The Triads of the Enneagram

The enneagram, a dynamic system that can lead to self-awareness and relational improvements, presents 9 types of people. These 9 are grouped into 3 triads, or centres of intelligence: the body triad (types 8, 9, 1), the heart triad (types 2-4), and the head triad (types 5-7).

Each of these triads has a primary emotion from which that group of types leads. Not to say that they won’t feel any other emotion. Everyone feels all the emotions, including grief, shame, anger, fear and many others. But the body triad (8, 9, 1) first feel anger; the heart triad (2-4) feels shame first; the head triad (5-7) starts with fear. Let’s explore these.

Body Triad

The body triad, also known as the gut or anger triad, is against the way things are in the world. They look for autonomy and dislike being controlled. Their anger at how things are versus how things should be manifests in three different ways:

Type 8 will move toward or against the world and will show up in the typical way we think of anger. This type moves quickly, decisively, and with authority. They’re not afraid of anger and can display it easily and loudly. Anger is considered a life force- the emotion that gives drive and clarity, although it can also be filled with madness in rage. Since the 8 has such a close relationship with anger, they are able to move ideas and projects and people. A healthy 8 will channel this anger to great good in areas of social justice as well as personal and corporate situations. They can also learn to recognize what is happening beneath the anger- what feelings of vulnerability are making them need to power up and push against.

Type 9, the centre of this triad, is uncomfortable with any level of conflict and will deny and hide from their anger, and that of others. They will withdraw and narcotize- put themselves to sleep- with activity, with movies or books, with anything that keeps them from acknowledging anger. This narcotization (an idea in this case that is unrelated to drug use) will keep the 9 in a state of false peace, and will also put them to sleep to their ability to impact the world and create meaning within it. They need to wake up, become aware of how they are missing out on life. Allowing anger to touch them is a direct way of doing this; feeling the anger and allowing the disruption to inner and outer peace for a time in order to access the deeper desire. The 9 can learn that in this way anger is a useful force, not something to be avoided.

Type 1s do not generally acknowledge they are angry, preferring the words irritation or resentment. They see what is wrong in the world and are driven to correct it. They are angry that others don’t follow the rules, don’t fix the wrongs, or that others even do the wrongs. They turn this expectation internally as well, demanding of themselves uprightness in action and thought. This anger is often visible to others who may not understand the goal of improving that is behind it. Type 1s can be champions for social justice and tireless in pursuing reform. It behooves the 1 to learn to accept what cannot be changed, and to work courageously towards what can be. This brings serenity, which is the virtue of the 1.

Heart Triad

The heart triad (2, 3, 4) avoids shame by trying to find approval outside of themselves. These three types look to others to define who they are, and there is shame in this need for approval. There is also grief at the loss of connection with God and this leads to the substitution of others to fill the void, which leads to the shame. Curt Thompson teaches that healing from shame comes from facing shame with another as witness. For all types, moving the hidden emotions into the light and pressing into them brings healing from the negative impact of said emotion, and can lead to an unveiling of the gifts therein.

Type 2 has a sense that they are unlovable. This disconnects them from their own needs and tunes them in to the needs of others. Meeting another’s needs causes them to be loved, which meets their own core need but from an external source. They become masters at providing help and giving to others just what is needed. The 2 becomes (subconsciously) proud of this ability and continues to give, teaching themselves that they are the ones who can best provide for others needs. At times their pride overrides what is actually wanted by the other and they can overstep boundaries. It is also possible that the 2 shows a false humility, becoming self-effacing and deflating themselves and their needs. The 2 must learn the humility of trusting people to love them without the gifts or aid they can provide but just because as humans they are lovable.

Type 3 feels they need to be successful in order to be loved. As such they quickly became adept from very young to do what needed to be done to succeed. They see the quickest and most efficient way, and are highly productive. Their drive forward comes with an ability to determine what the groups they encounter consider successful and they are good at becoming whatever that is. Inside though, if they stop to look, they might feel empty. They may not know who they truly are and are afraid that there is nothing substantial within them. Whenever they can they avoid feeling this. And within our North American culture it is easy to avoid feelings and continue being successful because this is a cultural value. Facing the feelings of emptiness and shame is the work of the 3. They do not need to earn love. Doing the hard work of allowing the image to drop and showing up as they are allows an opening for others to know the real person and to love them for who they are.

