So here’s MannyP’s Enneagram thought process.

The parts I identify with most are in

red, with my own commentary in blue italics.

ONES idealize a moral purity that both transcends reality and is the foundation of it.
They see the world through their perceptual filter of how things could be improved, the
ideal as opposed to the real, which leads to a constant dissatisfaction with reality. They
are eternally frustrated with all the flaws around them and with their eye for improvement
feel it is their mission to fix them. They take pride in not wavering in their convictions no
matter how unpopular and in resolutely pointing out the right way everybody ought to
abide by. When everyone adheres to the same rules/ideals/principles there is fairness and
order...and when people break the rules ones truly resent that. "You can't do that because
if everyone did what you did..." is a common type one stream of consciousness.

Ones have the strongest inner critic of all types and justify their moral authority to "point
out the right way" by constantly putting more effort into being good or virtuous than
others. Due to their strict superego there is no type that feels as guilty for being "bad" and
harder on themselves to be perfectly good. They are not just conscientious disciplined
competent and reliable people who hold themselves accountable to do what they are
supposed to do. They go further in the self-control department by continually repressing
their "dirty" desires and restricting their indulgences. The more self-control they
consistently maintain the more upright they are and the more they've earned both their
right to point out how things should be and their duty to hold their environment as well as
themselves to ideals.

Ones being perfectionists tend to be uptight and anal-retentive about things and aren't the
easiest people to get along with. They practice what they preach however which many
find sincere and refreshing in an image-dominated society filled with hypocrisy.
They continually hold themselves to their own high standards. They do their duty and are
dedicated to standing up for what's right through thick and thin as those are extensions of
their perseverance. They are also the least likely type to be full of themselves, so much so
one gets the sense that they couldn't promote themselves even if they tried.

Anger in particular is an emotion ones have problems with. Ones pride themselves in
being stoic and see emotional expression especially spontaneous outbursts as a lack of
self-control, but being in the instinctive triad their dominant emotion is anger. Thus a
one's relationship to their anger is like a self-imposed noose around their personal
volcano that wants to erupt at the slightest thing that they see is wrong around them. The
result is a seeping out of resentment agitation and overcriticalness unbeknownst to the
one that others find very palpable.

In enneagram theory type ones are (instinctive/gut)-(valuing/feeling/image)-

(thinking/head) in that order. Due to their primary instinctive center ones focus on living
out their convictions and neglect to use their tertiary thinking center when it calculates an
exception to the rules. That's when they turn their thinking center over to their superego
to resolve the conflict. Turning themselves over to their superego also causes them to
irrationally overvalue self-control which makes them take pride in repressing their
"dirty" desires and restricting their indulgences. Ones think they are more rational than
they really are due to their stoic nature. Much distortion springs from their overvaluing
self-control. This is the root of a one's contractive temperament.
TWOS are about love and other people and especially pride. Specifically twos are kind
and gentle feeling types who take pride in being considerate of others to feel worthy of
being loved themselves. They take pride in seeing people as people.
They like people and want to feel closer to them. They take pride in recognizing the
importance of others...the "I"..."you"...and "me". They are receptive and responsive. They
have strong empathetic feelings and take pride in being sensitive and compassionate
towards others. They are attuned to what others might need. This can include people they
hardly know or even in an abstract capacity.

Simply being caring and compassionate isn't enough though. Twos are natural givers and
handpick themselves as the person to fulfill what others need. They feel drawn to be in a
facilitating role where they feel they can make a difference in people's lives.
They take pride in considering all people important especially the disadvantaged and the
neglected. No one is left behind. They take pride in being willing to get involved in roles
that require getting in the trenches. They are drawn to being mentors and facilitators and
volunteer roles in general. A two whom no one notices does the thankless job of stocking
shelves in the back. Another two dutifully answers your questions and does whatever you
ask. Another two greets you warmly at the door and offers to show you around the place.
Another two organized all the twos together for the volunteer effort. While each of these
twos are different fulfilling other people's needs gives all of them a sense of pride.

Twos take pride in being strong enough to take care of themselves and not need help in
addition to being strong enough to assist others who do need help. Twos are image types
and maintaining a sense of dignity is central to the considerate of others persona
they've cultivated. They don't need to "collect" for the good they have done for others.
They take pride in not being a burden on others and don't like admitting they have
problems to fix and needs to be met. They prefer to deal with their issues themselves as
people depend on them not the other way around. It is others that need help and not the
two.

This twoish blindspot of others needing them more than vice versa is caused by their
pride. They don't see themselves well due to their other-directed self-image orientation.
They can be uncannily skilled at reading other people's emotional states and responding
accordingly but often don't recognize their own needs and underlying motives. While
they take pride in their loved ones' being better off due to them they need to be the main
person in their lives. They need to feel essential to them in some capacity and have a
knack for accomplishing that. If they have acted on good intentions they have earned
the right to be loved and appreciated. If they go out of their way for others and get
overlooked then they hurt a great deal. Even answering "no" is way better than not
acknowledging their offer. They try to cover up the pain with their pride in being a good
person and that it's others' fault for not recognizing that.
In enneagram theory twos are feeling-gut-thinking in that order and pride themselves in
being considerate of others. They go with their feelings at the expense of looking at the
cold hard realities of others and seeing themselves clearly. Their biggest fear is being
unworthy of love and no longer being essential to others they care about. Being superego
compliant types they justify being and existing in general by their willingness to go out of
their way for others and suppress their ugly and aggressive tendencies. They are tougher
than the kind and gentle persona they project and being image types their self-image must
be protected at all costs. They take pride in their own humility by being self-effacing.
They note others who are more worthy. They also downplay themselves relative to others
and say the kindness they displayed was nothing major. They always seem to remember
the special occasions about others especially birthdays and anniversaries. Every good
deed is an opportunity to score points with themselves over how unselfish they are. They
try so hard to be unselfish that they ironically become selfish in the process.

Living up to their "good" self-image also makes twos surprisingly perfectionistic about
meeting their own standards and expectations. It's really more about meeting their
demands than the demands of others. They willingly put themselves in positions where
they enjoy being accountable to the bar they set for themselves. Typical type two streams
of consciousness are "Does it make me a bad person if I don't trust him?"..."What will I
think of myself if I don't live up to this? I have to do this!" Their shame at not meeting
their own expectations is a source of drive. Being image types the deeds they do equals
who they are and being superego compliant they have the hardest time forgiving
themselves. They have a lot of pride in being considerate so anything to the contrary is
very difficult to swallow.

(I identify with this description of type Two more than any other description I’ve read. I
guess it’s because this one focuses a lot on Image, as type Three does.)

