On The Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes

by Susan Rhodes, revised June 1, 2006, susan@enneagramdimensions.net

The enneagram is an ancient but newly-revealed system that types and three subtype arenas, there’s a total of 27 possible
can be used for looking at many aspects of life. It’s currently subtypes.
well-known as a personality assessment tool. It depicts nine In this article, I explore the nature of the enneagram
points on a circle, each of which represents a different per- subtypes. Some of the ideas that I propose are controver-
sonality type with a distinctive core motivation (see Figure sial, because they’re based on propositions that diverge from
1). People new to the system often wonder how there can the received wisdom of the field. But I hope to make a con-
be only nine core personality types when there are so many vincing case for the approach I’m taking, because I think it
different kinds of people. The reason is that there are many has certain advantages over the paradigm currently in use.
ways we can use to further define Please note that, while my
the nine types in order to account main focus in this article is on the
Type 9
for the great diversity of tempera- subtypes, I also devote quite a bit of
ment. We can, for example, see Type 8 Type 1 time to discussing both the ennea-
which of the two points on either gram types and energy cen-
ters. I tried an approach that was
side (the wings) is most dominant.
more limited in scope, but soon re-
We can also look at the relationship Type 7 Type 2
alized that I needed to talk about all
of each enneagram point with each
three topics in order to present a co-
of its two connecting points.
herent picture of my ideas. The rea-
But I find that the most pow-
sons for this should become clear as
erful way to account for diversity Type 6 Type 3 we proceed.
within each type is to look at how The article is divided into three
each type operates within three parts: Background, Part I, and
arenas in life, which we may call Type 5 Type 4 Part II. The Background section in-
subtype arenas. What’s of particu- troduces the topic and provides the
lar interest is which of these arenas is Figure 1. The Enneagram.
context for further discussion. Part I
most dominant—that is, which one focuses on current assumptions about the types, the ennea-
most attracts our attention. When we know both our en- gram energy centers, and the subtypes. Part II proposes an
neagram type and our dominant arena, we can determine alternative view and some ideas for working with the en-
our enneagram subtype. Because there are nine enneagram neagram based on that view.

Background

I became interested in the enneagram as a means of looking
at individual differences in motivation. As a cognitive psy-
chologist, I’d long been interested in looking at how variables
like sex, age, and cultural differences affect our psychology.
I was also interested in the effects of our basic disposition
or character, so I studied the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI) to gain insight into that dimension of the psyche.
Based on a Jungian approach to typology, the MBTI
generates 16 personality profiles. One thing that I like about
the MBTI is that these profiles are pretty value-neutral. This
means that the MBTI profiles simply distinguish individu-
als on the basis of temperament. They aren’t designed to
evaluate the character of the individual by reference to any
particular set of moral, psychological, or spiritual standards.
As a result, the MBTI system can be used in a wide range of
contexts.
When I first heard about the enneagram, it took me a
while to see why I should study it. One reason is that the
enneagram only delineated nine personality types, while the
MBTI delineated 16, so the enneagram seemed to offer a less
detailed breakdown. Another reason is that the enneagram
seemed less objective than the MBTI. Unlike the MBTI
profiles, most of the enneagram profiles seemed mildly to
moderately negative in focus.
Although the negative focus initially put my off, I even-
tually learned enough about the enneagram to appreciate its

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 

three great assets: (a) a focus on motivation, (b) a geometric limitations.
dimension, and (c) a way of combining different aspects of This approach has its uses, but it’s risky. And in the
type that makes it possible to distinguish many more than wrong hands, it can be disastrous. As Jungian scholar James
nine types. Hollis observed in an interview for What is Enlightenment?
Over time, I came to realize that these advantages far magazine, “the ego is a necessary formation for the creation
outweighed the disadvantage of seeing the enneagram types of identity, consciousness, intentionality, and purpose—all
described in mostly negative terms. I realized that the types of which are pluses.”1 But he says that the ego is also mal-
themselves were more basic than any of leable. It can be dominated by influences of
the descriptions that people generated. both the inner psyche and the outer world if
So I could study them directly and gradu- it lacks the strength and resiliency necessary
ally generate my own (more value-neu- to maintain its integrity.
tral) descriptions of the types. So from this perspective, what we need
With this in mind, I began to delve isn’t to destroy the ego, but to support it.
more deeply into the enneagram. I saw With proper support, the ego can develop in
that the negative descriptions of type arise a healthy way. It can help us function in the
out of two related assumptions: (a) that world without interfering with our ability to
enneagram types = personality types and be inwardly attentive to the energies of the
(b) that personality is inherently unregen- [higher] Self.
erate. That means that, in moral terms, An integrated ego-personality helps us
the personality self is sinful and in psy- develop both inner balance and outer poise.
chological terms, it’s pathological. It can support us in finding our life’s call-
How did the personality come to ing. And this, as Hollis observes, has very
gain such a negative reputation? It wasn’t Figure 2. G. I. Gurdjieff. little to do with ego in the selfish sense.
clear to me at the outset. But after some Today, the idea of slaying the ego seems
investigation, I began to understand why the enneagram pro- harsh and out of step with the times. This is because the con-
files seemed to focus so much on the negative aspects of hu- sciousness of the collective is changing, and we now have
man nature. ways of working with the psyche that are both more effective
In some ways, the reasons for this negative focus may and less wrenching than the methods of the past.
be traceable to a single person: George Gurdjieff (see Fig- If we can work with the self is a gentler way, why not do
ure 2). it? Why make the task of changing harder than it needs to
Gurdjieff was the first person to publicly present teach- be? To ask such questions is not to criticize Gurdjieff or his
ings on the enneagram. He was a spiritual teacher of some methods, but simply to observe that teachings intended for
magnitude whose influence is still strong more than half a one era may not be appropriate for another. If Gurdjieff were
century after his death. alive today, I doubt very much whether he would take the
Gurdjieff was not a retiring mystic, but a spiritual mas- same approach he did during the early part of the twentieth
ter with an iron will and magnetic personality. He had an century. He would adapt his approach to fit the times.
extremely robust and provocative style of teaching. His con- The decades since Gurdjieff’s death have seen some
frontational style was designed to effect a radical transfor- major shifts in consciousness—not just among the spiritual
mation in those students who were willing to submit them- elite, but across a broad swatch of the public. We’re now liv-
selves to its rigors. ing in a post-Newtonian world, where we’re told that there’s
Gurdjieff’s approach is based on an ancient model of order in chaos, time isn’t real, and everything is intercon-
the relationship between a spiritual master and his disciple. nected. The actual implications of the new physics may not
It assumes the presence of three elements: a true spiritual have sunk in yet, but the intuitive sense that separatism and
master, a deeply committed aspirant, and the shared goal of duality are illusions is definitely in the air. Many people
effecting a radical and permanent restructuring of the inner sense that we’re on the brink of a real shift in perspective—
self of the student. of a completely new way of being in the world. This new
Since most teachers and students have traditionally been paradigm is holistic, inclusive, and dynamic in nature. It
male, this approach is a very masculine in nature. It’s based takes us beyond the old “good vs. bad” dualities. It helps us
on a “slay the dragon” view of life that’s quite direct and see beyond our apparent differences to the underlying unity
adversarial. The ego or personality self is viewed as an en- of all life.
emy of the higher good and is ruthlessly attacked in order to The transition from the old paradigm to the new is, like
strip away its defenses so that the disciple might realize its all transitions, somewhat awkward and confusing. I see the

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 

enneagram as a tool that can help us bridge the gap between
the old and the new. I suspect that this is the real reason that
enneagram suddenly appeared on the public scene a couple
of decades ago.
What’s strange to me is how such a revolutionary
tool as the enneagram has become constrained by a way
of thinking that is not of the present, but of the past. Of
course it’s possible to use the enneagram to catalog our
qualities, neatly dividing them into good and bad catego-
ries. But when we do this, we split ourselves in two. The
“bad” qualities begin to seem like the ones that we actu-
ally experience in ordinary life while the “good” qualities
recede into some elusive realm of spiritual transcendence.
We reject ordinary life as gross and impure, looking for de-
liverance elsewhere.
This kind of thinking is dualistic. It splits the psyche
and makes it hard to be completely present in the moment.
It can cause us to lose momentum, falling under the weight
of our accumulated sense of sin.
Part I: The Received Wisdom
Before leaping into new territory, I have to spend a little
time talking about how we came to inherit the current vision
of the enneagram, particularly how it came to have such a
negative focus. So this section is about what I’m calling
the received wisdom in the field. I’ll talk about the received
wisdom regarding the nature of the enneagram itself, the
types, the energy centers, and the subtypes.
The Received Wisdom about
the Enneagram & the Types
If you ask someone to describe the enneagram, you’ll get
different answers depending on who you ask.
Basically, there are two major views of the enneagram.
In one view, it’s a map of a life process. In the other, it’s a
map of the human psyche.2
Gurdjieff taught his students a process-oriented version
of the enneagram, and it’s this enneagram that Fourth Way
(Gurdjieff) students consider the “real” enneagram. Arica
founder Oscar Ichazo later adapted Gurdjieff’s process-ori-
ented enneagram to look at differences in human tempera-
ment or personality. Nowadays, it’s Ichazo’s version of the
enneagram that’s the most well-known.
Actually, Ichazo didn’t just teach one enneagram, but
many. Which enneagram he taught depended one what as-
pect of human nature he wanted to emphasize. But there
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 
Why not instead use the enneagram to cultivate a
sense of inner wholeness and integrity? To see how seem-
ing limitations (our individual points of view) can instead
be viewed as areas of specialization when seen from the
perspective of wholeness?
If we look at each point of view as an area of special-
ization, then the enneagram subtypes become key to under-
standing the many faces of type. They also give clues we
can use to discover our dharma or purpose in life. I’ll talk
more about this later.
To recap, I see the enneagram in its ability to help us
see our true worth and relate to one another in an intelligent
way. Realizing who and what we really are is the chal-
lenge for the coming era. Focusing on what is false about
us doesn’t really help us see what is real. And it’s seeing
the real that gives us the courage to leap into the unknown.
My intention in writing this article is to share a vision of the
enneagram that I find both inspiring and evocative. This is
what I talk about in Part II of the paper.
are two of his enneagrams are now the best known: (a) the
enneagram of the emotional passions and (b) the enneagram
of the cognitive fixations.
One reason for the focus on these two particular ennea-
grams may be that they are the ones of most interest to one of
Ichazo’s most influential students, Dr. Claudio Naranjo.
In the 1970s, Naranjo was a student of Oscar Ichazo.
However, within a decade, he became an influential teacher
of the enneagram in his own right. Many of the people who
became later become prominent in the enneagram commu-
nity started out as Naranjo’s students.
Naranjo also wrote several books on the enneagram. All
of them focus primarily on the deficiency motivations (core
neuroses) associated with each enneagram type. Figure 3
summarizes the categories he developed for characterizing
the different types of psychological imbalance that can be
mapped to each enneagram type.
Naranjo goes into great depth in Character and Neuro-
sis and his other books to describe the personality disorders
associated with each point. But he provides little or no de-
scription of the balanced personality.
I didn’t understand why until it dawned on me that, un-
like James Hollis, Naranjo does not seem to believe that it’s
actually possible for the personality self to become balanced.
This is evident from many passages in his books.3
His philosophical perspective (which seem akin to that
of both Gurdjieff and Ichazo) is that personality is inherently

9 - over-adaptative
8 - anti-social /
sadistic
7 - hedonistic/
Personality
narcissistic
Disorders
by
Enneagram Type
6 - anxious
5 - schizoid/ 4 - depressive-
withdrawn
Figure 3. Naranjo’s Character (Personality)
Disorders by Enneagram Type.
flawed. While its flaws can be exposed and its limitations
can be transcended (via spiritual work), the ego-personality
self can never become a fully integrated and functional part
of the psyche.
If this were true, it would be rather discouraging news,
since most of us spend a lot of our waking hours function-
ing at the level of the ego-personality. Even spiritual mas-
ters can’t stay in meditation all the time—they still spend a
lot of time functioning in ordinary consciousness.
I don’t think that the ego-personality is by nature dis-
torted or wrong-headed. It’s simply limited. In order to
function properly, it has to know its own limits and look
beyond itself (to the larger psyche) for support and guid-
ance. It doesn’t have to disappear, it just has to come into
alignment with a deeper inner purpose.
If this kind of alignment is possible, then the personal-
ity healed of its wounds and stable in its foundation might
become the very vehicle by which to create a better life.
I find the idea that the personality self can be inte-
grated into the larger psyche tremendously encouraging.
It provides a real impetus to do the work that makes this
kind of integration possible.
But what kind of work is this? Is it the same for all
of us? I doubt it. I think the kind of work we need to do
must depend on the kind of person we are. And the kind of
person we are is revealed by our enneagram type.
However, it’s awfully hard to find an enneagram author
who focuses solely on the opportunities for integration at
each enneagram point of view. Kathleen Hurley and Ted
Dobson characterize the enneagram as a way of describing
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 
“nine compulsive ways of dealing with the world.”4 Sandra
Maitri speaks of humanity as “imprisoned in the labyrinth
of our own ego structures.”5 Don Riso and Russ Hudson
1 - obsessive-
compulsive say that the basic fear of each type is what set[s] in motion
the mechanism of personality.6 They describe the person-
ality self as “a collection of conditioned reactions, fears,
2 - histrionic and beliefs” that develops as the result of early loss and
conditioning.7
Descriptions like these are common. They imply that
our enneagram type depends entirely on the nature of the
conditioning received in childhood. This may be true, but
3 - “Type A” it’s not a foregone conclusion. It’s just as possible that type
overachieving
is innate (pre-personality). If type is innate, then the mo-
tivation it provides is not really personal, but comes from
masochistic
the deeper (or higher) psyche. This is a bit scary to contem-
plate, but it’s exciting, too.
I tend to regard enneagram type as innate. My training
as a cognitive psychologist tells me that although early con-
ditioning is extremely powerful, it can’t actually create basic
psychic structures such as the personality. It can only affect
the functionality of such structures.
The idea that type might be pre-personality doesn’t
seem to be discussed much in the enneagram community
(at least not in print). But A. H. Almaas surprised an audi-
ence at the 2005 International Enneagram Association by
casually mentioning that he sees type as innate. He said
that this is why type is with us for life—why it doesn’t go
away in response to the work we do on ourselves.
If our enneagram type is actually innate, then it has to
be something more than an ego defense mechanism. From
a systems perspective, it has to serve some purpose in sus-
taining the larger system that gives rise to it. It’s this real
purpose of the enneagram and the enneagram types that in-
terests me, not its ability to provide what Naranjo calls “an
organizing map for...[a] set of [character] pathologies.”8
The Received Wisdom about
the Energy Centers
Like the enneagram types, the energy centers are a central
concept in enneagram studies. They’re particularly relevant
to an understanding of the enneagr m subtype behaviors.
Gurdjieff’s concept of the energy centers. There are
various ways that Gurdjieff characterized the energy cen-
ters within human beings. One way was to divide each of
the three centers into three sections or levels (the intelli-
gent, the motivational, and the mechanical), and each of
these levels into two polarities (negative and positive). I
 Physical Emotional Mental
center center center

Higher Higher
Figure 4. Gurdjieff’s Three Energy Centers emotional mental
(at Three Levels and Two Polarities). center center

(Lower) Lower Lower

physical emotional mental
center center center
Physical Emotional Mental
center center center

Figure 5. Gurdjieff’s Three Centers Figure 6. Gurdjieff’s Two-tiered Version of the Three Centers.
(Showing the Three Sub-centers of the Physical Center).

