Intro to Enneagram
The Enneagram of Personality is another personality typology system used to describe and explain the variations between individual personalities. While Jungian Cognitive Functions describes how your mind processes and perceives information, the Enneagram describes what motivates your behaviors and actions. If MBTI is the “How”, Enneagram is the “Why”.
The Enneagram can get very overwhelming very quickly because it embraces a system of ever finer differentiation between types. My goal in this post is to show that it’s not really as complicated as it seems at first.
Three Emotions
The basic premise of the system is that each person’s strongest behavioral motivator is based in one of three core negative emotions; Fear, Anger, and Shame. So the first question to ask yourself is which of these three emotions you are more predisposed to. Which emotion makes you think “The struggle is real”?
Fear is the root cause of anxiety, which is an emotion some people find easier to pinpoint. This emotion is considered a “head” based emotion as fear and anxiety tends to be expressed in thoughts and worries and neuroticism.
Anger and rage are often experienced as whole body flooding emotions, which is why it is considered a “body” based emotion. Just like fear can result in neuroticism, anger can result in force and attempts at control.
Shame is the last feeling, and is considered “heart” based. Shame is the feeling of not being good enough as you are and is the most likely of the three to result in self-hatred.
Take some time to really think about which of these three you struggle with more frequently in your life. We all encounter each of these in our day to day life (which we will come back to later), but try to determine which one is a greater factor for you personally. Once you have that answer, read on to see your next three options.
Three Methods
There are essentially three ways of managing a negative emotion; moving through it, resisting it, or avoiding it. The management method you tend to prefer is considered your primary enneagram type. So let’s look closer at these three methods in relation to the three emotions.
If Your Struggle is Shame…
Type 2s prefer to move through shame, processing it as useful emotion that tells them when they are acting “wrong”. 2s are referred to as helper types because to a 2, feeling ashamed means that you are not taking care of those persons which you should be. 2s default to lovingly giving to others expecting that if that love and help is not returned, the other party should feel ashamed and adjust accordingly. No one can shame someone who does nothing but help.
Type 3s prefer to resist shame by presenting a perfected image of themselves. 3s are referred to as achievers because to a 3, feeling ashamed means that someone has penetrated the psychological armor covering their true selves. 3s default to presenting an idealized image of themselves to the outer world in order to avoid the kind of criticism that can trigger shame. No one can shame someone who appears without a flaw.
Type 4s prefer to avoid shame by instead focusing on their most authentic individual self. 4s are referred to as individualists because to a 4, the only reason you would ever feel ashamed is if you are not being true to yourself. 4s default to resisting any external determinations of who they are because allowing outside forces to mold who you are is considered shameful. No one can shame someone who is different from everyone else.
If Your Struggle is Fear…
Type 5s prefer to move through fear, viewing it as a valid warning of danger or threats. 5s are referred to as investigators because they use skepticism and knowledge in an attempt to counteract fear. To a 5, the best way to handle fear is to master anything that makes you fearful, leading to a constant search for information, skills, resources and understanding so that they are never helpless. You can’t hurt someone who is always improving their defenses.
Type 6s prefer to resist fear by making themselves as non-threatening as possible and expecting the same of others. 6s are referred to as loyalists because they work to assure they themselves are as trustworthy and reliable as possible so that they can justify demanding the same of others. 6s naturally struggle with trust because of their high, sometimes unreachable, standards for trustworthiness in others. You can’t hurt someone who is constantly guarded.
Type 7s prefer to avoid fear by continually moving and ensuring their own freedom (and therefore escape route) is untouched. 7s are referred to as enthusiasts because they use optimism and excitement to counteract and avoid fear. 7s enjoy being in constant motion and react strongly to feeling confined or suppressed because to a 7 any situation can become unpleasant or painful so you must always maintain a way out. You can’t hurt someone who has already moved on.
If Your Struggle is Anger…
Type 8s prefer to move through anger, using it as a tool to bring control and order to their environment. 8s are referred to as challengers because they naturally move against those things which trigger their anger. To an 8, anger is something to be controlled and directed so that no one else controls them. 8s have a need to be in charge and respected. You can’t wrong someone who is always in control.
Type 9s prefer to resist anger by trying to maintain peace and understanding in all circumstances. 9s are referred to as mediators because they combat anger by seeking unified understanding. For a 9, anger means loss and fragmentation, which they combat with passive behavior and emphasizing unity and understanding. 9s avoid conflict at all costs because to them conflict will inevitably stir anger in someone. You can’t wrong someone who always agrees with you.
Type 1s prefer to avoid anger by striving for perfection in all circumstances. 1s are referred to as reformers because they combat anger with constant improvement. For a 9, anger can be avoided by ensuring that everything is as right as possible. You can’t wrong someone who is always right.
