Enneagram Type Three
By Denise L. Dahl, M. A.
Oscar Ichazo, a Bolivian spiritual teacher, developed the basic principles of the Enneagram by drawing on ancient spiritual ideas from Greek philosophy, Taoism, Buddhism, mystical Judaism – the Kabbala, and early Christianity. In 1970, he taught these principles to a group of forty students. Claudio Naranjo, a Chilean psychiatrist, was among these students and he brought the Enneagram ideas back to the United States and elaborated on some of them using his background in psychology. He taught the Enneagram to students in the San Francisco area.
Ichazo originally presented 108 enneagrams but only four of these enneagrams are usually taught in the United States. They are the Enneagrams of the Holy Ideas, Fixations, Virtues, and Passions. The most familiar enneagram is the Enneagram of Fixations which is also known as the Enneagram of Personality.
The Enneagram was designed by Oscar Ichazo to distinguish the difference between Ego/Personality and Essence, which is our true nature. There are nine personality types (Fixations) and each type has a Holy Idea, a Virtue, and a Passion. The Holy Ideas are an enlightened way of experiencing life – higher essential qualities of the mind which we experience when we are in touch with our true nature. Each of the Holy Ideas has a corresponding Virtue which is an essential quality of the heart that we experience when we are in touch with our true nature. All of the Holy Ideas and the Virtues are a part of each of us but there is one Holy Idea and one Virtue that we especially resonate with and were attuned to at birth.
Last month we described Type Two on the Enneagram, the first of the three feeling types. This month we will describe Type Three – the second of the three feeling types. Next month we will describe Type Four and then continue on with the remaining three types in months to come (Types Five, Six, and Seven).
As mentioned before, each personality type has a particular Holy Idea (some of them have more than one) and a Virtue to which they especially resonate. When contact with the Holy Idea and the Virtue are lost, the ego substitutes a Fixation and a Passion to compensate for the loss. Here are the Holy Ideas, Virtue, Fixation, and Passion for Type Three.
- Holy Law, Holy Harmony, and Holy Hope are the Holy Ideas.
- Truthfulness is the Virtue.
- Vanity is the Fixation/Personality.
- Deceit is the Passion.
The Holy Ideas for Type Three are Holy Law, Holy Harmony, and Holy Hope. Holy Law is the understanding that the universe is in a continuous state of flux. That it is continuously moving, unfolding, and re-creating itself and its functioning is not random; it follows natural laws and principles. Nothing in the universe occurs in isolation and the actions of one part are interconnected and affect the other parts. Holy Harmony is the awareness of the harmonious interplay of the universe and also the magnetic pull that motivates us to seek and understand our true nature. Holy Hope is the affect upon us when we integrate Holy Law and Holy Harmony. The closer we move towards our true nature the more aligned we become with the universe.
When Threes lose contact with their Holy Ideas their ego identifies with the Fixation of Vanity. This grows out of their conviction and belief that they are not valuable or appreciated for who they are. They react by creating a new identity for themselves and they become very good at adapting their self-image to conform to the expectations of others. In some respects they put themselves in the role of the creator by creating a new self-image and also by believing that they are the ones that make things happen. This over-emphasis on self-image and outward appearances is an attempt to gain love and attention.
As children, Threes got the message that they were not of value or loved unless they were “striving” to win awards and accomplish whatever would bring them admiration and recognition from the people they loved. They grew up feeling like they had to “do” for others in order to gain love and respect. Thus, later on in life, they become very expert in sensing what others want and expect of them.
Being successful and efficient is of primary importance to Threes and they avoid failure at all costs – even if they fail, they sometimes feel compelled to reframe it into a “partial loss” or blame someone else for their failure. They can also get caught up in appearances. Threes in particular can reflect the values of the American culture that promotes success at all costs. They are valued and rewarded as employees because they can set their emotions aside and get the job done. Threes have an underdeveloped feeling/emotional center and usually have trouble getting in touch with their own emotions as well as the emotions of others because of their tendency to set their emotions aside. The problem is that they never get in the habit of setting their emotions aside and lose touch with them completely.
