What Is The Enneagram?
The Enneagram has made its way into the mainstream, for better or for worse. So perhaps you have heard of it and maybe even think you know your type. But like anything that comes with TikTok and Instagram reels and pages, it has been turned into a bit of a glossy, fun party trick. Behind that though is a real, and complex, typology system that is at the intersection of psychological and spiritual work.
The basis of this system is nine types. The types are actually egoic coping mechanisms. This is one of the important things to remember here. It's not what you do, rather WHY you do what you do. Not behavior, but motivation. Often, when people first learn about the enneagram, they will resonate with a type description and type themselves. Rarely is this their actual type. It is not because you don't know yourself, but because your ego is hiding your whole self from you. This is okay! It is part of the design. But it is also why it is good to have a trained and certified person type you.
The nine types and quick description (borrowed from my teachers at Empathy Architects) are:
The basis of this system is nine types. The types are actually egoic coping mechanisms. This is one of the important things to remember here. It's not what you do, rather WHY you do what you do. Not behavior, but motivation. Often, when people first learn about the enneagram, they will resonate with a type description and type themselves. Rarely is this their actual type. It is not because you don't know yourself, but because your ego is hiding your whole self from you. This is okay! It is part of the design. But it is also why it is good to have a trained and certified person type you.
The nine types and quick description (borrowed from my teachers at Empathy Architects) are:
One- The Ethical Perfectionist
Two - The Helpful Supporter
Three - The Successful Achiever
Four - The Intuitive Romantic
Five - The Remote Investigator
Six - The Loyal Skeptic
Seven - The Excited Enthusiast
Eight - The Powerful Protector
Nine - The Peaceful Mediator
I know what you did here. You quickly assigned yourself to a type (we will call this your Core Type) or maybe to a couple of possibilities. Everyone does this. I sure did.
Now I am going to throw Wrench Number 1 into the mix.
Each type is hugged by two types. For example, Five has Six on one side and Four on the other. It is the the push/pull of this that actually helps form the type, but now I'm getting way too deep here. So let's back up a baby step. The two types on each side are called Wings. And each person favors one wing over the other. So, a Five will be either Five with a Four wing (or 5w4), or Five with a Six Wing (or 5w6). You will take on some characteristics of your wing, adding them to your core type. Your wing gives you a little "seasoning". Like, let's say you are chicken soup. But chicken tortilla soup is different from chicken noodle soup. A 5w4 is different from a 5w6. Are you following me?
Here comes Big Wrench Number 2.
Now I am going to throw Wrench Number 1 into the mix.
Each type is hugged by two types. For example, Five has Six on one side and Four on the other. It is the the push/pull of this that actually helps form the type, but now I'm getting way too deep here. So let's back up a baby step. The two types on each side are called Wings. And each person favors one wing over the other. So, a Five will be either Five with a Four wing (or 5w4), or Five with a Six Wing (or 5w6). You will take on some characteristics of your wing, adding them to your core type. Your wing gives you a little "seasoning". Like, let's say you are chicken soup. But chicken tortilla soup is different from chicken noodle soup. A 5w4 is different from a 5w6. Are you following me?
Here comes Big Wrench Number 2.
A human is made of three parts: body, mind and soul. Therefore, your enneagram type is actually three types and we call this Trifix. The three intelligence centers are: Gut (types 8,9,1), Heart (types 2,3,4), and Head (types 5,6,7). You have what is called a Fix in each of the centers, but you still remain you core type. Using Type Five again as an example, their Trifix could look like this: 539 (core 5, with the heart fix of 3, and a gut type of 9).
Now your chicken soup is looking even more unique. One chicken soup could be a clear, delicate chicken consommé, while another chicken soup could be a hearty, luscious Marry Me chicken soup.
Ready for Wrench Number 3? Why not? You made it this far through wrenches and chicken soup.
On top of all this, or perhaps on the bottom of all this is our Instinctual Drive. There are three instincts and here they are with a brief description: Self Preservation - grounded energy, concerned with survival, comfort and safety Sexual- magnetic energy, concerned with Oneness, depth, and emotional richness Social - lighter energy, concerned with the group, group dynamics, and group relating
People have all three instincts within them, but there is their dominant type and then their second type. We usually refer to this as Instinctual Stacking and it is written like this: sp/so (self preservation first, then social, finally sexual). Without getting too into this here, I'll save that for another time, We could say that the instinctual stacking of a person is the base of our chicken soup. How does it start out? Broth based, cream based, or oil based? Again, how you start your soup, or what your instinctual stacking is, changes what your soup is going to taste like.
Once you have your soup, there are other seasonings you can add, but for our purposes here right now, we don't need to get into those. They are the equivalent of using fenugreek, sumac, or white pepper in your chicken soup. Maybe something to discuss at some point, but not the main focus of your soup. You getting me?
Here are some FAQ:
Q: Can your enneagram type change over time?
Ready for Wrench Number 3? Why not? You made it this far through wrenches and chicken soup.
On top of all this, or perhaps on the bottom of all this is our Instinctual Drive. There are three instincts and here they are with a brief description: Self Preservation - grounded energy, concerned with survival, comfort and safety Sexual- magnetic energy, concerned with Oneness, depth, and emotional richness Social - lighter energy, concerned with the group, group dynamics, and group relating
People have all three instincts within them, but there is their dominant type and then their second type. We usually refer to this as Instinctual Stacking and it is written like this: sp/so (self preservation first, then social, finally sexual). Without getting too into this here, I'll save that for another time, We could say that the instinctual stacking of a person is the base of our chicken soup. How does it start out? Broth based, cream based, or oil based? Again, how you start your soup, or what your instinctual stacking is, changes what your soup is going to taste like.
Once you have your soup, there are other seasonings you can add, but for our purposes here right now, we don't need to get into those. They are the equivalent of using fenugreek, sumac, or white pepper in your chicken soup. Maybe something to discuss at some point, but not the main focus of your soup. You getting me?
Here are some FAQ:
Q: Can your enneagram type change over time?
A: Nope. You might be a healthier version than you once were, but you are locked in.
Q: I've seen celebrities talking about their type. Are they accurate?
A: Usually not. Sorry Amy Poehler! Celebs are regular people and they are better typed by a qualified person.
Q: Are sexy people Sexual Instinct dominant?
A: Anyone can be sexy, that's not what the instincts are about. Just like most people (not just Self-Preservation) want to survive.
Q: If I am introverted/extroverted, does this limit the possibilities of my type?
A: Good question! Not necessarily, but it can help with the detective work in finding Tritype.
I'd love to meet with you, help you find your type, and then work further with you to use this incredible tool to make beautiful changes in your life.
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