THREES are identity-seeking image types who believe they have the potential to
become someone outstanding. Just as cream rises to the top so do they see it is their
destiny to reach their potential. They want, even need, to become "winners in life" in the
broader sense of the term, ie a positive version of anything but a "loser", to prove they
have value and are valuable relative to others. A three is acutely aware of their self-
development and evolution as a person, (“who they are" as a work in progress). They
have a deep-seated awe of themselves, of their journey, as well as their destination. They
visualize "fulfilling the story of them" and "finally making it". They are resilient and
bounce back from setbacks by detaching from their emotions and having a positive
attitude. If they face failure or rejection they visualize how their journey must continue
and pull themselves together to get back on track. They won't let circumstances get the
best of them. They need to be moving forward otherwise they feel like they are falling
behind.

There is no type that is more aware of how they come across to others. They can seem
confident and self-assured on the outside yet have surprisingly fragile self-esteem on the
inside. "Everyone loves a winner and no one loves a loser" resonates with all types but
particularly with type three. They need to feel they are "winners in life" to feel they have
sufficient self-worth to silence their internal voice of doubt. This causes a whole host of
problems: focusing on becoming who they want to be instead of being who they
are, and confusing being who they are with doing what they do. They fear others being
able to see through them enough to discover they are not quite who they appear to be.
This brings about deeper fears of possibly being meaningless and worthless, and feeling
they could be a loser beneath it all.

On a more subconscious level threes are aware of the inconsistencies in their self-
presentation that are caused by their efforts to find the right angle with others. They can
be either very boring or very fun for example. They may feel others are on the verge of
seeing that they are not quite who they appear to be. Without fully realizing it they hint to
others that they are "not just anyone". They excessively let slip clues like went to a good
school, has a great sense of style, was good at soccer as a kid, has a great career, how
good they are at their hobby, etc. They subtly remind others of the interesting person they
are or the ideal person they are in the process of becoming. On a more conscious level
they may even be excessively forthright about certain weaknesses to look more
professional or to be seen as more humble, perhaps overcorrecting what feels "off" in
themselves. Their body language reflects a very subtle eagerness for one to mirror
back to them how they are doing in real time to give them a sense of direction. There's a
lot on the line so they try their best to hit the right notes with people.

This combined with confusing who they are with what they do can cause more superficial
threes to confuse style with substance. They may have a checklist approach to self-
definition and equate themselves with their resume. Not surprisingly it may be hard for
others to get close to the real them. In extreme cases the disconnect between who they are
and what they project can become so large that once the three achieves everything they
feel like a sham and their lives take a drastic turn to reflect that.

Most threes aren't like that however. On the upside threes are very good at holding
themselves accountable and aren't averse to putting in the hard work needed to become
the person they have in mind. In addition to being ambitious they tend to be more
responsible and more adaptive than the average person. While the more extroverted 3s
are good networkers and salespeople, many 3s are content to live their lives in private
trying to become the best "them" they can be. (The latter has applied to me throughout
most of my life, though as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned how to be better at the former.)

In enneagram theory 3s are image center primary which is said to be disassociated from
their thinking and instinctive centers. Much of the three fixation can be traced to
excessive consciousness in their image or valuing center. That is precisely why threes are
both the most aware of how they come across to others and most aware of their value in
the eyes of themselves and others. 3s being part of the 3-6-9 group have a very
fundamental desire to find their place among people and the world. Their awareness of
how they come across to others makes them do that by becoming the best or most they
can be. When healthy they are able to get in touch with their real selves as they realize
they don't have to trade in who they are to become the person they want to be. Healthy 3s
are excellent at inspiring others how to reach their potential just as they have done. (At
least, I’d LIKE to inspire others to reach their potential. :P And wow, there’s a lot of red
in this section! :O)

FOURS are image types who primarily identify with their feelings. They are
moody and self-absorbed as well as very sensitive. They are disdainful, hostile even,
towards being "normal" or "common". On the deepest of levels they are "different from
others" and "true to themselves" and therefore significant, special, and unique. They are
honest with themselves about how feelings are central to their lives and unlike twos and
threes appear to wear their shame and vulnerability on their sleeve. Whether warranted or
not fours attach subjective significance to their feelings from which they strive to create
an identity embedded with their own stylistic signature that is their "personal statement"
of who they are.

Their stylistic "personal statement" of who they truly are is the image that fours create
and project to others. It can be dramatically expressive, finely parisian, absurdly original,
profoundly eclectic, or something else that reflects the four's aesthetic sense of how to
fully express themselves and their opposition to normalcy. This eccentric, dramatic, or
"weird" persona fours may take on can be a method of countershame which serves to
cover up the deep sense of shame fours hold for themselves and transform it into an
attack on the external world. To compensate for their shame and feelings of defectiveness
fours exhibit a subtle snobbery and elitism and see others as ordinary and trite. They feel
their outsider status, sophistication, aesthetic sensitivity, creativity, and personal insight
place them above the "commoners". This is how fours feel authentic.

Holding fast to living out their stylistic "personal statement" ideal to stay "true to
themselves" despite seeming strange to others is how fours maintain being authentic.
Their sense of being flawed, misunderstood, and of not being seen for "who they really
are" only reaffirms to them that they are too different to live according to the terms and
standards of normalcy as dictated by society. They were born to be outsiders and in order
to be true to themselves they must live out their outsider destiny. This the very crux of the
four's sense of identity and there is no type whose identity is as real to them as the four.

Fours are especially aware of their identity as a creative construct based on what
resonates emotionally with them. While they strive to be as true to themselves as possible
they resonate most with an ideal image that has unattainable depth and complexity. They
perpetually fall short of their own personal ideal which causes shame and increased self-
consciousness over the rootlessness of lacking a stable identity. This makes them
constantly feel inadequate, defective, flawed, frustrated, melancholic, and envious of
others who are better off. To make up for the perennial sense of something essential
missing inside themselves they indulge in amplifying their emotions in each situation in
the name of authenticity and searching for meaning. They internalize and personalize
their experiences to squeeze the emotional juices out of each situation. They probe the
darker sides of life and deepest depths of their psyche where most people don't dare tread.
They introspect and observe themselves far beyond the average person. They feel they
have a certain richness in their lives that other lack, for others haven't seen what they've
seen, known what they've known, and felt what they've felt.

The four's picturesque inner landscape is equally rich if not richer, a vast and endlessly
deep treasure trove of murky nooks and crannies of emotional states to inhabit and
indulge themselves in. They have a wistful side and dwell on the bittersweet nostalgia of
past memories. They also create their own "personal story" filled with myth and
metaphor and live it out as though it were as real as reality itself. Indulging their
imagination to live out their emotional states and allow themselves to feel intensely is
necessary to feel true to themselves. Part of their disdain for the ordinary has to do with
feeling a need to amplify and intensify their feelings as ordinary experiences rarely
satisfy them. Hence fours often find practical matters difficult.

