Enneagram Sub-Types - An Introductionby Peter O'Hanrahan

Our instinctual or body-based center has three major drives and areas of involvement which are called the self preservation, social, and sexual (or one to one) instincts. We use all three of these instincts for the activities of daily life. In contrast to our intellectual and emotional centers which have transpersonal aspects called the Holy Ideas and Virtues (as well as lower aspects called the fixations and passions), the instincts all function at the level of personality and at the level of pre-personal, biological imperative. The three instincts create three sub-types for each Enneagram point, depending on which instinct is most important to us. The sub-types are important variations of the personality types. Our sub-type style and "pre-occupation" is a way that we attempt to both express and resolve the habitual emotional state of our personality. Learning to manage our sub-type issues is a important tool for our personal awareness and growth. From another view, the sub-types represent 27 archetypal forces or spirits, distinct variations of human consciousness and style which have influenced our history and are at work in the world today.

The Three InstinctsThe instinctual center is our body-based center of intelligence. A big part of the work with this center is simply to be "in our bodies," to have a healthy flow of the life force moving through us. There are other potentials here as well - the ability to enjoy physical pleasure and sensation, to maintain our health and vitality, to experience ourselves as part of the natural world and the great web of life.But there is more to it than this. According to the Enneagram, we have three specific instinctual drives:

· The self preservation instinct governs our needs for food, shelter, and warmth. It's based on the relationship of one, or the early merged state with our mother and nature. It's associated with the first chakra, located at the perineum at the base of our pelvis.

· The sexual or one to one instinct governs our sexuality, our intimate relationships, and the movement of the life force within our bodies. It's based on the relationship of two, or the early dyad with our mother or significant caregiver. It's associated with the second chakra, located in the area of our genitals and lower abdomen.

· The social instinct governs our needs for belonging and membership within the larger group and community. It's based on the relationship of three, as we form a connection with more than one parent and reach out to the world beyond our family.

It's associated with the third chakra, located in the area of our diaphragm and solar plexus.

Just as with the nine personality types, when we talk about instincts we are using the language of the Enneagram, but the concepts are not unique to the Enneagram at all. We borrow from both modern and traditional psychologies, including George Gurdjieff's "Fourth Way" method. There are many approaches to working with the body and the instincts from different schools and traditions. While there is a lot of disagreement over what constitutes the "right" set of techniques or practices, they all have something important to contribute. What the Enneagram offers us is a useful way to see and describe the activity of this center and how it operates in our daily lives. Each of us has our own experience with body-based activities such as sports, dancing, gardening, yoga, etc. And each of us has our own personal rhythms of eating, sleeping, working, playing, and participating in the life of our human community. The Enneagram language of sub-types gives us a fine tool for seeing both our strengths and weaknesses in our instinct-based activities.

 

The Instinctual Sub-types· There are 27 sub-types - three variations for each of the nine personality types - depending on which of our three instincts is highlighted.· Our sub-type describes our major concerns and focus of attention in daily life: how and where we express the major issues and themes of our personality type.· Sub-type activity is, in part, a way to discharge or resolve the passion or "lower emotional habit" of our personality type. · Sub-type patterns and habits are one of the primary ways that we "fall asleep" in daily life· Each sub-type has a special intuitive ability and the potential to excel in a particular area of instinctual life.

Self Preservation InstinctPoint One - Anxiety (the Pioneer)This sub-type can be either very anxious or very self controlled. Concerns about survival and preservation issues are channeled into material achievements as a way to be good and do the right thing. It seems important to subdue nature, to impose order on the natural world. Family, home, food preparation, etc. take precedence over other needs. However, too much self sacrifice can fuel physical tension and resentment.

Point Two - Privilege (the Nurturer)This sub-type excels in creating warm, personable relationships with many kinds of people. Because of this great ability and the amount of attention spent in supporting and nurturing others, there can be a feeling of entitlement, or "me first," when it comes to getting one's own needs met. This may contribute to a prideful attitude. (Or an insistence on going last supports another kind of specialness, as in false modesty).

Point Three - Security (the Company Man or Woman)The Three's ability to work hard, perform well, and maintain the right image are placed in the service of material success. With their considerable drive and energy, this sub-type can accomplish their goals of financial security, a nice home, etc. The danger is losing contact with one's real self in this effort.

Point Four - Dauntlessness (the Creative Individualist)This is the willingness to jump into new situations, to pack up and move, to get going or take risks when the preservation

instinct is highlighted. To other people, it may seem reckless, like throwing caution to the winds, but it can work well in an unorthodox, creative or artistic style. There is a tension here between wanting to acquire material security and feeling detached from it all.

Point Five - Home (the Castle Defender)Home is one's castle and a place to retreat from the world and feel safe. There is concern about having enough supplies which can lead to hoarding. On the other hand, this sub-type may be lacking in allegiance to any geographical location, forever traveling or moving from place to place, with a home in the backpack or the camper van.

Point Six - Warmth (the Family Loyalist)The style for this sub-type is to overcome fear by making connections and agreements with people through the use of personal warmth. They don't want to be left out in the cold. Experiencing a lack of warmth or a threat to their security early in life can create a fear of taking risks and a need to stay within well known boundaries.

Point Seven - Family (the Gourmand)This sub-type likes to enjoy an abundant lifestyle within their family and circle of friends. There is an emphasis on sharing good ideas and conversation, preparing elaborate meals (or dining out), planning fun projects. There can be problems with over talking, over eating, and over stimulation.

Point Eight - Satisfactory Survival (the Survivalist)The aggressiveness and excess of the Eight are channeled into physical survival and material security. In a hostile world, they will win out (or go down fighting). Fiercely protective of friends and family, they can establish more territory and stockpile more supplies than anyone. But in a friendly world, they may miss the boat altogether.

