How’ve you all been? Did you enjoy the holidays? Oh yes. The shopping, the music, the thinly-veiled consumerism. It’s not my personal favorite time of year, but hey, we’ve all got to celebrate Saturnalia somehow.

Here in my neck of the woods it’s been soggy and grey, and it’s making me think we could use some color up in here.

I’m playing with the layout a bit, if you’ve got any suggestions, throw ‘em at me.

In other news, you can now follow me on Tumblr! The url is, you guessed it, Enneagram101.tumblr.com. Go forth now and fill my ask box, young followers. Questions, comments, and showering praise will all be appreciated.

Speaking of Tumblr, y’all really have a thing for MBTI over there, don’t you?

I haven’t looked much into the system since I was a wee Elementary school student getting my first look into typology, like a budding chemist observing her first baking-soda volcano.

But I was seeing such devotion, such intricacy of posts, that I decided to go back and take a second look.

MBTI stands for Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator, and is one of the more reliable personality typing systems. Essentially, you pick one letter from each of the following set of pairs:

Introverted/Extroverted (E/I)

iNtuitive/Sensing (N/S)

Thinking/Feeling (T/F)

Judging/Perceiving (J/P)

These four letters are arranged into a sort of mnemonic device. Y’know, like the kind you used in school to remember shit.

So, for example, if I am an ESTJ, I am Extroverted, Sense the world around me, tend to Think before I feel, and Judge rather than perceive. Obviously, all of these definitions can be expanded tenfold, and each of the sixteen combinations has a unique flavor.

I can also talk about a few specific traits  without referencing a whole type by using just a couple letters:

ES, SFP, J, TP

Anyway, you get the point.

Since MBTI isn’t really my gig, I want to just focus on our hypothetical ESTJ for today.

Most people are pretty familiar with the terms Extroverted and Introverted.

Well, MBTI takes it a couple steps further. According to Meyers-Briggs, the distinction lies in where a person gains energy- recharges their batteries, if you will. An extrovert- even if they may not be totally social or even friendly, thrives on the company of others. An Introvert, though, no matter how socially graceful, needs alone time to feel up to snuff.

So, as an ESTJ, I get my kicks from being around other people.

Sensing means that I like things to go just right- I always have a plan, and don’t like to rely on my gut instincts. ( AKA, iNtuition)

You guys can handle the Thinking/Feeling distiction, right?

J means I Judge the world based on a set of rules and guidelines. I know how things should work, and like to keep myself and others organi-

Hold on.

Wait just one minute…

This sounds like someone we know….

This sounds like Type One!

I’m sure you smart cookies have already been wondering if/how/why the Enneagram and Meyers Briggs match up.

Yes, Fives, a chart has already been made. I’d post it here, but it’s in the back of Baron and Waegle’s book (The Enneagram Made Easy) and I’d be delighted if instead you’d support these lovely people by going out and buying it…preferably at your local independent bookstore… Just like I hope you’ll support me and buy my book when I’m published. Right?

I will, however, give you this chart, which highlights the most highly correlated types from each system.

Again, these types aren’t always going to line up, they’re simply the most frequent matchups. Just as we occasionally find very social Fives, you may also find Fours who fall in the Thinking categories of Meyers-Briggs, and so on.

Obviously, MBTI has sixteen types while the Enneagram only has nine. Well, if you want to get technical about it, the Enneagram actually folds out into many more than nine- When you take into consideration the variations of either wing/no wings (9×3=27) and then mulitply by three again for subtypes (we’ll get there soon, I promise!) you come out to 81 types total. AND EVEN THEN these variations can be pretty flexible.

Anyway. The point is, they don’t lay out exactly even.

This is mostly because the two systems focus on different criteria.

Meyers Briggs bases its four letters on:

a) How you interact with other people

b) How you make decisions

c) How you process information

d) What you do with that information

Basically, how we interact with the world.

The Enneagram wants to know:

How you interact with others, your self, your fears, strengths, defense mechanisms, thought processes, and countless other input.

