#head triad

[mindyourownspace]

[butterflyyoucomefromme]

in case you are confused about your tritype, part 2

[anenneagramoverview]

Enneagram Defense Mechanisms - The Head Triad

Defense mechanisms part 2 - part 1 on the gut triad is linked here.

E5: Isolation

Isolation is a defense mechanism in which one cuts themselves off from others for periods of time. Isolation can be separated into 3 categories; physical, mental, and emotional. Physical isolation is the easiest to recognize, and is simply being alone. Mental isolation presents itself as zoning out, like their mind is elsewhere. They're physically present, but mentally occupied. Emotional isolation can be likened to emotional detachment; one will cut themself off from emotions and will refuse to get involved with others emotionally. The 5's use of isolation stem from their (often unconscious) need to avoid feeling drained. As a part of the head triad, the 5 desires security, and they feel they must be very careful with how they use what little energy they have so that they don't run out. Being present - physically, mentally, or emotionally can often feel exhausting, so they avoid it altogether. Ridding themself of "unnecessary" strain on their energy reserves leaves them free to use direct their energy towards security; though often knowing they have extra energy should they need it is also a form of security the E5 desires, which is another reason they isolate.

E6: Projection

Projection is a defense mechanism in which one will attribute emotions, motivations, attributes, or behaviors of their own that they (unconsciously) feel are unacceptable onto another entity - be it a person or a group. These may not necessarily be negative; they may be neutral, or even positive. The E6's use of projection stems from the unconscious desire to allay their internal fears and anxieties and avoid rejection. Through projecting, the 6 avoids situations they would prefer not to engage in and protects themselves from rejection. For example, they might say that they don't think the other person is ready to talk about something when in reality, they themselves are not ready to talk about it; in this instance, they fear they will be abandoned (as is the 6's basic fear) if they confront the situation, so they ascribe the hesitance to address the situation that they are feeling onto the other, which ensures they both do not have to have an unwanted conversation and are not risking being abandoned. The 6 also uses projection to justify internal fears and anxieties. They might be anxious people will betray them, so they project that anxiety onto someone in order to legitimize their fear. In this manner, they almost preempt rejection in (unconscious) hope of ensuring that they will not be as hurt by it.

E7: Rationalization

Rationalization is a defense mechanism in which one attempts to avoid the true reasons for their behavior or emotions by explaining it in a seemingly logical manner. The 7 (unconsciously) uses rationalization to avoid painful emotions. They attempt to reframe the situation positively and explain away or justify things in order to distance themself from painful feelings. This can look like minimizing the issue ("I didn't want it that badly anyways, it's no big deal") or making excuses ("it was going to end well anyways"), to name two examples. Rationalization does not necessarily have to be about one's own emotions or behavior; it can also come in the form of making excuses or trying to reframe another's actions. As a part of the head triad, the 7 desires security. They are always on the go, flitting from one thing to the next in hopes of gaining that security, using rationalization to avoid painful emotions that might bring them down.

[ladylejean]

Centres: head triad

The core neurosis of head types revolves around the idea of being prepared from all the possible threats that arrive from the outside world. When you’re confronted with an actual problem, you come up with a solution to the best of your knowledge and insight. Except head types don’t see this due to their overfocus on every possible issue that may or may not arise. This way, they achieve a sense of psychological support they feel they lack. 

They overfocus on issues that might arise, which prevents them from seeing what’s right in front of them. The defense mechanism has nothing to do with being analytical. If anything, head types usually tend to lose sight of logic. Imagine coming up with “in order to survive, I need to cut off my own head” by means of a solution. 

Head types offer a detached outlook and a willingness to look at an issue from different angles. For 5s, it’s about controlling their inner resources: they minimise their personal needs and energy is directed towards a couple of niche topics they seek to master. 7s go outward as they seek experiences and opportunities in what is basically a quest for meaning. This prevents them from having to deal with feelings perceived as negative. Type 6 does both. On the one hand, they are skeptical about everything esp when it’s perceived as lacking clarity. Things get rejected out of hand in what is a quest for truth. On the other hand, they seek confirmation from the outside world. This is due to the overthinking creating inner noise.  

[subconsciousmysteries]

Misuse of the 6 typing in Modern Enneagram

Welcome to my series about Type 6. The center of Perceptions. The virtues of Courage and Loyalty. The loss of Holy Faith. The vices of Envy and Doubt. The Reactive, Attachment Head Type. In this multi-post series we will delve into what all of this means.

-----

Too often in modern enneagram, Type 6 is not treated like a distinctive point on the symbol with its own identity. It is treated like the dumping box for everyone we find annoying, argumentative and unpredictable, and can't be bothered properly analyzing.

Lots of 8s get put into the 6 category, especially since the nonsense idea of "counterphobic 6" [x] emerged. People have told me I'm a 6 many times before, and the irony is that they could be right... however, nobody who has typed me at 6 has had logical reasoning behind their stance. I have more reasons to explain why I'm a 6 than anyone who has said that I'm a 6 core.

