There are many different tools out there to support a better understanding of ourselves. Myers-Briggs, Ayurveda, introvertion vs extroversion, etc. For me the most useful tool or system I've ever found has been the Enneagram.
"The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation. Stemming from the Greek words ennea (nine) and grammos (a written symbol), the nine-pointed Enneagram symbol represents nine distinct strategies for relating to the self, others and the world. Each Enneagram type has a different pattern of thinking, feeling and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview."
Sorry for the copy and paste 👆🏼, but I don't know how to say that part better. Source: https://www.enneagramworldwide.com/the-enneagram/
You may wonder, "So what type am I? "
Here is a quick and simple 5 minute test for you to begin discovering your type:
If you want something more thorough please download and test yourself using my favorite enneagram app:
"Now I know my enneagram type, but what do I do with this information? "
Good question. There's nothing you need to do with the information or need to do differently in your life. It doesn't "put you in a box." But knowing your type can help you begin to see certain patterns in your mental chatter and make more sense of certain recurring challenges you might be facing.
The enneagram is just a tool to help you see life with more clarity. Basically, it supports a faster verification process of reality as you begin to see which of your thoughts are just part of your processing program vs truth or real concerns.
We all want to feel safe and secure in life. Right? Of course! To protect ourselves in our struggle for safety and security our thought patterns typically manifest into certain predictable ways to deal with our fears and doubts.
Kind of like auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners...we mostly all have these same capacities for hearing, seeing and experiencing, but typically one of those senses will function a bit better and will become the dominant way in which we learn.
The enneagram helps us see that we all have 3 main centers, we call them triads, through which people process our life experiences: the head, the gut, and the heart. Typically, whether the way we are wired from birth or from childhood experiences, one of those centers will develop into the dominant way we process and experience life just like our dominant learning style develops. Then there are 3 subtypes (inward, outward, and conflicted) within each triad and those make up the 9 enneagram types.
Head Types 😳🤓
The head triad, types 5, 6, and 7, are the types I know best because we have these three in my family. (5-my son, 6-me, 7-my daughter) We process life experiences mainly in our heads or through thinking and analyzing. We can be great planners and can foresee and offset danger, but we can overthink things and as a result often these types struggle with fear and anxiety. In fact fear and anxiety are our go to emotions! When under stress we will resort to fear, anxiety, and hyper thinking to find a way back to feeling safe.
Within the thinking triad we have 3 different ways of dealing with this overthinking/fear/anxiety tendency. 5s focus inwardly by wanting to withdraw from the world, have lots of alone/quiet time to seek answers and study. 7s want to avoid the fears and worries in their heads by focusing outwardly and want to seek fun distractions, trips, excitement, more, more, more and "what's next?!" 6s are conflicted and can vacillate between diving deeply inward like a 5 and trying to outthink their overthinking (analysis paralysis) and then other times trying to escape their own thoughts and worries with fun distractions like a 7.
Gut Types 💪🏽😤
Folks who are types, 8, 9, and 1, process life experiences mainly at an intuitive level, or from their gut instincts. They have strong gut feelings and hunches and will act upon them, but struggle at times coming across as too strong, too decisive and sometimes rigid. Anger is their go to emotion. When under stress they will use their anger and decisiveness to bring themselves back to feeling safe. They are generally unafraid to start a conflict, because for them it motivates them to action and they project that expectation onto others. Type 8 projects their gut instincts outwardly through decisiveness and anger to get change done. When healthy and balanced they make great leaders (@sean-king 🙏🏽😘). When unhealthy and imbalanced they seem crazed and egomaniacal (Trump).
The inward side of the anger and gut instinct is a 1. They usually outwardly deny that they are ever angry , because that's "wrong" or "bad" to them, and they hide it/project it inwardly...and then have periodic blow ups. They are typically black-and-white thinkers, respect for and follow the rules people, hell...often they are the ones that wrote the rules, and by god they "should" (fave word of a 1) be followed. The middle type of this triad is a 9, The Peacemaker, who is typically the least in touch with their innate instinct and anger. When healthy 9s can relate all sides of an issue and can be powerful arbitrators. When unhealthy they are conflicted and fearful anger avoiders (can't we all just get along!?) who lack a centerness.
Heart Types 😍😞
The 3rd triad is the heart centered folks, types 2, 3, and 4. They process their life experience predominantly through their feelings and as a result develop very strong emotional responses. They can be loving, emotive and empathetic. However shame is their go to emotion. When under stress they will use shame to bring themselves back to feeling safe. They are generally unafraid to express their emotions because for them it motivates them to take action and they project that expectation onto others. Type 2, The Caretaker, outwardly tends to others emotions and needs, but their motivation is usually to get some care in return. Type 4, The Individualist or Lonely Poet, inwardly tends (okay basks) in their own emotions. 4s can at times project such a pitiful state of need such that surely someone will tend to them so they feel safe and comfortable again. Type 3 is conflicted...they too process their life experiences mainly through their emotions, but they are so resistant to appearing emotional that they deny it and focus instead on the opposite - looking nonemotional and "successful." Achievements, degrees, titles are what are type 3s uses to protect the pain of their tender hearts from the world.