used the colors in Figure 4 to depict these six qualities of
each center.
Another way was to characterize the physical center as
having three centers of its own: an instinctive or instinctual
center (in lavender), a sexual center (in orange), and a mov-
ing center (in yellow). See Figure 5.
A third way was to characterize the centers as higher
and lower manifestations of the energy in question. In this
case, the physical center is said to have only a “lower” form
while the emotional and mental centers are said to have
both a higher and lower form (see Figure 6). The lower
centers are those that we use to function in everyday life.
The higher centers are those that only become active as the
9
8 1
Body
Center
7 2
Heart
Head
Center
Center
6 3
5 4
Figure 7. The Three Enneagram Energy Centers.
result of inner work.
There are several other potential variations on this
theme. This is because Gurdjieff was a moving target; he
like to take his students by surprise, so he presented his
teachings in different ways at different times. However,
the scheme shown in Figure 6 is the one on which most
modern enneagram theorists base their ideas, as we’ll see
below.9
The Energy Centers of the Personality Enneagram.
There’s no indication that Gurdjieff ever taught anything
akin to the personality enneagram developed by Oscar
Ichazo. Gurdjieff’s enneagram was strictly process-oriented.
So Gurdjieff never created an illustration like Figure 7.
However, fifty years later, when Oscar Ichazo and his
successors began using Gurdjieff’s process-oriented ennea-
gram as a tool for looking at personality types, they com-
bined Gurdjieff’s theory of the centers with the personality
enneagram to develop a theory of personality that’s inti-
mately intertwined with Gurdjieff’s theory on the centers.10
Out of this perspective has come the idea that there are
nine personality types, each of which “belongs” to a certain
center. What this means is that each center is dominant for
three of the nine enneagram types.
The three points that make up each center are called
a triad:
• Points 8 9 1: The Body Center Triad. The energy
of these points is natural, unassuming, and unself-
conscious. People whose home base is at Points 8, 9,

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 

 Body Center
Head Center
Heart Center
Body Center 9 Body Center
Head Center Head Center Higher Higher
Heart Center 8 1 Heart Center emotional mental
center center
(Holy Virtues) (Holy Ideas)
Body Center Body Center
Head Center 7 2 Head Center
Heart Center Heart Center
(Lower) Lower Lower
Body Center Body Center physical emotional mental
Head Center 6 3 Head Center center center center
Heart Center Heart Center (subtype behaviors)
(passions) (fixations)
Body Center 5 Body Center
4
Head Center Head Center
Heart Center Heart Center

Figure 8. The Three Energy Centers at Each Enneagram Point. Figure 9. The Two-tiered Model of the Enneagram Energy Centers.

or 1 have the potential to be particularly attuned to
the wisdom of the body (to be aware of their “gut in-
stincts”) and to the natural rhythms of life.
• Points 2 3 4: The Heart Center Triad. The energy
of these points is feminine, emotional, and interper-
sonal. People whose home base is at Point 2, 3, or
4 have the potential to be particularly attuned to the
emotional states of others and the feeling dimension
of life.
• Points 5 6 7: The Head Center Triad. The energy
of these points is masculine, linear, and detached.
People whose home base is at Point 5, 6, or 7 have
the potential to be particularly aware of ideas and the
mental dimension of life.
At the same time that each point belongs to a given cen-
ter, each of these centers is paradoxically said to be within
each of us (as shown in Figure 8). However, the center
that’s home to our enneagram type tends to exert more in-
fluence than the other two centers. So if my type is Two,
Three, or Four, for example, although I’m subject to the
influence of all three centers, the heart center is likely to
be more influential than the other two centers.
How Gurdjieff’s Centers Show Up at Each Ennea-
gram Point. As I mentioned above, Gurdjieff sometimes
emphasized the difference between ordinary percep-
tion and subtle (expanded) perception by talking about
the energy centers as having higher and lower aspects.
However, as shown in Figure 6, he only attributed higher
aspects to two of the centers: the mental center and the
emotional center.11
When Oscar Ichazo and his successors developed the
personality enneagram, they favored this version of Gur-
djieff’s teachings as the cornerstone of their work. They
devised ways to characterize the properties of each point
by reference to five energy centers: the mental or head
center (higher and lower), the emotional or heart center
(higher and lower), and the physical or body center.12
For the head (mental) center at each point, the lower
aspect was termed a cognitive fixation and the higher as-
pect, a Holy Idea. For the heart (emotional) center at
each point, the lower aspect was termed a passion and
the higher aspect, a virtue.13 The body (physical) center
at each point was conceived to have only one level of
functioning, which is equivalent to the lower aspect of
the other two centers.
However, the body center was conceived to have
three sub-centers, and it’s these sub-centers that de-
scribe the three areas of life in which the body center
can be involved. The first area is self-care and personal
comfort. The second area is sexuality, transformation
and intimacy. The third area is social participation and
political organization.
For a given individual, one of these arenas of ac-
tivity is assumed to be more compelling than the other
two. This dominant arena is what determines a person’s
subtype. I discuss these in more detail below, but for
now it’s sufficient to note that the three colored circles in
the Figure 9 are the subtype arenas and that these circles

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 

 appetite union participation

satisfaction anxiety possession/ heat/jealousy friendship inadaptibility

surrender

family Self-preservation “me-first” suggestibility Sexual aggression/ sacrifice Social ambition

seduction
subtype subtype subtype

warmth security strength/ masculinity/ duty prestige

beauty famininity
refuge daultlessness confidence competition/hate totems shame

Figure 10. Traditional Labels for the 27 Subtypes.

roughly correspond to the three colored circles in the • Self-preservation subtype: here the focus is said to be
earlier Figures (5 and 6) that describe Gurdjieff’s physi- on satisfactory self-survival.
cal center. (I say “roughly,” because although only Gur-
• Sexuality or intimate subtype: here the focus is said to
djieff’s sexual center clearly matches the sexual subtype be on gaining satisfaction through intimate relationships.
and Gurdjieff’s instinctive center is a pretty good match
for the subtype that focuses on self-care, it’s harder to • Social subtype: here the focus is said to be on gaining
see the exact relationship between Gurdjieff’s moving satisfaction via group participation.
center and the social subtype, although it could be ar- I was also taught that enneagram subtypes, like enneagram
gued that the moving center is about moving outward types, are stable throughout life. And I was taught that the
into the social world.) enneagram subtypes describe a set of behaviors that reflects the
passions associated with each person’s enneagram type.
According to Helen Palmer, “the subtype focus of at-
The Received Wisdom about
tention is revealed by a behavior that is motivated by in-
the Enneagram & the Types
stinct dominated by the passion of type.”14 Sandra Maitri
For each enneagram type, I was taught that the three sub- echoes Palmer’s statements, saying that “the passion of our
types each represent a preoccupation of one of three areas ennea-type comes out most strongly in [the]…arena of life
of life: [that is our subtype],” attributing this definition to Clau-
dio Naranjo.15
SP=appetite
SX=union The subtype is determined by combining the enneagram
SOC=participation
type with the subtype arena. For each of the nine types, there
SP=satisfaction SP=anxiety
9 are three subtype arenas, so there are 27 subtypes in all. Fig-
SX=possession/ SX=heat/jealousy
surrender SOC=inadaptibility
SOC=friendship 8 1 ure 10 shows one common way of labelling the subtypes; the
same labels are shown from a point-oriented perspective in
Figure 11.16
SP=”me first”
SP=family 2 SX=aggression/ Both type and subtype are often said to be personality
7
SX=suggestibility
SOC=sacrifice
seduction structures that develop as a response to trauma during early
SOC=ambition
childhood. This view is, for example, reflected in Don Riso
& Russ Hudson’s assertion that “the Instinctual Variants [aka
SP=warmth 6 3 SP=security
SX=strength/beauty SX=masculinity/ instinctual subtypes] indicate which of our three basic in-
feminiity
S0C=duty
SOC=prestige stincts have been most distorted in childhood.”17
5 4 Thus, the enneagram subtypes are considered to be ma-
SP=refuge SP=dauntlessness
SX=confidence SX=competition/hate jor elements in the ego defense system described by the per-
SOC=totems SOC=shame sonality enneagram. So when we study both type and sub-
Figure 11. Traditional Subtype Descriptions by Enneagram Point. type, what we’re learning about are the workings of this ego

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 

defense system. The idea is that by learning how this defense
system works, we can begin to dismantle it (or perhaps allow it
to be dismantled).
Within this general framework, there are some differenc-
es of opinion about the nature of the subtypes. Helen Palmer
and David Daniels teach that subtypes are entirely a subset of
type, an idea that I believe originated with Ichazo and Naranjo.
However, Don Riso and Russ Hudson teach that subtypes are
a system in their own right. It’s for this reason that the two
viewpoints differ in their terminology; Palmer & Daniels refer
to the subtypes as instinctual subtypes while Riso & Hudson
call them instinctual variants.
Although Riso & Hudson make a plausible case for why
they think that subtypes are an independent way of looking at
human activity, their observations came long after the term sub-
Part II: An Alternative View of the
Enneagram Types, Centers, and Subtypes
At the 2005 Mindsight Symposium, organizer Dr. Dan
Siegel asked how many mental health care profession-
als in the audience had actually received training in
mental health (as opposed to mental illness). Only a
handful of people raised their hands. Siegel wondered
aloud how our culture is every going to discover the
roots of wellness if all of our attention is focused only
on illness.18
I wonder the same thing, but in the context of the
enneagram. How are we ever going to find our own
inner power and beauty if we place all our attention on
deficiency and neurosis?
It’s for this reason that I’ve spent that last several
years trying to come up with an alternative approach to
studying the enneagram. It hasn’t been easy, for sev-
eral reasons.
First, I didn’t initially have much direct experience
with the enneagram. All I had was my scientific train-
ing and a personal sense of “disconnect” when I read
the type descriptions in books or listened to the mate-
rial presented in workshops. I sensed that something
wasn’t quite right, but couldn’t figure out what it was.
Second, I needed to educate myself in areas such
as field theory, chaos theory, and transpersonal psy-
chology in order to articulate an alternative vision.
Third, the underlying assumptions that gave rise to
the material presented were not clearly spelled out any-
where. They seemed to be such “givens” that there was
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 
type was firmly established. That’s one reason I refer to the
subtypes in this article. It’s simply more familiar to people in
the enneagram community.
Whatever their differences, both positions have in common
the idea that subtypes are instinctual in nature—that they arise
in the physical (body) center. They also share the view that
the subtypes operate in concert with the emotional passions
and the cognitive fixations. This is significant, because it
means that the subtypes have no existence independent of
the complex of attitudes and behaviors that we associate
with an unbalanced personality.
I find this view of the subtypes hard to accept. In Part
II, I talk in greater detail about the reasons why and delin-
eate an alternative theory about the nature of the enneagram
types, centers, and subtypes.
apparently no need to delineate them in detail. This
may have been because Ichazo’s original Arica teach-
ings on the enneagram were said to be revealed to him
in a meditative state. From what I can determine, the
teachings on the enneagram were imparted as esoterica
that was not to be shared with the uninitiated. The only
reason we know about them at all is because the knowl-
edge somehow “leaked” out. In this sort of situation,
detailed information can be hard to come by.
Below I explain what I worked out for myself
about the types, the centers, and the subtypes. I espe-
cially focus on the enneagram subtypes, because I see
the subtypes as archetypal keys that can help us discover
our purpose in life. I also share some of the fun and
creative ways I discovered to work with the subtypes.
The Enneagram Types
What are the enneagram types? As I mentioned above,
they’re usually described as nine ego-personality types. Type
descriptions most often read like ego defense strategies.
However, if we don’t confine the enneagram to the level
of personality, this allows us to imagine other ways of see-
ing the types. One approach is to think of them simply as
motivation types.
When we see them this way, the term type becomes am-
biguous. It can be taken to mean either a type of person or a
type of motivation. In the latter case, it’s possible to look at
motivation from a transpersonal point of view.
Speaking about motivation from a transpersonal point
of view means seeing motivation as something that can exist
independently of personality. This may be hard for many
of us to imagine. How is it possible to talk about motiva-
tion without talking about personality? Motivation is usually
considered to be a personality attribute, so it may be hard to
imagine it in any other way.19
However, from the perspective of systems theory,
transpersonal psychology, or field theory, it’s definitely pos-
sible to conceive of motivation as existing independently
of the human personality. From this perspective, even pro-
cesses and inanimate objects can have a purpose. As one
of the developers of the helicopter, Arthur Young, observes,
“There never was a machine that did not have a purpose.
And there is perhaps no purpose that does not require a ma-
chine, whether a human body or some other kind of machine,
to achieve it.”20
Young is obviously speaking of purpose in a transper-
sonal sense here. What he seems to be hinting at is the idea
that life itself is filled with a purposeful intelligence, and that
human beings are one of the vehicles through which the goals
of this intelligence are achieved. From the human point of
view, the purposeful intelligence would seem to be our own
personal property. But if we reflect deeply on nature of this
intelligence and its deeply compelling nature, it’s not hard to
imagine that its origins lie beyond the personality self.21
If we think of life itself as purposefully intelligent, then
it makes sense that this intelligence can be differentiated (that
it can take many forms). At the point that this intelligence
becomes differentiated, its loses its 360 degree perspective
and becomes narrowed in scope. But it also becomes more
pointed in focus. What represents a loss in one arena repre-
sents a gain in another.
The differentiation process is open-ended and can con-
tinue indefinitely. What’s relevant to us as human beings is
how this differentiation is reflected on the level of the human
psyche. The enneagram provides a tool designed to do just
that. It shows us nine ways of being in the world based on
nine varieties of motivated intelligence. Determining which
of the nine energies most motivates us is how we discover
our enneagram type or point of view.
From a transpersonal point of view, each enneagram
point can be said to represent an archetypal energy source.
The energy of the point provides us with the energy we need
to operate in the physical world; we in turn provide it with a
physical vehicle that’s able to ground its energy on the physi-
cal plane of existence.
When it works the way it’s supposed to, there’s a Fig-
ure-8 flow between the archetypal and physical planes. Each
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 
nourishes the other. The finer energies of the archetypal
world imbue life on earth with a sense of joy and magic;
these are the energies that touch our hearts and inspire our
actions. When we’re part of that flow, life seems really alive;
we feel its rhythms and sense its fullness.
Our openness to these energies enables us to bring some-
thing into life that’s needed on this level of existence—what
we bring is not just for ourselves, but for life in a broader
sense. We may never fully understand why our role mat-
ters, but just knowing that it does matter (and that we mat-
ter)—can bring a degree of inner contentment that makes the
cares of life easier to bear.
The energy of our enneagram point is what makes our
participation in life possible. So it’s very precious. It’s the
energy of our point that obscures some elements of life so
that others can more fully unfold. The fact that it’s limited
means that we’ll notice some things and not others—that
we’ll be drawn strongly in some directions and away from
other directions. It also guarantees that we’ll never be able
to develop a personality self that’s perfectible on the physical
level of reality.
And therein lies the rub. In Western culture, we totally
inflate the importance of the personality while at the same
time hating its lack of perfection. No matter how much we
polish it up or cover it over, the human personality always
remains something of an embarrassing albatross around our
necks. Even people with the most refined personalities can
find themselves in situations where they feel like idiots.
Because the personality self is not perfectible in a
mechanical sense, we automatically assume there must be
something wrong with it. It never occurs to us that the per-
sonality might be made the way it is on purpose. Or more
precisely, to serve some purpose. It never occurs to us that
the kind of perfection we seek may not really be what we
need to respond to the changing conditions that are the only
constant in life.
Suppose that the crazy, biased, foolish personality self
is just the kind of structure we need for dealing with the cra-
zy, biased, foolish world we live in? Suppose that getting
balanced has more to do with accepting and integrating the
crazy parts of ourselves than with trying to disown or over-
civilize them?
We may think that embracing the chaotic or unattract-
ive aspects of the psyche is dangerous, but I suspect it’s not
nearly so dangerous as disowning them.22
Granted, it’s not always easy to see the personality in a
positive light. It seems to be the cause of so many problems.
Psychologists see it as the source of psychological disorders.
Religious leaders see it as the impetus for immoral acts.
Spiritual practitioners see it as a barrier that keeps them from
experiencing states of higher consciousness.
 These sorts of criticisms make the personality the “bad
actor” that needs to be reformed. But the very act of sin-
gling it out in this way divides the psyche, causing further
problems. What we need is a way of focusing on personality
from a different perspective.
I think that systems theory offers that kind of perspec-
tive. Systems theory looks at systems as living organisms
composed of many parts. The working assumption is that
systems function optimally when there’s harmony among all
of its individual elements.
One reason I like systems theory is that systems theo-
rists tend to be a fairly optimistic lot. When they’re trying to
understand a system, they start by assuming that the system
exists for a purpose. They also assume that all of the parts
of the system have a contribution to make to the system as
a whole. A lot of their work focuses on discovering which
parts of the system are working really well, so that they can
use this as a foundation from which the entire system can
benefit.
If we apply systems thinking to the psyche, then we can
conceptualize the psyche as a both as a total system and as
a collection of individual elements, one of which is the ego-
personality self. If the personality is part of the psyche, then
we have to assume that is has a valid and useful purpose,
even if we might not always understand exactly what it is.
But if we approach the study of personality with curiosity
and openness, we might learn something new about it.23
I see the enneagram as a great tool for studying the
psyche from a systems perspective. The enneagram itself vi-
sually depicts an open system. The circle shows us the sys-
tem as a whole. Each point shows us a major organ within
the system. And the inner lines show us the flow of energy
between the various organs.
So the enneagram gives us a matrix for understanding
the psyche from many perspectives and on many levels.
I find this way of working with the enneagram fun and
exciting. It’s broad, because it enables me to look at type
from a transpersonal and systemic perspective. It’s deep,
because it relies on the insights of depth psychologies put
forth by people like Carl Jung and James Hillman. It’s op-
timistic, because it’s based on the idea that life is intelligent
and that the enneagram types reflect the diversity of that in-
telligence.
The Energy Centers
If you recall from our earlier discussion, Gurdjieff had a
number of different ways that he talked about the energy
centers (see Figures 3 - 5).
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 10
Only one of these (Figure 5) was adopted as the prima-
ry model for the personality enneagram. This is the model
that divides the emotional and mental centers into higher
and lower versions and positions the physical center (which
is said to have no higher center) at the same level as the
lower versions of the other two centers.
It’s my impression that Gurdjieff’s purpose in dividing
the centers into lower and higher versions was to contrast
ordinary perception (which takes place in the lower centers)
with extraordinary or subtle perception (which takes place
in the higher centers). And for that purpose, this kind of
model makes sense.
But when the teachings of the personality enneagram
were developed, somehow the lower center came to be as-
sociated not just with ordinary perception, but with distorted
or imbalanced perception. I don’t know the reason for this,
although I do know that Gurdjieff wasn’t exactly a big fan of
ordinary human nature, so the tone of his writings may have
led those who followed him to assume that ordinary percep-
tion must be equivalent to distorted perception.
Whatever the reason, this assumption that “limitation =
distortion” came to be embedded in the basic teachings on
the personality enneagram. When coupled with the idea
that the body is inherently limited (because there’s no higher
center), this approach invites us to suppose that anything as-
sociated with the body must be debased.
This sounds suspiciously like the old and familiar be-
lief that the body is a source of impure desire and is noth-
ing more than a necessary evil. This belief has deep roots
in Western culture, going back many centuries. Although
most people no longer consciously embrace this idea that
the body is evil, on a subconscious level we’re still suscep-
tible to the pull of the old ways. I think this is why it’s been
so easy to accept the idea that the body center is inherently
“lower” in nature.24
Whenever we divide things into higher vs. lower as-
pects, it’s always tempting to regard the lower aspects as
lesser aspects. That’s why I’d really like to scrap the whole
idea of talking about higher and lower centers in favor of
talking about centers—period. But if we’re going to retain
the “higher vs. lower” distinction, then it’s critical that we
at least modify our ideas to allow for the possibility that
the lower centers can operate in a balanced and integrated
manner.
Gurdjieff gives us a precedent for this kind of approach
by talking about three levels within each of the lower cen-
ters: the intelligent, the motivational, and the mechanical
(see Figure 4). Since he uses the word “intelligent,” I can
only assume he means something that arises out of a bal-
anced or attuned perspective. If this is true, then it means
 Higher Higher
emotional mental
center center
(Holy Virtues) (Holy Ideas)
(Lower) Lower Lower
physical emotional mental
center center center
(subtype behaviors)
(passions) (fixations)
Figure 12. The Enneagram Energy Centers from Two Perspectives. The figure on the LEFT represents the traditional view of the enneagram energy
centers (and corresponds exactly to Figure 9). The figure on the RIGHT represents a non-traditional view of the enneagram energy centers that focuses
entirely on ordinary consciousness and makes provision for the existence of non-distorted modes of thinking, feeling, and behaving at this level of aware-
ness.
that Gurdjieff formally acknowledged that ordinary percep-
tion doesn’t necessarily imply distorted or imbalanced per-
ception.
If we want to create a model to show what this would
look like, we could divide each of the lower centers into
higher and lower levels and designate these levels as a way
to distinguish attuned from unattuned activity (whether
physical, emotional, or mental).
Figure 12 shows us such a model. In this figure, the
states of exalted consciousness are grayed out, because
they’re not our main focus. The three circles that remain
represent states of ordinary consciousness. Each circle is di-
vided in two. The bottom half of the circle represents func-
tioning which is less balanced and the top half represents
functioning which is more balanced. So on the bottom half,
we see unattuned action, reactive emotions (passions), and
rigid thinking (fixations). On the top half, we see attuned
action, responsive emotions, and flexible thinking.
In this figure, the term subtype behaviors no longer ap-
pears in the physical center. This is because I conceive of
subtype behaviors as behavioral profiles that can be either
attuned or unattuned in nature. So they can belong to either
half of the circle. This is symbolized by the presence of
three colored arenas in both halves of the whole.
A model like this has a number of advantages. First, it
doesn’t assume that ordinary consciousness equals distorted
consciousness. Second, it shows us ways that higher con-
sciousness can be manifest right here in ordinary life, in our
acts, emotions, and thoughts. Third, it restores the physical
center to a place of honor. The physical center is the center
that directs things on the physical level of reality, so by hon-
oring the physical center, we honor the things that happen in
our daily lives.
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 11
Higher Higher
emotional mental
center center
(Holy Virtues) (Holy Ideas)
attuned responsive flexible
action emotions thinking
Physical Emotional Mental
center center center
unattuned reactive emotions rigid thinking
action (passions) (fixations)
Focusing on ordinary activities is especially relevant
for our study of subtypes, because the subtype reflects the
way that type energy comes into play in a given arena of
daily life. If we assume that life is intelligent, then there
has to be some reason that life exists on this physical level
of reality. This is the place where we live. Both the body
and the personality self are the vehicles we need to func-
tion here. If we think of them as sinful, embarrassing, or
pathological, we negate the value of our ordinary lives and
cut ourselves off from our own inner wisdom. We split the
psyche in two, and then seek to eradicate the lower half (on
the grounds that it’s inferior).
The word inferior usually has a derogatory meaning.
However, in his theory of personality types, Carl Jung uses
this word in quite a different sense. When he speaks of the
inferior function of the personality, he’s not making a nega-
tive evaluation, he’s just referring to the least developed of
the four functions that make up the personality self. Accord-
ing to Jung, it’s this fourth inferior function that holds all
the unlovable “shadow” material that’s been rejected by the
rest of the psyche as undesirable. It’s also the function that
most needs our love and support. By valuing what it has to
teach us, we transform its prima materia into real gold.
This is yet another reason for getting rid of the dividing
line between the higher and lower parts of the ordinary cen-
ters. For if we choose to separate the centers into two parts,
the bottom half is likely to contain the shadow material that
we need for transformation.
Figure 13 shows the model I like the most. It consists
of three yin-yang circles that correspond to the three cen-
ters. Each contains the three subtype arena circles, as well,
because I have a hard time seeing the subtypes as the func-
tion of a single center. Subtype behaviors may be physi-
cal in manifestation, but nothing ever
comes into manifestation without first
existing as an idea or being energized
by emotion. Everything that exists in
the physical realm also exists in some
form on other levels. As Buddhist psy-
chotherapist Mark Epstein notes, “Ev-
erything is instinct, but everything is
qualities with which we can personally
Physical identify, they are bigger than the per-
sonality. They have a larger-than-life
quality that tends to take us beyond the
personality self, if we only allow it.
One reason I saw the types as ar-
chetypes is that, although each type
motivation is unique and distinctive,