Such closeness with one's emotional states brings an aesthetic sensitivity most fours have
in common. Fours have a natural creative process that is necessitated by using their
feelings to create an identity. They are often associated with being artists in some sense
even if they aren't in the literal meaning of the word. They seek out the beauty in every
experience. As fours are especially attuned to what gives light to meaning they breathe
new life into their experiences and transform them.

This need to live out and even amplify their emotional states makes for anything but a
trite existence. Fours can be paralyzed with self-hatred, and consumed with envy and
even paralyzed with hatred for others. While fours are self-loathing they want to be heard
out and understood more than offered a "patronizing" practical solution to their pain.
They'd rather wallow in their suffering than have the depth of their turmoil trivialized and
thus their feelings marginalized and invalidated. The combination of belonging to the
reactive triad and being a feeling type means despite the four's fragility they can get
hostile towards the person who clearly doesn't understand them. One should beware as
there is no type that can hone in on another's emotional vulnerabilities and pierce others
with their words like a venemous four. On the flip side fours can be very devoted and
supportive. They can be deeply empathetic and very in tune with their partner's emotional
states. Thus fours tend to be high maintainence. They envy happy people and dream of
finding that special someone who can rescue them from their melancholy. This shows up
especially in relationships as fours hold their partners to high expectations. While fours
are very accepting of a partner's quirks one should expect to be tested constantly by their
drama which is really a fear of abandonment due to shame over their defectiveness. They
are known for their "push-pull" behaviour where they share their deepest darkest secrets
with their partner and then recoil in shame at what they revealed. They preemptively
withdraw fearing their partner will see them as irredeemably flawed and will leave them.
If their partner sticks with them the process repeats as long as the four fears
abandonment.

(Again, the fact that this description focuses on Image, much like type Three, probably
helps me to relate to this particular description a lot more.)
FIVES are intellectually curious types who love to explore what interests them. They
frequently indulge in spending lots of time with what's impractical. While they put lots of
effort into thinking about things they have deceptively strong feelings however. They
state their points dispassionately and insure what they communicate is well thought out
which make them seem less emotional than they really are.

Fives take it for granted they have an inherent ability to theorize and understand things
more deeply than others, something they'd never say openly. They are never quite "fully
there" in their physical presence however. Their sensitivity to emotional stimuli plus a
lack of smoothness from their less developed instincts always makes them removed to
some degree to better handle situations. They withdraw from their environment and
detach emotionally from others to shut out intrusions in their time and space. From the
safety of their minds they can intensify their investment in their mental activities. They
feel planning sufficiently and knowing enough can enable them to survive and thrive in
life despite being isolated. This overuse of their thinking center to navigate an intrusive
world from a distance causes them to be both idiosyncratic in how they perceive reality
and eccentric as others perceive them. This causes fives to exhibit a certain quirky
cleverness.

Fives are far more sensitive than they appear. Being fear types they tend to feel a
crippling anxiety that's usually only noticed by close family and friends. Behind their
distant exterior often lurks feelings threatening to overwhelm them. They prefer their
privacy where they can immerse themselves in whatever interests them. Their limitless
curiosity causes them to be self-motivated to learn challenging things and delve into
subjects they truly enjoy, to the point of compulsion even. More than any other type they
are connoisseurs of knowledge. As a result fives tend to have a few intellectual areas of
interest they have a deep understanding in which they take great pride in. Many fives
withhold their knowledge just as they withhold themselves however, hence the five
stereotype of a reclusive expert that no one knows about.

Fives see an interdependent world that desires too much from them. It's not uncommon to
see them cut out dead weight and live minimalistic lifestyles to separate themselves from
the world. They feel people want more of them than they have of themselves to give.
They are affected by others easily and withdraw because they don't believe they have
what it takes to deal with other people's demands and expectations. They are equally
aware of being a burden on others and withhold both themselves and their emotions from
others. Expressing emotions can make them feel vulnerable as they fear that will backfire
in front of people who clearly don't understand them. They don't care for superficial small
talk and limit themselves to authentic people who do have the potential to understand
them. At work they prefer to be given their assignment then left alone. Even in
relationships they may withhold parts of themselves and keep many secrets. Simply put
fives are fear types who are always wary of people or things that come with "strings
attached". Because their instinctive center is weakest they fear "giving their power away"
would lead to them being a "sitting duck." This fear of being a "sitting duck" leads fives
to focus on having power. They remove themselves from external activity in order to feel
they have enough mastery of the situation to navigate it from a position of strength. They
separate what's important from what's irrelevant and have an unrelenting focus to get to
the bottom of things. They delight in "checkmating" others' points that aren't as well
thought-out as theirs along the way. Their intellectual curiosity for a subject is intense
enough to eventually turn into mastery.
They imagine scenarios to understand the world well enough to anticipate reality. They
feel powerful trusting their own opinions over what society says. They think things are
under control if they know enough. They think they can get on top of things on their own
if they figure things out and plan sufficiently. They have delusions of grandeur that make
them dream about how the world would be if they had the ability to set things. They feel
powerful knowing that others haven't thought about stuff as deeply as they have and don't
understand what they understand. This "claim" along with their borderline intellectual
overconfidence is a cover on a more subconscious level for their heightened sensitivity
and inadequacy though. It's one thing to create theories but quite another to put them into
practice. They have trouble with simpler things that most people can handle
spontaneously. They know how odd they are and always feel fundamentally apart from
others.

In enneagram theory fives are thinking-feeling-instinctive in that order. This causes them
to intensify their efforts thinking up scenarios to anticipate and handle reality at the
expense of being engaged in the real world. Because they are instinctive center last it is
easy for fives to become ungrounded and spin out of control. They encounter new people
in spontaneous situations and instead of acting naturally they detach or "freeze"
(a very minor form of shutdown) to intellectualize their emotions("How do I express this
emotion?") instead of using their feeling center to express their emotions(fear that could
backfire on them). Opportunities to reach out to others are missed and fives loses
confidence in their ability to act naturally around people. They spend more time alone
with makes them more out of touch with the world. This increases their loneliness and
eccentricity which makes it even harder to relate to people, which makes them withdraw
and isolate themselves even further. Once a critical point is reached their cynicism and
disdain for humanity accelerates. The scenarios their imagination comes up with to
understand the world become more disturbing and further removed from reality. Healthy
fives though are able to both fully participate in life and contribute to an interdependent
society while also being able to give more of themselves and handle greater degrees of
emotional interdependency. Their greater engagement of life allows them to be more in
touch with reality and better at anticipating things.

