Catholic Counselling, Ignatian Spirituality & the Enneagram

[DL82]

I have been thinking that maybe I ought to see a Catholic counsellor lately, to talk through some issues in my spiritual life, issues which are part spiritual and part psychological, which go beyond what my spiritual director can reasonably advise me on.

I’d been referred to the Ignatian Spirituality Centre in my local town. Now, I know that people speak very highly of it, and it is across the road from a wonderful church run by the Jesuits, who are well spoken of, well attended, orthodox, good confessors, etc.

I picked up a brochure for the centre and noticed that they practice Centering Prayer and the Enneagram. This set alarm bells ringing because of things I’ve read here. Am I being too alarmist? I know the counselling I’d be getting would be outside the classes that teach these techniques, but does it place the whole Centre under suspicion? Am I over-reacting?

I don’t know of anywhere else nearby where I could get good Catholic counselling, so I’m kinda stuck. I think I’m really just looking for an excuse not to see a counsellor, but I’d appreciate your advice.

 

[InLight247]

As far as I know, Jesuits are well trained in counselings.
I have had very good experiences with Jesuit priests when I was a young college kid.

I know nothing about Enneagram, not too much about centering prayer either. But you are consulting the conselor with your specific issues, and I think it should be fine. I don’t think any counselor will force Enneagram or centering prayer on you.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

DL82,
Centering Prayer, I’ve been doing for over thirty years, and its is well routed in Catholic History. What you read about it in this website and others, is not Centering Prayer, but a hi-jacked version of it.

Read the history from one of the first teachers of Centering Prayer in our time, Fr Basil Pennington OSCB, here;

kyrie.com/cp/a_gift_from_the_desert.htm

The Enneagram, although I’m vaguely familiar with, is a Myers-Briggs type of personality profile evaluation.

Myers-Briggs gave us the understanding of what extrovert and introvert personality types are and how they communicate with others.

Jim

 

[fhansen]

Here’s an article on the Enneagram. It doesn’t sound scientifically based at all. We should pray for discernment when looking for counseling and while the Spiritual Centre could have good counselors offering sound direction, I might give it a try while maintaining a healthy wariness. You can always move on.

ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/enneagram.htm

 

[beckycmarie]

I picked up a brochure for the centre and noticed that they practice Centering Prayer and the Enneagram. This set alarm bells ringing because of things I’ve read here. Am I being too alarmist? I know the counselling I’d be getting would be outside the classes that teach these techniques, but does it place the whole Centre under suspicion? Am I over-reacting?

Dear DL82,

Well the rules around here are that we can’t discuss centering prayer in the forums, so I won’t comment publicly. Feel free to PM me if you want to know what I would say about it.

However, since the Enneagram is not a banned topic, here are my suggestions for further reading:

Apologetics Q&A on Enneagram

Enneagram - The New Age, A Christian Critique

And if you really want an in-depth explanation, there’s this book:

Catholics and the New Age: How Good People Are Being Drawn into Jungian Psychology, the Enneagram, and the Age of Aquarius
by Fr. Mitch Pacwa

I don’t want to pass judgment on the whole center based on some bad offerings - but I’d avoid the things that set off alarm bells for you since I’d agree with your alarm bells.

Unfortunately the field of spiritual direction and often many retreat centers are infected with New Age. I personally know of one orthodox spiritual director who says the problem is so pervasive, that he suggests taking private retreats at those centers for the pastoral setting, but avoiding classes and spiritual direction there.

 

[bcuster]

“I picked up a brochure for the centre and noticed that they practice Centering Prayer and the Enneagram. This set alarm bells ringing because of things I’ve read here. Am I being too alarmist? I know the counselling I’d be getting would be outside the classes that teach these techniques, but does it place the whole Centre under suspicion? Am I over-reacting?”

I am a counselor who is Catholic. In my training I was introduced to Enneagram. It can be used in different ways. I could be simply a way of looking at different aspects of a person’s personality. Used in this way it may aid is self-knowledge–something similar to personality tests like the Myers-Briggs. That being said, some people who are vulnerable give way too much weight to such measures. They look at them more as you would look at a horoscope as if it had some exterior power.

I was taught a form of Centering Prayer years ago when I was in the convent. Life other methods of prayer, it is used to focus your attention on a scripture passage or prayer. Like the enneagram, it can be used in other ways. Each is a tool or an aid.

At an intake session feel free to talk to the counselor about your reservations. A counselor is trained to listen to you.

Another “popular” prayer form is the Labrynth. It is meant to simulate a pilgrimage. I have prayed the rosary on a labrinth. Again I think some think there is some “power” to the labrinth or use it in conjunction with some feminist agenda.

There are many tried and true Catholic spiritualities and prayer forms. I really wish that Catholic Counseling Centers would teach these instead.