al
also spirit.”25 it’s not unidimensional. It’s multidi-

Men

ion
I’m not claiming that this yin-yang mensional. It arises at a level that is

ta

ot
model is better or more accurate than Em beyond the personality level. That’s

l
any other, only that it’s useful for look- why we can’t describe each type with a
ing at the enneagram from a systems single word or phrase. We can experi-
Figure 13.
perspective. I find it useful for three Holistic Model of the Energy Centers. ence the energy of each type (for ex-
reasons. First, it shows the polarity of ample, by watching or participating in a
energies that exist within each center in a way that makes type panel),27 but whenever we try to pin a label on the type,
no positive or negative value judgments about either polar- we’re like the blind men trying to identify the elephant by
ity. Second, it shows the three centers as working together pointing to one of its parts. Whatever label we choose will
to form an integrated whole. Third, it shows the colored be insufficient. It will not fully encompass the energy of
circles that represent each subtype behavior as existing in all the type.
three of the energy centers, not just the physical center. That’s what lead me to start looking at each type or
The model in the previous figure (Figure 12) is also point as a family of related energies that cluster around a
useful, but it’s still dualistic. It still divides the centers into motivational core. I’m interested in the core, but I’m also
hierarchical compartments and places a higher value on one interested in all the different forms that this core energy can
level than the other. take in daily life.
Models that are dualistic make sense to us, because I sensed that the only way I could get in touch with
we’re used to them But as the authors of Seven Lesson of my innate wholeness is by seeing the diverse ways that this
Chaos have observed, “our fixation on dualities causes us to wholeness can find expression in ordinary life. Most of the
obscure what is really going on.”26 time, my actual experience is that of diversity. But if I can
“What is really going on” is much more dynamic than see the relationship between the diversity and some larger
our fixed categories can account for. That’s why it’s not principle, I no longer lose myself in the diversity. I no lon-
particularly useful to categorize traits as good or bad with- ger feel separated from life or from other people.
out regard to context. It was this desire to experience wholeness that lead me
In systems theory, context is key. The focus is on the to study the enneagram subtypes. I saw in the subtypes a
dynamic relationship between an individual and their envi-
useful matrix for looking at how type shows up both in real
ronment. Keeping the focus on interaction helps us to culti-
life (in the roles we play in our families, with our friends,
vate the kind of “in the moment” awareness that we need to at work, and in public) and in the world of our imagination
act appropriately, according to our individual nature. (as archetypal figures, dramatic personas, and the stories
we tell ourselves about our lives). Looking at these inner
personae and each of their stories became a way for me to
The Enneagram Subtypes see how they’re all expressions of the same core motiva-
tion.28
The material in the preceding sections is designed to pro- But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Before we can
vide a framework for the main topic of discussion: the en- really talk about the subtypes, we need to define our terms
neagram subtypes. The subtypes are typically presented and look at our operating assumptions.
as prototypical patterns of behavior that arise in response I want to start by distinguishing three concepts: sub-
to the needs of the personality. But from the beginning, types, subtype arenas, and subtype behaviors. These all
I never saw them that way. Instead, I saw both the types sound like the same thing, but they’re not. The subtype
and subtypes as archetypes. Although archetypes possess arenas are the three domains in which we act:

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 12


Table A-1. TRADITIONAL SUBTYPE PROFILES
Self-preservation
Pioneer (anxiety): May appear either high-strung or very
controlled. Whatever the appearance, the tendency is to impose
PT order on the physical environment. Love isn’t given, it has to be
1 earned. Very hard workers, but can resent the carefree. Tends
to be the lookout for hidden threats, slights, injustices. Archetype
for early pilgrims & puritans.
Nurturer: (“me first”/privilege): Want to take care of everyone
but thus feel entitled to be noticed, to get special treatment or
PT privileges. Get hurt, and possibly resentful, if they don’t get it.
2 Focus on home & hearth, food for others, nursing & nurturing.
Ashamed to directly ask for help because this puts them in a
“one-down” position.. Ethnic mother archetype.
PT
Company Man (security): Happiness comes from financial
success & material security.. Identify with company (or family for
3 moms). Job security & earning power = security. Relationships
often take a back seat. Super-moms, workaholics.
Creative Individualist (dauntless /reckless): Survival is
viewed as more symbolic than literal. What’s key is surviving
& transmuting the pain of “something missing” into creative ex-
PT pression, often via self-abandonment. Are tenacious & self-con-
4 tained but not materialistic. Emotional sensitivity hidden behind
a practical manner. Accent on creativity in home & garden. Don
Quixote, artisans, poets.
PT
5
Castle Defender (home): Focus is on a safe physical space
(symbolic of inner safety), a home, hideout, retreat. Can wander
& travel, but the focus is on safety, via walls or anonymity. Tend
to be fairly ascetic except with things they especially value (high
tech stuff, books, etc.)
Family loyalist (warmth): Creating a warm, welcoming home
life is the focus; They show love to secure love—seek affection
PT (or rejection—CF) from others in order to feel safe. Belonging
6 & maintaining closeness are critical; warmth is used to ensure
continued bonding.
Gourmand / Family Visionary (family): Family life is ideal-
ized to create an environment that is stimulating, enthusiastic,
PT pleasurable, body-oriented (gourmet or health food focused), or
7 visionary (e.g., utopian, as in a commune or extended family).
Like the “good life”, to stay busy with fun home activities, not to
slow down or get bogged down with routine chores.
Survivalist (satisfactory survival): Satisfying needs of self &
family is paramount. Very focused on physical preparedness.
PT
May to go to any length to ensure physical survival & material
8 well-being—storing food, supplies, securing the perimeter, etc.
Very territorial about their home & possessions. Can easily
overdo it.
The Collector (appetite): Very common type everywhere
around the world because the focus is on seeking fulfillment of
basic needs: for food, stuff, retention for survival. Appetite is
PT key here, not only for food, but for all kinds of material comforts
& possessions, especially small personal items. There tends to
9 a professional identity helps structure their life. Can dominate or be
be lots of stuff everywhere, as things are collected for potential
use. This type can be organized or disorganized.
Figure 14 . Subtypes vs. Subtype Arenas. The three royal blue column
headers represent the three subtype arenas. Combining the three subtype
arenas with the nine enneagram types (in orange) yields 27 subtype de-
scriptions (light blue.).
• Arena of the self: individual self-sufficiency, self-care &
personhood
• Arena of intimacy: sexuality, creativity & transformation
• Arena of community: sociability, participation & social
responsibility29
When we combine the three arenas with each of the nine
enneagram types, we get the actual subtypes, e.g., Sexual
3, Social 5, etc. These are often given descriptive labels to
make them more memorable. There are just three subtype
arenas, but there are 27 enneagram subtypes (9 types x 3
arenas). The subtype behaviors are habit patterns that tend to
go along with each of the subtypes. They’re like profiles that
help flesh out the nature of the subtype.
The difference between type, subtype, subtype arena,
and subtype behaviors is illustrated by Figure 14, which is
a miniature version of one of the tables describing the sub-
types at the end of this article. The figure legend describes
the difference between types, subtype arenas, and subtypes.
Earlier, I discussed the way that the subtypes are viewed
by many people in the enneagram community. There are
three assertions often made about the subtypes:
Sexual
The Evangelist (jealousy or heat): Personal intensity plus strict
self control = heat. Often channeled into “safe” passions (eg reli-
gion = zeal). Insecure; look for imagined rejection or can become
obsessive jealousy in a partnership. Outbursts possible when pres-
sure builds. Perfect relationship sought, anger erupts if it doesn’t
happen. Wants ALL the other’s’ attn. Challenge is to reconcile
sexuality w/morality.
The Lover (seduction or aggression): Highly focused on others
& tend to produce a reaction, pos. or neg. Determined to win over
the person “targeted” by whatever means. Can be aggressive, but
often want the chase more than catch; can fear real intimacy. Can
also shape shift, losing themselves in the other. With growth, may
try to hold back, thus alternating between approaching & retreating.
Movie Star (masculinity/femininity): Focus on success via
personal (sexual) attractiveness, charisma, radiance, cheerfulness.
Can “perform” for many or for just one partner. Seek approval
in 121 relationships but afraid of rejection when someone “sees
through the act”; can easily lose themselves in their image.
Dramatic Person (competitive): Charismatic, high strung, com-
petitive but sensitive & permeable. Can fight for what they want
but also long for approval; need good boundaries to avoid getting
hurt, reactive or overwhelmed. Often elicit love/hate reactions.
Cultivating generosity toward self & others helps lessen the need to
compete or upstage. Tend toward theatricality; many actors & fash-
ion models are this type. Relationships generate high expectations;
disappointment often follows.
Secret Agent (confidentiality): Security in relationship gained by
exchanged confidential secrets. May seem mysterious or compel-
ling; can draw special others into their inner sanctum. There may
be a big rift between sexual self & outer self. May be true monas-
tics if focus is spiritual. Tend to compartmentalize relationships.
Warrior (strength/beauty): 6 tries to live up to ideal of strength
or beauty; CF is always strength-focused. Dangerous impulsivity
or risk taking possible; also ideological rigidity, avoidance of feel-
ings/doubt/worry. Jim Jones. Beauty: Idealization of beauty used
to overcome fear; partner idealized via positive mental projections
(vs. 4)
Adventurer (suggestibility): Charming, risk taking, adventurous.
Experience overdone due to extreme expansiveness & mental
fascination/ imagination. Suggestibility comes from tendency to
merge with others’ plans, ideas, fantasies; can get carried away by
fantasies of love or unwittingly inflict hurt as “dance away lovers”,
but find commitment difficult. Love of intense experiences can mean
addiction. Flower children, roll & rollers.
Monarch (dominance/submission): Focus is on desire to pen-
etrate & dominate, but also possibly surrender, to partner—if trust
is present. Possessor can be unintentionally possessed if attention
is too dominated by the need for control. Can be most attuned
to life force, to energy in all living creatures. Magnetic hypnotists
(Gurdjieff).
Seeker (union): Desire for union makes them open but vulner-
able. Weak personal boundaries can mean promiscuity, dispersion,
indiscriminate “urge to merge”, vulnerability to suggestion from
unsavory types. Easily overwhelmed or carried away; establishing
dominated by partners (more often the latter); tend to accede to the
other’s wishes. Can be like a “blank screen” in 121, but can also
bring a quality of unconditional love & sacredness.
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 13
1. The subtypes are instinctual in nature.
2. The subtypes reflect the passion of the type.
Social 3. The subtypes are the result of wounds received in
early childhood.
Social Reformer (inadaptability): Stiff, rigid, upright in stance.
Want a secure social role & clear set of rules. Tend to thing there’s
“one right way” for everyone; can be reactive & intolerant of
lifestyles they don’t approve of. On own turf, may be gregarious
& comfortable. Can be social registrars, hosts, arbiters of what’s
socially correct, but also overly conforming. May snipe at those
I’d like to discuss each of these assumptions in turn.
who fail to measure up.
Ambassador (ambition): Self-esteem is earned by getting
social approval in the group, being recognized as special, being
indispensable to the right people. Public image is what counts,
but often content to be the power behind the scenes. Welcome
compliments; find it very hard to tolerate feeling they are being
taken for granted.
Politician (prestige): High-profile public image & social status
brings recognition & the sense of “being somebody.” Like to play
Are the subtypes instinctual in nature? The subtypes are
usually formally referred to either as instinctual subtypes or
a public role, take the lead in social groups, look the part they’re
playing. Want to be the leader, not help the leader (unlike 2s). Dis-
like being upstaged; are secretly hurt by it but don’t let on.
instinctual variants. What both terms have in common is
Critical Commentator (shame/honor): Social acceptance or
recognition brings honor & meaning; not belonging brings shame.
The tension between needing to be socially correct & personally
authentic > an aura of reserve. Need to “speak their truth”—are of-
the word instinctual. So obviously many people in the field
ten the emotional truth-tellers in a group. But critical like 1s; must
learn not to pressure themselves too much to be authentic & also
not to be too critical or demand too much emotional intensity.
Professor (totems/cultural symbols): Focus of understanding
& interpretation of sacred symbols, systems, philosophy, religion,
science, mathematics. Magic of the written word means lots of
regard the subtypes as instinctual in nature.
But are the subtype behaviors truly instinctual? What
files & books. Avarice is for whatever kinds of learning & presenta-
tions that bring social standing & the respect of others.
Social Guardian (duty): Fear dispelled & security enhanced by
does it mean to call them instinctual? Often, the word in-
knowing & following group rules , upholding social authority, dutiful
commitment to cherished groups & causes. Can have trouble
realizing others may have different rules; also can feel burdened,
unappreciated, etc. CF—can rebel against the same.
stinctual implies something primitive or primal in nature—
Utopian Visionary (sacrifice): “Feast of life” here is of ideas &
social visions.; they are resolute idealists who will place limits on
something that’s closely associated with the animal or “low-
themselves for the cause; this is a sacrifice for freedom-loving 7s.
But the plans & visions can be compelling, grandiose, addictive
(gluttonous); grounding may be needed. Extremism & entitlement
are possible. More detached, rational, impersonal than other 7s; “I
er” aspect of human nature. On the other hand, instinctual
network, therefore, I am”
Group Leader (friendship): Can be both social & anti-social.
Friendship & social justice are key, but can be excessive; then
could just refer to refer to anything associated with the physi-
personal needs get ignored. Seen as more moderate than other
8s because of an interest in social acceptance. Can overextend
themselves in social activities, partying, etc. Not tolerant of
betrayers.
Community Benefactor (participation): Energized by the op-
portunity to belong, participate, be included but like to stay out of
cal (instinctual) center. This use of the term is broader and
more value-neutral.
the limelight, not to commit 100% (“to participate or not to partici-
pate—that is the question”). Willing to work for group harmony
but tend to lose themselves in the energy of the group, to merge
with it, instead of doing personal inner work. Formal groups are
Since the subtype behaviors are physical patterns of ac-
preferred, because known rules can be followed to overcome the
insecurity of feeling they don’t belong.
tivity, I would have to agree that they’re activated by the
physical or instinctual center. I would also agree with the
idea that subtype behaviors are influenced by body-based
motivations, such as the desire to feel physically comfort-
able, sexually stimulated, or socially integrated. I can also
see that body-based motivations can at times be very com-
pelling, which is why we call them drives.
But I don’t see physical activity as motivated exclu-
sively by the instincts, as I mentioned earlier. It makes more
sense to me that all three centers play a role in influencing
what we call subtype behaviors.
Notice, by the way, that I’ve been talking so far about
subtype behaviors, not the subtypes themselves. As I already
mentioned, I consider the subtypes to be basically archetypal
in nature. As such, they can’t be instinctual.
My sense is that the subtypes exist as relatively stable
but non-physical energy patterns. They exert a powerful
but unseen effect on our behavior. What we call subtype
behaviors are a direct reflection of these unseen archetypal
patterns.
The energy pattern of each subtype influences all three
centers, but it’s not until this effect becomes physically man-
ifest that it has a noticeable impact. That’s why it looks like
its motivated by the instinctual or physical center. But it’s
just as reasonable to think of physical center as a necessary
but not sufficient cause of subtype behaviors.
I don’t find it particularly useful to talk about instinc-
tual subtypes, because this places too much emphasis on the
physical end product and not enough on the motivational pro-
cess underlying it. That’s why I prefer simply to talk about
subtypes (dropping the adjective instinctual). This leaves
me free to explore the subtypes on various levels. Not only
can I look at the behaviors themselves, but also at the stories,
themes, and characters that give rise to them.
What is the “passion of type” and how do the subtypes
reflect it? The “passion of type” is Helen Palmer’s phrase
(although I don’t know whether she’s really the one who
originally coined it). I had a hard time understanding what it
meant until I read a passage in Sandra Maitri’s book. Maitri
says that it’s her understanding that the passions are equiva-
lent to preoccupations. So the subtypes indicate a preoccu-
pations with a given area of life. The type would influence
the nature of the preoccupation.
This sounds sensible to me, except for the fact the word
passion has a negative connotation in the culture of the en-
neagram. It’s viewed as the emotional equivalent of fixa-
tion. From this viewpoint, passion or emotional preoccu-
pation cannot be the result of a deep upwelling of innate
feeling that arises at the level of the soul. It can only be the
product of unrefined instinctual urges.
Before I started studying the enneagram, I rather liked
the word passion. To me, it evoked the image of a deeply
inspired intention or vision. It still does. That’s why I puz-
zle about the reasons that passion is regarded with such dis-
trust. Passion is the engine that makes things happen. It’s
the motivating energy that gets us involved in life. Without
it, how would we ever grow or change? How would we
have the incentive to do anything new?
I do understand that passion is not always pleasant or
easy to deal with. Passion is full of feeling. It’s a powerful
force. When it moves within us, it can potentially create
imbalance if we lack the discrimination or strength needed
to channel it.
But the force of our passion is something we can learn
to work with. It’s not the enemy, it’s just a psychic force
that requires integration. Once passion becomes integrated,
we can afford to allow it to influence us without fearing that
it will destroy our lives or those of the people we love.
It’s true that this kind of integration isn’t exactly au-
tomatic. For most of us, it seems to take a fair amount of
time and patience to integrate the passionate elements of
the psyche.
During the period when we’re still “practicing,” the
arising of passion can create a feeling of extreme vulner-
ability. Suddenly, we find that we feel very strongly about
something or someone. This feeling cuts across our best-
laid plans and firmest intentions. What is going on? Are
we feeling the promptings of an inspired intention or an
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 14
unconscious obsession?
We want to know before acting, because we don’t want
to make mistakes. We don’t want to experience the conse-
quences of making a wrong decision. We’re afraid of the
suffering this can bring.
But part of the integration process seems to depend
upon our willingness to fully engage with our passions.
From a certain perspective, it seems to matter less whether
we succeed or fail than that we manage to really get in touch
with the energy that’s manifesting. This energy always rep-
resents some sort of opportunity for growth, and if we turn
away from it because of fear, we turn away from life. We
cut ourselves off from the energy we need to grow.
With this in mind, I can fully embrace the idea that our
subtype reflects the passion of our type. But this is because
I see passion in such a positive light.
Are the subtypes the result of early childhood wounding?
I don’t see that we develop a preference for a given subtype
arena in response to any sort of psychological conditioning.
The idea that we do is based on the idea that early nurtur-
ing is what determines our personality (and hence both our
type and subtype). Although this view is common, it’s not
universal.30 And it’s not a view I personally embrace.
I think of both type and subtype as basically innate. I
think that the basic structure of our subtype exists at birth,
although it’s initially undeveloped. We could think of it as
an energy potential waiting to be developed or envision it as
an empty vessel, waiting to be filled. How we “grow into”
our subtype depends on many things, including the kind of
experiences we have when we’re very young.
But it also depends on how we respond to those expe-
riences. The idea that babies are a blank slate which can
be easily conditioned is not true. Recent research on infant
cognition demonstrates that even very young infants already
have a great deal of individuality. They have preferences,
they make choices, and they actively engage with their en-
vironment in unique ways.
The way I look at it, from the moment we’re born, we’re
individuals. There’s a unique pattern to us that’s bigger than
our personality self which is actively involved in shaping
our destiny. This pattern is active in shaping how we act
and how we react to what’s happening around us. However,
it’s also affecting the way that other people react to us.
The subtype arenas give us a way to look at these innate
patterns of individuality. Because they look at enneagram
type in context, they can offer a way to significantly refine
our understanding of individuality .
I wouldn’t deny that the things that happen to us in
early life, both positive and negative, have a significant ef-
 An Optimist’s Approach
SP=Lover of Simple Living
to Presenting the Subtypes
SX=Introspective Seeker
SOC=Community Facilitator In January 2006, I launched a web site that reflects many of
SP=Pacific Provider 9
SX=Chivalrous Protector
SP=Patient Homebuilder the ideas I’m presenting here (http://www.enneagramdimensions.
SX=Dispassionate Refiner
SOC=Personal Exemplar 8 1
SOC=Serene Advocate net). The web site is about working with the enneagram in a
way that’s more positive than negative. In brief, I describe
SP=Unassuming Nurturer
SP=Family Visionary
7 2
SX=Attentive Lover
the approach as exploratory, systems-oriented, narrative,
SX=Joyful Intimate
SOC=Social Change SOC=Community Server and humorous. My work with the subtypes is based on the
Artist
same kind of approach.
SP=Family Supporter 6 3 SP=High-energy Multitasker For me, though, working with the subtypes has never
SX=Faithful Companion SX=Attractive Aspirant
S0C=Social Conservationist SOC=Cooperative Leader really been a subset of working with the enneagram. It’s
5
SP=Calm Introspector
4
SP=Imaginative Originator
been the primary focus. There are several reasons for this.
SX=Focused Confidant SX=Intuitive Dramatizer One reason is that the subtypes are more specific than the
SOC=Transpersonal Guide SOC=Gentle Truth-teller
types, so working with them refines my understanding of
the type. Another reason is that the subtypes are action-
oriented: they reveal ways that type motivations are likely
Figure 15. Transformed Subtype Personas.
to show up in real life. A third reason is that an understand-
ing of the subtypes is helpful for sorting out relationship
fect. It’s just that these events don’t actually create the basic
problems, especially the kind that arise when people differ
structures of the psyche, either at the personality level or any
in their priorities. But the biggest reason I like to study the
other level. They don’t create our type or subtype.
subtypes is that it’s helpful for exploring the relationship
I do notice that there do seem to be certain childhood ex-
between the archetypes and the physical world, especially
periences that are more characteristic of one type or subtype
the role we play in connecting the two. I talk more about
than another. I find this an interesting synchronicity that I’d
this later on.
like to understand better.
It wasn’t all that easy to study the subtypes, because
But as we say in psychological research, correlation does not much of the information is written down. So the infor-
not imply causation. This is the idea that, just because A is as- mation I got initially was in bits and pieces. But over time
sociated with B, it doesn’t mean that A causes B. Just because I got enough info to put together the bits and pieces to form
people of a certain type have similar experiences in childhood a definite impression of each subtype.
doesn’t mean the it was these experiences that created the The profiles themselves are listed in Appendix Table
personality. It just means there’s an association between the A-2; the personas for each profile are shown in Figure
two. 15. Notice that few of these personas sound very grand
When I listen to the stories that people tell on enneagram or spiritual. They just sound healthy. That’s because they
panels about their childhoods, I do find it deepens my under- focus on life in the here and now, not the beyond. They
standing of type and subtype. But I don’t find it explains their encapsulate the special potentials of each subtype domain,
origins. the special gifts we discover when we are truly ourselves.
The need to find a theory to account for the origin of sub- I also envisioned what the subtypes would look when
type behaviors tends to arise as the result of considering these mapped onto the enneagram. I envisioned a procession of
behaviors to be psychological in nature and to represent some profiles around the outside of the enneagram. So for each
sort of deviation from the norm. I don’t regard the subtypes enneagram point, I thought about a profile description for
as either psychological or deviant, so I don’t need a way to ac- the subtypes at each wing, and from a bi-winged perspec-
count for their origins. tive. The result is shown in Figure B-4 (in Appendix B).
This is not to say that deviance doesn’t exist, only that I I also started thinking about the archetypes associ-
wouldn’t use either type or subtype to account for it. There ated with each subtype profile. Then I started writing them
are people of all subtypes who are psychologically healthy and down. I found that there were really a lot of them!
people who are less healthy. Subtype focus tells us more about The archetypes didn’t exist in isolation; they conjured
dharma than about mental health. up many classic themes and stories, many of them with the

