#attachment triad

[subconsciousmysteries]

9s

[abyssus-aeterna]

Enneagrammatic Alchemical Symbols

Upon reading this write-up made by RafflesiaArnoldii (kendrixtermina) I was inspired to symbolically represent the Enneagram types in an alchemy-esque manner.

Centres of Intelligence & Underlying Fixations

Gut / Impulsive → Anger

Heart / Emotional → Shame

Head / Mental → Dread

Either fixation can manifest in a three-fold manner:

Exteriorised { anger / shame / dread }

Centralised { anger / shame / dread }

Interiorised { anger / shame / dread }

Note. In hindsight, my symbols for 3 centres of intelligence are akin to how 4 congitive functions are represented in Socionics (〇 for sensation, △ for intuition, □ for thinking/logic, ∟ for feeling/ethics).

Object Relation Triads

Rejection / Transactionalist / Relationist → “Sulphuric”

Attachment / Pragmatist / Adaptive → “Saline”

Frustration / Idealist / Utopian → “Mercurial”

Hornevian Triads

Assertive / Aggressive → “Idic”

Withdrawn → “Egoic”

Dutiful / Compliant → “Super-Egoic”

Note. This is based on the theory of scrambling of centres. In hexad types (1/4/7 & 2/5/8), the secondary centre is in service of the primary, whilst the tertiary is (mostly) taken out of the picture; in triangle types (3/6/9), it’s their primary centre that is walled off from the secondary & tertiary centres.

Harmonic Triads

Positive Outlook / Reframing → “Sublimating”

Competency / Procedural → “Dissolving”

Reactivity / Expressing → “Præcipitating”

Note. Out of the multitude of alchemical processes to represent the harmoning triads I have chosen the following three: sublimation, dissolution, & præcipitation. This was done on the basis of their metaphorical meanings that are in common usage but which have been ultimately derived from their respective primary (al)chemical significations.

to sublimate (← Latin sublīmō “to raise, elevate”)

(alchemy & chemistry) to change directly from the solid to the vapour state without passing through the liquid state

(psychology) to divert the expression of (an instinctual desire or impulse) from its unacceptable base or primitive form to one that is considered more positive or socially or culturally acceptable

Types 2/7/9 cope with an adverse situation by shifting away from it, reframing it into sth positive, habitually searching for silver linings, &c. Thus, they sublimate.

to præcipitate (← Latin præcipitō “throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”)

(alchemy & chemistry) to cause vapour to condense and fall or deposit; to separate a substance out of a liquid solution or suspension into solid form

(common usage) to bring about a certain condition, especially abruptly, sudddenly, and quickly; to fall headlong or act with violent or unwise speed

Types 4/6/8 have an immediate, intense, flaring response or even an outburst to an adverse situation. Thus, they præcipitate.

to dissolve (← Latin dissolvō “to loosen up, break apart”)

(alchemy & chemistry) to disintegrate into a solution by immersion into a liquid or gas

(obsolete usage) to solve; to resolve; to clear up

Types 1/3/5 tend to cope by finding rational, logical solutions. Verbs solve, dissolve, & resolve share the same root. The image that comes to mind is this: analysing the situation at hand (i.e., dissolution) and coming up with the most suitable course of action to deal therewith (i.e., (re)solution).

Constructing an overall symbol (ligature) for each Enneagram type

It is possible to construct a cumulative symbol for each type by combining their respective triadic glyphs into one ligature.

Thus, the Hornevian Triad glyphs for each type would become the base to which the rest of the glyphs would be adjoined.

Then, for hexad types, one would append the respective Object Relation Triad glyph (sulphur for 2/5/8 or mercury for 1/4/7) on top of the base; for triangle types, the salt glyph (for 3/6/9) would instead go underneath.

As for the respective Harmonic Triad glyphs, those would go below everything: the dissolution glyph (for 1/3/5) would be inverted for the purposes of visual congruity; the glyphs for sublimation (for 2/7/9) & præcipation (for 4/6/8) would be used as they are.