Type 4 is deeply aware of their feelings and, as we all do with what we know, assumes that others are similarly aware. They have a longing for a connection to God, sensing a deep loss of this completeness. When they begin to realize that not everyone has an awareness of feelings or connection, they swallow the message that they are too much and not enough. Shame in not being “right”, that there is something wrong with them, and a feeling of superiority that they are unique or special create contradictory emotions. The emotional habit of the 4 is envy: a sense that they want what another has-not just material things, but relationships or some other ideal that they feel eludes them. They begin to think that if only they had such and such, or could create a perfect circumstance, they would be whole. Depending on externalities to make one whole instead of acceptance of life as it is, including self, creates a constant striving towards something great, and a contraction into chronic disappointment. When the 4 learns to accept life’s deficiencies, they can also see the beauty within the world and people, and can learn to find equanimity within themselves: an acceptance of all their emotions as good, and a joy in the ordinary.

Head Triad

Fear is a healthy emotion in its right context. It alerts us to danger and helps keep us safe. The head types try to resolve fear by avoiding it, staying in their heads and thus detaching from emotions. They will process their fears by thinking, planning, or studying. In each case it’s a way of dealing with an underlying feeling of fear, but which presents in three different ways.

Type 5s are fearful of not being competent, of not having enough resources, of not being able to handle what is required of them socially or emotionally (through energy or small talk, for example). And they believe they are alone and separate, which they also fear. To prevent the overwhelming fears, the 5 gathers knowledge and becomes proficient in many streams of thought. They are skillful thinkers and are often technical and analytical experts. They will withdraw to garner resources and may become content to stay there to protect those resources instead of returning to the world to share what they know. These resources are traditional resources like finances and materials, but also energy and emotions. The 5 has limited energy each day and is careful, sometimes overcareful, to ensure they don’t run out. The 5 can learn to trust that there will always be sufficient for what is needed, and that their own open-handedness does not deplete but allows for a returning to them from those around them.

Type 6s characterize what we normally think of as fear.* They have a deep need for security. They are aware of anything that could go wrong at any time and are making plans to avoid trouble at all times. They are excellent trouble-shooters, and are able to see problems before others are aware of what’s ahead. The 6 takes time to trust, but then gives their loyalty. The 6 feels safest when they understand that the one (whether person, institution, idea) to whom they are in relationship has clear, straightforward rules and boundaries. They like clarity and follow through and will give their best to help and support others. The 6 can get caught in a whirlwind of thinking and end up procrastinating for fear of what could go wrong. They need to keep in contact with their physical body by staying active and allowing their minds to rest from the whirlwind. Facing fear and moving forward anyway, allows them to act with courage instead of being trapped in reacting from fear.

*There are two types of 6 - the phobic and the counterphobic. The phobic 6 is more likely to be aware of their fear (anxiety) and to try to make friends in order to disarm the threats. The counterphobic 6 is less likely to be aware of fear, but they present more aggressively as a way of pushing back the threat before it can get to them. Both types show up on a spectrum, meaning that all 6s can move between the ends of phobic and counterphobic.

Type 7 is unlikely to look like they’re afraid. Their mind is quick to see opportunities, and is able to pull together even unlikely or disparate ideas or people to fit into a project and to create new ventures. They love adventure, and new fun and they fear being trapped. This can translate into situations where they are at an event and already planning the next, or they have three events stacked in one evening. At the first hint of boredom (pain) they can move on to something else. They don’t want limitations imposed on them. What are typically called negative emotions feel like being trapped in pain so they move away from them quickly. As such, they seem often to have a half range of emotions. While they are enjoyable to be with and look for all the good life has to offer, they sometimes tire of having to always “bring the fun” and want to be accepted for who they are in entirety. The 7 will need to learn to stay in difficult feelings, learning that fear of suffering is a greater pain than pain itself. They can move into a state of sobriety: a refraining from over-consumption of all kinds of intoxication and having the courage to stay in the present moment, which allows for the full range of emotions.

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