The modern enneagram community doesn't respect or understand type 6 as a real archetype. These people who typed me as 6 because I argued with them were basically in a math exam, getting the right answer by fluke after doing all the wrong working. This has probably happened to countless other people reading this post... typing people as 6 because they dare to be opinionated is extremely common malpractice in every enneagram community.

In Type 6s, "Doubt" runs much deeper than disagreeing with what someone says. Showing basic critical thinking skills and asking questions is the fastest way to get yourself typed as 6 in modern enneagram groups, which is dumb dumb dumb. In truth, any enneatype can doubt what people say and even argue chronically. Argumentativeness is a trait too vague and too diverse in how it presents itself, to assign to any one type.

Please read my post about how Counterphobic 6 is not a real enneagram type category. If someone calls themselves a "counterphobic 6" or tells you you are a "counterphobic 6", you can be assured they don't know what they are talking about and move along.

[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.

[anime-addictt]

A Sweet Introduction to Anime Enneagram

You'll agree with everything I say. (Just Kidding !)

Enneagram 1 : God Complex

Also: Looks perfect, but is absolutely a horrid mess.

Biggest Issue: Being seen as bad.

Characters: Rachel Gardener, Norman, Light, Fushiguro Megumi

Enneagram 2: I’m soo needy and need people to love me.

Also: "My life depends on this one random person who will never even look at me :')"

Biggest Issue : Not realizing they need to be there for themselves.

Characters: Sakura, Historia, Rem, Misa Amane, Uraraka, Tanjiro, Kyouko Hori.

Enneagram 3: There’s nothing more perfect than me.

Also: Unrealistically perfect characters

Biggest Issue: Not having something that defines them.

Characters: Teruhashi Kokomi, Naruto, Oikawa (he's perfect alright!), Shirogane, Roy Mustang

Enneagram 4: Everyone, including myself, hates me.

Also: Self-wallowing characters

Biggest Issue: Not realizing that they are amazing as a whole. 

Characters: Yuki Sohma, Dazai Osamu (I really thought he was a 7), Ryunosuke Akutagawa

Enneagram 5: Human robots with no emotions

Also:  The really cool character that completely lacks something. 

Biggest Issue: Thinks too much. 

Characters: Ray, Kenma, L, Ranpo, Shiro, Tsukishima

Enneagram 6: A secondary character in the story.

Also: The side character with a shitty backstory.

Biggest Issue: Let’s others influence their thoughts. 

Characters: Killua, Kakashi, Levi, Eren, Kyo Sohma, Mikasa

Enneagram 7: Looks normal, but is extremely sad/crazy.

Also: The character that jumps into the icky situations

Biggest Issue: Thinks too little

Characters: Yukihira Sohma, Sora, Itadori Yuuji, Natsuki Subaru, Yumeko Jabami, Hisoka

Enneagram 8: I’m always a b*tch

Also: Straight up dom vibes or characters with anger issues.

Characters: Katsuki Bakugo, Ryomen Sukuna, Kuroo, Miya Atsumu, Kugisaki Nobara, freckles Ymir. 

Enneagram 9:   I can’t speak up for myself

Also: Lazy, can’t speak louder than 30 decibels.

Characters: Nagisa Shouta, Alphonse Elric, Kaneki Ken, Tadakoro Megumi, Shikamaru

[tvandenneagram]

The Thinking Triad (5, 6, 7)

The thinking triad is also known as the ‘head’ and ‘fear’ triads as they are very ‘in their own head’ and their central emotion is fear. The thinking triad wants to find a sense of security and guidance in their world, but they do it in vastly different ways. They are concerned about the future, and are always thinking “what’s going to happen to me?” These types are prone to overthinking everything, and cannot get their minds to ‘quiet down’, hence they are the head triad.

Type 5: 5s think that they will gain security through knowledge. 5s will often retreat inwardly as they think their mind is the only safe place in the world. They are also concerned that they do not have skills to bring to reality, and rely on gaining knowledge so they are useful. 5s think that they need to be independent, so they will retreat internally and will try not to rely on anyone else. “The world is scary, the only thing I can actually control is my own mind!”

Type 6: 6s think they will gain security through their associations and relationships with others (usually authority figures). As 6s are in the centre of the triad, they focus their energy both inwardly and outwardly. 6s will often launch into action in anticipation of the future, but being afraid of the consequences and being mistaken they will retreat into themselves like a five. Depending on a 6s wings, they will do one or the other more. For example, a 6w5 will be more internally focused, whereas a 6w7 will be more outwardly nervous and show their anxiety more. e.g. “I’m worried this will happen, better stop it before it does!"

Type 7: 7s think they will gain security by experiencing the outside world and having fun. 7s seem to be afraid of nothing, however, their fear lies within their internal world, as they are afraid of their emotions. 7s focus their energy outwardly as they do not want to deal with their fear, so they keep their minds busy with external experiences. 7s try to reject their need for nurturing and drive themselves into activities to forget their need for others. E.g. “I don’t want to deal with my feelings, let’s do something fun!”