Presentation, by Claudio Naranjo

I don't remember exactly when, but certainly more than twenty years ago, I conceived of the book that, with this second volume out of nine, begins to take shape. It was not to be a book written by me alone but one that incorporated and developed my understanding of the twenty-seven recognizable characters, for the application of the Enneagram to personality, which I learned during the years 1969–1970 (more implicitly than explicitly), when Oscar Ichazo and I began to develop it together.

The conception of the book was to present each of the characters through:

1.A theoretical chapter (the entirety of which could well be considered a "treatise" on the psychology of Enneatypes) with a structure I formulated long ago and proposed to develop with a series of disciples, in collaboration with other volunteers. 2.An autobiography written by one of my disciples, who could be said to have traveled a rich path of transformation and was willing to produce a document that would serve as a public confession, given the sincerity implied by a biographical account shared with their family and acquaintances.

The usefulness of such an exercise in "transparency" through the publication of one's own autobiography is something I came to believe in based on prior experiences, so I proposed it in this spirit, and indeed it was a rich experience for the participants. Naturally, the presentation of the various characters through these two complementary modalities—the psychological essay and the narrative—will resonate with the two hemispheres of the readers' brains, both "scientific" and "humanistic."

Certainly, the twenty-seven chapters that will make up the treatise on the psychology of Enneatypes will be of special interest to academic psychologists, and it is to be expected that the collection of 27 exemplary biographies will intrigue every reader who wishes to find their psychospiritual counterpart among them. After all, becoming aware of ourselves is much easier when we are faced with the self-discovery process of someone very similar to us, someone who has had the courage and humility to uncover their difficulties and put their "descent into hell" into words.

This project slowly matured into nine volumes (each dedicated to the three Enneatypes corresponding to one of the nine passions recognized by Ichazo’s protoanalysis) until David

Barba suggested that we set publication dates for The Psychology of Enneatypes series, which became the volumes in question. This stage required more active editorial work than I had been offering my collaborators or than the co-authors themselves had undertaken until that point. For this reason, I invited Grazia Cecchini to participate in this task. Since then, she has maintained close correspondence with them to improve the texts.

Having reached the age of eighty-four, I cannot help but feel that the completion of this work coincides with the completion of my life, and this gives the task a certain sense of "mission accomplished." Curiously, during my early years teaching this discipline, I never felt as though I had the duty to develop it or even any particular merit. Only when faced with the commercialization of the Enneagram and the charlatanism of those who imitated my early work at Berkeley (creators of the international Enneagram community or movement) did I begin to recognize my own merit in offering a more serious body of work with greater transformative power.

Only recently, however, with the perspective of decades, have I come to feel that, just as Ichazo predicted, the task of mediating this knowledge for the Western world of our time would fall to me. I hope that putting all these insights into writing helps rather than hinders your understanding, as I have often thought the Egyptian god Thoth was right in imagining that the gift of writing would turn humans into mere repeaters of words, distancing them from wisdom. I imagine that in this case, my future readers will be divided between those who take advantage of our efforts for their own transformation and those who prefer to focus on their academic, cultural, and material enrichment.

I can only thank all those who contributed to this second volume, both for their effort and for their tolerance of my criticism. I wish them success with what they have produced and hope it brings them the satisfaction of contributing to the massive process of self-knowledge that characterizes our generation.

I am especially grateful to Grazia for taking on the role of editor at a time in my life when teaching and my other unfinished books demand my attention, and to David Barba, from La Llave, without whose encouragement I would undoubtedly have continued to postpone the completion of these nine volumes until it was too late for my supervision.

Prologue to the Eighth Volume

With this eighth volume, focusing on E1 and its connection to wrath, Claudio Naranjo's wise ambition to dedicate a text to each character is realized. These texts are written by the individuals themselves—those who have sought to deeply observe their own personality and can, therefore, speak from authentic experience. The diversity of perspectives and

experiences presented by the authors adds a richness that will undoubtedly help illuminate the psychodynamics of this Enneatype, often referred to as "the choleric."

The first clarification is that those labeled as "angry" are not described this way due to the virulence or aggressiveness that the term often implies. Rather, it refers to an internal critical and reactive stance, which may not always manifest as external conflict. On the contrary, these individuals often present as upright, well-mannered, just, loyal, trustworthy, and virtuous—whole and complete people. So, where is the “sin”?

The following reflections and testimonies will gradually uncover how an excess of these traits can tip the scales, transforming a righteous person into someone self-righteous, someone whose truth becomes tainted with intolerance and whose virtue turns inquisitorial. This is where the “misstep” lies, the “sin” in its etymological sense—a deviation or wrong aim.

Wrath, as a psychological stance, represents anger and belligerence toward the imperfections of the world—or more specifically, of humanity. "Everything could and should be better," believes the angry individual, "if only everyone behaved correctly, with discipline and adherence to ethical principles." However, they perceive humanity as prone to laxity, corruption, and deceit. Consequently, those who have chosen the “right path” feel justifiably frustrated and resentful, like a virtuous child who fulfills all expectations yet receives no reward.

This sense of injustice often turns into a form of rebellion against God: "How could you deceive me by promoting principles, values, and ideals that don't align with the real world—a world where they are neither appreciated nor valued, but rather disregarded?" However, this disillusionment with the arbitrariness of law and the abuse of power does not lead to withdrawal or apathy in this character. Instead, it fuels a desire for active denunciation, creating an internal "holy war" that aligns them with judges and moral enforcers.

This connection to themes of God, authority, and judgment underscores the distinctly “masculine” metaphorical quality of this personality—more active than emotional, more rooted in internalized ideas than spontaneous feelings, and more hierarchical than egalitarian.

In the internal dynamics of the Enneagram, anger is represented by arrows pointing toward Enneatype 4 (envy) and Enneatype 7 (gluttony). This suggests that beneath the surface of an angry individual lies an envious character, one with deep emotional deficiencies and unfulfilled needs. Furthermore, the path toward Enneatype 7 hints at a potential, healthy escape toward pleasure and lightness, counterbalancing the austerity of anger.

In the upper triad of the Enneagram, anger neighbors Enneatype 9 (laziness to look inward) and Enneatype 2 (confusion of desire), positioning itself as a bulwark of unconsciousness cloaked in inherited principles and repressed vital impulses.

As a result, E1 often carries a rigidity and disdain for human frailty, leading to obsessive tendencies and a difficulty in accepting the natural flow of life. Claudio Naranjo humorously characterized this personality as being in favor of "urbanizing the jungle because it’s too chaotic and disorderly." Similarly, this Enneatype embodies the impulse to "civilize" others—whether through evangelizing indigenous people or holding themselves above vice and indulgence.

E1 represents the archetype of the Puritan, one who denies their natural tendencies and zealously pursues those who indulge in them. To conclude this portrayal with humor, consider this joke about Puritans:

Two scandalized women call the police to report a group of young people engaging in indecent behavior under their window. The police arrive, remove the young people, and assure the women that the matter is resolved. However, the women call again, insisting on further action. "Ladies," the officer replies, "we’ve already expelled them from the neighborhood—they can't bother you anymore." "But we can still see their indecencies with our binoculars!"

This joke perfectly encapsulates the attitude of E1: a demanding critic sheltered behind virtue, someone who seems to have been “born an adult,” skipping over childhood. They struggle to tolerate mistakes, ambiguity, the unforeseen, and anything deemed improper or irrational.

It is my hope that the texts that follow will deepen the understanding of this “respectable” yet equally human character, providing insights into its passions and limitations while encouraging greater self-awareness and compassion.

PIEDRALAVES, JANUARY 2024