Enneagram Around the World
The following section provides specific information on the expansion of the Enneagram around the world today. For each continent there is a brief introduction and, for some countries, an article explaining what is taking place and who's who in that area.
Introduction
The Enneagram is a presence throughout the world today. On all continents and in most countries there are Enneagram teachers, therapists and enthusiasts, and the International Enneagram Association is increasingly helping connect and organize them into local associations. In some countries, Enneagram associations have evolved through the efforts of local Enneagram teachers; some of these associations have no direct link with the IEA, while others have formal or informal connections.
For each region displayed in "The Enneagram Around the World Today" section below, you will find a brief introduction and a link to articles about activities various countries. If you click on a link but do not find an article, this means that the article is in preparation and will soon be added to the site. Please note that the articles do not always reflect the totality of Enneagram activities in each locale.
The IEA welcomes your contribution to this section of its website. We invite you to e-mail us to offer updated or corrected information or to submit a new article about Enneagram activities in your country.
The Expansion of Enneagram Activities in Recent Times
The Enneagram began spreading around he world in the 1970s, after Oscar Ichazo organized the Arica training, in Northern Chile (South America). Participants in the Arica Training included mostly people from the US and from South American countries. Some of them eventually helped spread the word about the Enneagram years and decades later. In South American countries, for instance, individual teachers who attended the Arica Training have developed their own approaches and have formed groups and trained new teachers over the years.
Claudio Naranjo, M.D., a Chilean-born psychiatrist who was and one of the Arica training attendees, has had a significant role in teaching the Enneagram to early groups in California (USA) and, years later, in Latin countries (including Spain) and Latin American countries (including Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico). As a result of these early trainings, teachers from these countries gradually expanded Enneagram awareness to Europe, Asia and Australia.
The publication of Enneagram books starting in the 1980s was decisive in bringing the Enneagram to a larger number of countries —first to English-speaking countries and later to others, as translations became available. Through these books influential people from all continents became familiar with the Enneagram. Some eventually became teachers - mostly through completing structured Enneagram training programs, while others have developed their own original approaches to the system.
Below is a brief view on the history and current development of the Enneagram in each continent and region of our globe.
United States and Canada
The United States is one of the most prolific regions of the world for Enneagram studies and teachings. From the beginning, in the early 1970s, the Enneagram has drawn attention from California groups, Christian communities (including the Jesuits) and others, resulting in major training programs and a wide variety of books. American groups were also responsible for the founding of the International Enneagram Association (IEA), in 1995. Today, structured Enneagram work can be found in all states, as well as in all parts of Canada. The Enneagram is taught in several university courses, and hundreds of thousands people are already familiar with the system.
Latin America
Enneagram teachers and practitioners can be found in almost all South and Central American countries, as well as in Mexico. Several of these teachers have developed original approaches to the Enneagram, since very few have trained with American teachers. Several Enneagram books in Spanish and Portuguese by local authors can be found here -- and only here. In some countries, such as Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Colombia, there are several teachers who have trained thousands or even tens of thousands of students. Claudio Naranjo's Seekers After Truth (SAT) training is also active in these regions and has been responsible for bringing the Enneagram to large numbers of people.
Enneagram in Brazil: read a more detailed article.
Europe
Intense Enneagram work can be found today in almost all European countries. Some Western European countries have vibrant local Enneagram communities -- sometimes producing annual conferences. This is the case, for example, in the UK, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Italy, and Spain. However, local teachers are also actively helping to expand Enneagram activity in Eastern European countries. In Europe, training programs coordinated by American teachers have frequently been available, as have a variety of Enneagram books.
Enneagram in Denmark: read a more detailed article.
Africa
The Enneagram is also present in some African countries. In South Africa, there are several Enneagram teachers. In countries such as Nigeria and Uganda members of religious orders (both from other countries and locals) have had the most significant role in spreading the word about the Enneagram.
Asia
Several people from Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Thailand and China (Hong Kong) have undertaken Enneagram courses, mostly with American and European teachers. Some Americans born or resident in one of those countries have helped spread the word to larger audiences. The result is that the Enneagram is now becoming known in several Asian countries.
There are very active Enneagram communities in Australia and New Zealand today, perhaps due in large part to the English language spoken there. Enneagram books and courses arrived earlier here than in many countries and quickly attracted attention. In several major Australian cities, including Sidney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide, local professionals and groups help the Enneagram expand and prosper. Some of these professionals are directly connected to American teachers, while some others have developed their own particular approaches to the system. Through both routes, popular awareness of the Enneagram is growing rapidly. Something similar is happening in New Zealand, where several people are now teaching and spreading awareness of the Enneagram.