On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 15

kind of larger-than-life quality that we typically associate
with myths and legends. Others were less classically ar-
chetypal but quite useful for describing the subtype in an
everyday sort of way. I discuss these in more detail in my
article, “The Enneagram of Life Paths,”31 but for the sake
of completeness, I’ve also listed them in Appendix A (see
Table A-4).
The Dharmic Enneagram
Thinking about all the archetypes associated with each sub-
type got me to thinking about the idea that studying the sub-
types was an especially good way to discover our dharma or
path in life.
The word dharma roughly translates as “duty” in Eng-
lish, although I don’t think the idea of duty in English com-
pletely conveys the sense of what dharma is about. “Duty”
is a word that’s fallen out of fashion, perhaps because we’ve
lost touch with duty in its truest sense. We tend to associate
the word with a view of the world that’s old-fashioned, even
puritanical.
But it’s possible to conceive of duty in a broader way, to
see that it always implies the existence of something larger
than ourselves—something to which we’re responsible. If
there’s something or somebody to whom we own a duty, then
our life exists within a larger context. It must have purpose
and meaning.
When we find our dharma, we can get involved in life
in a completely grounded way. Many people seem to have
Self-preservation Sexuality or Intimacy
Figure 16. Images of the Three Subtype Arenas.
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 16
an innate sense about this; early in life, they know where to
go and what to do. They set forth on their path and never
look back.
But I was never one of those people. I had a hard time
figuring out what I should be when I grew up—even well into
adulthood. I needed solid guideposts to get a sense of where
I was and where I needed to go. Studying the subtypes really
helped me with this. It helped me tell the difference between
roles and activities that would make sense for me from those
that would probably be unrealistic or unproductive.
I realized at some point that the concept of dharma isn’t
just about find our own personal path in life. It’s about look-
ing at the role of human beings as energy transformers. When
seen from a transpersonal perspective, the subtypes can be
seen as archetypes that cause us to initiate action patterns
(subtype behaviors) that anchor the energy of the archetype
in the physical world. The only way that this can happen
is through us, and especially through our physical bodies,
which are the vehicles through which higher-frequency ener-
gies can flow into a lower-frequency world. This means that
our lives really do matter, not just to us, but to something
larger than ourselves. We really do have a role to play in
the larger tapestry of life. From this point of view, the sub-
types serve as guides that help us participate in life in a very
particular way—a way that serves both us as individuals and
life as a whole.
I find that viewing the subtypes in this way brings a di-
mension of dignity to my work with the enneagram, because
it means that the work is not just about my personal wants
and needs. It’s about discerning the ways in which I’m re-
Sociability
sponsible to myself and to life. I try to capture this dimen-
sion of the subtype behaviors in Table A-3.
Being responsible doesn’t seem to preclude having fun,
though. Working with the subtypes is a lot of fun, because
it naturally lends itself to imaginative play. I found that the
more I started working with the subtypes in an imaginative
way, the more I actually started thinking of the subtypes as
images. This was especially true after talking with Katherine
Chernick and David Fauvre, who rely heavily on images to
communicate their ideas on the enneagram types and sub-
types.
I also started using images in my subtypes work, al-
though my approach differs somewhat from that of Kath-
erine and David. My focus is on working with images as a
way of helping people remember differences among the 27
subtypes.
Together with my colleague, Dina Innominato, I devel-
oped a weekend subtype workshop that’s experiential in na-
ture. We start by focusing on the three subtype arenas, rather
than all 27 subtypes. We introduce the arenas using three
big collages, one for each arena (an idea I got from Katherine
and David). But we follow up by passing around laminated
images for the arenas. As we pass around the images, partici-
pants talk about what the images mean to them as individuals.
In this way, people start to get a real feel for how they person-
ally experience each of the subtype arenas.
Dina and I also use film clips to help make the arena
memorable. As we talk about the subtype arenas and the film
clips, we’re able to sneak in little bits of information about
how the subtype arenas interact with the types. We also use
small group work to allow participants to experience the dif-
ferent ways that people can show up in each arena.
Only after the group has a solid understanding of the
subtype arenas do we move on to talking about the subtypes
themselves. Using this kind of experiential approach, we’re
able to present material on all 27 subtypes in a nine-hour
workshop.
It’s a fun way to work. It’s also an approach that in-
troduces people to the subtypes without overwhelming them
with too much detail too quickly.
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 17
We present participants with many handouts, but the
ones that best capture the essence of the workshop are the
visual depictions of each subtype arena. These are shown as
full-size graphics in Appendix B (see Figures B-1, B-2, and
B-3); they’re also shown in miniature form on the previous
page (see Figure 16).
Dina and I came to work together after I’d attended
several enneagram couses she offered in her home. Out-
side of class, she and I often talked about how we viewed
out work with the enneagram. Over time, we came to
realize that we have a similar perspective.
Dina has a background in systems theory and in-
stinctively looks at the enneagram as an open system that
invites our participation. I have a background as a psy-
chological researcher interested in individual differences
in perception and cognition. We put our heads together
and began to develop an approach for working with the
enneagram that reflects both of these perspectives.
However, it hasn’t been easy to articulate the ele-
ments of our approach. The ideas started out as intuitive
sensings that we didn’t know how to articulate. These
“seed ideas” seemed to have a lot of potential, but were
initially undeveloped.
In some ways, the easiest way to find our way has
been to watch the seed germinate, sprout and begin
to grow. We’re the lucky participants in an organic,
“ground-up” experience that is as inspiring as it is excit-
ing. Each time we teach, we learn at least as much as any
of the course participants.
The ideas presented in this article are still develop-
ing. I hope they’ll continue to unfold in new ways over
time, because that’s the hallmark of a viable, open sys-
tem.
But I expect that the central idea will remain the
same: that it’s possible to work with the enneagram with-
out reference to any sort of deficiency model of human
motivation.
The enneagram is too great a tool to be used mainly
as a means of looking at what’s wrong with us. I think
it’s time to look at what’s right.
 Summary and Implications
The enneagram is often presented as a system for charac-
terizing personality types. Each personality type is said
to reflect a core motivation whose purpose is to protect
and defend the personality self. So each personality type
represents a particular type of psychological imbalance.
Similarly, the subtypes are thought to reflect three ways in
which the instinctual center can become unbalanced. Both
personality type and subtype are usually thought to have
developed as the result of early childhood traumas.
This dualistic model focuses primarily on the nega-
tive aspects of human personality and stresses the need
for transformation (of vices into virtues and fixations into
Holy Ideas). It seems to idealize personality transcendence
without really addressing the question of how to live within
limitation.32
When I first encountered the enneagram, this personal-
ity model was the only one that seemed influential. I loved
the enneagram, but felt trapped within the walls of its nega-
tive paradigm. The idea of type always seemed to be pre-
sented as something that limits and distorts, as opposed to
something that energizes and liberates.
I felt that there must be a different way to work with the
enneagram, but I couldn’t quite envision what it would be.
Since then, I’ve been trying to cobble together the elements
of an alternative perspective. Many of those elements are
presented here.
I had to describe the perspective in some detail, because
I found it wasn’t possible to give a coherent account of my
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 18
ideas on the enneagram subtypes without explaining why I
saw the subtypes in a different light. In order to discuss the
subtypes, I’ve had to create a context for the discussion.
The perspective I’ve tried to describe is transpersonal
in nature. From this perspective, the types are seen as dif-
ferentiated centers of purposeful intelligence and subtypes
as more differentiated versions of the types. The subtype
arenas are the place where we learn and grow, and also
where we fulfill our dharma in life.
So we’re here for ourselves and own development, but
we’re also here to serve as expressions of something larger
than ourselves. We’re always playing a dual role. And
we’re always in a reciprocal relationship with the energies
of life. The energy flows to us and through us, giving us
the impetus to act; we respond by embodying that energy as
fully as we dare. The result is a dance—a dance full of dra-
ma, mystery, and humor. The object isn’t to achieve some
artificial ideal of perfection, but to be alive in the moment.
The enneagram is part of this dance. It gives us not
only insight, but energy and inspiration. It has the power to
change us in ways we can only begin to imagine.
I’ve been exploring ways to work with the enneagram
that help us become receptive to its energy. This way of
working is actually more like playing than working—it’s
like learning how to surf a wave or make a funny picture
with finger paints. Bringing a kind of lightness and joy to
the process is what opens things up. And that’s when the
energy really begins to flow.
 Endnotes
1
See “Was ist ‘das Ich’?: an Interview with James Hollis on Carl Jung,” at
http://www.wie.org/j17/hollis.asp?pf =1.
2
It can be argued that these different views of the enneagram (process
vs. personality) are two sides of the same coin. I discuss a way to build a
bridge between them in my article “Reconciling Personality with Process:
Linking Two Views on the Enneagram”, available at my web site
(http://www.enneagramdimensions.net/articles.htm).
3
Naranjo discusses his views on the personality or ego self in terms of
what he calls sins, passions, and character pathologies throughout his
books. See, e.g., Chapter 0 in Enneatype Structures (2004); pp. 33-53 in
The Enneagram of Society (2004) or “By Way of Introduction: a Theoretical
Panorama,” in Character and Neurosis (2001).
4
My Best Self: Using the Enneagram to Free the Soul (1993), p. 9
5
The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram (2000), p. 1.
6
The Wisdom of the Enneagram (1999), p. 30.
7
The Wisdom of the Enneagram, p. 35.
8
The Enneagram of Society, p. 53.
9
The information on Gurdjieff’s conceptualization of the centers is primar-
ily drawn from two sources: The Enneagram: Symbol of All and Every-
thing (2003), by Nathan Bernier (especially pp. 31-38); and The Intelligent
Enneagram (1996), by A.G.E. Blake (especially pp. 272-274).
10
At this point, it’s helpful to mention that Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Nara-
njo are the two most instrumental figures who’ve developed the modern
enneagram. When attributing responsibility for ideas to anyone, I generally
assume that it’s Ichazo who’s the primary source. However, due to the
secretive way that the enneagram was taught until recently, it’s sometimes
difficult to be sure who is responsible for what. I apologize in advance for
any misattributions.
11
Claudio Naranjo has a slightly different way of conceiving of the five cen-
ters. He talks about a lower feeling center, a lower mental center, and the
three subtype centers within the physical center. He posits the existence
of three higher centers (mental, feeling, and instinctual), as well. But the
higher version of the instinctual center has no subtype arenas (presum-
ably because instinct is now equally responsive to the needs of all three
arenas). What both models share is the assumption that the lower centers
are by nature distorted and in need of reformation or transformation. (See
Enneagram Structures, pp. 4-5, or Character and Neurosis, pp. 7-11 for his
discussion about the centers.)
12
See also The Enneagram in Love & Work (1995), by Helen Palmer, p.
25.
For a list of all the fixations and the passions, see, e.g., pp. xiv-xv in
13
Maitri’s The Spiritual Dimensions of the Enneagram.
14
The Enneagram in Love & Work, p. 29 .
15
The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram, p. 14 .
16
These labels are from Sandra Maitri’s The Spiritual Dimension of the
Enneagram (2000), Chapter 12. She says they’re based on those used by
Claudio Naranjo and/or Oscar Ichazo. Maitri also includes short descrip-
tions of each subtype in this chapter. (For a similar graphic with slightly
different labels, see The Enneagram in Love and Work, p. 28.
17
The Wisdom of the Enneagram, p. 70.
18
The Mindsight Symposium was held Oct. 21-23, 2005 in Portland, Or-
egon.
19
The fact that motivation is always conceptualized in Western culture as
On the Nature of the Enneagram Subtypes — page 19
a personality attribute may be one of the big reasons that enneagram type
is always assumed to be psychological. In Western culture, we find it very
imagine some kind of motivation that’s not person-centered. If we could,
we might see the enneagram in a different light.
20
The Reflective Universe, 1976, p. xxiv. The author, Arthur Young,
isn’t just an inventor of the helicopter, he’s also a cosmologist with a
very interesting view of reality. This book presents his theories on the
nature of life and human evolution.
21
It’s interesting how similar the word “compelling” is closely to the words
“compulsive” and “compulsory.” All three words describe the action of an
irresistible force. Which word we use to describe that force depends a lot
on how we respond to it. I’m using the word “compelling” to describe the
nature of a force that evokes such an inner resonance that we accept and
embrace it completely. I’m also suggesting that the reason it evokes no re-
sistance is that it’s recognized by the personality as the source of its vitality
and wellspring for its existence. If for some reason, the personality fails to
recognize the energy that’s designed to energize it, the same purposeful
thrust of that energy may be interpreted as a compulsory force that is to be
resisted. This resistance can cause the personality to become compulsive.
The nature of the compulsion reveals the nature of the energy by which the
personality is nourished and sustained.
22
For an excellent discussion of chaos theory, see Seven Lessons of
Chaos: Spiritual Wisdom from the Science of Change (1999), by John
Briggs and F. David Peat.
23
See “The Enneagram from a Systems Perspective,” at
http://www.enneagramdimensions.net/articles.htm.
24
Claudio Naranjo is aware of the pitfalls of falling into the old trap of
scapegoating the body, which is one reason he posits the existence of a
not just a lower, but a higher instinctual center (see Note 11). However, he
doesn’t discuss what purified instinct would actually look like. Also, at the
same time that he avoids scapegoating the physical body, he doesn’t seem
to avoid scapegoating the ego-personality. In fact, just the opposite. At
the 2004 IEA Conference, he asked the participants of his workshop to do
an exercise in which they were to strongly chastise their ego self. To me,
this kind of exercise seems futile. It’s the act of blaming itself that creates
a psychic split. It doesn’t matter so much what we decide to blame; what
matters is that we hive off part of ourselves and make it bad or wrong.
25
Open to Desire: Embracing a Lust for Life (2006), p. 16.
26
p. 96.
27
A type panel is a group of people of the same enneagram type who talk
to a larger group about how they experience their enneagram type.
28
Here I’m speaking at the level of the point, but we can obviously say the
same thing about the entire enneagram. Seeing the parts and how they
relate to the whole is what matters.
29
The idea of subtype arenas isn’t part of traditional subtype theory; I
coined the term myself. But speaking in terms of arenas of activity pro-
vides an easy way to talk about subtypes. It also conjures up the image of
life as a three-ring circus, and I find this image quite apt!
30
See, for example, The Nurture Assumption, by Judith R. Harris, for an al-
ternative point of view to the idea that personality forms mainly in response
to early caregiving.
“The Enneagram of Life Paths” is available on my web site at
31
http://www.enneagramdimensions.net/articles.htm.
32
The idea that limitation can act as a goad to creativity is addressed in
“The Enneagram of Life Paths”; see above note.
 Appendix A: Subtype Profiles

These subtype tables represent several different approaches I’ve taken in thinking about the subtypes over the last
several years. Rather than just give the last and most current version of this table, I’ve chosen to include all three
versions.

When I first studied the subtypes, I started by compiling as many different descriptions as possible from existing
books and articles. That’s what’s presented in the first table (Table A-1). Because I saw this as the negative pole of
subtype behaviors, I attempted to devise a table that would reflect a positive pole (Table A-2). The idea was that trans-
forming the negative subtype behaviors listed in A-1 would result in the transfigured behaviors described in A-2.

I still like these transformed descriptions, because I think they give us a vision of ourselves that can be inspiring.
The only problem is that, over time, I came to dislike the idea of dividing up subtypes behaviors into two categories
(untransformed vs transformed). The very idea of such a dualistic model sort of bothered me. So I came up with a
third table (Table A-3) which is an attempt at devising a set of descriptors that focus on the kinds of challenges we
encounter in everyday life, but which reflect an appreciation for the value of each subtype in teaching us specific kinds
of life lessons.

The last two tables contain other observations about the subtypes. Table A-4 is a list of archetypes, life paths,
and social roles. It’s a funny combination of the lofty and the mundane, the ideal and real. I originally tried to list
only archetypes that were truly universal, but soon found that some of the most memorable and interesting parts that
people play are outgrowths of our particular day and age. Leaving them out made the list a lot less juicy, so I ended
up included any descriptors that enriched my understanding of the subtype.

Table A-5 is a list of words that I associate with each of the subtypes (A-5). It’s the product of my playing with
gerunds (-ing words) by subtype. They give a slightly different view of each subtype (not as a profile or an archetype,
but as a kind of activity within a given sphere).

Summary of Appendix A Tables:

Table A-1. Traditional Subtype Profiles.

Table A-2. Transformed Subtype Profiles.

