The 8 Temple Wheels of the Octogram 

At the root of every type is a singular drive to attain something that fills up the hole within us. This hole, while often the cause of our pain, discomfort, and disconnectedness from others, is also the source of our motivation and orientation. Where we are headed is determined by what we are seeking.  

For each of the types, we have distilled this singular drive into models that will become vital pieces of the Octagram — our own version of the Enneagram. This component of the Octagram are called “Cognitive Origins.” Our own Cognitive Origin is what we are seeking most in life. Each Type, along with its Subconscious, Dyad pair, shares the same Cognitive Origin. ESTPs/INFJs have the same Origin. ESTJs/INFPs have the same origin, etc. There are eight origins split between the 16 types. 

If you’ve been following the Deadly Sins Series (S7p2) or the last several episodes of Season 18, you are already somewhat familiar with Cognitive Origins. The Cognitive Origins are one piece of the bigger structures we will be talking about today. These bigger structures are called “Temple Wheels” or “Origin Pyramids.” We will be using these terms interchangeably because these are both pyramids and wheels.  

The purpose of this article is to describe the mechanics that sit underneath these models — which are deeply inspired by Jung’s work — and provide visual guideposts to communicate an otherwise deeply complex system.  

 

How Did We Get Here? 

Cognitive Origins are the most recent — and arguably one of the most important — realizations we’ve had. They are the next piece of the “Temples,” which began with Chris Taylor applying a thematic approach to the Four Sides of the Mind as presented by Chase. If you are unfamiliar with the Temples, this article will give you an introduction.

While it would be easy to classify Temples as a 2nd half to 4 sides dynamics, it’s worth noting that both models are connected at fundamental layers. Some of these layers are still being excavated as we speak. 

 

What are these “Wheel” or “Pyramid” things? 

Here is a finished prototype of one Temple wheel (there are eight).  

 

 

If this doesn’t make sense, we’re about to get things clearer.  

If it does make sense and you’re familiar with the model, you know that this Temple Wheel belongs to the ENFP/ISTJ Dyad — the Soul Temple Philosophers. 

All eight pyramids are constructed similarly using the same parts. What are the pieces that compose these pyramids? 

  • In the middle of every pyramid is the Cognitive Origin of that Dyad. 
  • On the top of every pyramid is the Living Virtue of that Dyad. 
  • On the bottom of every pyramid is the Deadly Sin of that Dyad. 
  • On the left of every pyramid is the Shadow Pole of that Dyad. 
  • On the right of every pyramid is the Aspirational Pole of that Dyad. 

The colors have meaning as well — which we’ll get to momentarily.  

 

Back One Step 

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s lay some groundwork for the principles that created these pyramids. 

 

 

The foundation of the Origin Wheels is the Temples. Though the above model differs slightly from the Wheels, it follows the same rules. The Temple Wheels are just a more specific manifestation of the Temples. Even in the Soul Temple, like in Origin Pyramid for the ENFP/ISTJ dyad, the influence of the other Temples is still present.  

And if you recall from the article that Chris Taylor and I wrote when he introduced us to the Temples, the Four Sides of the Mind are subjected to Temple influence as well. For an ENFP, they are a member of the Soul Temple, which means that their Ego (their ENFP Ego) is an expression of the Soul Temple. But their ESTP Superego, influenced by the Body Temple, will be the Body Temple aspect of an ENFP’s psyche. Likewise, the Shadow will be influenced by the Heart Temple, and the Subconscious by the Mind Temple.  

Which Temple is influencing which side of the mind depends on what your starting point is. But if you can remember the following rules, you can find how the Temples influence your mind:  

  • The Soul & Heart Temples are in COGNITIVE ORBIT (Ego/Shadow) If your Ego is in the Heart Temple, your Shadow will be Soul Temple.
  • The Mind & Body Temples are in COGNITIVE ORBIT (Ego/Shadow) If your Ego is in the Mind Temple, your Shadow will be in the Body Temple.

     

  • The Soul & the Mind Temples are in COGNITIVE REFLECTION (Though reflection is usually with Superego, with the Temples, reflection is between Ego & Subconscious Temples) If your Ego is in the Soul Temple, your Subconscious will be in the Mind Temple.
  • The Heart & the Body Temples are in COGNITIVE REFLECTION (Ego/Subconscious) If your Ego is in the Body Temple, your Subconscious will be in the Heart Temple.

     

  • The Soul & the Body Temples are in COGNITIVE AXIS (Ego/Superego) If your Ego is in the Body Temple, your Superego will be in the Soul Temple.
  • The Heart & the Mind Temples are in COGNITIVE AXIS (Ego/Superego) If your Ego is in the Mind Temple, your Superego will be in the Heart Temple.  

In the above Temple-model, if the Ego is in the Soul Temple at the top, to the right (or in the Subconscious position) is the Mind Temple. To the left (Shadow Position) is the Heart Temple. And directly opposite the Soul Temple is the Body (though it is Axis with the Soul Temple) it is in Superego position. 