Point Nine - Appetite (the Collector)This sub-type excels at creating the practical infrastructure and the daily rhythms that support instinctual life. But there is a tendency to "fall asleep" or to narcotize oneself not only with food, but with all kinds of material consumption. (They often collect various items). A life of material abundance and comfort may preclude efforts toward personal or spiritual growth.

 

Social InstinctPoint One - Inadaptability (the Social Registrar)This sub-type is comfortable with a secure social role and a clear set of rules. On their own turf they are usually quite friendly and gregarious. But their emphasis on doing things the right way can make it hard to adapt to new situations, and can also generate resentment or criticism towards others who may be acting "incorrectly."

Point Two - Ambition (the Ambassador)Self esteem is earned through both social approval and visible

accomplishments. The Two's ability to empathize and attune to other people's needs is used to create an important, even indispensable role within the organization or the cause. Being allied with the right people is usually more important than taking center stage.

Point Three - Prestige (the Politician)The drive for success is directed toward winning social approval, knowing the right people, and achieving power in social institutions, whether in government, business, or community groups. There can be genuine social leadership or simply self aggrandizement through propaganda and image making.

Point Four - Shame (the Critical Commentator)Feelings of deficiency can be provoked by social situations, with envy directed toward other people's status or membership. This sub-type seeks to establish an acceptable social role, possibly as the emotional truth teller for the group. There is a need to resolve the tension between the quest for individual authenticity and social expectations.

Point Five - Totem/Symbols (the Professor)This sub-type has a hunger for knowledge and mastery of the sacred symbols and language of the group or society (totems). Yet at the same time, an over-emphasis on analysis and interpretation can get in the way of participation and trap one in the role of observer or learned teacher.

Point Six - Duty (the Social Guardian)Being clear about one's role in the group or society is an overriding concern. Knowing the rules and creating clear agreements with friends and colleagues are vital for overcoming fear and avoiding rejection. Yet there may be ambivalence about belonging. Doing one's duty can be both a calling and a burden.

Point Seven - Limitation/Sacrifice (the Utopian Visionary)There is a paradox here: social Sevens need their friends and their group projects to express both their social idealism and love of life, yet harnessing oneself to the greater good of the group or the community always involves some sacrifice. There are limitations to personal expansiveness and planning for future outcomes.

Point Eight - Friendship/Social Causes (the Group Leader/Gang Leader)This style is about overcoming powerlessness and injustice by being part of an aligned group, usually in a leadership role. Anger and aggression are both mediated by the needs of the group and harnessed to the common agenda. Loyalty to friends and the social cause takes precedence over personal feelings and needs.

Point Nine - Participation (the Community Benefactor)This sub-type blends well with the style and agenda of their friends and various social groups. The high side is leadership and selfless contribution for the common good; the problem is

the tendency to "fall asleep" in a comfortable social role or through indiscriminate activities.

 

Sexual InstinctPoint One - Jealousy/Zealousness (the Evangelist)A highly charged instinctual center is kept under strict self-control with clear rules and standards for correct behavior, leading at times to over zealousness in everything. Keeping the attention of the partner is vital to avoid self recrimination. (Being jealous of their attention). Jealousy may also be experienced toward other people who seem to have more room for self expression.

Point Two - Seduction/Aggression (the Lover)All of the Two's capacity for interpersonal attunement and empathy is available to make the connection and win the approval of selected people in a one to one relationship, even a brief one. The use of body language and feeling tones can be experienced as seductive, although not necessarily in a sexual sense. Or the same capacity can be used in a more aggressive style that demands personal attention and recognition.

Point Three - Femininity/Masculinity (the Movie Star)The ability to create a successful image is focused on gender identity and issues. Personal power or charisma rests on being attractive as a woman or man. Yet underneath, there may be confusion about one's real sexuality. There is a tendency to stay

in the performer role, whether on screen and stage or in personal relationships.

Point Four - Competitiveness (the Drama Queen or King)Competition with other people is used to overcome a feeling of inner deficiency and create motivation for a personal agenda. Other people's power or strength is taken as a personal challenge, and usually creates a strong reaction. One's own value tends to rise and fall in comparison with other people.

Point Five - Confidentiality (the Secret Agent)This is the sharing of confidences from the inner, private world in one to one relationships. Personal relationships are carefully selected. There can be a secretive quality, or a kind of profound reserve, reflecting some of the tension between the need to make contact and the need to preserve autonomy.

Point Six - Strength or Beauty (the Warrior)The first style is based on overcoming or avoiding fear through willpower and feats of physical strength and bravery, or through the strength of one's intellect and fierce ideological positions. In the second style fear and self doubt are handled by channeling one's idealism and keen perceptiveness into creating beauty in one's environment. This helps create some stability and control.

Point Seven - Suggestibility (the Salesman or woman)This works both ways. Sexual Sevens can be easily influenced by the attraction of new ideas, adventures, and people, falling into a state of fascination or "entrainment." They also have great

powers of suggestion, and can use personal charm to lead people into a new paradigm, a new purchase, or a new relationship.

Point Eight - Possession/Surrender (the Dictator)Sexual Eight use their instinctual forcefulness and self assertion to possess (or control) the partner and significant others. They may also be said to be possessed by this drive, unable to adapt or let go at times. The other side of this may show up as a yearning to be met so fully that one can surrender and let go of control, to be able to turn it over to the partner.

Point Nine - Union (the Seeker)Sexual Nines have a longing to merge, either with a partner, nature, or God. This can be indiscriminate, or heedless at times, but it may also be a doorway into a transcendent state. In daily life it can show up as a problem with keeping personal boundaries and focus, since it's so easy to be pulled outside of oneself.

