What is the Enneagram?

 The Enneagram is a system of personality typing that describes patterns in how people interpret the world and manage their emotions. The Enneagram describes nine personality types and maps each of these types on a nine-pointed diagram which helps to illustrate how the types relate to one another. 

Type One Overview:

Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and impatience. At their Best: wise, discerning, realistic, and noble. Can be morally heroic.

Basic Fear: Of being corrupt/evil, defective

Basic Desire: To be good, to have integrity, to be balanced

Key Motivations: Want to be right, to strive higher and improve everything, to be consistent with their ideals, to justify themselves, to be beyond criticism so as not to be condemned by anyone.

The Meaning of the Arrows (in brief)

When moving in the Direction of Disintegration (stress), methodical Ones suddenly become moody and irrational at Four. However, when moving in their Direction of Integration (growth), angry, critical Ones become more spontaneous and joyful, like healthy Sevens. Learn more about the arrows.

1 Wing 9:

Known as the Optimist. An Enneagram type one with a nine wing primarily shows the characteristics of a type one, but shares a few with the type nine, as well. People with a type one wing nine personality tend to be judicial and rational in their behavior, but are generally more calm and balanced than other type ones. They usually have a desire for justice and equality and can see both sides of an issue easily. They are motivated by a strong sense of right and wrong. 

Basic Fear

One-wing-nine personality types have a basic fear of being unethical and corrupt. They avoid making morally wrong choices and can be objective and emotionally reserved.

Basic Desire

They have a basic desire to be morally good. They advocate for rights of others through teaching and discussion.

Optimists tend to respond to negativity by either redirecting their emotions or by avoiding them entirely. They may push themselves deeper into their work, their type one defense mechanism, or they may withdraw from it altogether, their type nine defense mechanism.

1 Wing 2:

This is known as the Reformer/Advocate. Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and impatience. At their Best: wise, discerning, realistic, and noble. Can be morally heroic.

Core fear: To be immoral and to make choices that are themselves considered immoral. This makes Type 1w2s act consciously to avoid doing that.

• Losing their sense of control
• Being seen as negative by others
• People not living up to their high expectations
• 
  

Core desire: To be humane and to help those who are less fortunate, often in a hands-on manner.

• Follow what they believe to be right
• Look for affection from others
• Advocating for reform