 

                                 

Bringing it back to the Origin Pyramid, we can see how these two models are connected. 

 


  • The Origin of Justification is blue because this Dyad is part of the Soul Temple. What they are seeking is related to the soul.

     

  • The Living Virtue of Absolution is blue because it is the influence of the Soul Temple on this dyad.

     

  • The Shadow Pole of Discrimination is red because it is the Heart Temple’s influence on this dyad.

     

  • The Aspirational Pole of Impartiality is green because it is the Mind Temple’s Influence on this dyad.

     

  • The Deadly Sin of Wrath is orange because it is the Body Temple’s influence on this dyad. 

For all eight wheels, the color coding is consistent with what it symbolizes.  

  • Blue = Soul  
  • Red = Heart  
  • Green = Mind  
  • Orange = Body. 

 

Back Another Step

Let’s talk about Jung. Jung is the reason these models exist. The composition of the Temple Wheels is rooted most deeply in Jung’s descriptions and figures in his groundbreaking book, Aion — which is also the primary source book for Chase’s Four Sides of the Mind.

In the last few chapters of Aion, there are a series of models and figures, some algebraic, some geometrical, which offer insight into a person’s psychological development. A couple of those models are of supreme importance to the Temple Wheels. Here is the primary one.

Jung created this model, and others, as figures that could represent a path to psychological wholeness — obtained through the unification of opposites. 

For our purposes, this model can also reveal a semantic insight. The “A” in the middle is the composition of B + C + D + E. In other words, a Cognitive Origin such as Justification is defined by the combination of Absolution, Wrath, Discrimination, and Impartiality. All four elements are necessary to understand not only what Justification is, but the four ways it can be used and achieved.  

As these models were being constructed, I likened the model in Aion to Aristotle’s philosophy on virtue. Aristotle believed that every virtue was a balance of two vices. For example, bravery was the right balance between cowardice and rashness. 

In light of Jung’s philosophy, my question became: Why is Aristotle’s virtue contained by only two elements and not four? We know that four is a special number, particularly within this psychology. Jung knew this perhaps better than anyone who had ever lived — as is clearly evident throughout Aion. But Aristotle’s insight is still relevant.

Defining a concept as the balance between two additional concepts provides a nuanced understanding of the original concept. What if you take Aristotle’s hypothesis and double the poles used to define a concept? Two become four and our understanding of “bravery” extends beyond cowardice and rashness. Here is one possibility of “bravery” expanded.

 

 

The above example is just one way Jung’s model can be implemented, and just one piece of how the Temple Wheels function. 

Thus, going back to the ENFP/ISTJ Dyad, a balanced and whole expression of Justification requires some Absolution, Wrath, Discrimination, and Impartiality. Each of our Cognitive Origins is composed of four fundamental pieces.  
 

 

The Eight Temple Wheels  

We’ve demonstrated the Temple mechanics and a few of the Jungian principles that lie beneath these Temple Wheels. Now, let’s see the rest of the Origin pyramids.   

 

Soul Temple Origin Pyramids

 

  • ENFP & ISTJ Dyad 

                            

  • ESTP & INFJ Dyad 

                                        

 

Heart Temple Origin Pyramids 

 

  • ENTP & ISFJ Dyad 

 

  • ESFP & INTJ Dyad 

                                       

 

Mind Temple Origin Pyramids 

 

  • ESTJ & INFP Dyad 


 

  • ENFJ & ISTP Dyad 

                                      

 

Body Temple Origin Pyramids 

 

  • ESFJ & INTP Dyad 

                                  

 

  • ENTJ & ISFP Dyad 

                                   

 

Conclusion 

Now that we’ve laid a foundation for Nurture development, If you want to know more about where your personal development and focus are, we are having a special sale for the release of the Octagram here. Chase will not only type you using the Octagram, but demonstrate where your development is according to the Temple Wheels. 

If this is your first time hearing about Origins or Temples, I know it’s a lot to digest. The information presented in this article is the summit of a couple years’ worth of climbing.   

Diving deeper into these figures deserve requires much more explanation. Thankfully we committed the entirety of S7p2 — the Deadly Sins for the 16 types — to understanding and applying these figures. As you can probably tell by now, S7p2 season is about a lot more than just the Deadly Sins. There was a lot of time and effort put into the contents of the Deadly Sin Season so that Chase can show you not only what you are looking for most in life — Cognitive Origin — but the four primary ways you can achieve it (Living Virtue, Deadly Sin, Shadow Pole, and Aspirational Pole). And as will be made evident when you watch your Deadly Sin lecture, your Deadly Sin is not always “bad,” and your Living Virtue is not always “good.”

I highly recommend you try one of our memberships in order to access this season. Cognitive Origins themselves are what’s next in this system.  

 

 

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