ENNEAGRAM POST #3: BEST TYPING PRACTICES FOR THE ENNEAGRAM
The Enneagram is one of 2 typing systems that does not pass the accuracy/reliability/validity test, but I believe the system *could* pass if people follow these practices I will shortly outline (The other system is Psychosophy/ Attitudinal Psyche, and yes, I know they're technically 2 different systems, but similar enough that I will look at them together):
I think a lot of people just take an Enneagram test, don't read the results, and therefore don't question their top result, which leads to many mistypes.
If you follow this list of practices, you are very unlikely to get your type wrong or be a mistype:
1. If you take a test, note the types which you scored highest on, and read the type description of the type the test said is yours. Pay close attention to the core fear and core desire. If they make you feel some awkward, embarrassed, or vulnerable way, you have probably found your type. If not, then read those things for the other 2 types
2. Read multiple Enneagram authors. There are some authors who understand types, Instinctual variants and tritype/trifix better than others. I don't recommend fixating on just one author like they do on Personality Database (Naranjo).
3. Use instinctual variants instead of subtypes. The subtype descriptions generally are bad, and have people forgetting what the core type of a person actually is, because to a lot of people, the subtype descriptions sound like they belong to a different core than the one they were written for. Instinctual variants, on the other hand, manifest the same way across all the Enneagram types, so there won't be any, " What was that person's core again?" when you're dealing with them.
4. For tritype/trifi, look for secondary influence from the other 2 centers the core is not in. In tritype and trifix , I tend to list the numbers starting with the core and moving clockwise, so for instance, the triple assertive tritype I would list as either 378, 783 or 837, depending on which number is the core.
5. If you *do* want to look at subtypes, don't use the Personality Database wiki! A lot of those subtype descriptions were *not* authored by the people claimed. Instead, I would go straight to the author's books
6. Remember that the Enneagram is not about behavior but about what *motivates* the behavior. All 9 types could exhibit a particular behavior, but for 9 different reasons. This is one of the most important things to keep in mind when you type a person/yourself in the Enneagram
7. The Enneagram has no *direct* correlation to any other typology systems. It has only a *secondary* correlation to Socionics, and the dominant instinctual variant has a *secondary* correlation to PY. I will explain direct vs. secondary correlation if needed, but my main reason for saying this is that your Enneagram type does not have to correlate with your MBTI type, Sociotype, or Psychotype; like they try to convince you on Personality Database
I hope these were some great pointers that will help your Enneagram typing improve its accuracy, reliability and validity; getting it up above 60% and passing
Eurylochus in Ocean Saga: Don't forget how dangerous the gods are!
Eurylochus in Thunder Saga: *forgets how dangerous the gods are*
INFP culture is having a breakdown and giving yourself a peace sign in the mirror afterwards
Sylus is for the ones whose feet always seem to find the cracks in the pavement, who always seem to stumble over themselves as they try desperately to make something- a name for themselves, a conversation, a new relationship, a stronger existing one, anything- only to fail again and again.
Sylus is for the ones who find themselves holding up their hands as they watch them shake. Why you? Why was everything always on you? Why did you always have to make the effort, the connection, the fake-happy face to appease someone, just so that they might love you?
Sylus is for the ones who truly try, but have longed since reached the breaking point. Don't worry darling. Hide the cracks. If they're hidden, you surely can handle a little bit more disappointment. A little bit more 'being alone' no matter how hard you try. A little bit more on focusing on everyone else's needs while neglecting your own. Why are you breaking? Why are your pieces on the floor? Chin up, darling. It's only for a while longer. How much longer? Well, how much more do you have left to give?
Sylus is for the ones who sit wondering why. Why is there suddenly the foreign feeling of care, of love, of endearment? When everything has been 'nothing' for so long, how are you supposed to cope with 'anything' at all? Much less 'everything'? The stack of bills are paid, the cupboards no longer have ramen, rice, and beans. The texts come frequently, and your phone rings randomly whenever you cross someone's mind. When have you ever crossed someone's mind? And the clothes bought for you fit like a glove.
Sylus is for the ones who have given everything all of their life, who have found themselves desperate for connections that no one wants to make with them, who give their everything in exchange for more anxiety and demands at their expense.
