a willingness to die to the past and move to the future. C.S. Lewis wrote, "To follow the vocation does not mean happiness, but once it has been heard, there is no happiness for those who do not follow."

Aeneas does not want to leave his home to follow his calling; it means leaving old dreams and old loves. But there is a larger and better destiny to which he is called to submit. So Jupiter says of him, "That man should sail."

And he does. Sailing means embracing the pain of leaving behind what he thought was his comfort and fulfillment. It means trusting that somehow he is not just moving into the future; he is being led. It is Abraham leaving Ur for he knows not what. It is Moses leaving Egypt for a land he will never enter. It is Jesus walking the Via Dolorosa toward a hill he does not want to climb.
"That man should sail." It meant—a little like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show—it's better to have the faith to embrace reality with all its pain than to cling to the false comfort of a painless fantasy. That life and growth and meaning can come only in the risk of obedience. The future—even if it's hard—is better than nostalgia.

It meant that in leaving port there was something to sail to. It meant hope.
"That man should sail." I did. I have. I am. The phrase in Virgil is a single Latin word written on the rock my wife gave me in love and trust. The word sits on my desk each day to remind me: Naviget.

John Ortberg is editor at large of Leadership and the pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, California.

read complete article here

The Enneagram

The Wikipedia decribes the Enneagram"(also sometimes called Enneagon) is a nine-pointed geometric figure. The term derives from two Greek words - ennea (nine) and grammos (something written or drawn)."


Paul Fromond, one of the two Progidal Kiwis(s) writes about the Enneagram as

The enneagram is a remarkably accurate map of our inner geography. It is distinguished from much of modern psychology in that it illustrates our inner motivations and our behaviour only secondarily. The enneagram map depicts what model of the universe each of nine different kinds of people have. This map, like all maps, describes some things and leaves out others.

He is commenting on an interview with Clarence Thomson by The National Catholic Reporter. The interview that is divided into three parts:
1. What the Enneagram is and why it works.
2. Widening your focus.
3. The Enneagram fits into traditional Catholic theology.
Download it (Mp3) here. You can complete an online enneagram exercise here.

What is interesting is the comment by philjohnson posted on Paul's blog.

I do not wish to detract from your post nor from the Catholic authors who encourage responsible and theologically reflective use of the Enneagram.

However, one point that I do feel that needs to be underscored is a matter of discernment. Although there is a corpus of Catholic literature that seeks to integrate the Enneagram into a theological framework, there is another stream of thought connected to the Enneagram that your readers do need to be cognizant of.

The Enneagram was conceived of by the Russian occultist George Gurdjieff, and other elements related to the 9 personality types were then developed by a Latin American psychic Oschar Ichazo of the new age Arica School.

There is an entire corpus of metaphysical literature built around the Enneagram that propagates an entirely different anthropology and cosmology that is essentially Gnostic, and thus in many respects stands in great tension with orthodox Christian teachings (as expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the Church).

I am not arguing here that because the Enneagram originated in the mind of an occultist therefore the whole thing must be rejected. That would be logically fallacious.

However, because of the sheer volume of published materials based on or explaining the Enneagram, some discernment is needed.

I was first introduced to the Enneagram by Richard Rohr and Angreas Ebert's 1990 book, Discovering the Enneagram. According to that edition, Rohr described the Enneagram to have its origin from sufism. Muslim mathematicians had discovered that "a new kind of number comes into being when zero is divided by three or seven (periodic decimal fractions)...they called it the "face of God,"because in the nine points of energy that the Enneagram describes they saw nine refractions of the one divine love."(p.7). This is also consistent with the "mathematic constructs of the Jewish Kabbala and the Kabalistic doctine of the tree of life..." (p.8).

I have been using the Enneagram in my counseling and spiritual direction. I find it useful especially in understanding our inner motivations and subconscious drives.

Richard Rohr and Angreas Ebert came out with a new edition of their 1990 book in 2004. Now, they claim that with additional research, they have found that the Enneagram in fact originated from the Desert Fathers and the sufis modified on the concept.