Instinctual variants

It is also possible to represent the dominant instinct by adding one of the following to the overall symbol for any Enneagram type:

[ * ] Self-preservation instinct

[ ** ] Sexual instinct

[ *** ] Social instinct

Note. These can be either asterisks or small dots and can be added onto any side of the main symbol. To represent all of the instincts from the dominant to the blind-spot, one can simply stack the asterisks or dots on top of each other accordingly.

[krayfishthetypelessblob]

can you explain in your own words what being a 639 is like?

This is really tough to do without a prompt (imo, I don’t have enough Fi to answer this well haha).  If whatever I write for this doesn’t satisfy you/you have remaining questions that I didn’t answer, please let me know because this is very general and drives my Ne batshit.  

For me, being triple attachment in general is like being ultimately adaptive and, by extension, ultimately inconsistent.  It’s really ironic, because as a triple attachment type, you’d expect me to be (cognitively at least) attached to things and ways of doing things, to be really great at relating to things, feel really comfortable with things as they are and overly yielding to problems, very connected with and aware of culture and norms with an intense desire to “fit in” or “be accepted” (etc etc etc) and realistically I am none of those things.  I’m really just an inconsistent and highly non-committal blob that never had a distinct mechanism for dealing with fear, shame, nor anger (the closest one to consistent is fear and that’s probably because a) that’s my core and b) I lean heavy enough to my wing to get pegged as a 5 by anyone that hasn’t interacted with me on tumblr or perC).  

I think one of the most consistently attachment things about me is my lack of connection to myself (which also relates to being sx blind and soc stupid).  From an early age, I remember conceptualizing that my most basic needs, desires, and interests (all things which I would consider to contribute to one having a sense of “self”) was not only inconvenient, but detracted from those I really cared about when expressed.  At some points, pushing my agenda or even doing something purely because I enjoyed it felt like it would (and quite realistically could have situationally, unfortunately enough) put blood on my hands.  I’ve always been oriented towards solving the problems of the person I care about and maintaining them, so there really was no purpose in cultivating a true identity or defense mechanisms separate from that (and it was horrifying to even think of the consequences of doing such a thing).  Of course I have things and have had things that are distinctly self derived (ie. my early goals most notably), but even those are not entirely separate from that attachment.  Unconsciously, I’ve seemed to center my life around that one thing, and that centering can eventually be tracked back to the fear of loosing that single thing I have centered my entire life around, which is likely a defining aspect of triple attachment, particularly triple attachment lead with 6.

Is every 639 going to relate to the above?  Probably not in whole, as what I mention there is relatively... Extreme.  But really that “special thing” that makes triple attachment is a lack of focus on the self (even if you had sx in the picture, it would still be like this, though this is why the tritype tends sx blind) and a strong, likely unconscious connection to something external in which you center your life around to a significant degree.  With triple attachment there’s a sense that whatever is “the sense of self” isn’t worth much or isn’t focused on, so altering it as you please, even to an unrecognizable degree, isn’t a problem until it is.  Comparatively to others of my tritype, I tend to have a great deal of ambition and desire to create change (ie. I don’t relate at all to ever feeling as though my needs were met or being comfortable with the way things are, or being able to deny the way things are) and am also incredibly dry and internally focused since my tritype and wings border the competency and withdrawn triads.  This triad in general is greatly modulated by it’s wings, regardless of core.

And of course, when you center your life around something external, you’re going to adapt, deconstruct, and reconstruct yourself in order to maintain that connection.  For me, it was to make sure that thing continued to exist, for others it could be to belong, to bring a sense of purpose or motivation, to create a sense of identity that you actually like and is liked by others.   Observe the problem, adapt to the problem, realize what you changed didn’t work and try again until there’s nothing left of the original. 

You start out with a drop of paint on an empty canvas and throw anything that seems like it will work with that drop at whim.  You’re not the only one throwing things at it either.  In the end you have something that’s not an empty canvas.  Maybe you’ve altered it so much it no longer even seems like a canvas.  Maybe you turned the canvas into a chair or something because you had no use at all for the canvas or because the paint drop initially sort of looked like a chair and you went with it.  But somehow, you can connect what it’s become to that little drop of paint in the beginning.  

