The 2D Enneagram

  Playful Friday [10]: Type 7   Type 7s strive to feel excited: they scan for options, stimulation, and future possibilities, wanting enough freedom and variety to stay hopeful and not feel trapped in pain or limitation. Their mind often jumps ahead to the next interesting thing, turning even ordinary plans into adventures in their imagination.   Type 7 is likely to say:   “I have three new ideas we could try instead of just doing it the usual way.”   “Can we make this more fun, or at least less boring?”   “Why choose one option when we could mix two or three?”   “I’m not avoiding problems, I’m just brainstorming better stories to live in.”   “Let’s put something in the diary to look forward to, otherwise I’ll go mad.”   “Yes, I said I’d slow down, but then I had another brilliant idea on the way here.”   “My calendar is full, my brain is fuller, and somehow I still think I can fit more in.”   “I don’t change the subject, I just upg...

  Communication Tips Wednesday [10]: Type 7 (Striving to feel Excited)    Type 7s tend to be fast, future‑oriented communicators, quickly generating ideas, options, and possibilities. They often shift topics rapidly and focus on what is stimulating or hopeful, which can make them engaging and energising, but sometimes hard to pin down or follow.    Tips for Type 7s:   When you share ideas, pause to check what others have understood and agreed to, so your enthusiasm does not leave people unsure what was actually decided.    Try finishing one point before jumping to the next exciting possibility; a brief summary (“so the core idea is…”) can help others stay with you.    If discomfort or limits arise, experiment with naming at least a little of it instead of immediately changing the subject, which can deepen connection rather than escape it.    Tips for communicating with Type 7s:   Engage with their ideas and possibilities, ...

  Myth Monday [10]: Preserving   Myth: “The self‑preservation instinct is the same thing as the Preserving Instinctual Bias.”   Reality: In much Enneagram teaching, “self‑preservation” is described mainly as protecting me: my body, my comfort, my safety, my money.  The Preserving Instinctual Bias in the ATA approach is broader: it includes preserving the self, but also the nest (home, resources, routines), close family and inner‑circle relationships, and even objects, traditions, proven methods, and procedures that keep life stable over time.   Someone with a strong Preserving bias may focus on things like financial security, health, home environment, food, supplies, and maintaining traditions or systems that “work,” not just on their personal survival in a narrow sense.   Reducing this to a simple self‑preservation instinct misses how much it is about caring for the whole nest and its continuity, not just protecting one individual.

  Sundays with the Enneagram The “Three Centres” Myth – Part 3: When “Science” Starts with the Answer This week’s episode looks at what happens when someone sets out to “scientifically prove” the three centres instead of asking whether they make sense in the first place. In Personality and Wholeness in Therapy, Siegel builds a sophisticated-sounding framework of three “temperamental domains”: agency, bonding, and certainty, and then quietly fits them to the familiar Enneagram triads 8-9-1, 2-3-4, and 5-6-7. The structure looks elegant on paper, but the direction of travel is wrong: it starts from the Enneagram narrative and works backwards toward neuroscience and clinical theory, rather than letting evidence lead wherever it wants to go. The first move is the choice of exactly three domains. Neuroscience and psychology offer many different ways of carving up motivation and affect, and they do not converge on a tidy “there are exactly three fundamental human domains that just happen...

  Playful Friday [9]: Type 6   Type 6s strive to feel secure: they scan for potential risks, inconsistencies, and “what ifs,” looking for enough certainty, back‑up plans, and reliability to relax and trust what is happening around them. Their mind often runs scenarios in advance so they can be prepared rather than blind sided, even if this sometimes looks like overthinking to others.   Type 6 is likely to say:   “I just want to know what the plan is if this doesn’t go as expected.”   “I’m not being negative, I’m checking whether this is actually safe and realistic.”   “Who’s responsible for this, and can we rely on them to follow through?”   “I feel better when I know the worst‑case scenario and how we’d handle it.”   “Give me clear information, not vague reassurances.”   “Did anyone else notice that small thing that could become a big problem later?”   “My brain doesn’t ‘spiral’; it runs full‑scale safety drills for situations that have...

  Communication Tips Wednesday [9]: Type 6 (Striving to feel Secure)    Type 6s tend to be vigilant and question‑oriented communicators, quickly spotting risks, inconsistencies, and “what could go wrong.”    They often use questions, double‑checks, and devil’s‑advocate comments to feel safer and better prepared, which can sometimes make them sound more negative or doubtful than they intend.    Tips for Type 6s:   If you are asking questions to feel safer and more prepared, name that intention (“I want to make sure this is solid”) so your questions land as support rather than criticism.    When you bring up the worst‑case scenario, add one concrete suggestion for what might help, so your input shows up as practical problem‑solving rather than just worry.    If you notice yourself flipping between doubt and certainty, try putting that into words (“part of me is unsure, part of me sees the value”), which makes your process clearer...