It asks how we interact, think about, use, appreciate, and so much more. Furthermore, Enneagram really isn’t about how much psychological data you can compile- Yes, that’s important too, but the Enneagram goes much deeper, at the core, it employs a human element rather than a set of rules.

(which is why a test will never give you a 100% accurate answer. In case you were wondering.)

Using Meyers-Briggs language, I see the MBTI system as more STJ oriented, where as Enneagram is little heavier on the NF.

Each has advantages and disadvantages, but we can learn a lot from seeing how and where the two systems intersect. A more analytical type like a 3 or a 5 may feel more comfortable jumping into the murky waters of psychology with a linear setup like MBTI, whereas a 2 or 4- Abstract feeing types- tend to like the Enneagram better.

But guys, THEY’RE BOTH COOL and you should know both, especially if you’re interested in getting deeper into psychological typology, or if you know one better than the other.

Obviously, I prefer the Enneagram. I think it’s a more intricate and complete system, and can tell you far more about yourself and others than the purely empirical Meyers Briggs system.

But I want to know what you think. Do you have a favorite system? If you know both, how do your types line up? Other typologies I should know about?

• Alex and Kimi Riegel, my first teachers and dear friends.
• Helen Palmer, a true pioneer in this feild, and whose books have become my bibles
• Peter O’Hanrahan and Terry Sancho, who run the Enneagram Intensive workshop.
• Everyone who goes to the aforementioned workshops, especially those of you who were there with me.
• Anyone from whom I have ever stolen a picture, quote, or writing style.

And last but certainly not least, anyone who has read this blog, talked Enneagram with me, talked Enneagram with anyone else, or who has been curious on the subject of the mind and spirit.

——

Oh, Fours.
Perhaps the most well-known of all Enneagram types; TV, movies, and books are littered with Fours. After all, they ARE the most special and interesting!

Among archetypal Fours, Curt Cobain, James Dean, and Sylvia Plath*-Revered for their artistry and candid way of pushing the limit.

 *I don’t want to imply, when I invoke the names of famous figures, that these people were definitively that type. Rather, they embody an archetypal characteristic that often makes said type easier to understand.

I’ve been teaching the Enneagram to mainly teenagers for a couple of years now. After every class, I am invariably cornered by at least one of my students. They always have this anxious, eager look in their eyes, like they have something life threatening to tell me.

They have been listening more or less quietly to my class, but with intent, hoping to crack the mystery of their own selves. Their hair is done up in colors and styles not found in nature, they’ve sometimes got bits of metal shoved through their face, and they wear T-shirts boasting their favorite bands. All their lives they have been misunderstood, and now I- yes, ME!- I finally understand their plight!

“]

[www.theterrorcat.deviantart.com

THEY feel hopelessly alienated!

THEY constantly search for true love!

THEY listen to The Cure!

“Ohmygod,” They tell me, barely able to get the words out of their mouths,

“I’m a Four!”

…You guys.

You are TEENAGERS.

As a teenager or young adult, it’s practically your JOB to feel different and misunderstood.

I’m not saying that some of you aren’t fours. You probably are, and that’s really cool! But  dear God, please remember that scientific psychology today has come to a pretty consensus decision that your personality (AKA Frontal Lobe) is not fully developed until you are at least 21.

butbutbut…doesn’t this mean that anyone reading this blog under the age of 21 may as well throw away any chance of figuring out who they are?

Not really. Most people come into their character fairly early, it just doesn’t cement until you are biologically finished growing. Anyone under 21 or even 30 is still subject to some shift in priorities, and therefore type.

Almost everyone hits Four as a phase. For some people it lasts a year, and for others it becomes their whole being.

Type Four is one of my biggest reasons for the FAQ/Disclaimer page. So many people Just want to know who they ARE, goddamn it!

And in my opinion, the Enneagram is the best way to figure it out….But it is not by any means the quickest or easiest. So take your time when you’re trying to learn your type.

And read my FAQ page.

Now then.