(The woman who introduced me to the Enneagram believes I am a Five, and this
generally is my second-highest score on tests. I purposely avoid highlighting any parts of
the description that have to do with intellectualism, partly because I tend to be more
pragmatically-oriented than most of the forum members who identify themselves as Fives,
and partly because I don’t want to get too caught up in the “positive” aspects of this
type. When I told her that, after doing more research and discussing my type with people
on the Enneagram Institute forum, I believed myself to be a Three rather than a Five, she
thought I was “seeing what I wanted to see” – even though the first place I looked when I
read the Three description was the Unhealthiest levels, and she kept focusing on the
positive aspects of type Five!)
SIX is the most "human" enneagram type and arguably the most authentic in that respect.
All enneagram fixations are coping strategies to deal with the world and the six gestalt is
most representative of the struggles of humanity throughout its history. More than any
other type the life story of a six is about "coming into their own".

Sixes are head types that view the world as inherently unpredictable. They feel they came
into an everchanging world without blueprints that account for the vagaries of life and
have to play catchup. They see the danger that lurks just around the corner and need to
figure out how to either remove it or cope with it, as well as find some backup through
allies or something else out there that's a strong enough foundation. They have a base
state of unrest they may not be aware of but their anxiety is visible to others. Their worst
fear is to come to the horrible realization that they put trust in the wrong people and find
out the basis of everything they believe in is a lie. Simply put sixes fear being "uprooted"
so they construct a strong enough mental framework and/or support system of people to
navigate life with to prevent that from happening.

This means making sure as many things are as "clear" to them as possible. Due to their
elevated who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" head center cognition
they notice and assess seemingly everything and then some. They want to find out if a
way of thinking is legitimate. They want points to be unambigious and motives to be
transparent. They want to see who knows what they are talking about and who is
trustworthy. They want to be able to intuit where you are coming from and where you are
going with this. Clear intentions are a sign of honesty and no hidden agenda and bring
about parity and therefore fairness.
Fives naively downplay motives and are ignorant of procedures and policies within
power structures. Sevens blindly rely on the future and think they can have their cake and
eat it too. Sixes however refuse to take anything for granted until it passes their smell test.
They have a heightened awareness of catastrophic scenarios and worry the rug will be
pulled out from underneath them when they see bad things happen to innocent people.
Heaven forbid any of these things should happen to their loved ones. They have little
faith things will work out on their own and are natural "what's plan B" people. They feel
compelled to anticipate and figure out how to cope with potential problems as they know
what could happen if they don't.

How sixes cope ranges from avoidance (phobic) to aggressively facing their fears head
on (counterphobic). Due to their head center ambivalence sixes alternate between
susceptibility and suspiciousness towards authorities and systems. They can instantly
shift from fearful to aggressive and vice versa. There is no type that exhibits
contradictory behaviour like a six. On a less conscious level they are on the lookout for
someone or something worthy of trusting. On a more conscious level they keep a
watchful eye out for who or what is most definitely not. They are very aware of when
things are unfair or uneven between people. They sense who has power and who is likely
to abuse it as they often see themselves as the underdog. This is frequently enhanced by
the perception of being mistreated by authority figures during their formative years. Sixes
may appear as devils advocates, skeptics, BS sniffers, self-doubters, pseudo-sevens, or
something else but they all test for clarity and certitude and have an underlying state of
unrest. Ironically they are often less unsettled during a real crisis since their mind doesn't
have the time to blow things out of proportion. Even though the real source of anxiety is
inside themselves it would be nice for things in life to be more clear.

Sixes see the world as inherently unpredictable so they feel they must be prepared and
have a minimum amount of certainty in their lives. Just as they are consistently loyal to
who and what they believe in, the people close to them must also be trustworthy and
loyal to them. Many sixes choose to root themselves in friends and family instead of
more external things like systems and authorities. They form strong friendships and come
across as genuinely honest and down-to-earth. They like people who are authentic and
dislike smooth-talkers. They can be selflessly supportive and stay loyal even to those who
are no longer worthy. Betrayal is the worst violation of trust so there's no way they'd let
people close to them hang out to dry. If people have managed to earn their trust (not an
easy task due to their testing) it's only fair they stick by them in bad times as well as
good. In an uncertain world one must hold onto the few that are worth it. It's hard to find
people who are honest and dependable and who also do what they say they will do.
True respect must be earned and those close to them have earned it.

Being able to earn their way in the world is also important. They value resourcefulness
and contingency planning, and find satisfaction in earning the fruits of their labors. They
believe in a merit-based system where each person is treated fairly and proportionally to
how they deserve to be treated. They respect people who are deserving and don't like it
when people get to where they are unfairly. As long as working hard and playing by the
rules is fairly rewarded they accept their circumstances. They hold themselves to their
own standards despite how unpredictably difficult the world is so all they ask for
is a fair shot in life. They intend to be treated fairly and for things to be okay as long as
they follow the rules. Sixes favor spelled-out rules that make things more out in the open
and fair for everyone. They feel them being responsible and following the rules despite
how difficult things can be should count for something. Add to that they are already hard
on themselves and they often feel justified in making excuses when bad things happen.
While they doubt their decision-making it's not their fault the world's so unpredictably
difficult. If they follow the rules it's not their fault if things don't work out. If they are
responsible and things go wrong it's not their fault. If they don't stick their necks out no
one can blame them for anything. They may criticize themselves to avoid criticism from
others. They may even sabotage their success to avoid standing out and being a target for
criticism. In their mind if you saw how difficult things are for them you'd see things from
their perspective. Their enhanced head center cognition causes their superego to feel
overburdened with constant self-criticism. They struggle to meet what they think is
demanded of them due to believing the only way of being okay is to be loyal and follow
the rules. They fear not being able to do anything right and that imminent punishment and
criticism is just around the corner. They are looking for how to be or how to act.
They want to be good and rule abiding, not deviant or culpable.

In enneagram theory sixes are head center primary at the expense of their feeling and
instinctive centers. Being in the center of the head triad they may not be fully aware of
their anxiety because they're so used to it. Excess cognition in a six's primary thinking
center can be compared to being inside the "eye of their hurricane". By looking at types
five and seven outside the eye sixes are reminded of the full extent of "thinking triadness"
in themselves. Head types especially sixes have lots of
who?/what?/where?/when?/why?/how? cognition. This is the root of their underlying
anxiety and the enviornment merely exacerbates it. The head center also has to do with
the focus, distractability, and scatteredness, as well as motor and tempo. It contains the
most hamster-wheeling and vascillating energy of the three centers. Type six has the most
head center energy and there is no type that has as much ambivalence as a six. While all
head types overthink to predict and protect themselves from the world, sixes are the types
most prone to "thinking so much they fake themselves out" and turning to their superego
to resolve their cognitive dissonance.

