Enneadoku International Preparing to Open in New Building April 1st

SEATTLE, WA – The directors of the IEF (International Enneagram Foundation) and the WSI (World Sudoku Institute) have agreed to the creation of a new institute combining the theoretical frameworks and practices of both disciplines. The name of this new institute, Enneadoku International, has already been agreed upon, and teams from both organizations will be meeting in Seattle this coming December to establish procedural protocols for what has become a fast growing personality assessment and puzzle pastime for commuters, vacationers, the young, the old and everyone in between. A new building for the institute near the south of Lake Union should be open by April 1st.

As stated on its website, the IEF is dedicated to “human freedom and transformation”. An individual’s liberation and full potential are achieved by using the Enneagram, an ancient symbol of unity and diversity, change and transformation. According to Enneagrammatic theory, there are nine basic personality types, usually numbered from 1 to 9 and given such nicknames as “The Mediator” (number 9) and “The Investigator” (number 5). A more nuanced assessment of an individual’s personality may involve the assigning of ‘wing types’ in phases of either ‘integrating’ or ‘disintigrating’ direction, sometimes all at the same time.

“It really is an old tradition,” says Philip Loving, chief spokesman and head of the Enneagram group. “We can trace are roots back to practices as diverse as the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola and Kemetic Orthodoxy, and practitioners really strive for a holistic integration of the self with one’s self, as well as that self with society.”

In Sudoku, the object is to solve a puzzle by entering a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each cell of a 9×9 grid made up of 3×3 subgrids (called “regions”), starting with various digits given in some cells (the “givens”); each row, column, and region must contain only one instance of each numeral.

“Completing the Sudoku puzzles requires patience and logical ability,” says Takashi Imamura, predident of the WSI. Patience and logical reasoning are big sellers these days; in the last two years sales of Sudoku magazines have surpassed those of crossword puzzles and word searches combined. Mr. Imamura is also one of the leading advocates of a combination of the two disciplines.

“The popularity of Sudoku shows no sign of slowing down,” said Mr. Imamura. As evidence of this, he pointed out that puzzles can now be found in most major newspapers, and even on television game shows. “In a survey conducted on an evening train from Tokyo to Kamakura, the amount of puzzle solvers in one car was estimated at 75 percent. That’s a lot of people who could be working on personal development.”

Enneadoku International will promote the practice of combining the puzzle with the personality profiling technique. “Grassroots organizations have sprung up all over the world in the last year or so, but it really is important that these various methods were codified and regulated by an oversight organization,” said Loving. “We would really hate to see someone unneccessarily injured, simply because committee members had failed to reach a consensus on accepted practice.”

These thoughts were echoed by Dr. Vicki Peterson, professor of Neuroscience and head of the new Cognitive Exploration Lab at the University of Washington. She is also a chief consultant for Enneagram International. “Basically, what most people are doing is taking the nine personality types of the Enneagram and working on developing their respective strengths as a group.” Dr. Peterson emphasized that it’s usually helpful to get each of the nine types together to solve a Sudoku puzzle. Each individual, or player, is responsible for placing his personality type in each cell of the 9X9 grid. To do this he must work with other numbers (i.e., personality types) to find his proper place on the grid.

According to Dr. Peterson, since one number is usually filled in ahead of the others, it gives people the opportunity to practice leadership skills. Others can work on their ability to take direction. “And patience, as usual, is required by all.”

“The first question often on people’s minds is whether what we call the self is inherently logical. It is. Another question is whether logic can be fun. It can be. A further question might be whether puzzle solvers who spend a great deal of time hiding from personal responsibilities while ratcheting up their developmental disabilities can work together in harmony to take care of their own and each other’s avoidance issues. We can only hope so. “

According to Mike Anstruther, the leader of a Palo Alto support group that began combining the two disciplines last winter, such leadership will be especially welcome for those who prefer to work at Enneadoku Development on their own. When practiced individually, Enneadoku requires imagination in addition to logical reasoning. “Basically, what most people do is work on their memories of past experience with different personality types,” said Anstruther. He pointed out that while the method is perhaps more prone to error, solitary practitioners often make faster progress. “I don’t think anybody is saying that we can’t be creative in whatever approach we use,” he said, “but people have been getting by on trial-and-error with web discussion boards for nearly a year now, and we could really benefit from some guidance.”

Anstruther emphasizes the universal appeal of Enneadoku, even when practiced by solitary individuals. “Really, it’s for everybody. The rational, the irrational, and the just plain bonkers. Or just anybody who likes to kill time while sitting on the toilet.”