 

How to discover your sub-type:For some people, their particular sub-type seems very clear, while for others it's a matter of study and exploration over time. Those who know us well may also have some useful feedback, since we're not always able to see ourselves objectively. It can be a bit complicated because we each have all three instincts at work in our life. So you may identify with all three instinctual names for your Enneagram type. But which of these three areas is the most important overall? What you can do is consider the list of nine names for each of the subtypes. In other words, don't just look at the names for your Enneagram point, rather look at each of the three lists in turn. One of these sets of nine terms will probably be more familiar to you than the other two. If you had to choose between them, which set of instinctual titles would best describe your concerns, habits and preoccupations over the long run - the nine self preservation terms, the nine social terms, or the nine sexual terms? The set of nine terms you most resonate with reflects your primary instinct, and therefore your particular sub-type. Of course our attention often shifts back and forth from one instinctual area to another. We may spend weeks or even months in one instinct domain and then shift to another, depending on our circumstances or interests. But in the big picture of our lives, one of these domains will be of more concern, or more compelling to us than the others.

The 27 titles are somewhat inexact. They are meant to evoke or infer a certain theme. If you don't identify with the sub-type name on your point, look at the names for the points on either side of yours to see if those terms fit.

The Enneagram Defense System - access points for self awareness & growthby Peter O'Hanrahan

One of the great advantages to the Enneagram is the amount of descriptive material that it offers us about personality and character structure. It's a rich and complex system, but it can also be a bit overwhelming at times. Fortunately, once we know our personality type, there are specific suggestions for how we can put it to work in our daily lives. There are a number of key "access points" that are very useful in this effort and that can function as anchors to help keep us on track. Whenever we apply the Enneagram to healing and personal growth we encounter a set of psychological defenses used by each personality type to hold things together and to create a sense of security. Of course we need some kind of ego defense system to protect ourselves from harm and maintain a sense of identity, but our defenses are also what keep us stuck in the lower aspects of our personality - our perceptual biases, our knee jerk reactions, and our automatic patterns of thinking, feeling, and doing. These defenses operate much of the time below the surface but they become particularly active when we feel threatened. On the other hand, when we feel safe or secure (with lots of self acceptance or in the presence of a loving relationship) we are able to become less defended and more open. The Enneagram suggests that as we relax and let down our defenses our

personality begins to shift. We move to another point on the Enneagram, called the heart point or security point. In 20 years of working with the Enneagram, both personally and with my clients, I have found that the path of personal growth and healing lies in negotiating this territory - moving through the defenses to the heart point.

3 Parts - Defense Mechanism, Idealization & Avoidance PatternOur defenses are organized into a cohesive pattern by three specific functions: the defense mechanism, the idealization pattern, and the avoidance pattern. They work together in a tri-partite (three-way) arrangement to keep the structure of the personality in place. They are also the cornerstones of each person's fixation or "delusional system," and it's hard to think clearly or feel our real feelings when these parts are active. If we want to work on our personality we have to confront them time and time again. They stand in the way of our growth. The idealization pattern is about who we think we ought to be in order to have value and self worth. For example, Threes say "I am successful," Sixes say "I am loyal," and Nines say "I am harmonious." It's not that these are bad things to want for ourselves, but rather that we invest our value as human beings in them. To the extent that we are attached to our idealization, we're not allowed to simply be ourselves. In fact, it's often the case that our idealization is in major conflict with how things are. This can lead to several responses, neither of which is particularly useful. We can spend a lot of effort deceiving

ourselves to maintain the illusion that we actually are strong, or OK, or helpful, etc. Or we can end up feeling very badly about ourselves because we're failing to live up to the ideal. But whether we fail to measure up or we seem to be successful in achieving our idealized state, this part of our personality can exert a kind of tyranny over us. Everything is judged and measured to some degree against this scale. We don't usually question our idealization since it's so much a part of how we operate. But paying attention and learning to let go of our idealization is crucial for our personal development. Each of us also has a particular feeling or experience that we want to avoid, something that doesn't fit into our picture of who we are or how we should be. To put this even more strongly, it's the main thing that our personality is set up to protect us from. The avoidance pattern operates in symmetry with the idealization. In a way, they're opposites and yet they reinforce each other. We tend to seesaw back and forth. The idealization is supposed to keep us away from what we want to avoid, but there's a catch. For example, if Ones need to be "right" all the time there is a danger that they will try to keep their "bad" or angry feelings out of sight. These feelings don't go away, of course, but sit in the "shadow" side of the personality where they can create all kinds of trouble. Nines want to stay harmonious so that they can avoid conflict, but conflict often has a way of building up when it's not dealt with directly. Twos feel good about themselves to the degree that they can say "I am helpful" and avoid their personal needs. But to people around them, the neediness of Twos for attention and approval can be

excruciatingly obvious, the more so when they aren't owning it themselves.So at first the idealization and avoidance patterns work to keep us away from that place we don't want to experience. But eventually, it works to exacerbate the very situation we want to avoid. If as an Eight I succeed in staying emotionally isolated from others and avoid my own vulnerability through using the "I am strong" mantra, eventually I will get to situations where the opposite is true. I don't acknowledge my limits, pushing myself to the point of exhaustion or burnout and bringing on the very weakness that I have tried to avoid. The third element of this arrangement is the defense mechanism, which supports the dichotomy between the idealization and the avoidance and keeps the whole system in place. The defense mechanism is the "enforcer." Like some kind of fierce guardian at the temple gates, it jumps into action whenever the fixation or character structure is threatened, either by unacceptable feelings and impulses from inside oneself, or by upsetting communications from other people or the environment. For the most part, the defense mechanism operates automatically and unconsciously. We simply aren't aware of what's going on. It not only operates in response to specific threats to our personality, but it also can be seen as a chronic influence underlying the activities of our daily life. Here's another example: at any given moment, Fives may "isolate" themselves and withdraw from a situation or person if they feel pressured or coerced. Yet we can also see Fives isolating themselves as a general habit. Isolation from people, or isolation from their own emotional life is a