Sylus is for the ones who want security.
something my therapist told me that personally has been rather helpful is that coping skills are not to make us feel better. they are to create space between u and ur feelings. they r to help u cope and do what u need to do. they are not meant to resolve ur negative feelings. if they do, that's a bonus. but if they don't, that's ok. learning that honestly helped so much. i'm such a perfectionist that i can't even cope if it's not gonna be perfect and this like took a weight off my shoulders. if i use a coping skill and don't feel better, that's ok. i am simply trying to distance myself from my emotion. i felt like i wasn't coping correctly before i learned this. like maybe i was doing something wrong or there was just something wrong with me.
type one: freshly pressed linens, the sound of high heels on a marble floor, sunny days, a new lemon candle, writing letters to congress
type two: family photos, your best friend’s laugh, flower gardens, apple pie cooling in the window, picnics in the park
type three: first place ribbons, sunrise yoga, learning a new skill, iced coffee, giving advice to your best friend
type four: paint splattered overalls, the crackle of old vinyl records, flea markets, a cinnamon latte, watching the rain fall with a cup of tea
type five: soft flannel shirts, the gentle hum of a fan, museums, the pages of an old book, reading the sunday paper in bed
type six: paperback mystery novels, a kitten purring, the worn-out couch in your best friend’s house, a favorite perfume, calling an old friend
type seven: ticket stubs, songs that remind you of your childhood, bustling city streets, polaroids taped to the wall, roadtrips in the fall
type eight: black coffee, the steady tick of a grandfather clock, hiking in the mountains, a cabin in the woods after the first snow, a vase of sunflowers
type nine: peonies, chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, soft sweaters, a cozy night in, watercolor paintings hung on the wall
Xaden: So you sister was casually poisioning everyone
Brennan: *being extremly proud of her*
Why is your personality type dangerous? ⚠️ Join @sosyncd today to meet your perfect personality match 💚
Disorganized (aka fearful-avoidant) attachment style is overanalyzing/overcorrecting when you think your partner might be pulling away from you, but then pulling away from them when they draw close to you.
It is both craving AND fearing intimacy so deeply that you grip people tight in your hands lest they leave you, but keep them at an arms length lest they love you.
When Athena is hoping for a kinder world, I like how Odysseus doesn’t shoot her down (I think he had his fill of that with the suitors, ha ha ha), but just says it won’t be in his life. Why? Because he’s not saying it’s impossible, just that that kind of change takes more time and sacrifice than he can give. And that actually reminded me of something: in the Bible, King David wanted to build a temple to God, but God said no because of all the blood on his hands- David was a king during wartime, he is not meant to lead Israel in peace. But his son, Solomon? He would be the peacetime king, he built the temple, and coincidentally was also known for his wisdom (and his 700 concubines, but that’s irrelevant here).
Basically- TELEMACHUS AND ATHENA WORKING TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER!!!
[I don’t really think Jorge was using the David-Solomon thing as inspiration or a reference, I just thought it was a cool similarity- especially the wisdom part, which I only realized while writing this. ]
Telemachus wants to “bring the world some light,” and she accepted his friendship rather than just a mentor-mentee relationship, showing that she’s opening her arms. Together, they can make a greater tomorrow that she couldn’t do with Odysseus. His part in the war was important, but there’s still work to be done, work Telemachus is very eager to accomplish.
He was also just coming back from a “diplomatic mission,” which shows more of that open arms mindset, something even the more innocent version of Odysseus didn’t really do! (I know in the actual Odyssey he went in search of his dad, but I don’t think that’s the same case here since there was no mention of a plan to do that on his end, plus Jorge had to change how Odysseus actually made it back to the island to fit his story.) Diplomacy is a lot about alliances and making peace, not about outsmarting/outmaneuvering enemies. It still requires wisdom and intelligence, but the world is not changed for the better by swords alone.
Odysseus’ story required him to embrace ruthlessness, but because of that, his son Telemachus doesn’t have to.
And I am so PSYCHED for the new wisdom duo. GO MAKE A GREATER TOMORROW!!!
[edit: it also ties into one of Circe’s last lines: “maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer no more”]
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