  Myth Monday [9]: Type 9   Myth: “Nines are too passive and lazy to be leaders or CEOs.”   Reality: In practice, Type 9s often show up in leadership; after Threes and Eights, they are among the most common types leading organisations and teams.    Their style is usually quieter, but it brings real advantages: they listen well, defuse conflict, seek harmony, and are generally likeable, which makes it easier for people across the organisation to work with them. Rather than charging ahead or chasing visibility, many Nines lead by creating stability, drawing out different perspectives, and helping everyone feel included.   What can look from the outside like passivity is often a deliberate focus on consensus and calm, which, in complex systems full of competing agendas, is exactly what keeps things moving without blowing up.

Sundays with the Enneagram The “Three Centres” Myth – Part 2: Neat Triads on a Messy Map Even if someone generously grants the idea of three “centres” as a poetic way to talk about thinking, feeling, and instinct, the standard Enneagram mapping: 8‑9‑1 as “gut,” 2‑3‑4 as “heart,” 5‑6‑7 as “head”, is basically a historical convenience, not a discovered law of human nature. It looks tidy on the symbol, but the choice of which types go into which group is arbitrary, and most explanations are back‑filled after the fact to make it sound inevitable. Good grouping has rules: everything in the group should strongly fit the defining feature, and things outside the group should clearly not fit it. If the category is “countries with red in the flag,” the United States and Canada qualify—but so do hundreds of others—and if you insist the set is “US, Canada, and Sweden,” you are clearly forcing the pattern to match a pre‑chosen trio rather than honestly following the data. That is what happens with ...

  Playful Friday [8]: Type 5   Type 5s strive to feel detached: they scan for information, clarity, and enough inner resources to handle life without being overwhelmed, usually preferring thinking first and talking later.   Type 5: Likely to say:   “I need to understand it before I have an opinion.” “Can you send it in writing so I can think it through?” “I’m not quiet because I don’t care; I’m quiet because I’m processing.” “I’ll share when I’m ready, not when the room gets uncomfortable with silence.” “Feelings are noted; now can we look at the data?” “My ideal social event is one that can be left early without explanation.” “I have three books on that topic, none of which I’ve finished… yet.” “I’m not unemotional; I just don’t see why everything has to be performed out loud.” “I don’t hate people, I just prefer them in low doses with good Wi‑Fi.”   Type 5: Unlikely to say:   “I love being put on the spot with no time to think.” “The more people and chaos...

  Communication Tips Wednesday [8]: Type 5 (Striving to feel Detached)   Type 5s tend to be deliberate and thoughtful communicators, choosing their words carefully and preferring to speak when they feel prepared. They dislike being rushed and usually release information on their own timing, after they have processed it internally.   Tips for Type 5s:   If you need more time, say so directly: “I need to think about this and come back to you,” rather than disappearing into silence. This protects your need for space without leaving others guessing. Experiment with naming at least a small piece of your emotional reaction (“I’m frustrated,” “I’m anxious about this”) alongside your ideas. You do not have to perform feelings, but letting others see they are there can deepen trust.   Tips for communicating with Type 5s:   Give them time and information: avoid pressuring them for instant responses, and whenever possible, send details in advance so they can think bef...

  Myth Monday [8]: Type 6   Myth:  “Sixes are fearful and often scared.”   Reality:  In mainstream Enneagram teaching, Type 6 is linked to the passion of Fear, which easily turns into a stereotype of the constantly frightened Six.    In practice, the dominant emotional tone is usually closer to anxiety and unease with uncertainty than to raw terror. Sixes want to feel certain and prepared, not frozen in fear.   This is why many Sixes test the ground: they ask “What do you mean by that?”, question assumptions, and probe for weak spots, often looking more like investigative journalists than timid worriers. They do not have a special problem with fear itself; they are trying to reduce uncertainty, gather enough information, and be as ready as possible for whatever might happen.   #the2denneagram #enneagram #Enneagramtype6

  Sundays with the Enneagram   The “Three Centres of Intelligence” Myth    Part 1: No Such Thing as Three Brains     The Enneagram’s “three centres”, head, heart, and gut, are often presented as a timeless insight into human nature, mapping neatly onto thinking, feeling, and instinct. This idea echoes ancient philosophy, going back at least to Plato’s tripartite soul (reason, spirit, appetite), and was later revived in modern times.    In the 1960s, neuroscientist Paul MacLean popularized the “triune brain” model, describing a reptilian brain stem (instinct), mammalian limbic system (emotion), and rational neocortex layered on top, a compelling story that shaped pop psychology for decades.   But that model is now widely discredited in neuroscience.    Leading researchers like Lisa Feldman Barrett, whose work in affective science (including How Emotions Are Made) synthesizes decades of evidence, show the brain isn’t divided into isol...