pervasive issue. We can find all nine of the Enneagram defense mechanisms described by modern psychology (plus a few more), but they are not always assigned to a specific personality type. At different times, or in different conditions, we might find any one of them operating inside ourselves. But the Enneagram says is that one of them is central to our particular personality type. These three psychodynamic terms give us a big advantage in working with ourselves and other people. By observing these dynamics, we can see how the psychological and emotional defenses of the personality types work. We can try to intervene with ourselves when we notice them coming up for us, and we have a better understanding of how to respond when they are activated in the people with whom we have relationships. It's important to note that we don't usually have problems with other people's personality type per se. What really gets in the way of cooperation, or intimacy, is their (and our) defense system. These unconscious patterns are what leads to so much of the conflict and frustration in relationships. Here is a brief description of these defenses. They are hard to understand in a sentence or two, but it's useful to have an overview. The first phrase is the defense mechanism, as in "Ones use reaction formation" followed by the avoidance pattern and the idealization. Of course saying that we "use" a defense mechanism implies conscious intent, which is rarely the case. It's much more of an automatic pattern and it's very hard for us to see it in ourselves.1) Ones use reaction formation to avoid anger (i.e. direct

anger) and to maintain a self image of being right. (Reaction formation is feeling one thing and then doing the opposite, such as feeling resentful but acting nice).2) Twos use repression of personal needs and feelings to avoid being needy and to maintain a self image of being helpful. (Repression is putting one's "unacceptable" feelings out of awareness and converting them into a more acceptable kind of emotional energy).3) Threes use identification to avoid failure and maintain a self image of being successful. (Identification is a kind of pervasive roleplaying and losing oneself in image). 4) Fours use introjection to avoid ordinariness and maintain a self image of being authentic. (Introjection is both an attempt to overcome deficiency by bringing in value from outside oneself and the habit of internalizing blame for what goes wrong). 5) Fives use isolation to avoid emptiness and maintain a self image of being knowledgeable. (Isolation can be physical and geographical, but it also means being cut off from one's emotions).6) Sixes use projection to avoid personal rejection and to maintain a self image of being loyal. (Projection is a way of attributing to others what one can't accept in oneself, both positive and negative).7) Sevens use rationalization to avoid suffering and to maintain a self image of being OK. (Rationalization is a style of explaining and justifying in order to keep pain away or refuse to take responsibility).8) Eights use denial to avoid vulnerability and to maintain a

self image of being strong. (Denial is a kind of forceful re-directing of attention and feeling based on willfulness and control). 9) Nines use narcotization to avoid conflict and to maintain a self image of being comfortable or harmonious. (Narcotization is using food and drink, entertainment, or simply repetitive patterns of thinking and doing to "put oneself to sleep").It's useful to see how the defense mechanisms are all based in the lead center of the personality type, either mental, emotional, or body-based. For example, repression (Two) and denial (Eight) can sound like the same thing. The results may indeed be similar, in that one's unacceptable feelings are put out of awareness. But there is a big difference. Repression is a function of the emotional center. When Twos repress certain feelings, they convert them into other forms of emotional energy. They could be diverted into more positive feelings, or they could simply be discharged through the Two's general tone and affect. This reinforces their tendency to be "hysterical." Eights, in contrast, bear down on their feelings of vulnerability or sadness with their angry forcefulness. Denial uses the strong energy of the instinctual center to override and close down all emotions. In another example: Sixes project their unacceptable feelings and impulses onto other people. This is primarily a function of the mind, forming an idea or mental construct about someone else while reducing one's own emotional or instinctual energy. By contrast, the introjection of the Fours is an operation of the emotional center. Using their empathy they tend to internalize

the feelings and attitudes of the significant people in their lives. It's less of a mental construct and more of an emotional process.

The Enneagram & Political Conflict Peter O'Hanrahan - Nov. 6, 2001From the newsletter of the International Enneagram Association (IEA)

Can the Enneagram help us respond to the recent violence and conflict? Can it help to promote dialogue and evoke our higher capacities and intelligence? Or is the Enneagram simply a useful tool for inner work? Personally, I believe that we can harness the power of the system to address the current situation, and I suspect I am in good company.

One potential application of the Enneagram quickly comes to mind - the CIA and other intelligence agencies could use it to sharpen their psychological profiles of opponents. Is Bin Laden an Eight, a Six, a Five? That knowledge would likely be helpful in predicting his future behavior. What about other leaders, many of whom we may want as allies? This is a very focused application of the system, and perhaps a controversial one.

In a much broader application the Enneagram may help us find common ground among the Islamic, Jewish, and Christian religious communities. Certainly that was the conclusion of Ramon Lull, the 13th century Franciscan on the island of

Majorca who "published" the first version of the Enneagram symbol plus material about the nine vices and virtues in his "Ars Magna." Coming after several centuries of Christian/Muslim warfare (the Crusades) and Christian on Christian violence such as the massacres of the Cathars (the Albigensian heresy) in the south of France, Lull took the bold step of integrating material from the Sufis and the Cabalists with Christian theology. His conclusion was that the nine principles which govern the universe can be known as the nine "Dignities of God." (see "The Harmonious Circle" by James Webb, Putnam, 1980).

Gurdjieff himself no doubt got his Enneagram from similar sources as Lull, or from Lull's philosophical descendents. Gurdjieff also sought to integrate material from the three great monotheistic religions, plus he worked for a while as an intelligence agent (for the Russians). However, most of us are not part of the intelligence community nor active in inter-faith dialogues; we need a more immediate application of the Enneagram. Fortunately, there is one close at hand.

In an Enneagram study group which I lead in the Bay Area, we recently had a fascinating and frustrating discussion about the 9/11 attack and the "right" response. The Nines, true to their peacemaker label, earnestly proposed (with one exception) that everyone join together in a peaceful response. They affirmed that we could resolve the dispute through understanding and dialogue. In contrast, two of our counter-phobic Sixes were

fierce in their pro-war feelings while yet another CP Six was just as passionate in asserting a non-violent position.

We quickly realized that our work together was not to agree on a political position, but rather to find our own point biases in our responses. How is our view clouded by our type? What are our automatic reactions, our habits of emotion? How can we see the truth in another's position even if we don't agree?

On my end I found that my immediate reaction was a strong impulse for revenge. No surprise there, I'm an Eight! However I know enough about that part of my character to realize it's not really what I believe in, and not how I want to act in the world. (Although I can well understand the revenge cycle and how it makes sense to people in many parts of the world). Right underneath this I ran into my strong belief about meeting force with counterforce. In talking to the CP Sixes who had similar "strike back" feelings, we found that we had all experienced physical violence directed toward ourselves early in life. Each of us had been on the receiving end of relentless cruelty that seemed immune to pleas for fairness, kindness, etc. If my experience in life is that people will only stop beating me when I fight back, then becoming a fighter makes compelling sense. Of course peace is good and it's too bad when fighting is necessary, but there are people in the world who have to be opposed at all costs. Those peaceniks just don't get it!

Am I right, or am I just being righteous? Am I locked into my position because of my life experience, or might it be possible to

shift to another point of view? The Enneagram challenges me to ask these kind of questions. I know there's truth in my point of view. I also know, after 23 years of Enneagram work, that there is truth in those other points of view. And it seems that people who are willing to admit to their "point bias" are much better communicators. Certainly I feel much safer, more trusting, and more respectful of people who are willing to examine their own personality and character structure. This isn't new of course. It's what we have all learned about the value of the Enneagram in relationships of all kinds.

From my life as an Eight I feel I have something to contribute about why people resort to violence (and the particular kind of intelligence that Eights bring to war). I get that there is more than one solution, and we need all points of view. I just want to be assured that my peace-loving friends understand that aggression is hard wired into our species, and that they have looked at their own aggression (even if it's less than mine). It's important to remember that for all our good ideas and intentions, when things get tough, most people resort to pre-programmed instinctual behavior.

For most of us the question is not how to be pacifists but what is the appropriate role for violence? How can we minimize it? How do we avoid getting caught in the cycle of revenge that is so prevalent in places characterized by a harsh climate, poverty, and perceived social injustice? What can we learn from leaders such as Nelson Mandela, who after decades of imprisonment

was able to forego revenge on the society which was responsible for his suffering and his people's suffering? (Mandela was part of a revolutionary movement with a military wing, and his organization was branded terrorist by the US Government). What can we learn from the Dalai Lama, or for that matter from the warriors of World War II?

Toynbee said that empires are eventually undone, subverted, or taken over by the new forces and peoples at the periphery, those outside the system. In rough parallel, we may find that inside us our fixations eventually give way to pressure from the edge, the thoughts and feelings that we try to avoid and put outside us. By putting our avoidance patterns squarely in front of us, the Enneagram enables us to face this shadow part. Ones can acknowledge their irrational anger, Threes may face up to their failures, Sixes are brave enough to handle uncertainty and rejection, Eights learn to embrace vulnerability, and Nines, even though they teach us all about harmony, accept conflict as a dynamic presence in life.

The Enneagram provides us with a map for how to cooperate as much as we can, even with our different points of view. However, since the value of self awareness tends to run dry without both support and practice, we might look at what we need to put our Enneagram knowledge into action. For myself, I will try to talk it all over regularly with friends and colleagues, and perhaps I can get back to doing Tai Chi as a way to practice both asserting and yielding. Meanwhile, I feel strongly that all of

us make a contribution to a better, more peaceful world when we put the Enneagram to work in our relationships and communities.

The Enneagram & Character Structure by Peter O'Hanrahan, January 2002

A holistic systemAfter 30 years of intensive development, we have gotten the Enneagram to the point where it is a truly elegant system of nine personality types. While there are lots of theoretical disagreements, it's still quite remarkable just how much in agreement we are as a community of Enneagram students and teachers, at least in terms of the basics of the nine types. The "hard" scientific research may be slow in coming, but our professional observations and personal learning about type continue to grow and and be absorbed into our shared body of knowledge. Every person has something to contribute from their own experience. And this evocative diagram remains an inspiring and effective framework for organizing a wealth of information about human beings. It's particulary good at including and correlating ideas from many sources and placing them in the context of the nine great archetypal patterns. It's precisely this inclusiveness and adaptability of the Enneagram that gives the system its strength. In its simplest form, it's only a diagram of nine lines inside a circle. We can project pretty much anything we want to onto this grid (and then see what works). Gurdjieff brought it to the public (from where

exactly he wasn't saying). Ichazo used it to map the nine aspects of human consciousness (among other things). Naranjo integrated the nine types with modern psychology (along with many noted associates). And the rest, as they say, is history. Most of us who studied it in Berkeley in the 1970's never imagined it would become the worldwide phenomenon that it is today, although had we known about its rapid spread within the Catholic community we might have had an inkling.Like many people, my personal encounter with the Enneagram had tremendous impact as I recognized my own theme in life and learned that I shared this with a whole group of others like me. I was hooked from the beginning. (You know, where all of a sudden it hits you: these people are talking about my life!) But my enthusiasm for the Enneagram was also about seeing it as a holistic system - this business of three centers: intellectual, emotional, and physical/instinctual. It had a weird name, the early teachers seemed "way serious" about our desperate condition as human beings, and personality was described as a terrible affliction. But it also had those three centers, which as a young person immersed in holistic health and body-based therapy I found fit beautifully with my personal and professional interests. At that time in the Bay Area we were already developing concepts and methods which included head, heart, and body. Here was a system of personality types that was immediately applicable in a holistic model. As much as I appreciate the theory of the Enneagram, and the wonderful ideas associated with it, I'm primarily interested in how it can be used in very practical ways for healing, for

relationships, and for inner work. Most of my thoughts and understanding of the system come directly from many years of working with myself, my friends and partners, and my clients. If I've seen something work, then I'm a believer. Things like moving to the heart point or stress point, the power of subtypes, are very tangible for me since I have seen it over and over again with real people. What has impressed me over time, and I'm sure has also impressed many of you, is that the Enneagram not only describes personality per se, but also the deep mental, emotional, and somatic patterns of our being that we call "character structure."

Self Awareness Work Personality type and character structure are overlapping terms that describe us as different individuals - not only our personal style, but also the patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that give us our identity. Usually when we talk about someone's personality, we mean the parts of them that are visible to us - how they present themselves to the world around them, their likes and dislikes, and so on. Of course there is more going on beneath the surface. Everyone has parts of themselves that they don't show in public, parts that might be reserved for close friends or intimates. And there are some things that are hidden away so deeply that they rarely, if ever, are known to the people around us or even to ourselves. Only the "tip of the iceberg" can be seen.Freud first described the role of the "unconscious" in secular terms. In a somewhat parallel view, Gurdjieff described people

as being in a state of "sleep," meaning that we go through our lives without really being aware of who we are on the inside or why we do the things that we do. Both psychoanalysis and the Gurdjieff work have this in common: they suggest that we are guided (or dominated) by feelings, impulses, and forces that we have little or no conscious awareness of, and that we need to make strenuous efforts in order to "wake up." This type of approach constitutes, or starts with, a "self awareness model." These and related schools of human development, while offering widely different methods and practices, all agree on the importance of paying attention, seeking feedback from others, and having an inner observer.However this approach is not shared by everybody. There are religious groups which actively discourage individual awareness or choice and set out a system of rules and principles that are meant to govern all aspects of human life. "Just follow the rules and you'll stay on the right track." There are also schools of psychology that don't depend on the awareness model, such as behavior modification, drug treatment, and hypnotherapy. The client is not expected to "wake up" or to (necessarily) play a conscious role in his or her treatment. The dangers of this style are obvious. People can be manipulated without their knowledge, and the intentions of the priest, magician, or therapist may not always be in the best interests of the client. But there are benefits. These approaches often produce tangible results and alleviate suffering in ways that the awareness methods can't deliver. There are countless examples of people who have been in years of analysis or similar "insight" programs

who have continued to suffer from phobias, depression, or other symptoms. And then a new medication, a new health practice, or a behavioral treatment brings big improvement. The point is that self awareness work by itself is no guarantee of mental health or a balanced personality. The Enneagram is clearly a tool for self awareness. As you may have experienced, it can also be a very sharp sword as it delivers its loads of critical feedback in big doses. It strikes directly at our sense of identity, the "who we are" in the world and challenges the ways the think, feel, and behave. Once we know our personality type, and what Gurdjieff would call the "machine," with its automatic or compulsive aspects, it's hard to go back to business as usual. Without a methodology of personal growth or spiritual development, and a functioning support system, self awareness by itself is of limited benefit. In order to put the Enneagram to work we need lots of self acceptance, we need support systems, and we need specific practices. With this combination of resources we have the opportunity to work not only at the level of personality but also with the deeper layers of character structure which support and shape our personality.

Archetypal Issues: Falling asleep vs. waking up

Mind/ego vs. Social persona vs.body /nature essential self

What is Character Structure? Personality, character, and character structure are all related terms but mean somewhat different things. In the Enneagram work we probably tend to expand the concept of personality, but in simple terms it's the social persona, the vehicle through which we participate in the human community. Character on the other hand has a moral flavor to it. We talk about whether someone has good character, or a strong character. Do they live up to their own values? Can they withstand major setbacks in life and still persevere? And then there's another way of using the word when we call someone a "character," meaning a bit eccentric or outside the norm. Character structure is a more complex psychological term; it may include personality, or give rise to personality, but it seems to refer more to how people are organized on the inside. It has to do with our internal structure, the building blocks of our psyche, the complex patterns and relationships between our many parts that enable us to function as a coherent human being. It includes our sense of identity as we know ourselves, when we say, "This is me, this is not me." Structure has the ring of consistency or permanence, but to call it our psychological "house might be to make it more concrete than it is. It's rigid in some ways, flexible in others.

Wilhelm Reich M.D. was the first psychologist to speak directly

about character structure. He realized that it wasn't enough to try to cure neurotic symptoms without understanding the bigger context of those symptoms, the underlying causes, and their function in the internal "energy economy" of the individual. His book, "Character Analyis" was written in the late 1920's during his years as a Freudian psychoanalyst. In this brilliant work he begins to explore character types and somatic process including the role of sexual and emotional energies, body armor, etc. Reich went on to develop a methodology that used direct work with the body, the breath, and the emotions. But as you might imagine, this did not go over well with many people in the 1940's and 50's, and it wasn't until years later, after his death, that Reich's ideas entered the mainstream and helped provide a foundation for many of the somatic healing approaches used today.

Whenever we take on the work of making significant changes inside ourselves we are working with character structure. This is more than making behavioral changes - learning to do things differently, practicing a new skill, etc. Of course it's important to modify our behavior, even without much self awareness, and sometimes just because we are told to (and we trust the person telling us). Sometimes it makes sense to "Just do it" or "Just don't do it." We don't always need the deeper explanations. If I am an angry Eight and I realize that my anger is pushing people away, getting me in trouble, etc, then I can practice keeping my mouth shut, count to ten, and express my anger in a different direction than at its immediate "cause" (the person who

made me angry!) This will surely save me some grief and possibly make me more effective. However, it's not the same as getting to the root cause of my anger, or discovering how my anger protects feelings of helplessness and vulnerability. If I can look further inside myself, learning to express my sadness and tolerate vulnerability, then in time I will actually become less angry. (And I won't have to do the counting to ten routine as much).