Loathe as I am to admit it, Fours are undeniably drawn to the Enneagram for just these reasons. By nature, Fours are seekers, especially of their selves. One of their defining factors is the constant search for something more.

See, Fours have a little problem with depth perception.

Anything far away looks impossibly beautiful….

Meanwhile, what’s close up seems unbearably ugly.

“]

[www.A-Strangers-Beauty.deviantart.com

“I loved him from a distance for all these years, but now that he’s here I see that he’s got bad breath, an ugly mole on his neck, and… what the hell is this tattoo?”

Their general dissatisfaction with reality makes Fours great critics. (Check out that move to One!) Which is totally handy if they actually are critics, but if you find yourself screaming to someone at 3 in the morning,

“NOTHING IS EVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!!!!”

….That person might be a Four.

Although they may not admit it, or even cognitively know it, deeeeeeeeeep down, the Four loves this game. She has a life goal to experience every emotion there is, including total desolation.

They’re suckers for the roller-coaster that is life, and they’ll take it at every corkscrew and 90 degree angle. Even if you’re screaming in the seat next to them.

All at once, Fours are attracted to all things both beautiful and desolate.

www.hengie.deviantart.com

Joy and sadness,

love and abandonment,

hope and despair.

Sometimes this gives the Four a bad rap. I often hear them described as the SAD type, which really isn’t fair. They just happen to be the only type that is truly comfortable with their sadness.

(So there.)

All the same, it’s not a secret that many Fours struggle with depression. As we all know, such a thing can become a gaping black hole very quickly, especially to this type. Sadness is like an enchanted, poisonous perfume- Oddly attractive, even though the Four is quite aware of the dangers of excessive lament.

So, now that we’ve revealed many of the less appetizing facets of a Four, let’s talk about

Healthy Fours

They’re fairly easy to find, but usually care less for the limelight than their unhealthier brethren. They tend to be

• Deeply empathetic
• Kindhearted
• Spiritual in one way or another
• Emotionally aware
• Creative thinkers
• Active in body and/or mind

You may also be familiar with their title of Artist. This is not meant to imply that in order to be a Four, you have to specialize in something artistic. Rather, Fours consider their whole life, and sometimes body, a piece of art.
This can have pros…

And cons.

Oh yes, you now realize, I’ve seen them dotted along teen culture everywhere. Particularly in the emo genre, but also in scene, hipster, steampunk, hippie, and any other bizarre subculture you can think of.

Even, to some degree, punk. That’s right, hippies and punks. I just lumped you together.

Fours detest the mainstream, and will try anything to free themselves of this disgusting river of sameness. Hair color, makeup, subversive ideology- It’s all fair game to the monotony-hating Four.

To sink into the beautiful, melancholic world of a Four for a while, turn on the radio to any station. I guarantee you that 90% of the songs you hear were written by or about Fours.

Not satisfied? You want to know SPECIFICALLY what kind of music to look for? Well, any of the following should give you a pretty good idea:

Sarah McLaughlin (Angel)

Brandi Carlile (Josephine)

Leonard Cohen (Alexandra Leaving)

Ani DiFranco (Grey)

Tracy Chapman (Happy)

The Cure (Pictures of You)

(Click here for the real-life playlist)

If you’re weeping uncontrollably by the end of the song, it’s done its job.

So next time you need to get in  touch with your feelings a little, ring up a Four and ask for their playlist. If you ARE that four with the crisis-inducing playlist, tell me what’s on your iPod!

Hell, if you’re NOT a Four, tell me what’s on your iPod! Hit me up, people!

So for the last couple months I’ve been using this blog post as a reward for myself when I finish my homework.
Therefore, it hasn’t been written. In a while.
BUT I HAVEN’T LEFT YOU. I PROMISE.
It’s finals week, so you all won’t be getting a real post for a while yet, but I just thought I’d let you know I haven’t died and that I have TONS to write about when school is out for break.
See you all soon!

REGARDING THE STATS….

