Usefulness of type systems (astrology, Myers-Briggs, Dosha How the World Thinks and Dr K’s Guide - Meditation, whichever you stuble upon) lies in their roots and when used to explore the types of problems respective principles/values people (especially you yourself) have.
MBTI, the most popular one, focuses more on social aspects of how different people approach, navigate and react in social situations. The enneagram tries to take a more holistic approach by trying to unearth the root problem / main motivator from the childhood of a person.
Enneagram
Good intro from LocalScriptMan which references the intros from Typologycentral’s wiki.
Variants
For transformational work the Instinctual Variants are important… they play a pivotal role in relationships. People of the same Variant tend to share values and to understand each other, whereas couples of different variants will tend to have more conflicts because their fundamental values are so different.
The Instinctual Variants indicate which of our three basic instincts have been most distorted in childhood, resulting in characteristic preoccupations and behaviors throughout the entire range of the personality type. A person’s dominant Instinctual Variant represents the arena in which the issues of their type will be most often played out.
The Self-Preservation Variant: Preoccupied with getting and maintaining physical safety and comfort
The Social Variant: Preoccupied with being accepted and necessary in their world and maintaining the sense of value they get from participating in activities with others.
The Sexual Variant: Preoccupied with the search for connection and an attraction to intense experiences (NB not only sexual experiences)
Enneagram triads
The Triads are grouped by the “three basic components of the human psyche: instinct, feeling, and thinking (also known as gut, heart, head, respectively).
The Instinctive Triad (8, 9, 1): This triad carries rage. These types have problems with aggression/repression as a means of ego defense against rage. They are concerned with maintaining resistance to reality.
The Feeling Triad (2, 3, 4): This triad carries shame. These types have problems with understanding the self as a means of ego defense against shame. They are concerned with self-image (attachment to false personality).
The Thinking Triad (5, 6, 7): This triad carries fear. These types have problems with safety and security as a means of ego defense against fear. They are concerned with anxiety.
Harmonic groups
Harmonic groups are another significant way of grouping the types and is briefly outlined as follows:
The positive outlook group: Deny that they have a problem
Nine: “What problem? I don’t think there is a problem.”
Two: “You have a problem. I am here to help you.”
Seven: “There may be a problem, but I’m fine.”
The competency group: Cut off feelings and solve problems logically
Three: “There’s an efficient solution to this- we just need to get to work.”
One: “I’m sure we can solve this like sensible, mature adults.”
Five: “There are a number of hidden issues here: let me think about this.”
The reactive group: React strongly and need a response from others
Six: “I feel really pressured, and I’ve got to let off some steam!”
Four: “I feel really hurt, and I need to express myself.”
Eight: “I’m angry about this and you’re going to hear about it!”
Childhood roots of the enneagram
| Type | Unconscious Childhood Message | Lost Childhood Message | Basic Desires (and Distortions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | It’s not ok to make mistakes | You are good | The desire to have integrity (deteriorates into critical perfectionism) |
| Two | It’s not ok to have your own needs | You are wanted | The desire to be loved (deteriorates into the need to be needed) |
| Three | It’s not ok to have your own feelings and identity | You are loved for yourself | The desire to be valuable (deteriorates in chasing after success) |
| Four | It’s not ok to be too functional or happy | You are seen for who you are | The desire to be oneself (deteriorates into self-indulgence) |
| Five | It’s not ok to be comfortable in the world | Your needs are not a problem | The desire to be competent (deteriorates into useless specialization) |
| Six | It’s not ok to trust yourself | You are safe | The desire to be secure (deteriorates into an attachment to beliefs) |
| Seven | It’s not ok to depend on anyone for anything | You will be taken care of | The desire to be happy (deteriorates into frenetic escapism) |
| Eight | It’s not ok to be vulnerable or to trust anyone | You will not be betrayed | The desire to protect oneself (deteriorates into constant fighting) |
| Nine | It’s not ok to assert yourself | Your presence matters | The desire to be at peace (deteriorates into stubborn neglectfulness) |
The Payoffs of Practice (Characteristic Virtues): These are the qualities of each type that are “payoffs” for working on one’s type:
1 – Patience
2 – Self-Respect
3 – Authenticity
4 – Inner Calm
5 – Trust
6 – Confidence
7 – Groundedness
8 – Magnanimity
9 – Vitality
Long Descriptions
List of descriptions from Russel Rowe: