What is Enneagram?

Enneagram is a psychoanalytic diagnostic system

that helps us understand which out of 9 types of life strategies we’ve have chosen to use in the mistaken hope that it will lead us to the desired state of comfort that one can also call happiness or satisfaction or harmony. The Enneagram describes 9 different sets of beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world, that lead to certain mental, emotional and behavioral habits. Unlike any other typology, the Enneagram defines these main unconscious motives, defense mechanisms and fears  that I call personal psychological armor.

how do we become a particular type?

Psychological armor

We begin to wear our psychological armor in early childhood in order to get the most valuable resources at that time: love and protection and protect ourselves from pain.
For example, one child in his pursuit to get attention of his busy parents succeeded only through giving his or her attention to them. He was noticed only when he helped them with something, “forgetting” his own needs. That’s why he decided early in his childhood that he can be loved only by helping others. The other child quickly understood that screaming for help didn’t work as her mother showed up irritated. So to avoid pain of facing his angry mother he decided to play quietly on his own, suppressing his need for love and closeness. The third child quickly learned that he was noticed only in two cases: when he did something outstanding for what he was praised by his parents and when he did something wrong for what he was scolded. In all other cases he was unnoticed. So he equated admiration to love. And so forth.

type 1

Perfectionist

If you’re type 1, the Perfectionist, you’re honest, idealistic, ethical, responsible, reliable, disciplined, and hardworking, with high internal standards. You’re also probably a bit too judgmental, a bit too critical, sometimes dogmatic, righteous, rigid, even radical. You have to control many things because you are confident that you are right and you want others to do your way. For you duty is more important than fun. You unconsciously notice and don’t feel good when something is not completed, or out of order, or misplaced. So you try to fix it somehow. Others try to avoid your criticism. When you suppress your criticism, you the nagging discontent doesn’t go away.

type 2

Helper

If you’re type 2, the Helper, you are warm, friendly, open, empathetic, caring, giving. You connect with others easily. Not only, you somehow easily get close with them. You sense the needs of the others easily. You love taking care of others, often overlooking your own needs. You deeply believe in the power of love as the prime source of everything good in life. So you give your love by helping others, by caring about others and you expect it to be reciprocal. Gratitude and love are interchangeable for you. Sometimes you can be focused too much on others, ignoring your own needs. You feel, they are more in need of your help. You’re better off. But this feeling of being OK is often based on pure disregard of your own emotions, desired and needs.

type 3

Achiever

You are efficient, goal-oriented, fast, energetic, optimistic. It is important for you to achieve things. Appraisal of the significant people is important for you. It can be your partner, or colleagues, or your boss or sometimes your inner ideal version of you. Being exhausted is the only good enough reason for you to slow down. Quite often you’re very successful and have many good reasons to be satisfied with your life.

type 4

Individualist

You’re sensitive, empathetic, introspective, and expressive. You value creativity, sincerity, aesthetics, authenticity. You do many things for self-improvement but you have this feeling that no matter how hard you try you remain black sheep, not worthy of appreciation, esteem, respect. You compare yourself often with others, and not just others but usually you choose those that make you feel deficient.

type 5

Observer

You’re competent, analytical, self-sufficient and impersonal. You value your privacy. You like to gain information, to know more about certain things that are in your areas of interest. You enjoy investigating, researching, reading, in other words collecting information.

type 6

Loyal Skeptic

You’re sociable, helpful, reliable, humorous, practical. In fact you can be some many things at the same time: leader and team member, shy and courageous, faithful and independent. You’re so good at finding the solutions in every situation. People value you for your loyalty and humor. That’s why you have a lot of friends.

type 7

Enthusiast

You’re upbeat, enthusiastic, creative, confident, charming. You love to explore new things, new places, new people. You strive for constant changes, new positive impressions. Novelty is important for you. You love planning for the sake of keeping yourself always busy doing pleasant things. People enjoy being around you. You’re very creative but not so good at implementing your numerous ideas into life or finishing them. You wish someone else would do it for you.

type 8

Boss

You’ve always been a leader. You’re confident, decisive, direct, brave, you know what you want and you’re not afraid to go and get it. You’re not afraid to fight with others, especially when you think it’s unfair. You respect strength in others, too. You achieved a lot in your life.

type 9

Peacemaker

You’re peaceful, friendly, diplomatic, supportive and patient. Sometimes you’re too patient. It’s hard for you to say “No” to the others. So you say “Yes”, but for some reason others don’t understand that your “Yes” means only “I heard what you said”. You hate conflicts. You don’t understand why people can’t enjoy the serenity of co-existing together peacefully.