Threes are in a constant state of activity. This is their way of covering up their overall sense of helplessness. Others see Threes as “strivers.” They have a need to push and expend their energy in some kind of activity. The need to be active can become obsessive and compulsive. Almaas says that this “striving” is what the ego does when it does not trust that God is taking care of everything.
When Threes become too identified with their self-image they get caught up in the popular American image that values youth, high-energy, and a competitive spirit. They can become driven to excel and have a need to be the best at whatever it is they are doing. There is a constant comparing of themselves and their achievements with those of others. They become overly concerned with outward appearances and how they are perceived. They want to project the right image, say the right things, and are very adept at changing their behavior and even their appearance to fit whatever the occasion calls for. They take pride in their achievements and may brag about their accomplishments a. Less healthy Threes may grow increasingly fearful that others may find out that they are not at all what they appear to be. Fear of failure and humiliation can lead them to try even harder to convince themselves and others that they are a success. Threes that get caught up in their Fixation of Vanity believe that what they achieve makes them real and that success is the measure of their true worth.
Because Threes who become too identified with their personalities are usually caught up in constant activity and take on too many projects, sooner or later they start to make mistakes and become inefficient. When this happens, they may retreat to Point Nine which is the direction of disintegration for Type Three. At Point Nine they act out the behavior of an average Nine and start running on automatic pilot. They may become vague and withdraw in order to avoid conflicts. If confronted, they may become very stubborn and uncommunicative.
But psychologically healthy Threes believe in themselves and their value. They are into self-improvement because they like to be the best that they can be. They are often looked up to and others may want to be like them. They are highly competent, adaptable, and usually complete what they set out to do. At their best, Threes are genuine and authentic. They don’t feel that they have to be successful in order to be of worth. They accept themselves as they are and treat others with dignity and respect. They are often great motivators and an inspiration for others.
When the Enneagram types feel secure, they go toward the Enneagram type that has the qualities that they most need to develop. This is called the direction of integration. For Threes, this is Enneagram Point Six. When healthy Threes move toward Type Six, they become more cooperative and less competitive. They become loyal to the group as a whole instead of striving to distinguish themselves from the group and they let go of using the group to get ahead. They find that working with others is deeply satisfying when they let go of the need to be admired and recognized. Threes need to overcome the voice of their superego which tells them that they are of value only if they receive admiration and recognition from others for their accomplishments. They can do this by developing the courage and faith to become vulnerable enough to acknowledge and recognize their feelings and emotions.
The Enneagram Virtues are essential qualities of the heart that are experienced when we are in touch with our true nature. As contact with the Holy Ideas are lost so is the Virtue for each Enneagram type. When Threes lose their Holy Ideas of Holy Law, Holy Harmony, and Holy Hope they also lose their Virtue of Truthfulness. The more they become obsessive about maintaining an identity or a role that will fit the situation and get them the recognition and acclaim that they feel they need, the more their Passion of Deceit comes into play. Threes are known to embellish the truth in order to maintain a certain image or to get the competitive edge over others. As they cultivate the Virtue of Truthfulness they become more genuine and move closer to their true nature. Threes or the Three part of each of us learns that when we are acting from our true nature there is no need to deceive ourselves or others.
When Threes let go of the idea that they are “separate doers” and work for the good of all, they discover that they can delight in the accomplishments of others. They find that they can nourish their spirit by getting in touch with their emotions and developing meaningful relationships with others. By pursuing these higher values they discover that their true authentic self has more value then any of the identities that they created for themselves.
Bibliography
Almaas, A. H. (1998). Facets of Unity: The Enneagram of Holy Ideas. Boston Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Maitri, Sandra (2000). The Spiritual Dimensions of the Enneagram. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam.
Maitri, Sandra (2005). The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam.
Riso, Don Richard & Hudson, Russ (1999). The Wisdom of the Enneagram. New York: Bantam Books.
Riso, Don Richard & Hudson, Russ (2000). Understanding the Enneagram: The Practical Guide to Personality Types. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. (Original work published 1990).
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