This is my personal observation but everytime I used the Enneagram, I feel a certain unease. I feel similar unease when I walk into temples, sites of old battlefields, and "sacred high places."

I believe there are two levels in the Enneagram. One is the purely psychological level. On this level, it is like any spiritual/psychological tools, it can be used to understand ourselves and our motivations better. However, there is a deeper spiritual level which we do not know anything about. I will liken this to the martial arts like Tai Chi, Karate and Wu Su. There is a physical level and a spiritual level.

Discernment is needed at the spiritual level. Who resides there? Princes, powers, and principalities? I do not know. For the moment, I have stopped using the Enneagram until my level of discrenment have improved or someone have convinced me otherwise.

The Enneagram

The Wikipedia decribes the Enneagram"(also sometimes called Enneagon) is a nine-pointed geometric figure. The term derives from two Greek words - ennea (nine) and grammos (something written or drawn)."


Paul Fromond, one of the two Progidal Kiwis(s) writes about the Enneagram as

The enneagram is a remarkably accurate map of our inner geography. It is distinguished from much of modern psychology in that it illustrates our inner motivations and our behaviour only secondarily. The enneagram map depicts what model of the universe each of nine different kinds of people have. This map, like all maps, describes some things and leaves out others.

He is commenting on an interview with Clarence Thomson by The National Catholic Reporter. The interview that is divided into three parts:
1. What the Enneagram is and why it works.
2. Widening your focus.
3. The Enneagram fits into traditional Catholic theology.
Download it (Mp3) here. You can complete an online enneagram exercise here.

What is interesting is the comment by philjohnson posted on Paul's blog.

I do not wish to detract from your post nor from the Catholic authors who encourage responsible and theologically reflective use of the Enneagram.

However, one point that I do feel that needs to be underscored is a matter of discernment. Although there is a corpus of Catholic literature that seeks to integrate the Enneagram into a theological framework, there is another stream of thought connected to the Enneagram that your readers do need to be cognizant of.

The Enneagram was conceived of by the Russian occultist George Gurdjieff, and other elements related to the 9 personality types were then developed by a Latin American psychic Oschar Ichazo of the new age Arica School.

There is an entire corpus of metaphysical literature built around the Enneagram that propagates an entirely different anthropology and cosmology that is essentially Gnostic, and thus in many respects stands in great tension with orthodox Christian teachings (as expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the Church).

I am not arguing here that because the Enneagram originated in the mind of an occultist therefore the whole thing must be rejected. That would be logically fallacious.

However, because of the sheer volume of published materials based on or explaining the Enneagram, some discernment is needed.

I was first introduced to the Enneagram by Richard Rohr and Angreas Ebert's 1990 book, Discovering the Enneagram. According to that edition, Rohr described the Enneagram to have its origin from sufism. Muslim mathematicians had discovered that "a new kind of number comes into being when zero is divided by three or seven (periodic decimal fractions)...they called it the "face of God,"because in the nine points of energy that the Enneagram describes they saw nine refractions of the one divine love."(p.7). This is also consistent with the "mathematic constructs of the Jewish Kabbala and the Kabalistic doctine of the tree of life..." (p.8).

I have been using the Enneagram in my counseling and spiritual direction. I find it useful especially in understanding our inner motivations and subconscious drives.

Richard Rohr and Angreas Ebert came out with a new edition of their 1990 book in 2004. Now, they claim that with additional research, they have found that the Enneagram in fact originated from the Desert Fathers and the sufis modified on the concept.

This is my personal observation but everytime I used the Enneagram, I feel a certain unease. I feel similar unease when I walk into temples, sites of old battlefields, and "sacred high places."

I believe there are two levels in the Enneagram. One is the purely psychological level. On this level, it is like any spiritual/psychological tools, it can be used to understand ourselves and our motivations better. However, there is a deeper spiritual level which we do not know anything about. I will liken this to the martial arts like Tai Chi, Karate and Wu Su. There is a physical level and a spiritual level.

Discernment is needed at the spiritual level. Who resides there? Princes, powers, and principalities? I do not know. For the moment, I have stopped using the Enneagram until my level of discrenment have improved or someone have convinced me otherwise.