Does your Enneagram change? (3 insights)
This blog post aims to answer the question, “Does your Enneagram change?” and explore the concepts of Enneagrams and personality and their relationship with time to help understand the answer.
Does your Enneagram change?
No, your Enneagram does not change. The following are 3 insights into why your Enneagram does not change –
- Personality type patterns are firmly embedded.
- The degree of connection varies.
- Enneagrams manifest themselves in a variety of ways at various stages of development.
What are these 3 insights into why your Enneagram does not change?
Personality type patterns are firmly embedded.
Our fundamental number, like the Enneagram, does not alter (sometimes called our basic type). We can’t pick our own number, either. According to Enneagram instructors, we are assigned a number when we are young, and our basic fears and desires are shaped by our early experiences.
Our personality type patterns are so firmly embedded that they continue to dominate our encounters throughout our lives. Other personality types’ patterns, on the other hand, are experienced and manifested by us.
The principle of movement down the lines and around the circle is central to the Enneagram’s teaching. This movement manifests and experiences the features of other Enneagram personality types for us. As a result, it may appear from time to time that we have morphed into a different personality type.
Your basic survival strategy, your main Enneagram, remains unchanged. Psychological constructions and emotional styles are part of this survival strategy. This is the perspective through which you view your life and experiences.
This perspective has an influence on how we make decisions, deal with disagreements, and ask for what we want. Essentially, it is a means of meeting our wants while avoiding discomfort.
However, because personality expression is rarely static, it appears that your dominant personality type is shifting. Flux may be caused by a number of things.
The degree of connection varies.
You have all nine enneagrams. They’re archetypes, after all. The degree to which you connect with the other types (those who aren’t your primary type) differs.
When you use all three Centers of Intelligence, you’re more likely to connect with a type in each of the triads that aren’t your major triad, i.e. “having a leg in each triad.” 5–6–7 is the head type, 2–3–4 is the heart type, and 8–9–1 is the stomach type.
Your Tritype is a term used to describe the mixture of these three personality types. (Your heart/stress points may make up your tritype if your primary type is in the inner triangle (3-6-9)).) Two of your tritype’s three legs are usually the strongest.
To figure out which one needs improvement, consider which is the most difficult: a) connecting with the body and instincts, b) thinking critically and analysing data, or c) feeling and sharing thoughts. Working with this imbalance might alter the way you express yourself.
The heart and stress spots indicate the system’s expected motions. You don’t become those sorts when you live in heart/stress points. When you reach your Stress Point, you must use a different approach because your current one has been exhausted.
When the high-energy 3 ultimately burns out, they revert to ‘sloth,’ which is the 9’s Passion (emotional habit). The display of stress spots serves your primary type’s underlying worries and aspirations.
The Heart Point might happen when your ego relaxes and you feel comfortable letting go of your guard. When the inner critic of 1 calms down, they may be able to appreciate the spontaneity of the 7.
Note that there is no correlation between positive and negative heart and stress points because these motions can have both positive and negative manifestations.
Similarly, the degree to which your Wings (the kinds adjacent to your primary type) are related to or influenced by you varies. For instance, 8w9 is likely to be less aggressive and more introverted than 8w7. Wings are frequently something you may lean into purposefully to create balance in your life.
Furthermore, when you and your life condition change, so does the distribution of Subtype energy. Your subtype (self-preservation, social, or sexual) is similar to your enneagram in that you will have a dominant subtype as well as all three.
Your “stack” refers to how evenly things are spread throughout you. The subtype is a gut-based survival strategy that is deeply rooted in the reptile mind. As a result, differences in the stack have a significant influence on enneagram expression.
Finding your primary type might be difficult, especially since there are so many sorts that appear comparable. The Hornevian Types (how you deal with conflict) and the Harmonic Patterns are two divisions that have certain commonalities (how you handle it when your wants are frustrated).
Asserting (3–7–8), retreating (4–5–9), and conforming (1–2–6) are the three hornevian styles. Maintaining an optimistic viewpoint (7–9–2), demonstrating proficiency (1–3–5), and responding against (4–6–8) are the three harmonic patterns.
Enneagrams manifest themselves in a variety of ways at various stages of development.