Table A-3. Dharmic Subtype Profiles.

Table A-4. Subtype Archetypes, Life Paths & Social Roles.

Table A-5. Energetic Qualities Associated with Each Subtype.

 Table A-1. TRADITIONAL SUBTYPE PROFILES*
Self-preservation
Pioneer (anxiety): May appear either high-strung
or very controlled. Whatever the appearance, the
tendency is to impose order on the physical envi-
PT
ronment. Love isn’t given, it has to be earned. Very
1 hard workers, but can resent the carefree. Tends to
be the lookout for hidden threats, slights, injustices.
Archetype for early pilgrims & puritans.
Nurturer: (“me first”/privilege): Want to take care
of everyone but thus feel entitled to be noticed, to
get special treatment or privileges. Get hurt, and
PT possibly resentful, if they don’t get it. Focus on
2 home & hearth, food for others, nursing & nurtur-
ing. Ashamed to directly ask for help because this
puts them in a “one-down” position.. Ethnic mother
archetype.
Company Man (security): Happiness comes from
financial success & material security. Identify with
PT
company (or family for moms). Job security & earn-
3 approval in 121 relationships but afraid of rejection when
ing power = security. Relationships often take a
back seat. Super-moms, workaholics.
Creative Individualist (dauntless /reckless):
Survival is viewed as more symbolic than literal.
What’s key is surviving & transmuting the pain of
“something missing” into creative expression, often
PT
via self-abandonment. Are tenacious & self-con-
4 tained but not materialistic. Emotional sensitivity
hidden behind a practical manner. Accent on
creativity in home & garden. Don Quixote, artisans,
poets.
Castle Defender (home): Focus is on a safe
physical space (symbolic of inner safety), a home,
PT hideout, retreat. Can wander & travel, but the
5 focus is on safety, via walls or anonymity. Tend to
be fairly ascetic except with things they especially
value (high tech stuff, books, etc.)
Family loyalist (warmth): Creating a warm, wel-
coming home life is the focus; They show love to
PT secure love—seek affection (or rejection—CF) from
6 others in order to feel safe. Belonging & maintain-
ing closeness are critical; warmth is used to ensure
continued bonding.
Gourmand / Family Visionary (family): Family life
is idealized to create an environment that is stimu-
lating, enthusiastic, pleasurable, body-oriented
PT (gourmet or health food focused), or visionary (e.g.,
7 utopian, as in a commune or extended family). Like
the “good life”, to stay busy with fun home activities,
not to slow down or get bogged down with routine
chores.
Survivalist (satisfactory survival): Satisfying
needs of self & family is paramount. Very focused
on physical preparedness. May to go to any length
PT
to ensure physical survival & material well-being—
8 storing food, supplies, securing the perimeter, etc.
Very territorial about their home & possessions.
Can easily overdo it.
The Collector (appetite): Very common type
everywhere around the world because the focus is
on seeking fulfillment of basic needs: for food, stuff,
retention for survival. Appetite is key here, not only
PT
for food, but for all kinds of material comforts & pos-
9 life. Can dominate or be dominated by partners (more often
sessions, especially small personal items. There
tends to be lots of stuff everywhere, as things are
collected for potential use. This type can be orga-
nized or disorganized.
Sources: Labels from Peter O’Hanrahan, parenthesized descriptors from Oscar Ichazo, information from the work of Helen Palmer, Tom Condon, Katherine Chernick & David Fauvre, Don Riso & Russ Hudson, and Sandra Mai
Sexual
The Evangelist (jealousy or heat): Personal intensity plus
strict self control = heat. Often channeled into “safe” passions
(eg religion = zeal). Insecure; look for imagined rejection or
can become obsessive jealousy in a partnership. Outbursts
possible when pressure builds. Perfect relationship sought,
anger erupts if it doesn’t happen. Wants ALL the other’s’ atten-
tion. Challenge is to reconcile sexuality with morality.
The Lover (seduction or aggression): Highly focused on
others & tend to produce a reaction, positive or negative. De-
termined to win over the person “targeted” by whatever means.
Can be aggressive, but often want the chase more than catch;
can fear real intimacy. Can also shape shift, losing themselves
in the other. With growth, may try to hold back, thus alternat-
ing between approaching & retreating.
Movie Star (masculinity/femininity): Focus on success via
personal (sexual) attractiveness, charisma, radiance, cheerful-
ness. Can “perform” for many or for just one partner. Seek
someone “sees through the act”; can easily lose themselves
in their image.
Dramatic Person (competitive): Charismatic, high strung
& competitive, but also sensitive & permeable. Can fight for
what they want but also long for approval; need good bound-
aries to avoid getting hurt, reactive or overwhelmed. Often
elicit love/hate reactions. Cultivating generosity toward self
& others helps lessen the need to compete or upstage. Tend
toward theatricality; many actors & fashion models are this
type. Relationships generate high expectations; disappoint-
ment often follows.
Secret Agent (confidentiality): Security in relationship
gained by exchanged confidential secrets. May seem mysteri-
ous or compelling; can draw special others into their inner
sanctum. There may be a big rift between sexual self & outer
self. May be true monastics if focus is spiritual. Tend to com-
partmentalize relationships.
Warrior (strength/beauty): 6 tries to live up to ideal of
strength or beauty; CF is always strength-focused. Danger-
ous impulsivity or risk taking possible; also ideological rigidity,
avoidance of feelings/doubt/worry. Beauty: Idealization and
projection of beauty is used to overcome fear; partner ideal-
ized via positive mental projections.
Adventurer (suggestibility): Charming, risk taking, adventur-
ous. Experience overdone due to extreme expansiveness &
mental fascination/ imagination. Suggestibility comes from
tendency to merge with others’ plans, ideas, fantasies; can
get carried away by fantasies of love or unwittingly inflict hurt
as “dance away lovers”, but find commitment difficult. Love of
intense experiences can mean addiction. Flower children, roll
& rollers.
Monarch (dominance/submission): Focus is on desire to
penetrate & dominate, but also potentially to surrender to the
partner—IF trust is present. Possessor can be unintentionally
possessed if attention is too dominated by the need for control.
Can be most attuned to life force, to energy in all living crea-
tures. Great personal magnetism; can be hypnotic.
Seeker (union): Desire for union makes them open but vul-
nerable. Weak personal boundaries can mean promiscuity,
dispersion, indiscriminate “urge to merge”, vulnerability to sug-
gestion from unsavory types. Easily overwhelmed or carried
away; establishing a professional identity helps structure their
the latter); tend to accede to the other’s wishes. Can be like a
“blank screen” in 121, but can also bring a quality of uncondi-
tional love & sacredness.
Social
Social Reformer (inadaptability): Stiff, rigid, upright
in stance. Want a secure social role & clear set of rules.
Tend to thing there’s “one right way” for everyone; can
be reactive & intolerant of lifestyles they don’t approve of.
On own turf, may be gregarious & comfortable. Can be
social registrars, hosts, arbiters of what’s socially correct,
but also overly conforming. May snipe at those who fail
to measure up.
Ambassador (ambition): Self-esteem is earned by
getting social approval in the group, being recognized as
special, being indispensable to the right people. Public
image is what counts, but often content to be the power
behind the scenes. Welcome compliments; find it very
hard to tolerate feeling they are being taken for granted.
Politician (prestige): High-profile public image & social
status brings recognition & the sense of “being some-
body.” Like to play a public role, take the lead in social
groups, look the part they’re playing. Want to be the lead-
er, not help the leader (unlike 2s). Dislike being upstaged;
are secretly hurt by it but don’t let on.
Critical Commentator (shame/honor): Social ac-
ceptance or recognition brings honor & meaning; not
belonging brings shame. The tension between needing
to be socially correct & personally authentic > an aura
of reserve. Need to “speak their truth”—are often the
emotional truth-tellers in a group. But critical like 1s; must
learn not to pressure themselves too much to be authentic
& also not to be too critical or demand too much emotional
intensity.
Professor (totems/cultural symbols): Focus of under-
standing & interpretation of sacred symbols, systems,
philosophy, religion, science, mathematics. Magic of
the written word means lots of files & books. Avarice is
for whatever kinds of learning & presentations that bring
social standing & the respect of others.
Social Guardian (duty): Fear dispelled & security en-
hanced by knowing & following group rules, upholding
social authority, dutiful commitment to cherished groups
& causes. Can have trouble realizing others may have
different rules; also can feel burdened, unappreciated, etc.
CF—can rebel against the same.
Utopian Visionary (sacrifice): “Feast of life” here is of
ideas & social visions; they are resolute idealists who will
place limits on themselves for the cause; this is a sacrifice
for freedom-loving 7s. But the plans & visions can be
compelling, grandiose, addictive (gluttonous); grounding
is needed. Extremism & entitlement are possible. More
detached, rational, impersonal than other 7s; “I network,
therefore, I am.”
Group Leader (friendship): Can be both social & anti-
social. Friendship & social justice are key, but can be
excessive; then personal needs get ignored. Seen as
more moderate than other 8s because of an interest in
social acceptance. Can overextend themselves in social
activities, partying, etc. Not tolerant of betrayers.
Community Benefactor (participation): Energized by
the opportunity to belong, participate, be included but like
to stay out of the limelight, not to commit 100% (“to partici-
pate or not to participate—that is the question”). Willing to
work for group harmony but tend to lose themselves in the
energy of the group, to merge with it, instead of doing per-
sonal inner work. Formal groups are preferred, because
known rules can be followed to overcome the insecurity of
feeling they don’t belong.
 Table A-2. TRANSFORMED SUBTYPE PROFILES
Self-Preservation
Contented Homebuilder: There is inner peace,
not anxiety. This brings the ability to work with joy &
PT calmness. The focus is on the task not perfectionistic
laboring. Details are worked out with care; there’s a
1 natural pride in a job well-done & the ability to bal-
ance work with play—also a tolerance for error. Busi-
ness dealings are conducted with honor & fairness.
Unassuming Nurturer: Genuine joy comes from
truly selfless giving, which is perceived as a privilege.
PT Self-nurturing comes from self-love. The focus is
on home & hearth, food for others, & other personal
2 forms of nurturance. There’s no shame in asking for
help when it’s needed, because of the understanding
that we are all interdependent.
High-energy Multi-tasker: Security in self-identity
makes it possible to focus on the pleasure of doing,
PT not just the need for material security. There is an
ability not only to work, but just to be—to slow down,
3 be alone, cultivate relationships, enjoy hobbies. Ma-
terial goods & pleasures are seen not to guarantee
security but a natural part of an abundant life.
Imaginative Originator: Inner vision can be trans-
lated into creative work in the home & garden. Color,
PT light, fabric, clothing, etc., can express an inner
aesthetic born out of a genuine love of beauty. Aban-
4 of intensity or chaos makes possible the use of drama to
donment is to one’s vision or passion. The dauntless
tendency is mostly reflected in a clear & steady bold-
ness of personal expression.
Calm Introspector: The reflexive need to protec-
tively withdraw is replaced by an inner calm that is
always present, regardless of surroundings. Home
PT
is within, & so the need for retreat is merely a prefer-
5 ence, not a compulsion. Solitude is joyful but does
not become social isolation. Books, high-tech stuff,
etc., are valued for their ability to satisfy intellectual
curiosity & further personal understanding.
Family Supporter: A warm, welcoming home life is
valued not for the security it provides, but for its own
PT sake—for the opportunity it provides for personal
self-expression, nurturing loved ones, & sharing the
6 bounties of life with those one loves. Warmth & gen-
erosity to others flows out of genuine love & faith, not
the need to protect through friendship.
Home Designer: An imaginative vision of home &
life brings pleasure & satisfaction without the need to
PT go to extremes to impose them on others. An appre-
ciation for the “good life” doesn’t turn into profligacy
7 or compulsion. There‘s an ability to slow down, stay
with one thing at a time & to enjoy what is happening
in the present moment.
Pacific Provider: Inner strength & fortitude are
expressed via the providing of tangible care & protec-
PT
tion to others. There is a warm- hearted, generous
8 & expansive spirit of goodwill, but also restraint &
respect for others’ boundaries, rather than the estab-
lishment & justification of one’s own agenda.
Lover of Simple Living: The ability to be present to
the self brings added enjoyment of the simple plea-
sures of the home & hearth. It lessens the tendency
PT
to over-collect, over-indulge, or become tense in
9 decision-making scenarios and heightens the ability
to discriminate among choices & make decisions.
There’s an ability to be aware of personal needs &
satisfy them appropriately.
Sexual
Dispassionate Refiner: Personal intensity plus serenity
= a highly refined character. Passionate concern about
an intimate other is so refined that it becomes like an elixir
exquisitely suited to other’s needs. Fear of rejection & jeal-
ousy are neutralized; imperfections are made perfect by
love. Fears can be admitted & discussed; there is no need
to sermonize or convert.
Attentive Lover: Inner attentiveness brings the ability to
share the true self with the partner. This is real intimacy
(& friendship) without strings attached; it’s a big relief. No
need for game playing to get love, but just love for its own
sake. The fear of rejection is not present, so no manipula-
tion is necessary. Naturalness & the heartfelt desire to
share oneself with another fosters true intimacy.
Attractive Aspirant: Charisma infused with hope be-
comes true radiance. This is highly attractive because of
its purity, beauty & power. Performance becomes giving;
the focus is personal & specific. Other people feel ap-
preciated for who they are as individuals, not just for the
approval they can provide. Intimate relationships are a
source of joy and inspiration .
Intuitive Dramatizer: Intuitive imagination wells up in a
natural yet dramatic fashion, to express personal ideals.
This expression is intensely personal but happens in an
impersonal (unselfconscious) way. Balance in the midst
illustrate possibilities for creative unfoldment. Personal
intensity is balanced by an impersonal core at the center
of the self.
Focused Confidant: A quiet and focused receptivity to the
other creates an intimacy that is subtle, delicate, & verbally
unexpressed. There is a mysterious, satisfying quality to
the relationships that is deeply refreshing & yet very solid,
steady, stabilizing. The tendency to compartmentalize re-
laxes, so there is no rigid separation between public & pri-
vate selves or the need to mask intimate feelings in public.
Faithful Companion: The love & faith felt for the com-
panion is reflected by the care given to them, & a sincere
appreciation for what is given in return. There is an exqui-
site attunement to the other. Faith strengthens the heart,
bringing courage & dissolving doubt, worry, ideological
rigidity, false projections; this allows the arising of true
clarity of mind.
Joyful Intimate: A soaring imagination & desire for in-
tense “highs” are grounded in a genuine appreciation for
the ethical dimensions of intimate relationships. Attention
shifts from the self-centered need for intense experiences
to the honoring of the personal desires & needs of the
other. Joy comes from shared experiences and the deep-
ening of intimacy.
Chivalrous Protector: The focus on personal owner-
ship & control in relationships shifts to a heartfelt desire
to unselfishly protect, uphold, & serve the beloved one,
to enable the beloved to freely grow & flower in their own
right, rather than to possess them as objects or limit their
freedom to movement. This is the expression of the ar-
chetype of courtly love.
Introspective Seeker: The desire to merge in an un-
conscious way becomes conscious; the personal self is
embraced, so that union is not an unreflective gravitation
toward a love object but an active embracing of the other.
Because the self is genuinely present, its voluntary surren-
der is genuinely sacrificial. This can bring to the relation-
ship a sense of sacredness or even mystical oneness.
Social
Serene Advocate: Inner calm relaxes “one right way”
thinking & promotes good will, tolerance, & fairness.
Decision making is impartial & dispassionate. Formal
rules are superseded by flexible guidelines. Social cor-
rectness is relaxed; the focus is on patient promotion of
high-minded ideals. The ability to see more than one
point of view enriches advocacy efforts.
Community Server: The simple joy of working with
others in service brings contentment. The focus is
on consensus building, networking, creating bonds of
trust, & including everyone as part of the group. Com-
pliments are appreciated but not required; most of the
reward is the intrinsic joy of working with others on a
common goal.
Cooperative Leader: The relentless drive to compete
for leadership becomes an intrinsically-rewarding effort
to create a better community. Emphasis is on leading
in whatever way is needed, playing roles to suit the
task & needs of others. Leadership is natural & enjoy-
able, but there is no need to identify with the leadership
role in order to feel real.
Gentle Truth-Teller: Inner calm & grateful acceptance
of life as it is makes it possible for speak one’s truth
wo/offending others; there is no conflict between
shame & honor. It’s possible to convey felt truths to
others in a way that is refined by discipline & tempered
by love. This approach is honorable & also increases
the likelihood of one’s ideas being accepted, although
this is not the goal.
Transpersonal Guide: Leadership is expressed
transpersonally, by enabling others to experience the
world in a way that takes them beyond the sensate
limitations of the personal self. The focus is on uni-
versal ideas, principles, patterns, symbols, archetypes
& images. They ability to see & communicate these
patterns is honored by others, because it’s seen as an
embodiment of the shared wisdom of the collective.
Social Conservationist: A natural bent to conserve all
that is good about the past & intuitive understanding of
what’s worth preserving creates a true conservationist
who can preserve & “re-cycle” still-useful traditions &
see how the lessons of the past can help stabilize the
future. This thoughtful, reasoned support for commu-
nity activities brings support & goodwill.
Social Change Artist: Idealism is grounded, focused,
practical; this is social change with a light touch, an
attunement to the moment, a sense of humor, commit-
ment minus the sense of martyrdom or self-sacrifice.
Change is accomplished deftly—with lightness, artistry,
perhaps a bit of trickery. Goals are realistic & commu-
nication replaces the tendency toward extremism.
Personal Exemplar: Leadership is shown by personal
example, not coercion; whatever the setting, there’s a
personal, “hands on” & often inspirational quality that
attracts personal loyalty & participation. It’s a leader-
ship that arises naturally in response to the needs of
the situation, not the personal needs of the leader.
Community Facilitator: A basic comfortability with
the self brings the willingness to consciously embrace
the role of meditator or facilitator, because there’s no
need to hide by merging with the group. The ability to
be aware, awake, & present means they can enjoy
playing an active, creative role even in the absence of
rules or well-established traditions.
 Table A-3. DHARMIC SUBTYPE PROFILES
Self-Preservation
Pioneer: Disciplined, organized & sober. Have a
sense that life needs civilizing. Thus, they work hard
to impose order, especially on the physical environ-
PT ment. Want to make things concrete & definite. Can
1 have a difficultly dealing with ambiguity, gray areas,
etc. Also find it hard to let go and be really carefree
unless they can clearly justify it (eg, to restore physi-
cal or mental health).
Nurturer: Personally caregivers; want to take care of
everyone but can thus feel justified in wanting spe-
PT cial treatment (not because they need it, but because
they deserve it). Focus is on home & hearth, making
2 food for others, & other personal kinds of assistance.
Need to learn to give without strings & to accept help
gracefully.
Horatio Alger: Material security & success bring
personal satisfaction. Tend to identify with those they
PT
work for (or family for caregivers). Without something
3 concrete to work toward, it’s hard to feel ok. Relation-
ships often take a back seat to achievement. These
are the “Type A’s—super-moms or workaholics.
Artisan: Earthy, sensuous, & deeply emotional.
Aware of aesthetics, light & shadow, colors, shapes,
PT patterns, aesthetics. Create living spaces that sym-
bolize who they are. Tenacious & self-contained but
4 not very materialistic. Much more sensitive than they
look. Accent on originality at home, in the garden & in
the way they dress.
Philosopher: Very sensitive to outside stimuli, so
they rely on privacy to create a bounded space within
PT which they can digest what they perceive. This
space can be physical (a home, study or library)
5 cretive or mysterious; can draw trusted others into their
or personal (a reserved manner or anonymity in a
group). Can relax when with intimates who respect
their boundaries.
Family Loyalist: Tend toward shyness & modesty,
warmth & sensitivity. Want to create an inviting,
PT
secure home life & to welcome others in a way that
6 encourages reciprocation. A sense of belonging &
closeness are valued; expressive warmth ensures
continued bonding with those they value.
Enthusiast: Everyday life is seen as an experiential
feast. Accent is one creating a personal space that is
PT stimulating, pleasurable, body-oriented (gourmet or
health food-focused) or visionary (e.g., utopian, as in
7 mean suggestibility & lack of groundedness. Can unwit-
a commune or extended family). Like the “good life”,
to stay busy with fun home activities, not slow down
or get stuck too long on repetitive tasks.
Survivor: There is a very concrete & tangible under-
standing of what it takes to physically survive on the
PT earth. Gain satisfaction by providing for their own
needs & those of their family. Tend to see others
8 sublimate the desire to dominate into a desire to serve.
close to them as extensions of themselves, so their
task is to allow others the same space they value for
themselves.
Collector: This is the archetype of the “common
