Thursday, November 20, 2008

Enneagram Type 9: Peacemaker, Mediator, Naturalist, Accommodator or Abdicator

Overview
You want to be agreeable, peaceful, natural and comfortable. More importantly, you want to be calm and, if at all possible, to avoid conflict. You see yourself as accepting, unassuming and laid-back. You would like others to see you as humble, easygoing and approachable. Your idealized image is that you are content and harmonious.

Desiring union, harmony and unconditional love, you get along with most people that you meet. Considerate and gentle, you have an innate ability to make people feel comfortable and at ease. You are very accepting and readily empathize with others. Focused on the well being of others, you may at times lose sight of your own agenda. More intellectual than you let on, you have a natural gift for seeing many different points of view. You are able to see all the shades of gray in any given situation and have a way of diffusing conflict and being calm and steady in a crisis. Focusing on similarities rather than differences, you make an excellent mediator and peacemaker.

You don’t want to be drawn into conflict and avoid being pressured to react. Self-forgetting by nature, you repress your anger and neglect your needs in order to avoid the discomfort that comes with conflict. Because you may lose yourself in life’s simple pleasures, the needs of others, or the basic task of living, you may never go after what you truly want. You may struggle to find your one true passion. At times, you may be complacent and minimize anything that is upsetting.

Often the strong silent type, you have the power of patience, persistence and resistance. You see yourself as having stamina and take pride in your ability to endure. You tend to procrastinate and take longer than others to make up your mind. When you do make a decision, you are like an unstoppable elephant pursuing its goals. Not one to self-promote, you would rather be discovered than announce yourself. Others may underestimate you due to your casual and nonchalant attitude. This is nearly always a mistake–one that you are happy to let others make because you prefer not to flaunt your talents or appear egotistical.

Need
You need simplicity, peace, harmony and to be appreciated. Because you are highly empathetic, you need to know that the people around you are relaxed in order for you to be able to relax. To truly be at ease, you need to have your creature comforts and are unwilling go without them. Publicly, you may go along to get along, but when in private you make sure that you have what makes you feel happy and comfortable.

Avoid
You avoid conflict, complications and judgmental people. Being shut down, overlooked and not included by others are among your greatest fears. You are afraid of being loveless and of not receiving or being able to give love. Paradoxically, your avoidance of anger and conflict can lead to more conflict. You don't want to deal with anything until you are good and ready. It is hard for you to say no, so yes means maybe and maybe means absolutely not!

Virtue
Your virtues are your acceptance, peacefulness and ability to see universal truths. Open and receptive, you easily relate to others. When you are at your best, you can be both personally and universally connected. Whether you prefer simple pleasures or intellectual pursuits, you are always seeking what is harmonious. You often show your love by working hard, and you can make great contributions to others. Down to earth, steady, patient and easygoing, you bring a sense of calm to any given situation. Steadfast and persistent, you are able to endure even the most tedious and difficult circumstances.

Vice
Your vices are indolence, inaction or sloth. This can lead to self-forgetting and neglecting your needs and/or the needs of others. Your inattention and forgetfulness can manifest as “crimes of omission”. You may also be stubborn or turn a blind eye to someone in need. Everyone thinks that you are on his or her side and can interpret your understanding as agreement. Overly avoiding conflict, you are most likely to hurt the people around you by not keeping promises due to your lack of follow through. This can make for a passive-aggressive stance in life where you don't see the impact of your inaction and can appear callous or indifferent.

Attention
Your attention goes to identifying with and merging with others. Your soft, pillowy energy tends to spread outwards and become diffuse. Because you sense and champion the needs and feelings of whatever group you are in, you are a natural group anchor. To avoid feeling tension and conflict, you may reach for substitutes for love by eating, focusing on the minutia or getting lost in unimportant tasks.

Spiritual Path
Your spiritual journey is to reclaim your sense of right action and awaken from the coma of self-forgetting. Spiritual growth will come to you as you reclaim, define and assert your sense of self in the world.

Mantra
True love is action and not passive acceptance. To be truly loving requires that you define your values and take a stand for what you believe is important– regardless of the conflict it may cause. Indecisiveness and a fear of upsetting people can prevent you from taking appropriate action. Remember that no decision is a decision, and a “stitch in time saves nine”.

Wing
If you are the Enneagram Type 9 with the 1 Wing, you desire to appear elusive. You see yourself as pragmatic, clear, collected, funny, calm and harmonious.

If you are the Enneagram Type 9 with the 8 Wing, you desire to be natural. You see yourself as dignified, comfortable, loving, aloof, strong and kind.

Famous Type 9s
Loni Anderson, Bali, Annette Bening, Tony Bennett, Ernest Borgnine, Matthew Broderick, Sandra Bullock, George Burns, Art Carney, Keith Carradine, Julia Child, Connie Chung, Bill Clinton, Columbo, Gary Cooper, Kevin Costner, The Dalai Lama, Jeff Daniels, Oscar de la Renta, Clint Eastwood, Dwight Eisenhower, Queen Elizabeth II, Shelley Fabares, Peter Falk, Gerald Ford, Dennis Franz, Annette Funicello, Mahatma Gandhi, John Goodman, Tipper Gore, Elliott Gould, Charles Grodin, Woody Harrelson, Patty Hearst, Mariel Hemingway, Audrey Hepburn, Barbara Hershey, Anjelica Huston, Shirley Jones, C.G. Jung, Grace Kelly, Nancy Kerrigan, Lisa Kudrow, Stan Laurel, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Abraham Lincoln, Andie MacDowell, Mr. Magoo, Dean Martin, Jerry Mathers, Dan Quayle, James Earl Ray, Ronald Reagan, Ralph Richardson, Carl Rogers, Roy Rogers, Gena Rowlands, Eva Marie Saint, Garry Shandling, Martin Sheen, Tom Skerritt, Ringo Starr, Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Stern, James Stewart, Eric Stoltz, Billy Bob Thornton, Andy Williams, Tricia Yearwood, Renee Zellweger.

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