We usually think about the enneagram in terms of the horizontal dimension of personality when we talk about it. Enneagrams manifest themselves in a variety of ways at various stages of development.
As you mature, your perspective of the world shifts, and your relationship with your ego shifts as well. These levels can be thought of as phases, with one following the other.
Our position in the developmental hierarchy is fluid, and progress is frequently non-linear. Your health and the circumstances of your life change as well. When we go through the hierarchy of demands or adjust to new situations, our personalities are influenced.
Finally, the Enneagram’s spiritual side claims that you are not your type, but rather that which can perceive your type. You are the eyewitness to this.
Being a witness to your experience allows for the Virtue of your primary enneagrams (objective emotions that are not decided by the ego) and your Higher Mind (what you are capable of when you are ‘awake’). You still have your enneagram here, because they aren’t phases we attain, but rather states of consciousness.
What is Enneagram?
The Enneagram is a personality type system that describes patterns in people’s perceptions of the world and emotional management. The Enneagram divides people into nine personality types, each of which is represented by a nine-pointed graphic that shows how they interact.
The word Enneagram derives from the Greek words Ennea, which means “nine,” and Gramma, which means “drawn or written.” Each of the nine personality types is determined by a basic belief about how the world works, according to the Enneagram.
This basic belief underpins your innermost motives and concerns, as well as shaping a person’s worldview and perspective on the world and the people around them.
Our primary ideas aren’t always wrong, but they can be constrictive and act as “blinders” for people. Understanding our Enneagram type and how it influences our views might help us extend our horizons and more effectively handle circumstances.
Knowing a person’s Enneagram type might help us understand why they act the way they do. Each Enneagram type has a set of basic beliefs that will continuously inspire and guide them to conduct specific actions and make specific decisions.
When we understand a person’s Enneagram type, we can frequently explain behaviour that appears to be perplexing or contradictory.
The Enneagram also assists us in comprehending how people respond to stress. The Enneagram reveals chances for personal development and gives a basis for understanding others by outlining how each Enneagram adapts and responds to both stressful and supportive conditions.
Enneagram Types.
Here are all the names and basic traits of the 9 Enneagram types –
- Type 1: Idealist: Reformer, logical, moral, rigid.
- Type 2: Caregiver: affectionate, outgoing, caring, loving, people-oriented.
- Type 3: Achiever: driven, focused, ambitious, goal-oriented, optimistic, extroverted.
- Type 4: Individualist: Romantic, introverted, creative, thoughtful.
- Type 5: Investigator: Skeptic, curious, investigative, knowledgeable, open-minded
- Type 6: Loyalist: Loyal, friendly, dependable, keen, engaging, committed
- Type 7: Adventurer: Funny, outgoing, adventurous, enthusiastic, novelty-seeking
- Type 8: Challenger: Intimidating, focused, strong-willed, opposing, rigid
- Type 9: Peacemaker: Calm, relaxed, conflict-avoiding, peaceful, friendly.
Conclusion –
This blog post attempted to answer the question, “Does your Enneagram change?” and reviewed the concepts of Enneagrams and personality and their relationship with time to help determine if your Enneagram can change. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or comments you may have.
References –
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Can your Enneagram change over time? (A full guide). PsychReel. (2022, January 4). Retrieved from https://psychreel.com/can-your-enneagram-change-over-time/
The Enneagram – An Adventure In Self Discovery. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ennea.com/frequently-asked-questions/
How the Enneagram System Works. (n.d.). The Enneagram Institute®. Retrieved from https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/how-the-enneagram-system-works
Is It Possible to Change Your enneagram Type? Personality Cafe. (2019, November 10). Retrieved from https://www.personalitycafe.com/threads/is-it-possible-to-change-your-enneagram-type.1320925/
Nguyen, J. 5 Things People Get Wrong About The Enneagram System. (2020, August 25). Retrieved from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/things-people-get-wrong-about-the-enneagram-system
Does Your Enneagram Type Change? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bestenneagramtest.com/blog/does-your-enneagram-type-change
Ishler, J. All of Your Questions about Enneagram Wings, Answered. (2021, July 13). Retrieved from https://www.truity.com/blog/all-your-questions-about-enneagram-wings-answered