Often we are confronting character structure without recognizing that we are doing so. We naively expect (or punitively demand) ourselves or others to break deeply worn habits of attention and behavior when it's called to our attention, but of course it's not as simple as it sounds. Especially when it comes to other people's behavior that is not our particular problem, we may not "get it." We ask, "Why can't this Three, who I care about so much, slow down and spend time with me?" or "Why can't my One family member learn to lighten up and stop being so critical all the time?" or "Why does that Eight I married have to eat and drink and party so much?" Is it that they aren't serious, or willing, or they don't care about us? More likely these issues are embedded in their internal structure. And we have our own version which is hard to shift. Each person's character structure is more than simply an accumulation of traits and internal processes; it's an organized system with all parts working together to carry us through our daily lives. It's tempting to identify the bad traits or the "bad" parts and try to eliminate them from the system. Or maybe we

can move them to a more positive direction. But it rarely works like that. Each part of us is interconnected to all the others. (As Reich first noted, our character involves our bodies, emotions, and minds working together, for better and worse). As with any system, to change one part may not be possible without changing the surrounding parts. Or to change one part may just send the problem somewhere else in the internal landscape. Character structure has its own its own ecological balance, its functional integrity, and we would do well to respect that integrity before making too harsh a judgment or too intrusive an intervention with ourselves or others. Not everyone wants to work at the level of characterological change. And that's fine. There are many ways that the Enneagram can help people function better and get along with one another. But those of us who are interested in working at a deeper level have a very powerful guide in the Enneagram. If we are careful, we can take apart at least some of the outdated or dysfunctional parts of our internal structure and rebuild a healthier and more effective system. De-structuring and Re-structuringTo the degree that the Enneagram confronts us with our unconscious habits, automatic patterns, and blind spots, it tends to have a de-structuring effect. We are no longer are comfortable with our former selves, we try to change our reactions and our behavior, and we aren't necessarily sure we have yet to construct a newer, more integrated self. De-structuring can become destructive if it's not managed properly, and if it's not done with enough support both from

inside ourselves and without. Even the kind of support that is offered bears considerable scrutiny. The main technique used by cults of all kinds, including "psychotherapeutic" cults as well as the more common religious ones, is to subject the individual to relentless de-structuring followed quickly by re-structuring according to the wishes and program of the cult leader. Perhaps more common, at least in the territory of the "New Age," is the phenomenon of young people who have been de-structured in the name of "opening up" or "losing their ego" but who don't have the maturity or support to create new ways of functioning in the world. Even meditation, which many people regard as a vitally important methodology, can bring some people into serious crisis. Learning to identify and manage the differences between de-structuring and re-structuring is important. The two processes evoke different feelings, responses, and difficulties and require different kinds of resources to succeed. In our Enneagram community we generally take for granted that people have access to the kinds of resources they need to rebuild and re-structure their personalities. There is usually compensation in terms of the increased capacity for contact and mutual support in one's learning community, therapy network, or spiritual group. The Enneagram work itself is de-structuring; the connection and support is re-structuring. However, it's an issue that deserves our continued attention.

Here are some sets of activities which are related but which generally fall on opposite sides of the de/re-structuring equation:

· Breaking old habits - forming new habits. · Falling in love - getting married. · Leaving a job or career - starting a new job. · Becoming seriously sick or injured - establishing new health habits. · Criticism - unconditional positive regard. · Psychoanalytic psychotherapy - supportive therapy or counseling. · Growth workshops which focus on de-armoring and opening up - growth workshops which offer new concepts and practices for living. (Some of these pairs can sometimes be experienced in the same context or situation).

Major issues that drive the attention:Fairness/Justice Issues

Security Issues Identity Issues

Meta MessagesOur character structure is communicated to people through the language of our body, our breathing patterns, and our feeling tones. Beyond what we actually say, or perhaps intend, there is a mysterious "meta-message" that emanates from each of us. It's our nonverbal expression that has the main impact much more than the content of what we say. We speak through our micro-

movements and the positions of our bodies; we communicate with our eyes and faces, and with the sound of our voice and breath. And we receive this communication from others in our bodies, which often means at an unconscious level. This is the first human language that we learned as young children before we had verbal speech or cognitive thought. The Enneagram illuminates the particular characterological message that we send to others. Each type has not only positive impact but also unexpected results which at an unconscious level affect and control our lives by creating repeating patterns in our relationships. There is a "set-up" here, one that starts with our best intentions and yet leads to "unintended effects" which confuse us, betray us, and take our best laid plans off course. We find ourselves saying, "Why is it that people don't seem to hear what I'm saying?" or "Why are my actions so misinterpreted?"Gurdjieff talked about this dilemma in terms of the musical scale and the Law of Seven: "If we grasp its full meaning the law of octaves gives us an entirely new explanation of the whole of life...... This law explains why there are no straight lines in nature and also why we can neither think nor do, why everything with us is thought, why everything happens with us and happens usually in a way oppposed to what we want or expect. All this is the clear and direct effect of the 'intervals,' or retardations in the development of vibrations." (From "In Search of the Miraculous," P.D. Ouspensky, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich). In what my colleague Susan Forster calls the "self perpetuating cycle," each character type over time more or less succeeds in

creating the world that conforms to their version of reality. This self fulfilling prophecy is very hard to get a handle on. Not only do we select information which supports our basic premise and point of view, and ignore or devalue information which we find inconsistent, we also make constant, subtle suggestions to the people around us, suggestions which they may eventually comply with. To use Point Six as an example (although any type would work), we can see how Sixes find evidence that the world is dangerous and then amplify that truth as a way of justifying their own fear and suspicion. But of course this doesn't simply take over their internal psychic space, it begins to affect the people around them. When Sixes are caught in the fixation they will speak with an ominous tone which suggests that bad things are about to happen; they project untrustworthiness or bad motives onto others; and they withdraw their warmth and support. With our Six friends and colleagues, it takes constant remembering and effort to not go into our own automatic response, whether that's becoming doubtful, angry, or withdrawing (thereby proving ourselves untrustworthy).