There's more and more to share on each type. Like what actions each type can take to help themselves restore balance and wellness. How you can support your relationship with each type. Etc Just wanted to share my summary here in case it's useful to anyone else out there. Please let me know if this stuff interest you, what you think your type is and why.
Grateful to connect with open minded friends here on Steemit 🙏🏽
Thanks for sharing, I've long been interested in the Enneagram but your summary was very helpful. I imagine there are lots of 5s, 6s and 7s here on Steemit haha. 🤓
Lol. Probably true ! Although lots of angry gut Types and sad poetic heart types here as well. But ya, mainly brainy head Types
Haha very true, I guess there's a little something for everyone here then.
5, 1, 9. Makes sense to me. Head dominant with gut instincts backing it up. Lacking in heart :(. Nice updog!
Nice. 2 strengths is sufficient. My son is a 5...generally they are brilliant and very frugal with their free time. It's the most valued asset to a 5. Sound familiar?
I am frugal with everything. Smart with math, numbers, finance, logic, reasoning. Weak in areas of emotion, being understood as I intend.
Yes...5ish. Do you have in depth knowledge and interests in arcane subjects?
And thanks on the up dog / urdhva muka svanasana.
I love Yoga. Got into Sadhguru over 10 years ago, but it took me until just 2 years ago to step foot into a local studio. I love it, found a really great place with a lot of really great teachers. It's changed my life in so many ways!
What description you have given no need to download and test it by myself . You already one for us created such a good article for the same.
My personal choice is ayourveda I have done some research over internet and found useful for my facial.
Anything we use is Steemit which help my mind heart to purify. Thanks for all community members for making this community great.
Thank you! I was feeling especially clearheaded one day a few months ago and summarized all of that, verbally using Siri, for a friend. I thought it was pretty clear for a lot of complicated information as well. I greatly appreciate your feedback and the compliment. And I'm super pleased if it helps another soul. ✌🏾❤️
I am, no doubt, a combination 5-6-7. But I also have a taste of several others inside me. I am a giver. I take more pride in giving something to others than receiving anything myself. Unless it is a Hershey's kiss. I'll take one of those. lol The calf muscles are kickin' it, girl. Yeah, I change subjects fast too.
Love it! I am at 6 but have some periods of 5 and 7 in my life so I understand what you mean by being a 5-6-7. The surrounding numbers to whatever you are are called wings and we have access to them. They're like tools or coping skills we can borrow when needed, but they're not the essence of who we are.
Thanks for commenting and sharing how you see yourself. :)
I've never heard of Enneagram before sounds very interesting something to look into. which I will do thanks for sharing :)
I'm 9. Then 2&4 sounds about right interesting though.
Nice. I thought I was a 9 for a while. And I wanted to be...who doesn't want to be a peacemaker? But we are what we are, and I'm actually a 6. The loyal skeptic. 😐 But seeing and accepting the true is the magic power that brings real growth. Glad u tested and commented. :)
That's why we need community so we can contribute all our individual attributes to creating a better world :)
Wow... I got so caught up in reading your post that i almost forgot to upvote lol... Great stuff. Thanks for sharing :)
Thanks!
this is something I have not heard of. you look great! seems similar to the 8 gates of buddhism. heard something similar for hinduism.
Been trying to let go of anger for a long time now. The closer I realize I am the better it feels, but I do get dissapointed with myself sometime. Thank you for sharing positive flow!
hope to follow me guys thanks
Very informative information. I had never looked into what the Enneagram was but I had tied it in my head to demonic activity or something along those lines. I must have heard something about it in the past. Will definitely check it out more.
Just tool that helps us see our truth and reality with more clarity. Maybe helps us see our own demons better? Lol, but no not anything demonic in self reflection. Thanks for sharing honestly
do you even squat?
Sorry? But What does that even mean?
=) what enneagram are you btw? im 7w8 sx/so
I have vascilated between 5 & 7 wings throughout my past seeking security, but I'm now firmly centered in who I truly am, a sexual 6.
Are you of the opinion that wings deeply affect the behaviour? btw, may I ask what your mbti type is? you look like NF
When you are answering the questions, do you reply with who you are or who you want to be?
Who you truly are. No sugar coating it. Excellent question.
Back in the 90's, Every 6 months for 4 years, I was required to take Myers-Briggs. (Why multiple times - I have no answer, it's what the boss wanted) Since I was doing the test often, I tried writing it as who I am, as who I want to be and once, I was relatively drunk.
The interesting think was, every time, the results were ISTP. There were differences in the percentages, but the results were always clear.
I guess they had u take it multiple times to see if you were faking the results. That would be hard to do consistently. But the test out witted you in that it can see through our efforts and shows you who you be for real underneath after all! Very cool. I think I tested as an INTJ on MB. And that's probably accurate being shy and introverted and generally odd as I am. LOL
Very interesting post that I'm going to have re-read. It seems I fit into many of these categories and now I've gotta' figure this out ;) Fun though and it has my attention. Much appreciated.
I'm so glad it caught your attention. It's a fascinating and useful tool that I've self studied for 20 years. Changed my life! My kids know it and can type people. Helps us understand and have more empathy for why people do things that would otherwise drive us crazy.
Hi!! My core is a 1!! Am going to be sharing my experience with Enneagram on here soon. Just joined! Nice to meet you @steemed-open