Separation from >>

The Enneagram is based on the idea that as humans, we already have everything we need to be psychologically happy and healthy. Separation is a rather Freudian idea implying that throughout our childhoods we come to believe that we lack one of the necessary ingredients of life.

(God, I hope this doesn’t make it look like I’m encouraging housewifery…)

From a theist perspective, we might say that God is all things good: Love, Forgiveness, Safety…

You get the picture.

A Christian studying the Enneagram is likely to tell you that God forgot one of these virtues when creating the earth, and their type is only in response to that lack of attentiveness.

Keep in mind that in Freud’s world, our mind likes to keep secrets from us. That means none of this may be conscious; you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Imagine that as a child you get blamed for everything your baby sister does. There’s no justice in the world! Indignity evolves into….Type 1! (Separation from Righteousness)

Essentially, each type feels “separate” from God in one way or another and builds their type in response to this separation.

I am >>

Every type can be loosely defined by their own definition of themselves. This is explains what each type strives to be.

Deadly sin >>

Okay, I know I’m playing with a lot of Christian terminology here, so I want to take this time to reiterate that the Enneagram is not a specifically Christian element. Most of my teachings came from an originally Christian perspective, so this is the wordage that you get. Personally, Abrahamic or not, I think this pairing is really cool, just because the sins have been so well publicized.

But there are sins seven, not nine!

Guys, the Enneagram is not new information.

It’s simply lots of old information organized into a more concise and friendly system. Ichazo, Naranjo, Palmer, and the rest of our lovely teachers have taken wisdom from the Sufi mystics, ancient Chinese learnings, the Christian desert fathers, and about a million more sources. Even the Enneagram has been in process for hundreds of years. As we learn more about ourselves, the teaching evolves with us.

…So the short answer is yes.

Two types have either been edited out of the sins or added to the Enneagram, depending on which you believe is older. Regardless of their chronological connection, I think the sins are an interesting supplement to our view of the types. Just as each type loses sight of a virtue, they nurse a sin into existence. The five forgets abundance and becomes greedy.

Hrm, this suddenly makes sense!

Wings >>

Each point on the Enneagram has two wings: the types directly to the right and left of it on the diagram.

People typically lean on one of their type’s wings permanently, giving their type what I like to think of as a ‘shade’ of the wing type. For example, if type 8 is the color red,

an 8 with a 7 wing might be a little more red-orange: Wanderlust with an adventurous side;

whereas an 8 with a 9 wing might be a little more purple: Assertive with a tinge of passive aggression.

(There is no ‘Enneagram color wheel’ as of yet, but it’s on my list of to-dos)

Wings can also be situational, simply depending on the person. A Four may exhibit 3-like qualities when he feels the need to perform, but 5-like qualities when alone and reading.

Occasionally, people land directly in the middle of a type, so if you don’t feel like you really resonate with your wings very much, don’t stress about it.

Movement Points >>

Along with being a good visual, the Enneagram shape is meant to show the fluidity of this system. Just because you have one specific type, that doesn’t mean you will ONLY show those qualities EVER. How boring would that be?

We’ve already talked about wing movement, but each point also has stress and relief points, also known as movement points. A type can move to either point under stress OR relief- Basically, with an emotional trigger.

Movement points are designated by the types that connect in the diagram. When you see an Enneagram with arrows, that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

Defense Mechanism >>

Another reference to Freud! The defense mechanism describes more specifically how each type unconsciously deals with stress. You can google them to your heart’s content.

Pathological Dysfunction >>

Just an illustration of an extremely unhealthy version of each type as an attempt to make them more recognizable in common culture. Please do not assume that all 8s have anger management problems, or that every 5 is a sociopath.
Other names >>

Because the Enneagram has been taught by SO many people, the types have been given a few different titles. I include this to make it clear that the title doesn’t define the type, it’s just meant to give you a good starting picture.