Major Emotional themes:Anger

Fear Grief (loss of self)

Three centers and character structure

The inner triangle of the Enneagram maps the three centers of intelligence and their functions - thinking, feeling, and doing. It also maps the three main solutions to the dilemma of childhood - how to construct a strategy and a personality that will first ensure our survival and then lead us to success. (Not that we consciously construct our personality in childhood!) From this perspective Points Three, Six, and Nine can be said to represent the three main character structures. All the rest of the Enneagram types are variations on a theme, important variations to be sure and very different in external style and behavior, but in terms of internal structure quite similar to one of these triangle types. Both character structure and character defenses within the three groups share a basic common ground. The most obvious example of this are the central emotional themes, or the central emotional layers, of anger, fear, or grief which underly the personalities. Of course each of the nine types has its own emotional habit, traditionally called the "passion" of the type. But in a more general way these nine passions are themselves linked to, or founded on, one of the three major emotional themes.

With the three body types we can see how anger plays a predominant role in their character structure. It shows up differently according to type, but in order to penetrate below the surface personality of Eights, Nines, and Ones it is absolutely necessary to acknowledge and pass through this anger layer. For the feeling types, often called "image types," the major

emotional layer is grief related to the loss of self. Every person has a relationship to grief, and everyone experiences sadness. But just below the surface persona of the feeling types we find a layer of grief which is always needs to be addressed in order to pursue any kind of deep work. Even tough Threes, if and when they get through that shield in their chest, move more quickly into lots of sad feelings than other "tough types." Thirdly, with the mental types, we know that fear is the primary emotional layer. It's not that all the Sevens or counterphobic Sixes know they are afraid. But whenever mental types go inside themselves to find their feelings, or work with intimacy issues, they will encounter a layer of fear which demands attention.

There are other important characterological similarities within the three groups. Each Enneagram type has a specific defense mechanism which uses (and misuses) the energy and funtioning of the lead center. For example, the body types all have defenses which depend upon a "holding" and redirecting of instinctual energy. Emotional activity and visible emotional expression are reduced. Mental perception is also reduced in certain areas - the areas most charged with upset or anxiety. Yet the activity of the instinctual center continues on as the main engine of the system. It may continue in a distorted way, but it's not diminished. Denial for Eights, reaction formation for Ones, and narcotization for Nines are all forms of creating a defensive buffer or "screening out" operation which depends on repetitive patterns. The natural rhythmicity of the belly center lends itself to these repeating patterns, which is why the body types can be

considered "obsessive" character types. By contrast, Points Two, Three, and Four are using their abundant emotional energy to run their defense mechanisms. Repression, identification, and introjection are operations of the emotional center. Emotional energy is not reduced, but rather redirected in an attempt to earn external approval and create value. Because the emotional energy builds up and then spills out into the environment, often in unconcious ways, these types are considered "hysterical" character types. Taking one more jump around the Enneagram, we find the mental types using their intellectual center not only to figure out their path in life but also to form their own defense system. The isolation of Fives, the projection of Sixes, and the rationalization of Sevens all depend on mental energy to ward off feelings and instincts. Energy is literally withdrawn from the emotional center and instinctual center and concentrated in the mind. It's as though they can only have feelings and bodies after the mind is in control, and by that point it may be hard to get back to those other centers. This style of reacting to fear by staying detached, or upwardly displaced can be described as "paranoid/schizoid" structure, a very unflattering term which only is fair in describing neurotic process and not people as a whole. Here are some charts that provide an overview of the characterological patterns of the types according to the lead center.

Body-based character structure - Points 8, 9, & 1

Priority: instinctual needs and instinctual rhythms in daily life, issues of fairness or justice.Benefit: grounded, common sense approach, taking care of basic needs. Good at "just doing" things. Not much thought required for the simple tasks of daily life. Close to nature. Psychological style: obsessive process - using repeating patterns of thinking and doing to stabilize/capture attention in daily life. Basic defense: A concentration of energy in the belly center enables layers of physical and mental "insulation" which are used to screen out unwanted feelings or information from the inside or the outside. Personal wants and needs are replaced by "shoulds." Variations of style: comfortable (9), righteous (1), or dominating (8). Key phrase: screening and buffering (principled inattention)Primary emotional layer: anger (being against the way things are).Life challenge: "waking up" and maintaining self awareness instead of falling asleep in control patterns, excessive materialism, or low level comfort, .

Emotion-based character structure - Points 2, 3, & 4Priority: relational needs for contact and approval, establishing personal identity.Benefit: flexibility and skill in relationship, attunement to achieving social success, access to the vast potential of the human heart. Psychological Style: hysterical process - building up emotional

energy and then discharging it into the environment.Basic defense: Emotional perception and empathy enable the creation of an "image self" in order to gain recognition and approval from others to overcome internal feelings of deficiency. Personal wants and needs are replaced by meeting the expectations of others. Variations of style: helpful (2), successful (3), or authentic (4).Key phrase: substitution of value. (Value is not in me, but I can find value in the approval and eyes of others). Primary emotional layer: sadness (related to the loss of self). Life challenge: balancing dependence and autonomy; integrating social persona with the inner self.

Mental-based character structure - Points 5, 6, & 7Priority: ideas and concepts, issues of securityBenefit: heightened individual consciousness, discrimination and analysis, intellectual progress, effective plans and strategies. Psychological Style: paranoid/schizoid process - withdrawing from contact in order to figure things out.Basic defense: A concentration of energy in the mental center makes it possible to detach from feelings and the body while living in the mind. Fear of life is met by thinking, explaining, and rationalizing. Personal wants and needs are intellectualized or simply not felt. Variations of style: hoarding (5), agreement seeking (6), or re-framing (7).Key phrase: detachment/upward displacement. Primary emotional layer: fearfulness (often not experienced

directly). Life challenge: integrating the mind with the body and emotions.