Image above from "Logismoi"
Jesus's metaphysical teachings may have been embodied in the life and teachings of his closest disciple, Mary Magdalene. For Mary, Jesus taught that spiritual transformation happens internally at the heart and soul levels. It is not about a "belief system" or "salvation" as defined by an outer authority.
Evagrius Ponticus was a 4th-century monastic monk who taught that spiritual practice involved a struggle against internal processes. He had eight sins (initially, he had "seven deadly sins" but added an eighth): 1. Gluttony, 2. Lust, 3. Avarice, 4. Sadness, 5. Anger, 6. Despair, 7. Vainglory, 8. Pride. Some may argue that Evagrius's thought was a precursor to the Enneagram or at least discovered the same internal processes since the Enneagram is rooted in nature itself. Point 9 of the Enneagram could be considered the amalgam of all the sins, focusing on sloth or inertia.
The transformation from Evagrius’s teachings to the modern Enneagram involved several stages and contributors. His ideas were adapted by John Cassian, a Christian mystic, into the seven deadly sins, which became more well-known in Western Christianity. The modern structure of the Enneagram, including its psychological aspects and the notion of integration and disintegration paths, was developed in the 20th century by thinkers like George Gurdjieff, Oscar Ichazo, and Claudio Naranjo.
Evagrius's work is significant because it links the Enneagram to ancient spiritual practices and the ongoing human quest to understand the sources of personal suffering and spiritual malaise. His influence illustrates how ancient wisdom traditions can evolve into contemporary psychological and spiritual tools, bridging historical and modern understandings of human behavior.