Sixes excessively try to use their head center to nagivate life. The mental framework they
construct for themselves is really a form of "shorthand" to map life's numerous
contradictions to that their overactive who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what
if?" cognition burdens them with(anxiety by definition). By mapping to this internal
shorthand they can be certain that at least most of what they conclude will be correct. In
contrast to the fives's "nothing sacred" attitude sixes have an investment in keeping their
own way of looking at things intact. They reject information to the contrary to protect the
way of thinking they are loyal to. On a deeper level they know their defense mechanisms
reduce anxiety via clarity but distort reality. They yearn to be able to get in touch with
their "quiet mind" so that they can "just know" how things really are.

When this "shorthand" gets taken far enough it becomes "projection". They may see a
person act in a certain way and based on their history project that person had such and
such motivations behind that action. On a more subconscious level delving into further
analysis could cause cognitive dissonance so they go for the answer that is most "clear"
to them. This may be what they would do if they were in their shoes or what "side" or
group that person appears to be most aligned with. If a person supported something
politically they might be more inclined to project that person has the same belief system
of others that had the same yes/no position on that issue. Due to projection sixes are
prone to confusing what's clear to them with what the truth is. In order to find out if
what's clear to them is not correct they have to go against their way of thinking before
they have "proof" so there's internal resistance to going down that murkier mental path.
This is most obvious in their implicit bargain with the world: how it's "clear" that they
will be okay if they are loyal and follow the rules.
To "realize" one may be screwed even if they follow a particular set of rules is to open a
pandora's box of possibly never being safe no matter what. This may be more correct but
is anything but nice and clear.

Sixes are the most likely types to believe in Murphy's law: "whatever can go wrong will
go wrong". Unhealthy sixes are very programmable due to their head center being "short-
circuited". They succumb to their anxiety and either become sheep..."I can't
cope so you do my thinking for me since you are authorities"...and/or excessively project
their insecurities onto others. Healthy sixes have learned to access their "quiet mind" to
manage their fears and put them into perspective. Once they have mastered their internal
anxiety they can become pillars of strength without losing their gift for being "human".
What was "us vs them" is now the courage to fight for something bigger than themselves.
Healthy sixes like Joe Gibbs have a talent for leading while remaining "one of the guys".
More than any other coach he made the redskins a family centered around "core redskin
values" where no player was unfairly above another. Winning three different superbowls
with three average quarterbacks was a testament to his ability to get the most out of his
players.

SEVENS are gluttonous fun-loving types who believe in experiencing what they want in
life without restrictions or obligations. They want a lot and are gnawed by their wants
enough to see them as needs so they "need" that juicy steak and "need" that vacation.
They take care of their stuff themselves and aren't a burden on anyone so why shouldn't
they be entitled to a good life? These natural optimists have a hard time accepting the
stark reality that the world isn't as accomodating as they would like. Being head types
they understand that but sevens are sevens so understanding something and coming to
grips with something are two different things.

Sevens have a blind faith in the future working out for them. Their jumping-the-gun
streams of consciousness cause them to distort the future as being just around the corner.
If they keep their options open a little longer they are sure to get what they want. They
also frequently believe they can have their cake and eat it too. They enthusiastically plan
out rosy scenarios in their mind. The future hasn't yet made the details apparent that
might show their optimism is misplaced, nor does it make demands on them or slow them
down like people in the present do. They feel if they keep moving and anticipating they
can stay one step ahead of being bogged down by all that.
It goes without saying they don't sweat the small stuff and are always on the lookout for
shortcuts that would get them to their happier more fulfilling future faster.

Sevens have addictive personalities. They tend to be adventurous, impulsive, exciting,

and enthusiastic. The more common sensing-perceiving sevens tend to be focused on
more physical gluttony and are the typical party animals. The less common intuitive
seven is no less addictive but has as much a need for mental stimulation as a need for
physical stimulation. All sevens need the potential for a more fulfulling life more than
anything. They need something better in their future to look forward to. The one thing a
seven wouldn't relate to in a million years is contentment and a lack of wants.

With their monkey minds sevens tend to be mentally agile and versatile enough to
quickly pick up the basics of many things. They frequently have a wide range of
intellectual interests and can converse about anything. They tend to find it difficult to
focus however and are easily distracted by the temptations in life. More importantly they
often overestimate their abilities and confuse what they know with true mastery. More
than any other type they tease others with their unrealized potential.

Between experiencing the fullness of life in the present and restlessly thinking up rosy
future scenarios their mind is in high gear and their attention is diverted. On a more
subconscious level coming to grips with sobering realities in the present and unflattering
things about themselves is put on the back burner. Wants are reframed as needs and real
inner needs are neglected. Emotional pain is seen as unpleasantness and avoided.
These potentially painful feelings are compartmentalized and take awhile to hit home but
when they hit they hit hard. On a more conscious level the seven primarily fears being
trapped or stuck in a rut. Being bored or deprived from experiencing life triggers "rut"
fears. Sevens find it much easier to acknowledge that they fear a "rut" than they fear
"pain". The fear of being stuck or trapped in a rut conveniently relegates the fear of
emotional pain to a more subconscious level in the fear queue.

Sevens are image center last which makes them shameless, insensitive, and cocky. Like
eights they don't see how they come across to others well. Sevens move the enviornment
towards them to accelerate their mental gears to distract themselves. Fives in contrast
remove themselves from their enviornment to deal with things from a position of
strength. Sevens are unprententous and young at heart. Don't let their youthful energy
fool you though. Sevens have one of the stronger egos. Should they face obstacles these
resilient types have confidence that they'll land on their feet...and they do.

Sevens are naturally egalitarian. They don't like playing power games and would rather
just be concerned with themselves. They are grateful for their "lucky" lot in life which
makes them fun to be around. They tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. While
sevens generally aren't nitpicky of others' minor flaws they often underweight or even
overlook major ones.

In enneagram theory 7s are thinking-instinctive-feeling in that order. Their default

emotion is fear and their principal defense mechanism is distraction. They accelerate their
thinking center mental gears to escape the need to come to grips with inner issues in their
feeling center. They conjure up potential rosy scenarios, crazy schemes, exciting ideas,
and creative ways of looking at things. They use all that to keep mental activity high
enough to keep their mind off coming to grips with unflattering inner issues, unpleasant
feelings, and sobering realities. It's much like running around to keep their kite in the air.
Once it's time for follow-thru, examining the details brings them closer to reality which is
a drag: the sticktoitiveness needed for that job training, that having a website business
means having to cold-call to get customers, having to get up at 5 am for that job you
thought you wanted, that cute girl sure is clingy. Once details are involved the grass isn't
as green on the other side so the seven finds new grass starting from the mental realm and
repeats the process.