[headlesstypo]

Triadic Relations: Attachment

Triad: Object Relations

Types Included: 3, 6, 9

Attachment types relate and interact with the world by connecting to things in the external world that they see as valuable.  Each attachment type lies at the center of their specific centre of intelligence, which can make for types that seem to embody their specific centre.  These types are known for their adaptability, especially in terms of dealing with their core fixation (ie. anger, shame, fear).  Each type tends to blend the strategies of their neighboring types in order to combat this fixation, but at the cost of disconnection from the quality they seek to combat and themselves alike.  Those with heavy attachment influence tend to struggle to type themselves within the theory because of this blending and ability to adapt to combat the world around them, both of which allow them to relate to a wide variety of traits.  Those lacking in attachment influence tend to have less fluid and inconsistent personality styles, but tend to have difficulty adjusting themselves to the outside world (or view such as purposeless).

How They Embody Their Triad

3: Being the center of the heart triad, threes tend to be most out of touch with their “true self” and their shame.  By both reframing their weaknesses as adjustable and narrowing down skill sets and traits that they deem as useful and desirable, threes adapt to the outside world by focusing on combating their weaknesses and working towards integrating these traits that they see as ideal.  As a result, they tend to reject their natural self as mediocre or worthless without adjustment.

6: Being the center of the head triad, sixes tend to be most out of touch with their inner guidance and fear.  Being at odds with both their inner world and self trust as well as the unstructured external world and the reliability of others, sixes adapt to the world by seeking security in external and reliable structure, be it a belief system, a network of information, or other trustworthy individuals.  Nonetheless, this leaves them uncentered and persistent ambivalence.

9: Being both the center of the gut triad and the attachment triad, nines tend to be most out of touch with their presence, anger, and self.  By erecting boundaries between themselves and both their internal and external world, nines adapt to the world by becoming incredibly fluid and adjustable in both behavior and personality in attempts to maintain inner harmony and avoid external pressure.  This can leave them disconnected from their inner drives and self as well as quelch their overall presence through merging.

[subconsciousmysteries]

Object Relations Triads

ATTACHMENT (369) types align themselves with objective reality at the expense of knowing their subjective inner reality, which, as paradoxical as this sounds, is also a form of objective reality. one that the ATTACHMENTS love to neglect.

Meanwhile... FRUSTRATION (147) types and REJECTION (258) types are lost in their own world, at the expense of seeing objective reality. FRUSTRATION types are lost in their world of elaborate ideals and possibilities. REJECTION types are lost in their own power fantasy.

The REJECTION triad is glorified because people confuse the power fantasies these individuals have with the reality of these individuals. A terrible misconception.

[subconsciousmysteries]

"It depends" - Attachment or Assertive?

Tired of the idea people are pushing that anyone who says "hmm, it depends on the situation..." when talking about their personality and behavior, is a 6 or a 9.

Have y'all ever been outside and met actual Assertive types? Not people who are identifying as Assertives on the internet or in typology communities... I'm talking about actual people who are too 378 to even analyze their psychology.

Assertive types are the most "it depends" of all the types. These are the people who will embody whatever they need to to get what they want. 7s (and by proxy 6s and 8s) are the people who don't want to limit themselves to one typing because they see all of the patterns in themselves. Also due to their overly-outward-focus, Assertive types are the people whose whims will change the most. "It depends" is something I always hear Assertive types say when I ask them questions about how they would react in a certain situation and try to box their psychology. 6s and 9s say it too, but they're not the only ones.

[fandomrelatedshowerthoughts]

If PDB is in any way right about the Warehouse 13 characters' types, there's a good chance there's at least one 6 high up the show's creative team as out of the major characters all but two have 6 as either core type or wing and the two exceptions are a 3 and a 9. Holy attachment triad Batman, that explains so much about the show