man” because the focus is on satisfying one’s basic
PT needs & finding comfort in familiar pleasures & rou-
tines. Collecting material stuff brings a sense of se-
9 & a sense of identity. Can be like a “blank screen” in
curity and obviates the need to make decisions about
what to toss. Tend to merge with (and get distracted
by) their physical surroundings, especially at home.
Sexual
Evangelist: Personal intensity plus strict self control =
heat. This heat is often channeled into “safe” passions
(eg, religion = zeal). Passionately attached to partners
but very sensitive to rejection; can create jealousy.
Outbursts possible when pressure builds. Perfect rela-
tionship is imagined; anger erupts when the real thing
doesn’t quite match the image. Challenge is to bring light
& laughter into intimate relationships.
Lover: Attention goes to the loved one and on how to
win them over; whatever the cost. Can shape shift to
please the lover but sometimes go overboard and lose
themselves in the process. Partners who don’t recipro-
cate tend to make them feel unappreciated. They need
to be aware of the roles they play and how to drop them
to find real intimacy.
Aspirant : The focus is on achievement in the area of
personal (sexual) attractiveness, charisma, radiance,
cheerfulness. Can project an image for many or for just
one partner. Seeks validation in 121 relationships but
sensitive to what might happen if someone “sees through
the act”; they can easily mistake their image for who they
really are.
Dramatist: Charismatic, high strung, competitive, fierce
& demanding, but also sensitive & permeable; secretly
long for approval. Need good boundaries to avoid
becoming hurt, reactive or overwhelmed. Tend to elicit
love/hate reactions. Cultivating generosity toward the
self & others helps transcend the need to compete or
upstage.
Confidant: Intimate relationships offer a way to break
out of social isolation while preserving a bounded space
that protects them from overstimulation. May seem se-
inner sanctum. Grateful to companions who allow them
their space. May be true monastics if focus is spiritual.
Warrior Prince or Princess: Focus on living up to ideal
or strength or beauty; CF 6 is by definition strength-fo-
cused. Determined to be strong, no matter what, so tend
to take risks to test their courage. If beauty is idealized,
then they can project an aura of lushness & warmth
that’s very inviting. Very protective of intimate others &
those they see as vulnerable.
Will ‘O the Wisp: Charming, risk taking, devil may care.
Experience-seeking may be overdone due to extreme
expansiveness & tendency to be fascinated by everyone
& everything encountered. Dispersion of attention can
tingly inflict hurt as “dance away lovers” until they come
to terms with their “butterfly” tendencies & discover the
joy of real communion.
Knight: Extremely intense, magnetic & energetic. The
desire to penetrate & dominate comes naturally, but
they’re also sensitive to chivalric ideals and can learn to
They search for a cause worthy of their service and a
mate worthy of their absolute devotion.
Mystic: Desire for union predominates, whether with
God, a partner, or nature. Can mean dispersion, weak
personal boundaries, dissolution of self will. Establishing
a concrete professional identity helps provide structure
relationships, allowing the partner to make most key
decisions, but can also bring to a relationships a quality
of unconditional love & sacredness.
Social
Social Arbiter: Upright, dedicated, serious, & steady.
Motivated to devise standards & systems by which
to judge behavior—laws, justice systems, rules of
etiquette, etc. Motivated by fairness & high-minded
ideals, but tend to see their own way as the only correct
one. This makes it hard to feel that they really belong
in social situations or to just relax & have fun. May find
an outlet for creative tension in dramatic pursuits.
Host or Hostess: Enjoyment comes from social
networking, the support of others’ agendas, smoothing
over difficult situations, being genuinely helpful to the
people they support. Prefer behind-the-scenes en-
deavors, but are secretly hurt if they feel they’re taken
for granted; work best when they can use their talents
& receive sufficient recognition for doing so.
Politician: Find satisfaction in high-profile public
recognition & social achievement. Like to play a very
public role, take the lead in social groups, look the part
they’re playing. Want to be the leader, not help the
leader (unlike 2s). Know how to pull a diverse group
together. Sensitive to being upstaged, but they’re good
at covering this over.
*Critic: Social acceptance & recognition bring honor
& meaning; not belonging brings shame. But there’s
tension between group norms & valued personal ide-
als; despite social reserve, they tend to feel they must
“speak their truth”—are often the emotional truth-tellers
in a group. But must learn not to get too focused on
authenticity or demand too much too soon.
Professor: Curious, exploratory, investigative, depth-
oriented. Focus is on understanding & interpretation of
sacred symbols, systems of all kinds, philosophy, reli-
gion, science, mathematics. Magic of the written word
means lots of files & books. Knowledge brings respect
of others & a sense of ease & security. May need to let
go of the need to be recognized as the definitive expert.
Social Guardian: Duty & commitment is to the group,
especially groups that affirm their values. They tend
to feel lost in unstructured situations, preferring to par-
ticipate in groups with well-established norms & clear
expectations. They respect traditional values & social
norms. Often willing to take on the “grunt work” with
little expectation of recognition or reward.
Utopian: “Feast of life” here is of ideas & social vi-
sions.. These are the resolute idealists who will place
limits on their freedom in service to a cause; this is a
sacrifice for freedom-loving 7s. Their plans & visions
can be compelling, but only bear fruit if they can slow
down, get grounded, and patiently follow-through.
Democratic extremism & entitlement are possible. Tend
to be more detached & idea-oriented than other 7s.
Chieftain: Social 8s have a very personal, hands-on,
tribal style of leadership that can be either social or
anti-social. It involves a personal investment that often
inspires others to follow. These 8s as more moderate
than others because of an interest in social accep-
tance. Can overextend themselves in social activities,
partying, etc. Not very tolerant of group betrayers.
Participator: Energized by the opportunity to belong,
participate, be included but like to stay out of the lime-
light, but not necessarily to commit 100%. Love to lose
themselves in the energy of the group, not realizing
the loss of selfhood that may result. They often prefer
formal groups, because known rules & routines create
a scenario where it’s possible to let go of personal
boundaries and melt into the larger group.
 Table A-4. SUBTYPE ARCHETYPES, LIFE PATHS & SOCIAL ROLES
Self-Preservation
Pioneer, Settler, Wilderness Tamer, Dignified Civilizer,
Tense Worker, Civic-minded Voter, Sober Citizen,
Disciplined Perfectionist, Meticulous Worker, Fine
PT Craftsman, Picayune Grammarian, Duty-bound
1 tent Interrogator, Fiery Advocate, Angry Demonstrator,
Family Member, Responsible Person, Honorable Sur-
vivor, Detail-oriented Editor, Parsimonious Spender,
Skinflint
Guardian Angel, Mother Nature, Doting Mother, Ef-
fusive Caregiver, Homemaker, Cook, Nurse, Fairy
Godmother, Best Friend, Eager Helper, Sympathetic
PT Listener, Inquisitive Matchmaker, Busybody, Gossip,
2 Divine Prostitute, Madonna, Sacrificial Christ, Vestal
Self-Martyring Sacrificer, Would-be Rescuer, Needy
Giver, Emotional Blackmailer, Diva, Maestro, Crone,
Devouring Mother, Wicked Witch
Determined Achiever, Success-oriented Careerist,
Adaptable Go-Getter, Company Man/Woman, “Do
PT everything” Mom, CFO, Pragmatic Entrepreneur,
3 Hardworking Apprentice, Ambitious Journeyman, Mr.
“All work-no play”, Hard-driving Executive, “Type A”
Personality, Comeback Kid, Big Fish in a Small Pond
Bohemian, Artisan, Craftsman, Imaginative Creator,
Teller of Life Stories, Originator of New Forms, Gypsy,
PT Wordsmith, Content Editor, Weaver, Independent
4 Learner, Interested Teacher, Individualist, Persevering
Seeker, Wounded Healer, Explorer of the Psyche,
Spiritual Gambler, Edge-Walker, Velveteen Rabbit
Private Genius, Solitary Philosopher, Puzzle Solver,
Pattern Observer, Mental Tinkerer, Theoretical In-
PT ventor, Blueprint Creator, Amateur Scholar, Serious
5 Hobbyist, Stuff Collector, Space Protector, Reflective
Thinker, Detail Analyzer, Professional Student, Trea-
sure Finder, Hermit, Nerd, Recluse
Shy Loyalist, Gentle Friend, Family Preserver, Quiet
Doer, Faithful Companion, Self-conscious Friend,
Concerned Parent, Loyal Employee, Persistent
PT Supporter, Frequent Worrier, Nervous Nelly, Warm
6 Protector, Police Officer, Firefighter, Upholder of Law
Welcomer, Gracious Host or Hostess, Dedicated
Homemaker, Brave Little Mouse, Little Engine That
Could, Obstacle Surmounter
Bon Vivant, Salon Designer, Renaissance Man or
Woman, Family Visionary, Magical Child, Fun Parent,
Pastry Chef, “Good Life” Aficionado, Communard,
PT Family Entertainer, Visionary Entrepreneur, Interior
7 Designer, Home Improver, Versatile Generalist, Idea
Glutton, Self-improvement Junkie, Intellectual Spin-
ner, Self-fascinated Narcissist
Father Figure, Protector, Guardian, Powerful Pres-
ence, Heavyweight, Strong Silent Type, Weightlifter,
PT Sampson, Hercules, Atlas, Mountain Man, Mountain
8 Mama, Force of Nature, Wilderness Survivor, Pre-
pared Survivalist, Mother Bear, Grounded Weightlifter,
Pillar of Strength, Unsung Hero, Little Orphan Annie
Practical Person, Patient Endurer, Steady Worker,
Sensible Thinker, Nature Lover, Unassuming Doer,
PT Putterer, Appreciator of Detail, Enjoyer of Routines,
9 Person of the Land, Peasant, Serf, Slave, Nomad,
Herdsman, Crop Picker, Tribe Member, Cowhand,
Gardener, Manual Laborer
Sexual
Monk, Nun, Ascetic, Renunciate, Evangelist, Prosely-
tizer, Missionary, Pilgrim, Puritan, Ethical or Spiritual
Counselor, Stern Confessor, Exacting Mentor, Persis-
“Thorn in the Side”, Picketer, Protester, Ranting Re-
former, Passionate Lover, Possessive Friend
Devoted Helpmate, Supportive Partner, Selfless
Lover, Sensitive Friend, Flirt, Coquette, Lothario,
Seducer, Femme Fatale, Casanova, Playboy, Harlot,
Virgin, Holy Innocent, Saint, Devotee, Pampered
Prince or Princess, Stalker, Victim, Emotional Vampire
Public Personality, Aspiring Star, Shining Star, Popu-
lar Hero, Attention-getter, Sex Goddess, Glamour
Queen, Fashion Plate, Model, Manicured Profes-
sional, Airbrushed Perfection, Media Sensation, Mas-
culine Ideal, Feminine Ideal, Venus, Adonis
Dramatist, Artist, Poet, Actor, Passionate Soulmate,
Unfulfilled Lover, Vengeful Lover, Romantic Rival,
Jealous Competitor, Intense Seeker, Passionate Em-
bracer, Pained Isolate, Misunderstood Artist, Damsel
in Distress, Drama Queen/King, Abandoned Child,
Frustrated Seeker
Spy, Sleuth, Alchemist, Scientist, Mad Scientist,
Investigator, Private Detective, Undercover Opera-
tive, Behind-the-scenes Internet Wizard, Chat Room
Enthusiast, Chess Player, Private Tutor, Secret Pho-
tographer, Exchanger of Confidences, Weirdo Voyeur,
Secret Society Member, Wizard of Oz
Fiery Rebel, Feisty Friend, Debater, Underdog Fight-
er, Scrapper, Runt of the Litter, Fierce Warrior, Tender
Defender, Defender of the Faith, Battlefield Medic,
Cowardly Lion, Beauty Queen, Miss America, Boy or
Girl Next Door, Prince Valiant, Braveheart, Dauntless
Explorer, Sensitive Creator, Aesthetic Appreciator,
Idealistic Lover, Shy Sensualist
Artless Charmer, Dance-away Lover, Shameless
Hedonist, Space Cadet, Comic, Mimic, Hippie, Manic
Escapist, Rake, Alcoholic, Addict, Dreamer, Artist,
Trickster, Vagabond, Aimless Wanderer, Juggler, Fool,
Jack of All Trades, Panhandler, Self Actualizer, Gam-
bler, Snake Charmer, Clothes Designer, Raconteur,
Troubadour, Angelic Innocent
God or Goddess, God’s Instrument, Guru, Rescuer,
Champion, Gunslinger, Knight Errant, Charismatic
Hero, Honor-Bound Avenger, Personal Intimidator,
Pirate King, Martial Artist, Avenging Angel, Angel of
Death, Shiva/Kali, Destroyer, Tyrant, Hunter or Hunt-
ress, Midas
Intimate Companion, Personal Valet, Devoted
Servant or Retainer, Empathic Listener, Receptive
Friend, Gentle Helper, Natural Mystic, Lost Soul,
Fantasy Spinner, Enjoyer of Pleasure, Devotee,
Tabula Rasa, Nature Worshipper, Meditator, Animal
Lover, Surrendered Lover, Lover of Love
Social
Rulemaker, Lawmaker, Judge, Fair Jurist, Priest, Pope,
Spiritual Hierophant, Chief Justice, Religious Educator,
Mother Superior, Chief Examiner, Exacting Auditor,
Impartial Inquisitor, Parliamentarian, Old Testament
Prophet Lawmaker, Teacher, Instructor, Arbiter, Scribe,
Legal Advocate, Tireless Reformer, Miss Manners
Diplomat, Ambassador, Community Builder, Gracious
Organizer, Neighborhood Networker, Humanitarian,
Event Hostess, Social Smoother, Behind-the-scenes
Manipulator, Power Behind the Throne, Hidden Partner,
Public Relations Consultant, Social Climber, Ambitious
Parent, Stage Mother, Bleeding Heart
Early Adapter, Effective Presenter, Team Leader, Of-
fice Seeker, Opinion Leader, Politician, Head of the
Class, Valedictorian, First Among Equals, Credentialed
Consultant , Lobbyist, Prestige Elite Member, Public
Opinion Expert, Public Relations Genius, Spin Doctor,
Glosser-over, Master Deal-maker
Witty Pundit, Social Critic, Insightful Commentator,
Public Artist, Public Designer, Architect, Artistic Director,
Refined Elitist, Social Muck-raker, Alienated Idealist,
Ambivalent Truth-teller, Rebel Without A Cause, Justify-
ing Complainer, Unpopular Confronter, Uncompromis-
ing Activist, Ugly Duckling
Group Observer, Recognized Expert, Honored
Teacher, Tenured Professor, Knowledge Repository,
Dispassionate Facilitator, Impersonal Guide, Bodhisat-
tva, Occasional Iconoclast, Etymologist, Myth Collector,
Anthropologist, Arcane Expert, Wise Man or Woman,
Tribal Healer, Shaman, Witch Doctor
Preservationist, Conserver of the Social Order, Histo-
rian, Loyalist, Archivist, Recorder, Community Builder/
Volunteer, Committee Worker, Prosecutor, Community
& Order, Reluctant Whistle-blower, True Believer, Vigi-
lante, Unyielding Conformist
Social Idealist, Political Visionary, High-Flying Utopian,
Optimistic Futurist, Social Planner, Social Architect,
Armchair Revolutionary, Intellectual Anarchist, Winged
Messenger, Angelic Herald, Swift Courier, Idea Net-
worker, Aquarian Thinker, Innovative Communicator,
Human Potential Activist, Trendsetter, Jet-setter, One
of the Beautiful People
Patriarch, King, Queen, Emperor, Empress, Court-hold-
er, Ruler, Autocrat, CEO, Boss, Born Leader, Leader of
the Pack, Mafia Don, Military Commander, Chieftain,
Benevolent Dictator, Tactician, Strategist, Commander
in Chief, Tough-love Parent, Dominant Friend, Ones of
the Boys, A Real Pal
Group Participant, Community Member, Natural Media-
tor, Harmonizer, Blender, Go-Between, Peacemaker,
Consensus Builder, Family Counselor, Unassuming
Facilitator, Unintentional Networker, Faithful Steward,
Activity Coordinator, Coach, Referee
 Table A-5. ENERGETIC QUALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SUBTYPE
Self-preservation
Industry: focusing, concentrating, determining,
discriminating, pinpointing, selecting, defining,
specifying, literalizing, staking out, cordoning off,
delineating, ordering, laboring, civilizing, tam-
PT
ing, structuring, devoting, persevering, earning,
1 harnessing, inhibiting, confining, curbing
deserving
Examples: Puritans, pioneers, Mormons, “per-
fect” housewives, strict parents, hard workers,
fine craftsmen, watchmakers
Care-Giving: tending, helping, supporting, nur-
turing, caring, loving, encouraging, parenting,
defending, feeding, nursing, fostering, uplifting,
PT
boosting, furthering, pushing, promoting
2 tions, social networking
Examples: Moms, matriarchs, nurses, big
brothers & sisters, guardians, parents, cooks,
compassionate workers
Security: undertaking, doing, working, striving,
grinding out, overcoming, reaching, arriving, sat-
PT isfying, succeeding, materializing, accomplishing,
3 securing, anchoring, achieving
Examples: “Type A”s, Horatio Algers, super-
moms, workaholics, relentless workers
Origin: wondering, imagining, shaping, originat-
ing, making, fashioning, forming, symbolizing,
weaving, synthesizing, expressing, designing,
PT
deepening, self-abandoning, waiting, longing
4 Examples: dramatic actors, romantic rivals, meaning
Examples: artisans, potters, designers, symbol
makers, ensoulers, storytellers, independent
workers
Privacy: desisting, detaching, retiring, minimiz-
ing, withdrawing, separating, anchoring, keeping
private, holding back, mentalizing, pondering,
PT
reflecting, understanding
5 penetrating
Examples: thinkers, philosophers, inventors,
tinkerers, puzzlers, boundary makers, boundary
keepers, unconventional workers
Home: deferring, respecting, fearing, cautioning,
ensuring, securing, warming, home-making, fam-
ily-building, conserving, preserving, welcoming,
PT inviting, pleasing, refraining, restraining, appre-
6 ciating
Examples: home-makers, home protectors, tra-
ditionalists, housewives, historians, conservers,
preservers, warm hosts/hostesses, loyal workers
The Good Life: eating, drinking, enjoying, shop-
ping, celebrating, entertaining, improvising, mix-
PT ing, combining, melding, alchemizing, stimulating,
7 expanding
Examples: chefs, gourmands, wine tasters, kite
flyers, bike riders, enthusiastic workers
Strength: standing, withstanding, outlasting,
satiating, surviving, securing, making tangible,
PT grounding, storing, hoarding, providing, territorial-
8 izing, toughening, uncompromising
Examples: strong men, muscle men, weightlift-
ers, fathers, protectors, guardians
Practicality: allowing, relaxing, laying back,
stretching, snoozing, filling, fulfilling, satisfying,
accumulating, self-comforting, collecting, munch-
PT ing, routinizing, habituating, puttering, dabbling
9 self-abdicating, dreaming, wishing, longing
Examples: putterers, gardeners, unassum-
ing employees, herders, serfs, gardeners,
cowhands, clerks, nibblers & snackers, habitual
workers
Sexual
Passion: possessing, obsessing, holding, disapproving,
impassioning, intensifying, idealizing, burning, pressur-
izing, containing, restraining, pointing out, adjuring, en-
treating, enjoining, beseeching, criticizing, disciplining,
Examples: ascetics, renunciates, rabble-rousers,
intensifiers, zealous preachers, jealous lovers, obser-
vant partners
Romance: flirting, attracting, enticing, seducing, luring,
tempting, pursuing, romancing, dating, fascinating, win-
ning-over, shape-shifting, entrancing, stalking
Examples: lovers, romantics, pursuers, people who
date, attentive listeners, happy lovers, supportive
partners
Stardom : aspiring, radiating, starring, beaming, inspir-
ing, leap-frogging, shining, winning, glowing, illuminat-
ing, glittering, gleaming, energizing, attention garnering
Examples: feminine ideal, masculine ideal, perform-
ers, movie stars, rock stars, confidence boosters,
cheerleaders, image-oriented lovers & partners
Drama: dramatizing, intensifying, creating, competing,
taking, seizing, opposing, beating, seeking, provoking,
hating, killing, torching, creating, destroying, annihilating
seekers, tough competitors, fierce lovers, emotionally
demanding partners
Secrets: observing, seeing, watching, spying, sleuth-
ing, surveilling, perceiving, secreting away, mystifying,
curiosity creating, confiding, retreating & appearing,
Examples: spies, secret operatives, undercover cops,
detectives, sleuths, confidential lovers, private partners
Mating: idealizing, identifying, bonding, romanticizing,
mate affirming, comforting, beautifying, ornamenting,
decorating, prettifying, contending, defending, resisting,
reacting
Examples: beauty queens, devoted partners, war-
riors, underdog defenders, feisty friends. idealizing
lovers, loyal partners
Freedom: playing, dancing, jumping, leaping, flying, surf-
ing, whizzing, creating, spiraling, free-falling, zooming,
whirring, whirling, twirling, whistling, wandering, juggling
Examples: artless charmers, frequent wanderers,
natural jugglers, flower children, potential hedonists,
interesting partners, dance-away lovers, lively friends
Chivalry: honoring, upholding, trusting, dominating,
submitting, overwhelming, possessing, warring, triumph-
ing, magnetizing, hypnotizing, retribution seeking, forgiv-
ing, mocking, belittling, stamping out, eradicating
Examples: knights, heroes & heroines, dragon slay-
ers, avengers, aggressors, lustful lovers, fierce friends
Surrender: letting go, stepping back, stepping down,
disappearing, dispersing, emptying, being receptive, ac-
cepting, opening, relaxing, blanking out, self-dissolving,
Examples: servants, devotees, mystics, listeners,
counselors
Social
Law: ordaining, decreeing, consecrating, prescrib-
ing, proscribing, codifying, systematizing, rule-mak-
ing, law-making, evaluating, judging, governing,
regulating, regularizing
Examples: lawmakers, judges, lawyers, social
arbiters, parliamentarians, religious & spiritual
leaders
Diplomacy: organizing, arranging, connecting, sup-
porting, affirming, appreciating, smoothing over,
entertaining, facilitating, socializing, making connec-
Examples: diplomats, event organizers, ambas-
sadors, social supporters, humanitarians
Politics: public speaking, selling, promoting, publi-
cizing, winning over, connectiing, cooperating, lead-
ing, networking, self-promoting, self-packaging
Examples: politicians, CEOs, public speakers,
program promoters, public relations experts, vale-
dictorians
Debate: arguing, objecting, debating, critiquing,
muck-raking, liberating, speaking out, reifying, refin-
ing, ritualizing, lifting up, enculturating, rarifying,
truth-telling, non-conforming, disobeying
Examples: gallery owners, artistic directors, social
directors, reserved opinion leaders, pained critics,
reluctant muckrakers, emotional truth-tellers
Research: surveying, analyzing, dissecting, un-
covering, investigating, interpreting, translating,
explaining, explicating, separating, systematizing,
synthesizing
Examples: researchers, teachers, scientists, pro-
fessors, knowledgeable guides, shamans
Duty: supporting, conforming, saluting, respecting,
affirming, confirming, ensuring, retaining, assisting,
upholding, following, obeying, complying, serving
Examples: committee workers, church members,
civic organizers, community workers, neighborhood
organizers, policemen, firemen, bureaucrats
Vision: liberalizing, realizing, envisioning, projecting,
imagining, patterning, speculating, reworking, net-
working, synthesizing, tossing around, broadening,
leaping over, annihilating
Examples: utopians, social visionaries, inventors,
armchair revolutionaries, jetsetters, architects
Brotherhood: pal-ing around, hanging out, influenc-
ing, dominating, commanding, leading by example,
personalizing, bullying, forcing, manhandling, rough
housing, mixing it up, toughing it out
Examples: kings & queens, group leader, gang
leader, military strategist, tough tactician, chief-
tains, tough-love parents, “party-hard” types
Participation: participating, accompanying, fitting in,
agreeing, following, mediating, harmonizing, peace-
making, joining in, settling in, identifying, melding,
pacifying
Examples: mediators, negotiators, participants, go-
betweens, coaches, participant leaders, facilitators
 Appendix B: Subtype Collages &
“Wings Around the Enneagram”

