Enneagram Type Nine
By Denise L. Dahl, M.A.
The Enneagram was designed by Oscar Ichazo, a Bolivian spiritual teacher, 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 Eight on the Enneagram, the first of the three instinctive types. This month we will describe Type Nine – the second of these three instinctive types. Next month we will describe Type One and then continue on with the remaining six types in months to come (Types Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven). (Article on type eight)
As mentioned before, each personality type has a particular Holy Idea and a Virtue that they especially resonate to. 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 Idea, Virtue, Fixation, and Passion for Type Nine.
- The Holy Idea is – Holy Love.
- The Virtue is - Right Action.
- The Fixation/Personality is - Indolence.
- The Passion is – Sloth.
Holy Love is the enlightened perception that love is unconditional and everyone is of equal importance. Holy Love, when seen without filtering it through the ego mind, is the experience that everything and everybody is a manifestation of love. Everyone is lovable and important. When the Holy Idea of Love is lost (i.e., it falls into the unconscious), Nines feel an immense loss because it means that they have also lost contact with their authentic self. This loss results in the personality type/Fixation of the Nine which is Indolence. The word “indolence” comes from the Latin “in-dolens,” meaning “without griefs.” Nines cope with the loss of contact with their True Nature by focusing their attention outward so that they will not feel the pain and grief of losing contact with the essential aspect of Holy Love. They learn very early on that drawing attention to oneself or asserting oneself is not okay. As a result, they keep their energy level in check in order to keep things on an even keel. Peace and harmony are very important to Nines and their energy is expended in keeping their inner and outer environment free of conflict and disharmony of any kind.
The Enneagram Virtues are essential qualities of the heart that we experience when we are in touch with our True Nature. As we lose touch with our Holy Idea we also lose touch with our Virtue. In the case of the Nine, this loss results in the Passion of Sloth. Sloth has to do with self-forgetting. It’s a failure to initiate and take action to further one’s personal growth and development. Sloth also refers to the resistance Nines often have for putting out the energy it takes to be mindful and live in the present moment. Much of their energy goes to resist being affected by anything or anybody that will upset them. They also resist powerful feelings and passions that arise within them. Sloth also refers to the Nine’s desire to “fall asleep” to their life instead of using their talents and developing their potentials so they can become independent and take their place in life.
The Virtue for Type Nine is Right Action, and Ichazo describes it this way:
It [Right Action] is the essential movement without interference from the mind, arising naturally from the body’s need to function in harmony with its environment. Action is the normal attitude of a being in tune with his own energy and with the energy of the planet. (Maitri, 2000, p. 61)
Right Action is a willingness to engage in life and stay engaged regardless of what happens. This frees up energy formerly used by the Nine to keep peace and harmony in their lives by shutting out anybody or anything that they see as disturbing. Once freed, this energy can be used to become more self-aware and to get in touch with who they really are.
Nines are often not in touch with their own vitality because they are in the habit of repressing it. Many Nines learned at a very early age that when they asserted themselves or made their needs known, they caused conflict. This made them feel unloved, unimportant and led them to fear separation and abandonment. Thus, they learned to get along with others by being more receptive to the needs of others then to their own. In fact, Nines may be so entrenched in the habit of considering the needs of others that their decision making is based on choosing whether they agree or disagree with other people instead of getting in touch with their own opinions and viewpoints. All of these behaviors lead to the Nine not having a strong sense of self.
When Nines don’t have a strong sense of self, they may be attracted to the vitality, strength, and physical energy of other people. They may want to merge or be a part of that person’s life in order to incorporate the other person’s vitality. This can happen in the context of a relationship, a group of friends or co-workers, or identifying with a community of some kind. Although this may seem like co-dependency, Nines are actually searching for independence and autonomy and the freedom to pursue their objectives and be who they want to be. Nines may shelve these desires and objectives because they don’t want to lose peace and harmony in their lives by asserting their needs.
Nines also have a tendency to idealize other people and devalue themselves.
All of this emphasis on keeping the peace at any cost can lead to Nines dissociating by tuning out anything and everybody that disturbs them. They can use narcotization to tune out by getting involved with mind-numbing activities such as sitting in front of the computer or TV for hours at a time, playing video games, etc.
Average Nines have a tendency to go along with what others want to do even when they don’t want to and may have a difficult time saying no. They like the familiar and the routine and are not fond of changes of any kind. They may become too accommodating and self-effacing in order to keep the peace. Self-effacement and accommodation are two ways that Nines handle their fear of conflict which they believe will lead to separation and abandonment.
When the Enneagram types are under stress they may take on the qualities of the opposite Enneagram type. This is called the direction of disintegration. For Nines the point of disintegration is Point Six. When Nines are really overcome by stress they become paranoid and overwhelmed by anxiety. They may want others to solve their problems and take care of them. At Point Six they try and find an outside authority to get themselves to do what can only be done from within oneself. They escape into obedience.
Healthy Nines have many strengths and assets. They are emotionally stable, open, receptive, and trusting of themselves and others. They are easygoing, unselfconscious and optimistic. They are also patient, gentle, and have a calm healing effect on others. They like harmony and enjoy bringing people together. They have immense inner strength and power which they can draw on when necessary. Many Nines also have a wonderful sense of humor. Nines have the ability to see all sides of an issue and they easily relate to other people’s experiences. Because of this, they make good counselors, negotiators, and mediators.
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 Nines this is Type Three. At Point Three they get active and start doing things. That is where they go when they get interested in personal growth and want to develop their potential. At Point Three they value themselves and what they have done with their lives.
At their best, Nines are dynamic, truly connected, and at one with life. They are in touch with their vitality, exuberant, and self-possessed.
Bibliography
Almaas, A. H. (1998). Facets of Unity: The Enneagram of Holy Ideas. BostonShambhala Publications, Inc.
Maitri, Sandra (2000). The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram. 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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