THE STATS:

Seperation from>> Righteousness
I am >> Good
Deadly sin >> Anger
Wings >> 9, 2
Movement Points >> 4, 7
Triad >> Anger
Defense Mechanism >> Reaction Formation
Pathological Dysfunction >> Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Other names >> Evangelist, Reformer

———————-

Is your moral compass stuck on Good?

Does your vocabulary overflow with words like “should” and “ought to”? Did it make your blood boil when that idiot ran the red light?

If that little devil on your shoulder doesn’t stand a chance, you might be a One.

Ones are, on some level, convinced that there is simply no good left in the world and that they were placed here to avenge its absence.

Most Ones keep this quietly to themselves, dealing on their own with their quest to rid the world of evil. They carry on perfectly kind demeanors and healthy friendships, even if they might be a bit morally picky from time to time.

Others are happy to be the one to deliver the deserved slap on the wrist. This attitude in particular has earned Ones the nickname of “Evangelist.”

A One comes a-knocking on your doorstep at 2 PM on the least convenient Saturday possible because he wants to help you. REALLY. It’s for your own sake! I mean, would you want to burn in the firey pits of hell?

…Didn’t think so.

Alright, so maybe I’m being a little harsh. I don’t want to make Ones out as tightwads. Plenty of them know how to have a good time. In fact, most Fridays and Saturdays you can catch a One having the time of her life:

Organizing her bedroom, planning a trip, or making lists.

Grocery lists, wishlists, to do lists, lists of places to visit, lists of hairstyles to try, lists of arbitrary numbers, lists of adorable puppies, lists of lists. Lists lists lists lists lists!

YAY LISTS!

A One can never have too many lists.

Now, we have to remember: every type has a healthy and an unhealthy side. So what does a really healthy One look like?

Healthy Ones are:

• Responsible
• Trustworthy
• Mature
• Organized (SHOCKER!)
• Self-disciplined
• Generally valiant

On the other hand, for a gold star example of a Completely Neurotic One,

(Oh yeah, and to watch Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis at the top of their game) check out the movie “Black Swan.”

Remember Natalie’s character Nina? Her story starts when she lands her dream role of Swan Queen, which is really two parts in one: The beautiful, good, White Swan, and the rebellious, whimsical Black Swan.

Nina was practically born to dance the part of the White Swan,

disciplined, routine, and careful.

But when her foil waltzes through the door in the form of Lilly (That is, Mila Kunitz) and threatens to take the role of the Black Swan, Nina gets serious. She embodies everything Nina is not….In other words,

Lilly is a BADASS.

The movie becomes a race for Nina to learn to dance and live like the wild, careless Black Swan.

Ironically, she insists on doing even this perfectly.

I won’t ruin the movie for y’all, but needless to say it doesn’t end well for our perfectionist.

You guys, she should have just studied the Enneagram!

But writing this post has made me think. What about the Black Swan? What type is she?

I mean, types don’t really work in opposites. Her descriptions could  fit a couple different motivations.

So what do you think?

Part of the reason the Enneagram fascinates me so much is every time I teach it, I learn something new. An insight or a different way explain the nature of this activity. Someone once told me that the more simply you can explain something, the better you understand it. This is what I strive for in both learning and teaching Enneagram- to communicate effectively the immense conversation this simple shape provides.

So as an opening post, I want to bring you to the core of Enneagram study, really what this work is about for me. (Oh yes, this is work! Prepare to get spiritually RIPPED.)

The enneagram is really not about types. Anyone with a reference to the Vedic faiths, (i.e. Hinduism) will remember the idea of many pathways to enlightenment. Essentially, the Enneagram is one of these pathways. The goal is not to type yourself, or to type other people, or to even to be an expert in all the types. These are just the means to an end. You have to find the knot before you can untie it.

What is the knot? Anything that causes you personal suffering. According to the Enneagram, your own personal defense mechanisms…also known as our good friend type structure.

So, although short, there’s something to mull over while I’m fine tuning this little blog. I hope you’ll stay on board and keep up with me here. Also, If you’re visiting this site under the influence of one of my classes, you’re wonderful, and I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Namaste