On a smaller scale sevens may engage in wordplay or other shameless nonsensical "crazy
funny" behaviour to distract themselves simply because they got the "itch" to discharge
their excess head energy into their enviornment. Many sx-firsts think they have more
seven in them than they do because sx is a probing deeply energy to squeeze the most out
of an experience while sevenness is about staying in motion to keep their kite in the air to
avoid coming to grips with inner issues and feelings.
(As I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to relate to type Seven more. Part of that is most likely
due to the development of my auxiliary Se function. And part of that comes from learning
from the Sevens I’ve met in my life, particularly toward the end of my Cornell career. It
may surprise some of you that there is a sizeable population of Sevens at this Ivy League
institution, but remember that Sevens can be quite talented, and the Sevens I knew
definitely brought their talents to Cornell’s campus while they were there. In a high-
stress environment it helps to learn not to take yourself so fucking seriously and enjoy life
– if you’re having fun, you’re naturally going to be more confident!)

EIGHTS are strong-willed rugged streetsmart types who like feeling "grand" about
themselves. They are competitive and decisive. They are gluttonous types who like to
"live life hard"...like "work hard play hard"..." I want to really sink my teeth into that
juicy steak." They delight in seeing themselves as animalistic yet think about things more
deeply than they let on. Eights "just know" they have an inherent "gravitas" that most
people don't have. They are anything but apologetic for taking up space around them.
Others can immediately feel an eight's physical presence from their uninhibited "I am
aligned with myself not you" expansiveness that is a reflection of their grand personality.
They are naturally confident enough to not need to prove their strength to others or
themselves. They simply assume they are both formidable enough and mentally tough
enough to do whatever they gotta do, no discussion necessary. As tough as eights seem
on the outside, what largely seperates eights from eight-lookalikes is how eights are even
tougher from the neck up. They stomach the harsher realities of life that most others find
unsettling. They are the least likely type to crack or break down psychologically. While
they prefer being independent they know they can lead should they choose to. On the flip
side they know deep down they are outsiders who can never fully be "one of the guys".

In a dog-eat-dog world eights feel they must be masters of their own destiny. They are
unwilling to be controlled in any way. They tend to either run things or be independent
contractors. They are wary of any interdependent setup where they aren't calling the
shots. The eights that do work for others place a premium on getting financially
independent as soon as possible. Even the mere possibility of being controlled triggers a
need to prevent that from happening at all costs. That means controlling others if
necessary whether it be dominating them or taking charge in a more formal capacity. The
eight delusion is that they intend for reality to comply with how they want things to be.
When that doesn't happen it feels like losing control. Basically the eight reframes not
getting what they want as losing control which triggers increased anger and dominating
behavior. This invites needless friction and makes them have to repeatedly learn life's
lessons the hard way. Where it really costs eights is emotionally though. They pit
themselves against the world so much that they deprive themselves from experiencing
what it's like to be fully human. They miss what it's like to feel elated and discouraged, to
be awed and apalled, to feel other emotions fully other than pure visceral anger.
Letting their guard down and opening up is difficult for them.

Eights have a very strong sense of justice. There is nothing that ticks them off more than
getting a raw deal. Eights have the biggest tempers and the english language often feels
too trite to express their anger with. If there's one thing the eight feels compelled to do it's
cuss. As eights don't like to be "moved" against their will, they are very aware when
others are unfairly "moved" against theirs. They have a soft spot for innocence as it
reminds themselves of what they've lost and are eternally trying to reclaim. In a dog-eat-
dog world full of bad people it's one of the few things that makes them think the world
isn't broken beyond repair. When they see innocent people getting the shaft it makes them
very angry. Their protective instincts quickly kick in. They know someone's going to feel
some pain and it's not going to be them. Eights are comfortable seeing themselves as
monsters and have no inhibition against being "badder" than the bad to meet out
punishment. "Judgment day" is where they feel most at home, where they are judge, jury,
prosecutor, and most importantly, executioner. "Executioner" in this case means due to
the eight the life of the perpetrator will never be the same.

Eights do not trust easily but once you're in you're in to stay unless you really screw up. If
an eight yells at you he sees you as a decent person who did a bad thing. That's not as bad
as him giving you the silent treatment which means he's cutting you out. Eights like to
test people not to see where they stand but more to putting the finishing touches on
whatever they have compiled on you. They pride themselves on having the ability to see
what makes a person tick. They prefer to enter the fray only at the very end when they are
about to finish things as opposed to lashing out in the middle of things. When an eight
starts testing you it means he already found a red flag, like an "any last words before I get
rid of you". They don't like to show their full hand until the end. Of course if you betray
them you are gone.

Due to their more unconscious sense of self they aren't as aware of how they come across
to others. They shamelessly assert their selfishness which others find refreshing. They do
not feel the need to justify themselves in the least. They do they feel the need to hold
themselves to any standards. Their streams of consciousness are "I choose to" as opposed
to "I feel obligated to" or "I hold myself to". They revel in being "bad" and in not needing
validation. In response to being called a thug, they may respond "damn straight" while
kneeling down to give a child a free ice cream cone.
They assume others don't like them until proven otherwise and therefore they don't need
validation from others. When they don't get validation it confirms their self-image of
someone who doesn't need validation.
They also like to have a disconnect between them and others' perceptions of them to
reinforce what others think of them doesn't matter. It reinforces their outsider nature, how
they are "here" others are "there". That's how things were always fated to be. It goes
without saying as outsiders eights also view many societal rules as stupid.

In enneagram theory eights are instinctive-thinking-feeling in that order. On a much

deeper level eights really want power to make sure they are never vulnerable. Eights
unconsciously do everything from a position of strength. They have a nose for what
detracts from gravitas in realtime and avoid that. They live large and move against the
world at the expense of feeling soft and tender emotions, and coming to grips with
neglected feelings. They "trivialize" emotions and avoid both feeling them and coming to
grips with them. The eight fixation in its purest form is an aversion to being "moved" by
soft and tender emotions that make them feel weak. During a "moment" they become
even more grand to avoid being moved emotionally. Their speaking becomes more
measured as if to try to slow down time itself. With their fear buried deep in the
unconscious position they can walk and talk like they have gravitas. The inhibition
against being "moved" also applies to the physical and thinking realms. Everything seems
so clear when they keep themselves pitted against the world. They know who their
enemies are. They have a purpose and a mission. Simply put they feel engaged and alive.
But it only serves to keep their mind off of coming to grips with their feelings they've put
off processing. Their internal landscape feels like a purgatory as they forever battle
unresolved emotions and issues that linger. They feel emotions most deeply when they
leave them behind as if to finally give them a proper burial after a long period of neglect.
They are much more sentimental than they let on and feel regret and nostalgia over not
having felt more in the moment that had come and gone.

