Oscar Ichazo
Encyclopedia
Oscar Ichazo is the Bolivian-born founder of the Arica School
, which he established in 1968.
Ichazo's Enneagram of Personality
theories are part of a larger body of teaching that he terms Protoanalysis. In Ichazo's teachings the enneagram figure has usually been called an Enneagon
.
In an interview with Ichazo, he claims he achieved insight into mechanistic and repetitive thought and behavior patterns in 1954. These processes can be understood in connection with the Enneagram figure, classical philosophy and what he calls 'Trialectic' logic, a logic grounded in three laws of process
.
According to Ichazo he identified the nine ways in which a person's ego becomes fixated
within the psyche
at an early stage of life. For each person one of these 'ego fixations' then becomes the core of a self-image around which their psychological personality develops. Each fixation is also supported at the emotional level by a particular 'passion
' or 'vice
'. The principal psychological connections between the nine ego fixations can be 'mapped' using the points, lines and circle of the enneagram figure.
Ichazo's teachings are designed to help people transcend their identification with — and the suffering caused by — their own mechanistic thought and behaviour patterns. (See Fourth Way.) His theories about the fixation
s are founded on the premise that all life seeks to continue and perpetuate itself and that the human psyche
must follow universal laws of reality. Using Trialectic logic, Ichazo indicated the three basic human instincts for survival: Conservation (the digestive system); Relation (the circulatory system) and Adaptation (the central nervous system); and two poles of attraction to self-perpetuation: Sexual (the sexual organs) and Spiritual
(the spinal column).
Ichazo understands the fixations as aberrations from an essential state of unity. The primary difference between modern psychology and his theories is that he has proposed a model of the components of the human psyche, but modern psychology has preferred to focus on observed behavior instead of an essential model from which aberrations develop.
In Ichazo's teachings, a person's fixation derives from childhood subjective experience (self-perception) of psychological trauma when expectations are not met in each of the Instincts. Given that young children are considered to be self-centered in their expectations, they experience disappointment in their expectations due to one of three fundamental attitudes: attracted, unattracted, disinterested. From such experiences, mechanistic thought and behavior patterns arise as an attempted defense against recurrence of the trauma. By understanding the fixations — and practicing self-observation — one can reduce or even transcend suffering and the fixations' hold on the mind.
Although some modern Enneagram of Personality writers have claimed that Ichazo's teaching are derived, in part, from those of Gurdjieff's Fourth Way work, Ichazo has denied this claim in his "Letter to the Transpersonal Community". In 1992 intellectual copyright for the Enneagram of Personality was denied to Ichazo on the basis that Ichazo had published claims that his theories were factual and factual ideas cannot be copyrighted.
Arica School
The Arica School, also known as the Arica Institute or simply as Arica, is a human potential movement group founded in 1968 by Bolivian-born philosopher Oscar Ichazo ....
, which he established in 1968.
Ichazo's Enneagram of Personality
Enneagram of Personality
The Enneagram of Personality is a model of human personality which is principally used as a typology. Principally developed by Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo, it is also partly based on earlier teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff...
theories are part of a larger body of teaching that he terms Protoanalysis. In Ichazo's teachings the enneagram figure has usually been called an Enneagon
Enneagon
In geometry, a nonagon is a nine-sided polygon.The name "nonagon" is a prefix hybrid formation, from Latin , used equivalently, attested already in the 16th century in French nonogone and in English from the 17th century...
.
In an interview with Ichazo, he claims he achieved insight into mechanistic and repetitive thought and behavior patterns in 1954. These processes can be understood in connection with the Enneagram figure, classical philosophy and what he calls 'Trialectic' logic, a logic grounded in three laws of process
Process (philosophy)
In philosophy and systems theory, basic processes, or logical homologies as they were termed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy, are unifying principles which operate in many different systemic contexts. For example, feedback is a principle that figures prominently in the science of cybernetics...
.
According to Ichazo he identified the nine ways in which a person's ego becomes fixated
Fixation
Fixation may refer to the following:In science:*Fixation , the state in which an individual becomes obsessed with an attachment to another human, an animal, or an inanimate object...
within the psyche
Psyche (psychology)
The word psyche has a long history of use in psychology and philosophy, dating back to ancient times, and has been one of the fundamental concepts for understanding human nature from a scientific point of view. The English word soul is sometimes used synonymously, especially in older...
at an early stage of life. For each person one of these 'ego fixations' then becomes the core of a self-image around which their psychological personality develops. Each fixation is also supported at the emotional level by a particular 'passion
Stoic Passions
Stoic Passions refers to various forms of emotional suffering in Stoicism, a school of Hellenistic philosophy.-Primary Passions:The Stoics named four primary passions. In On Passions, Andronicus reported the Stoic definitions of these passions Stoic Passions refers to various forms of emotional...
' or 'vice
Vice
Vice is a practice or a behavior or habit considered immoral, depraved, or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity, or merely a bad habit. Synonyms for vice include fault, depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, and corruption...
'. The principal psychological connections between the nine ego fixations can be 'mapped' using the points, lines and circle of the enneagram figure.
Ichazo's teachings are designed to help people transcend their identification with — and the suffering caused by — their own mechanistic thought and behaviour patterns. (See Fourth Way.) His theories about the fixation
Fixation
Fixation may refer to the following:In science:*Fixation , the state in which an individual becomes obsessed with an attachment to another human, an animal, or an inanimate object...
s are founded on the premise that all life seeks to continue and perpetuate itself and that the human psyche
Psyche
- Psychology :* Psyche , a concept of intangible self* Psyche , a periodical on the study of consciousness* Soul in the Bible, or psyche , spirit or soul in philosophy and theology- Art :...
must follow universal laws of reality. Using Trialectic logic, Ichazo indicated the three basic human instincts for survival: Conservation (the digestive system); Relation (the circulatory system) and Adaptation (the central nervous system); and two poles of attraction to self-perpetuation: Sexual (the sexual organs) and Spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
(the spinal column).
Ichazo understands the fixations as aberrations from an essential state of unity. The primary difference between modern psychology and his theories is that he has proposed a model of the components of the human psyche, but modern psychology has preferred to focus on observed behavior instead of an essential model from which aberrations develop.
In Ichazo's teachings, a person's fixation derives from childhood subjective experience (self-perception) of psychological trauma when expectations are not met in each of the Instincts. Given that young children are considered to be self-centered in their expectations, they experience disappointment in their expectations due to one of three fundamental attitudes: attracted, unattracted, disinterested. From such experiences, mechanistic thought and behavior patterns arise as an attempted defense against recurrence of the trauma. By understanding the fixations — and practicing self-observation — one can reduce or even transcend suffering and the fixations' hold on the mind.
Although some modern Enneagram of Personality writers have claimed that Ichazo's teaching are derived, in part, from those of Gurdjieff's Fourth Way work, Ichazo has denied this claim in his "Letter to the Transpersonal Community". In 1992 intellectual copyright for the Enneagram of Personality was denied to Ichazo on the basis that Ichazo had published claims that his theories were factual and factual ideas cannot be copyrighted.