There are four figures in this appendix. The first three are the mini-collages I created for
each subtype to use as handouts for a subtype workshop. The fourth figure is one I call
“Wings Around the Enneagram.” It represents an effort to depict the enneagram subtypes
along a continuum going around the outside of the enneagram circle. The title comes from
the idea that the wings represents the transitions between each enneagram point and the
neighboring points.

Summary of Appendix B Tables:

Table B-1. Self-Preservtion Subtype Images.

The focus here is on home, hearth, self-reliance & self-comfort.

Table B-2. Sexual Subtype Images.

The focus here is on intimacy, sexuality, mystery, creativity, partnership,
kundalini, intensity & transformation.

Table B-3. Social Subtype Images.

The focus here is on socializing, social reform, political action, formal cer-
emonies, lawmking & the courts, team sports & cooperative ventures.

Table B-4. Wings Around the Enneagram.

The qualities of three subtypes are shown for each point at both its wings
and its centermost area
 Collage by Susan Rhodes

Figure B-1. Self-preservation Subtype Images.

 Collage by Susan Rhodes

Figure B-2. Sexual Subtype Images.

 Collage by Susan Rhodes

Figure B-3. Social Subtype Images.

 Unassuming Enjoyer
Dreamy Lover
Placid Bear Universal Careful Compiler
Patient Lover Harmonizer Wistful Lover
Calm Pacifier Even-handed Mediator
Patient Protector Conscientious Detailer
Mature Lover Contained Lover
Enduring Ruler Reserved Arbitrator
Powerful Survivor Self-critical Perfectionist
Chivalric Lover Intense Lover
Triumphant Leader High-minded Civilizer
Resourceful Realist
9
Concerned Citizen
Bold Lover Impassioned Lover
Confident Initiator Social Reformer

8 1

Zesty Pragmatist
Enthusiastic Lover Good Samaritan
Strategic Planner Giving Lover
Body Public Servant
Good Life Aficionado
Joyful Lover Natural Nurturer
Social Visionary Eager Lover
7 2 Friendly Hostess
Receptive Enthusiast
Best Friend
Playful Lover Color Key: Seductive Lover
Community Entertainer Self-preservation subtype
Energetic Networker
Sexual subtype
Social subtype

Family Appreciator Affable Go-Getter

Grateful Lover Mind Heart Charming Lover
Community Developer Cooperative Leader

6 3 Focused Achiever
Family Preserver
Tender Lover Model Lover
Community Upholder Political Aspirant

Cautious Conserver Independent Professional

Bashful Lover Image-conscious Lover
Community Server Prestige Elite Member

5 4
Detached Puzzler
Artistic Achiever
Undemonstrative Lover Self-conscious Lover
Trend Analyzer Distinctive Aristocrat
Reclusive Thinker Non-Conforming Artisan
Private Lover Self-dramatizing Lover
Figure B-4. Public Observer Social Critic
Crusty Eccentric Dauntless Creator
Wings Around Quirky Lover Moody Lover
the Enneagram. Iconoclastic Commentator Ruthless Truthteller