Unhealthy eights are totally out of touch with their feelings. They are often outlaws. They
brag about having no conscience and more importantly they mean it. They are totally
insensitive to others and have no remorse. They focus exclusively on living hard and
large. They can be very destructive. In extreme examples they are brutal dictators.
Saddam Hussein was a good example but not just because he was a brutal dictator. Eights
in general don't like feeling they need to understand the world to navigate it. They see it
as the world "telling them what to do". But most eights come around to reality and do
what they gotta do to survive. Saddam was totally delusional. He ignored the advice of
his generals and drew up the battle plans himself without regard to logistics. His plan was
to have his army fall back in concentric rings around Baghdad despite there being a
limited number of crooked roads. He had no desire to play his hand the best he could. He
just didn't care he was out of touch with reality anymore. Healthy eights in contrast are
magnanimous. They acknowledge their emotions. Although they are naturally self-
validating they accept being "touched" by others. They are willing to make themselves
vulnerable emotionally as the hardest person to conquer is oneself.

NINES are the most patient and tolerant types in the enneagram. They have an innate
belief that other people are similar to them underneath in a way they can't explain that
makes them anything but megalomanic. They are truly accepting of peoples' faults and
are biased to give others the benefit of the doubt. They are good listeners and one can talk
to them about almost anything. They are able to see where others are coming from and
can genuinely sympathize with what it feels like to not be listened to. They can make
people feel good about even the deepest gloom.

They are easygoing and low-maintenance. They enjoy relaxing and letting their minds
wander. They like immersing themselves in their hobbies and are often drawn to the
outdoors. They don't impose their preferences and aren't sticklers over little things. They
don't need for things to be spelled out. They are good-natured and unflappable. They
have the ability to stay hopeful as well as level-headed and calm during a real crisis.
Whether they are anxious, frustrated, angry, excited, or enthused, they show less than
most people and appear stable no matter what.
They see being united and coming together in a positive light. They believe in "flow",
whether it's going with the flow, idealizing a reality or philosophy that has flow,
synchronizing themselves with the ebbs and flows of life, or being attracted to what
naturally flows. They have a knack for waiting for the right time when things to come to
them instead of them forcing the action. They have just enough of a positive outlook to
favor letting things work out on their own but are anything but full of themselves. They
have a good balance between being competitive and someone to simply hang with. All in
all nines tend to be likeable.

As gut types nines are very "present" in their bodies in a naturally grounded and inert
way. From being in the center of the gut triad they are saturated with enough earthy
energy to make staying in their comfort zone their main priority, to the point where they
block out the harshness and complications of life, and whatever doesn't "jive" with them
in general. They want as much as possible for things to go smoothly and resist what
bothers them. Their autonomy is important to them and a lot of things that make life more
complicated aren't worth the trouble. With their instinctive energy trapped inside them
they tend to stick with what's familiar, sometimes to the point of inertia and
complacency. They go with the flow and are reluctant to assert their preferences outside
of their comfort zone.
They like feeling invited and feeding off others' energy but not to the point of no longer
being able to slip in and out seamlessly. They lack strong personal boundaries in that they
rarely tell people to go away so they don't want to risk a level of involvement that could
lead to unwanted obligations. When they don't take the initiative to make themselves
heard it often leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy of others ignoring them. They hold back
their frustrations although they may not realize how much they do this. (As I am on the
more reserved side I often give this impression, but this is because I don’t really have
anything to say. If I do have something important to say, or I feel ignored, I will let you
know about it, whereas in my experience most Enneagram withdrawn types I know would
be perfectly fine with being ignored.)

On a much deeper level the underlying current of "anger" in gut types is traced to the
eternal frustration of not being able to see themselves well due to being overly present in
their bodies, similar to the fustration of groping in the dark. Inner needs like cultivating
an identity have trouble being met with an unconscious sense of self, which in
conjunction with being "held back" by their inertness makes it hard to get out from inside
of them what they really mean and how they really feel. This constant low-idle "groping
in the dark" rhythmic body-consciousness from which frustration and anger springs is the
primary backdrop of the "overly present in their body" gut triad, similar to anxiety and
shame for the head and image triads respectively.
Although nines may deny their annoyance and irritation as forms of anger, they loathe
being pushed or bothered, and especially anything that even faintly smells of obligation.
Like eights and ones a nine's underlying frustration is there but instead gets redirected
into less visceral forms like stubbornness and digging in their heels. If they are dragged
into doing something they grit their teeth and make the best of it. Nines have an easier
time accessing sadness, fear, hurt, confusion, numbness, than anger itself though
ironically they get mad at themselves for saying yes when they didn't mean to.
Nines being very present in their bodies comes at the expense of having a conscious
sense of "self" or awareness of having a persona. This makes them seem the least "put
on" and adds to their likeability. On the flip side this lack of an identity makes them
prone to self-neglect and introjecting aspects of others without them realizing it. That's
why nines have difficulty vocalizing what they want or how they are feeling. When they
say yes to the possibility of something in general others misinterpret that as committing
to a real yes. They also have difficulty saying no with enough conviction for others to get
the message that it's non-negotiable, especially when they feel pushed to defend and
justify the no to someone who refuses to take no for an answer. This is a source of
frustration for them and only adds to why they think communicating their wants and
needs isn't worth the trouble. In an external sense nines tend to believe "everything will
turn out fine"..."no need to get panicky"...”there are ways to work around that and we'll
find them”, while on an internal level nines have lowered expectations and are less
positive thinking. They tend to see a bland neutral world with many shades of grey and
prefer to be positive as they find negativity draining.
That is why nines are more positive outlook than pure optimists like sevens.

Nines see the waves of conflict between them and others larger and more treacherous
than they really are. They can be unnerved by focused negative energy and to a lesser
extent relentlessness. What others see as a spirited discussion they see as a needlessly
argumentative atmosphere. They don't like it when people feel compelled to fight over
stuff in raised voices rather than try to discuss and merely understand each other. They
feel people interrupt them and never give them an opportunity to say something
important. They settle for an illusion that if they don't invite conflict or rock the boat
everything will be okay. They bury their anger and fustration and are happy that their
boat is still floating even if it's just drifting out of inertia. Steering the boat through
problems would require a sense of direction so they are content to let it drift along. By
ignoring problems they make them worse which causes them to ignore them even more
and a negative feedback loop ensues.
When there's too much swept under the rug to "numb out" any longer they finally erupt.
This takes others aback and reinforces to them that anger is bad. On a more subconscious
level they try to neutralize their anger by seeing the good in people.