  Playful Friday [7]: Type 4   Type 4s strive to feel unique: they scan for what is missing, what is meaningful, and what feels deeply theirs, often moving between quiet withdrawal and intense, passionate expression.   Type 4: Likely to say:   “I don’t just want a life that works; I want a life that feels like me.” “Everyone else seems fine with ‘normal’… I’m not.” “If it doesn’t have depth, I lose interest pretty quickly.” “I’m not being dramatic; I’m just not going to pretend this doesn’t matter.” “I wish I could be as simple and happy as other people… but clearly I’m not built that way.” “I change my look depending on who I am this week.” “I feel both special and fundamentally flawed. Congratulations to me.” “No, I’m not overthinking it; I’m trying on a new identity.” “My emotions aren’t too much; the world’s responses are too little.”   Type 4: Unlikely to say:   “I don’t really care about meaning; as long as it’s practical, I’m happy.” “Honestly, I fee...

  Communication Tips Wednesday [7]: Type 4 (Striving to feel Unique)   Type 4s tend to move between withdrawing into themselves and communicating with great passion and strong opinions. They often “feel people out” at first, looking for signs of authenticity and depth before they fully open up.   Tips for Type 4s:   Notice when your search for what is “real” slides into quietly testing people or dismissing them as shallow too quickly. You can still protect your depth without assuming others have none. When you feel a strong emotional reaction, try stating it plainly instead of wrapping it in mood or indirect comments. Clear, simple language helps others meet you where you actually are.   Tips for communicating with Type 4s:   Signal authenticity: speak honestly about your own experience, and don’t be afraid of naming real feelings or harder topics. Fours are often put off by what they experience as banal or superficial and drawn to conversations about mean...

  Myth Monday [7]: Type 3   Myth:  “Threes are always composed and self‑confident.”   Reality:  Many Threes look calm, capable, and in control on the outside, but report a lot of hidden anxiety underneath.   The fear is not random; it often centres on failing, not being good enough, not achieving enough, or not being seen as successful.   In the Awareness to Action model, Threes lean on the Support Strategy of Striving to Feel Peaceful (Type 9), which means they often smooth over their own inner turbulence.   They may experience strong self-doubt and pressure, but mask it with a peaceful, unbothered façade, giving the impression of total composure even when they are tightly wound inside.   #the2denneagram #enneagram #enneagramtype3

  Talk of a “true self” around the Enneagram usually smuggles in more theology and wishful thinking than evidence.   The problem with the “true self” story   Many Enneagram approaches claim that each type’s passion or fixation separates us from a “true self” that is always pure, good, and sometimes even divine. That single sentence assumes at least three big things: that there is something divine, that there is a pre‑existing “true self,” and that this self is inherently good.    None of these claims is demonstrated; they are metaphysical or religious positions, not conclusions drawn from careful observation of personality patterns.  There is also little serious evidence that goodness is an innate, essential quality sitting intact underneath our patterns.   It is at least as plausible, and arguably more so, that what we call “true self” is something gradually created through choices, habits, and development, rather than a ready‑made core waiting to be ...

  Playful Friday [6]: Type 3   Type 3s strive to feel outstanding: they scan for goals, metrics, and chances to shine, and they want to look capable, composed, and successful, often even when they are anxious underneath.   Type 3: Likely to say:   “If we set a clear target, I’ll get us there.” “Tell me what success looks like, and I’ll work backwards from there.” “Failure isn’t an option… or at least it’s not one I’m willing to talk about yet.” “I’ll deal with my feelings after the deadline.” “Of course I’m fine; let’s just focus on the results.” “I didn’t mean to run the whole project… but someone had to step up.” “Rest is important, so I’ve scheduled it for the next quarter.” “If I look like I have it all together, please don’t ask how I’m actually doing.” “I didn’t oversell it; I just presented the best possible version of reality.” “If I slow down, I’m afraid I’ll find out I’m not that impressive after all.”   Type 3: Unlikely to say:   “Results don’t m...