Much of a nine's issues surface in relationships where it's about two people getting what
they want from each other. It's not uncommon for nines to seem apathetic and invest less
of themselves in something to protect themselves emotionally in case things go bad. To
others they can seem emotionally disconnected or "numbed out". In relationships they are
often able to shrug off disappointments easier because they had already left internally to
some degree. It's not a matter of them not being accepting enough for if anything they
hold out too much hope. They feel that people ignore them as well as don't pay attention
or listen to them. Once they've determined things are passed the point of no return, they
try to get the other person to leave by being unavailable and unappealing so that they
have a guilt-free conscience. They don't think they make waves or invoke strong feelings
in others. This way they confirm to themselves that they are invisible enough to slip in
and out of situations without making enough waves to be responsible for whatever
happens. In prematurely resigning themselves to being less visible they underestimate the
effect they have on others and are surprised at how blindsided close ones can be.

Because nines are less "present" on the inside their cognition has less "form" or
"definition" and therefore less of the restrictions that accompany them. This enables nines
to gloss over negative scenarios just enough to think they can live a simple and easy life
without disruptions, provided they don't invite conflict that could lead to estrangement
from others(9w1), or make life more difficult for themselves(9w8). They especially
fear being separated from loved ones(9w1), or losing loved ones permanently(9w8).
Emphasizing they are distinctly separate individuals goes against their ego in not having
self-importance(9w1), or in their self-importance not mattering(9w8).

With their ability to subtly gloss over what's uncomfortable to think about nines are able
to drown out what disturbs their peace of mind(9w1), or their rhythm(9w8). While the
seven's jumping-the-gun cognition makes them clearly see positive scenarios before the
future can disprove them, the nine's more elastic cognition makes them block out what
they consider disruptive.
Due to having less "form" or "definition" their cognition is often more in symbols and
images and other things of a less conscious nature than concrete words. They can be
complacent and selectively not remember things. Any one thing can possibly lead to
anything, for unlike fives there are no dead ends or other cognitive restrictions to their
thinking process. They tend to explain things in stories where one thought naturally flows
to another. This type of internal wiring though can make it harder to discriminate
between what is essential and what isn't, and makes it more difficult to find their calling
in life and set priorities. Although their ability to see many shades of grey gives them a
talent for mediating others' disputes, it makes it harder to isolate what they really want in
life.

In an everchanging world they are reluctant to commit on the spot as they feel a need to
have something "jive" with them to tell if they really want it or not. They fear being
swept up in the wrong thing and the obligations that come with it..."do I really want this
or not?" Enough stress makes them hunker down and avoid everything as well as numb
out. "Why bother?"..."which way to go?..."it doesn't really matter does it?"..."I don't
know so I'll stay here and hope it goes away." Therefore their top priority remains to be
as comfortable as possible with what's familiar, internally as well as externally. To
achieve this their more amorphous cognition makes them block out what is outside of
their comfort zone, particularly the harshness and complications of life.

In Enneagram theory nines are instinctive(gut) center primary at the expense of their
thinking and identity centers. This leads them to become more "checked out" and numb
to their feelings in response to conflict or another stessor, as well as overfocus on living
comfortably at the expense of critical thinking beyond their comfort zone and a
developed identity. However a sense of self even if it's false helps one "get out there" and
have one's self-perception and version of reality regularly tested. On a deeper level nines
take pride in their invisibility as otherwise it would be too much of a blow for their
invisibility to be "confirmed" by others on top of not being able to see themselves.
Twisting their perceived invisibility into a strength also enables them to use it as an
excuse to do whatever they have to do to stay in their comfort zone. On a deeper level
they want to be stay in their comfort zone and avoid taking responsibility for their true
needs and desires.
A person needs to be a part of themselves before they are a part of anything though.
Hence nines need to see themselves as distinctly seperate to connect with greater
humanity.

Nines attempt to reach a state of premature comfort and/or enlightenment. Seeing friction
and a lack of fluidity in eights and ones next to them may awaken some nines to the
possibility that an easy life without disruptions may lead to missing out on essential parts
of the human experience like being involved. Other nines may immerse themselves in
activities to feel more alive to counteract inertia. Yet other nines may be surprisingly
intellectual and even indulge in introspection, though the latter is usually on their terms.
Similar to sixes there can be a wide range of nines. While it's not uncommon for nines to
seem like fours, fives, sixes, and sevens even, what all nines have in common is
presuming that things will be okay if they stay in their comfort zone by minimizing
conflict and tension as well as blocking out the harshness and complications of life,
numbing out what's unpleasant, an attraction to "flow" or willingness to go with the flow,
and an underdeveloped sense of identity so that they often feel "invisible".
To get healthier nines need to wean themselves off autopilot mode or away from any
delusion that they can ascend to a nirvana-like state without going through the arduous
process of figuring out who they are and what they really want in life. They need to
accept the reality that emotional pain cannot be numbed or escaped and instead comes
with simply being present. They then need to learn to put themselves out there and allow
for the discomfort that comes from being more emotionally honest and engaged with
others. They need to stand by their own convictions and accept the risk that they will find
conflict and come up against others' opinions. To live a more honest life they have to lay
it out there and accept that whatever happens happens. If others reject their right to see
things the way they do they are rejecting their truth which is unacceptable.
Thus conflict can finally lead to closure. Once they see that anger is conviction in their
truth they can see it as a constructive force that they could and should experience in
realtime. When healthy nines are able to stay focused and rational during anger and let it
run its natural course. They can then utilize their strength at seeing the merits of others'
views without losing themselves in the process. With new self-assertion victories their
sense of identity is developed enough to enable them to escape inertia instead of pain.
They can become more "alive" and begin the positive feedback loop of engaging life
more fully, releasing the logjam of instinctive energy that's trapped inside them.

The instinctive triad seems to "just know" compared to the relatively ungrounded
cognition of other types so being in the center nines present an interesting paradox.
They are more in touch with less conscious processes and the collective unconscious, yet
have a tendency to be disengaged and subtly gloss over things that go against their
preferred way of seeing reality. They have a knack for going with the flow and waiting
for things to develop instead of forcing the action, but are also more prone to seeing what
they want to see and living in their own bubble.
Being in the center of the instinctive triad they are saturated with enough of the less
conscious gut energy(not to be confused with not being intellectual) that it can be
difficult to overcome their inertia and "get up an go". It's similar to sixes who
"what if" so much they fake themselves out and threes who try too hard to hit the right
notes with people. (Aside from the Type Three description this is probably the one I
relate to most, but of course there are things here that don’t fit me as well.)